EDMONTON – Consider a major boxed checked when it comes to overhauling the Elks roster.
The Green and Gold will enter the 2025 season with a very different look on the defensive line following last week’s free agent frenzy. Upgrading the team’s pass rush was one of the team’s top priorities, and safe to say, the mission was accomplished.
“The men that we went out and tried to target and tried to bring into this organization fit the foundation of what we’re trying to build this team on,” Head Coach Mark Kilam said. “They’re all high character men. They’re all exceptional at what they do, at their craft. We’ve got some teeth up front. We’ve built from the front out and when you do that, it makes everybody else a whole lot better.”
Robbie Smith (#40) in his first time in Green and Gold
The new additions include defensive linemen Jake Ceresna, Robbie Smith, and Jared Brinkman, who have all joined the Double E after being key contributors on the Grey Cup Champion Toronto Argonauts CFL’s sack leading defence.
“I think it’s exciting, especially to add all those pieces on defense,” Robbie Smith said about the addition of himself and his teammates from Toronto. “I think these guys really did a great job with bringing in who they brought in, and I think it’s great for me too, because it brings in a sense of familiarity to a new team and a new opportunity.”
It’s a stark contrast to the state of the Elks pass rush from last season. In the opening game of 2024, the Elks trotted out a defensive line that had combined for a career total of just nine QB sacks among the nine players dressed, with the returning Sam Acheampong leading the way with four.
Factor in this week’s addition of Brandon Barlow and his 14 sacks over the past two seasons — alongside veteran Jonathan Kongbo who was signed in January — and the Elks have brought in 88 Canadian Football League sacks to their pass rushing arsenal this offseason.
Brandon Barlow (#11) as a member of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2024
Last year’s group had their moments, sitting middle pack among CFL teams in quarterback takedowns with 35. However, QBs were still given too much time to eye over a young Elks secondary which allowed passers to throw for a league high 5,642 passing yards allowed.
Its not like the Elks secondary was entirely leaky. The Green and Gold’s defensive backfield led Canadian Football in takeaways with 25 interceptions in 2024. If turning up the temperature on opposing quarterbacks to help the Elks young secondary was a primary goal of General Manager Ed Hervey, it’s safe to say he’s gone out and accomplished just that.
The crown jewel of the Elks free agency haul was the return of Jake Ceresna. The 30-year-old tied for the CFL lead in sacks last season and has been a QB menace for over half a decade in the league. It certainly doesn’t hurt that Ceresna is a familiar face in the city, suiting up for four seasons with the Green and Gold, recording 35 sacks in 56 games across four seasons.
Jake Ceresna (#94) and Almondo Sewell (#90) lead the EE’s defensive line
“I mean, Jake’s a beast. I’m not 100 per cent sure, but I think the whole league was trying to sign Jake,” Kilam said. “The guy was maybe the top free agent available. You can go position by position, but the guy impacts the game. He has a ton of versatility.”
As much as the signings of a star like Ceresna, or a ratio breaker like Smith has made headlines, the addition of Jared Brinkman may prove to be one slipping under the radar. The counting numbers may not fly off the stats sheet – 17 tackles, three sacks, and a forced fumble – but a deeper dive into the film shows just how valuable Brinkman can be.
In the cfl.ca’s recent article about five Pro Football Focus (PFF) approved signings, Brinkman topped their list. The 6-foot-1 defender was among the league’s best run stoppers, ranking first in the CFL in plays with a positive grade against the run.
Being an important cog on what could be league’s the nastiest D-line was a major selling feature in convincing Brinkman to head out West.
Fired up 🔥
DL Jared Brinkman discusses why he chose the Green & Gold.#GoElks pic.twitter.com/RTCnrTTNXR
— Edmonton Elks (@GoElks) February 20, 2025
“One thing that stuck with me was bringing toughness back to Edmonton,” Brinkman said about what drew him to the Green and Gold. “I just feel that’s kind of part of my playing style. I love putting my head down, working and just getting after it every play.”
The changes on the defensive line are part of a broader change in direction for the Edmonton Elks. They want to be a tougher team to play against, while being a better and more cohesive team on and off the field. The Elks found themselves in a position where they were on the losing side of a close game more often than not, with eight of their 11 losses in 2024 coming by a single score. A pass rush capable of finishing off teams and players who can rally around each when the pressure is the highest is what the Double E brass desires.
“As we’ve talked about since our arrival, we were talking about changing the narrative here in Edmonton, and our objective is to give our fans the best product that they can pay for and compete for championships,” Hervey said. “But in order to do those things, you have to have good players and good people. If you can have a combination of both, that’s even better. That’s what we feel that we have in the additions that we brought in to come here.”