VANCOUVER — The BC Lions announced on Thursday that American running back James Butler is staying in the Den with a two-year extension.
Butler was eligible to become a free agent on February 10 and was ranked 20th on CFL.ca’s top 30 pending free agents list.
“JB is one of the most complete running backs in this league, excelling as a runner, catching passes out of the backfield, and holding up in pass protection,” said general manager Ryan Rigmaiden.
“He will continue to give coach Pierce a reliable weapon for his offence and another strong leader in our locker room.”
The BC Lions also announced on Thursday that American offensive lineman Dejon Allen has signed a one-year contract extension. Allen was also eligible to become a free agent on February 10.
“Offensive line is always going to be an area of focus for us,” said general manager Ryan Rigmaiden. “This will be Dejon’s second year in coach Charbonneau’s system, and we expect him to take the next step forward. He will be a big part of a unit that took major strides last year.”
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Butler (five-foot-eight, 215 pounds) will enter his sixth CFL campaign in 2026 and fourth with the Lions after recording 1,213 rushing yards and a CFL-best 11 rushing touchdowns (both career-highs) on 229 carries last season.
The versatile back added 46 receptions for 439 yards and one major across 17 regular season games.
Butler then recorded 26 touches for 158 scrimmage yards in two Grey Cup Playoff contests, including a team-high 58 rushing yards in the Western Final at Saskatchewan.
Originally signed by the Lions as a free agent in 2021, Butler sits 13th on the club’s all-time rushing list with 2,770 yards and will crack the top ten with one more 1,000-yard campaign.
Butler suited up in 27 games with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats from 2023-24, rushing for 1,638 yards and nine touchdowns on 345 carries and caught 106 passes for 899 yards and a pair of majors. In his lone Grey Cup Playoff appearance with the Cats in the 2023 Eastern Semi-Final, Butler recorded 83 yards on 13 carries.
He previously suited up in pre-season action with the Oakland Raiders in 2018 and would spend the remainder of that season on the practice squad. He moved north to attend Saskatchewan Roughriders training camp in 2019 before a return to Oakland’s practice roster following his release.
In three years with the Nevada Wolfpack (2014-16), Butler rushed for 3,316 yards and 27 touchdowns and added 49 catches for 438 yards and three touchdowns. He was named the program’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2016. Butler transferred to Iowa for his final college season of 2017 and recorded 396 yards and a touchdown on 91 carries.
Despite being limited to only five games due to an arm injury last season, Allen served as a valuable leader on a much-improved offensive line.
Before moving west, Allen enjoyed a successful four seasons in Toronto. A two-time All-CFL selection (2022, 2024) and three-time East Division All-CFL selection (2022, 2023, 2024), Allen claimed the CFL Most Outstanding Lineman Award in a 2023 campaign where he helped the Boatmen to a 16-2 record and third consecutive finish atop the Eastern Division.
Allen was a key member of Grey Cup-winning squads with the Argos in 2022 and 2024.