Photo courtesy: David Friederich/B.C. Lions
The B.C. Lions have re-signed Canadian defensive lineman Anthony Bennett, who became a free agent after finishing the 2025 season on the practice roster.
The 29-year-old played four regular-season games with the Lions in 2025, recording one special teams tackle. He played two regular-season games with the Ottawa Redblacks earlier in the season and two special teams tackle, though he was cut by the team in July.
The six-foot-one, 235-pound was originally a first-round pick in the 2023 CFL Draft and played 18 games during his rookie season with Winnipeg, making eight defensive tackles and three special teams tackles. He was cut by the team in 2024 prior to the start of the regular season and had an offseason stint with the Montreal Alouettes in 2025.
Bennett was named a first-team All-Canadian with the University of Regina Rams in 2022 after recording 38 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, and nine sacks.
The B.C. Lions finished second in the West Division standings in 2025 with an 11-7 record and beat the Calgary Stampeders in the West Semi-Final before losing the West Final to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Nathan Rourke threw for 5,290 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions over 16 regular-season starts, posting an 11-5 record. He was also named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player.
The Lions ranked first in net offence, fourth in net defence, and sixth with a turnover differential of minus-four. James Butler rushed for 1,213 yards, Keon Hatcher led the CFL with 1,688 receiving yards, and Micah Awe led the league with 117 tackles. B.C. finished third in attendance with average crowds of 27,124, which was a 0.9 percent increase from the previous year.