Photo: Bob Butrym/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

Montreal Alouettes franchise quarterback Davis Alexander is wishing Austin Mack the best following his release from the team, which saw the veteran receiver join former Alouettes quarterback Cody Fajardo with the Edmonton Elks.

“(Mack)’s done so much for this organization. He came in in 2023, I think he started fourth on the depth chart and he just kind of put the whole league on notice. Obviously, he was super clutch in the playoffs, super clutch in the Grey Cup, but we’ve been around the game long enough — it is a business. I’m super happy for him that he was able to reconnect with Cody, I’m sure Cody’s fired up about that,” Alexander told the media in Montreal.

“He got released and he found his next-best spot — or maybe he felt his best spot — super quick, so I’m happy for him and I’m sure he’s going to light it up there with Cody.”

Mack was released late last month ahead of a $45,000 offseason roster bonus, which was due on February 1. The move came following an injury-plagued season, which saw the 28-year-old dress for 12 regular-season games and make 48 catches for 674 yards and two touchdowns. He made two grabs for 21 yards in the East Final but was held off the stat sheet in the Grey Cup as the Alouettes fell to Saskatchewan.

Alexander understood his team’s decision to release Mack, though he clearly still holds the receiver in high esteem. Nothing is guaranteed in professional football and the emerging quarterback is excited to see which of Montreal’s receivers is able to step up in 2026 with Mack no longer on the depth chart.

“It’s tough because players want stability and some people want to be in a spot for a long time, especially if you have a family and stuff like that. I’m signed through 2028 now, but at the end of the day, I know that that’s not guaranteed. I’m not saying (the release) was performance-based on Mack, that’s an upstairs decision — a money thing would be my guess, that’s what it always is — but if I don’t perform, I know this contract could be swept under me just as well,” said Alexander.

“It is what it is, but we have a lot of pieces, a lot of great receivers coming back, and they seem to be pretty high on some rookies that are coming in as well. You look at a guy like Cole Spieker, he could absolutely thrive off this opportunity, and I think he’s going to thrive off this opportunity. That’s not to take anything away from Mack, but we’ve got to keep pushing, we’ve got to keep going.”

The Alouettes ranked seventh in passing in 2025, though that was due in part to Alexander missing 10 regular-season games with a hamstring injury. Tyler Snead led the team with 84 catches for 1,129 yards and four touchdowns and was rewarded with a contract extension through 2027. Tyson Philpot, who missed six games due to injury, received a massive contract extension after snagging 61 passes for 804 yards and five scores.

As for Mack, he’s now been reunited with Fajardo, who served as his quarterback in Montreal during a storybook season in 2023. Mack made 78 catches for 1,154 yards and four touchdowns as a CFL rookie that year, helping the Alouettes end a 12-year championship drought with an upset win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Hamilton.

It remains to be seen if Mack and Fajardo will be able to rekindle that success in Edmonton, but one thing’s for sure — Alexander is confident they will.