GoElks.com
EDMONTON — The Edmonton Elks are making a change at the quarterback position.
The team announced on Monday they have released American quarterback Kai Locksley.
TSN’s Farhan Lalji had reported earlier on Monday that the Elks would release Locksley. Lalji also reported that Tre Ford will be back on the active roster this week, after he spent Sunday’s game against the Toronto Argonauts on the one-game injured list.
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The #Elks are releasing QB Kai Locksley. 🇨🇦 Tre Ford will be back on the active roster this week. @CFLonTSN @TSN_Sports
— Farhan Lalji (@FarhanLaljiTSN) June 26, 2023
Locksley signed with the Elks in January after a stint with the Miami Dolphins in the NFL. Collegiately, the pivot spent two years (2018-2019) at the University of Texas at El Paso.
While at UTEP, he appeared in 20 games at quarterback, completing 186-of-350 passes for 2,266 yards and nine touchdowns. Locksley also rushed 237 times for 875 yards and 11 touchdowns. Prior to UTEP he was the nation’s top junior college player on offence at Iowa Western Community College (2017).
The 26-year-old played in three games with the Elks this season, handling mostly short-yardage duties. He last appeared in Sunday’s loss to the Argos, replacing Taylor Cornelius in the third quarter. Locksley fumbled a handoff to running back Kevin Brown in his first snap and ended up being pulled for Jarret Doege, who finished the game for Edmonton.
Edmonton also announced the signing of Nationals linebacker Josiah Schakel and fullback Mario Villamizar.
Schakel returns to Edmonton, where he had a standout career with the University of Alberta Golden Bears. The Sherwood Park product made his CFL debut in 2022 with the Calgary Stampeders, suiting up for seven games. A 2022 second-round (14th overall) draft pick by the Stampeders, Schakel was named U Sports Defensive Player of the Year in 2021.
Villamizar was drafted in the sixth round (51st overall) by the B.C. Lions in 2019 and played 40 games for the club over three seasons. The St. Catharine’s, Ont., native attended Wilfrid Laurier University, where he was a member of the 2016 Yates Cup champions and a Second-Team OUA All-Star in 2018.
The Elks travel to Ottawa to take on the REDBLACKS on Friday, at 7:30 p.m. ET.
