Elks extend OL Brett Boyko; sign DB Donnie Lewis Jr.

CFL.ca Staff

EDMONTON – The Edmonton Elks have signed National offensive lineman Brett Boyko to a two-year contract extension and signed American defensive back Donnie Lewis Jr., the club announced Wednesday. Boyko was set to become a free agent in February.

Boyko signed with the Elks in July 2023, following a season with the Orlando Guardians of the XFL in the spring of 2023. The six-foot-seven offensive lineman appeared in 14 games with Green and Gold, starting 13 games at right tackle. A second round draft pick by the BC Lions in 2015, the UNLV product played in 15 games with the BC Lions in 2019, before suiting up for eight games with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2021.

Previously, Boyko spent time in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles (2015) and the Los Angeles Chargers (2016-18).

Lewis Jr., 27, joins the Elks after spending the 2023 season with the Birmingham Stallions in the United States Football League (USFL), where he had 10 tackles and one interception in five games. This is the second CFL stint for the defensive back, who was signed to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats practice roster late last season.

The Louisiana native was originally selected by the Cleveland Browns in the seventh round of the 2019 NFL Draft, spending parts of two seasons (2019-20) with the club. He also had NFL stints with the Cincinnati Bengals (2020-2021) and Denver Broncos (2022). Collegiately, Lewis Jr. played four seasons at Tulane University (2015-2018), where he registered 160 total tackles, eight interceptions and 37 pass breakups in 46 games for the Green Wave. As a senior in 2018, he was named All-American Athletic Conference Second Team.

Follow CFL