By Canadian Press

Lions re-sign all-star receiver Burnham, bring back linebacker Lokombo

Feb 1, 2021 | 11:03 AM

VANCOUVER — The B.C. Lions made some big moves in free agency Monday, re-signing star receiver Bryan Burnham and bringing back free agent linebacker Bo Lokombo for a third stint with the CFL club.

The team also signed linebacker Isaiah Guzylak-Messam to a contract extension.

Burnham will return for a seventh season in Vancouver after a standout 2019 campaign. He had a career-highs with 100 receptions, 1,492 yards and 11 touchdowns while being named a CFL all-star for a third straight season.

Burnham enters 2021 10th on the Lions’ all-time list with 5,651 receiving yards and eight overall with 33 touchdown receptions.

In 2019 he became just the second Lions receiver after Geroy Simon to record four consecutive 1,000-plus yard seasons

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Signed as a free agent ahead of 2014 training camp after four solid years at the University of Tulsa, Burnham spent the first 11 weeks of his rookie season on the practice squad before making his CFL debut on September 19th against Toronto and catching his first touchdown pass from Kevin Glenn.

The six-foot-three, 229-pound Lokombo returns to the Lions after recording 51 defensive tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble in 15 games with the Montreal Alouettes in 2019.

A third-round selection of the Lions in the 2013 CFL Draft, Lokombo played 43 games with B.C. from 2014-16.

He earned a West Division all-star nod in his second season after a recording 24 defensive tackles, one sack and adding 24 more tackles on special teams.

Lokombo was then released to pursue NFL opportunities before returning to the Lions in 2018 and recording a career-best 71 defensive tackles and two interceptions.

Lokombo signed a one-year contract with Montreal in 2019, then was traded to Toronto for the 2020 season that was wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Toronto released Lokombo on Sunday.

Born in the Congo and raised in Montreal and Abbotsford, B.C., Lokombo was a standout at the University of Oregon and appeared in the 2011 BCS Championship Game against Cam Newton and Auburn.

The 6-1, 205-pound Guzylak-Messam returns for a third season with the Lions after working his way into the starting defence early in the 2019 campaign. The Hamilton native registered 37 defensive tackles and a sack that year, while also chipping in with 14 special teams tackles.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 1, 2021.

The Canadian Press