Arthur Ward/CFL.ca
CALGARY — The wide receiver group in Calgary just received a couple of major reinforcements.
The Stampeders announced on Sunday they have signed American receiver Marken Michel and activated veteran receiver Reggie Begelton from the six-game injured list.
Michel returns for a second stint with the Stampeders after time in the National Football League including two games with the Carolina Panthers in 2020.
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Michel played 24 regular-season games with the Red and White over the 2017 and 2018 seasons, making 72 catches for 1,215 yards and eight touchdowns. He also had four carries for 47 yards and a touchdown, five kickoff returns for 89 yards and five punt returns for 39 yards.
The UMass product was Calgary’s nominee and the West Division finalist for the CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie award in 2017. Michel left the Stampeders following the 2018 season to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles and also spent time with Carolina and Washington.
Begelton’s return also adds to Calgary’s play-making group. The veteran was off to a great start to the season with 14 catches for 182 yards in his first two games before a rib injury caused him to miss last week’s overtime loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
The addition of Michel and the return of Begelton will help offset the absence of veteran receiver Malik Henry, whom the team announced has been placed on the six-game injured list after injuring his Achilles in the game against the Riders.
The Stamps also announced on Sunday they have signed American receiver Floyd Allen and American running back LeVante Bellamy to the practice roster.
Allen and Bellamy were both at the Stampeders’ 2023 training camp.
Allen saw action in one pre-season game, recording two catches for 46 yards while returning two punts for 10 yards and one kickoff for 22 yards.
A product of Ole Miss, Allen also attended Calgary’s training camp in 2022 and has been with the Houston Texans in the NFL and the Dallas Renegades in the XFL.
For his part, Bellamy saw four games of NFL action with the Denver Broncos before signing with the Stampeders.
In college, Bellamy played 48 games over five seasons at Western Michigan and had 617 career carries for 3,720 yards and 35 touchdowns as well as 57 receptions for 370 yards and one score and 19 kickoff returns for 358 yards. He was the Mid-American Conference offensive player of the year as a senior in 2019 when he led nation with 23 rushing touchdowns while rushing for 1,472 yards in 13 games.
Bellamy earned first-team all-conference honours in both of his final two seasons and finished his Western Michigan career as the fourth all-time rusher in school history.
The Stamps return to action in Week 5 when they travel to Winnipeg to face the Blue Bombers on Friday, July 7.
