B.C. Lions general manager Ryan Rigmaiden says the team will add new talent, but bringing back players from last season’s run is a priority.<\/p>\n
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Published Dec 08, 2025 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 3 minute read<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n You can save this article by registering for free here<\/a>. Or sign-in<\/a> if you have an account.<\/p>\n If you believe in omens, the B.C. Lions\u2019 re-signing of receiver Keon Hatcher last week certainly seems like a good one.<\/p>\n Advertisement 2<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. 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Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events.Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account.The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.<\/p>\n REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.<\/p>\n THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an Account<\/p>\n or<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Hatcher, 31, inked a two-year extension with the Leos, keeping the CFL\u2019s leading receiver (102 catches, 1,688 yards) from last season from going on the open market when free agency kicks off Feb. 10.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Hatcher had been No. 4 on the 3DownNation\u2019s list of pending free agents they published on Nov. 26. He would have had plenty of suitors if he hadn\u2019t opted for this latest deal.<\/p>\n He\u2019s a five-year Lions veteran and met his wife Kiran while playing here, which obviously played a major role in him re-upping with the team so quickly.<\/p>\n But there\u2019s also a feeling that the Lions are trending in the right direction after their strong finish last season, which included winning seven games in a row before losing 24-21 to the Saskatchewan Roughriders<\/a> on the road in a back-and-forth West final.<\/p>\n Canucks Report<\/p>\n Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Advertisement 3<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n There\u2019s the Nathan Rourke factor as well. This remains a quarterback-driven league, and B.C. has the best one going right now in Rourke, 27, the pivot born in Victoria and raised in Oakville, Ont., who won the CFL\u2019s Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Canadian awards this season.<\/p>\n \u201cI think everybody wants to play with 12,\u201d Lions general manager Ryan Rigmaiden said, referring to Rourke\u2019s jersey number. \u201cI think his respect across the league is at an all-time high, as it should be. He had a tremendous year. But he\u2019s also a tremendous person.<\/p>\n \u201cGuys want to play with the best players and \u2026 he\u2019s the best player in Canadian football.\u201d<\/p>\n Rigmaiden says that Hatcher re-signing this far ahead of free agency \u201csends the right message.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to bring back players who perform,\u201d he said of that Lions brain trust he heads alongside head coach Buck Pierce. \u201cHe\u2019s earned every cent of that contract and we\u2019re happy to pay it.\u201d<\/p>\n Rigmaiden said the Lions plan to make additions in free agency, but his main goal is bringing back players from last year\u2019s team. They like the group they finished with last season that much, and they believe in continuity.<\/p>\n realtimeB.C. Lions GM Ryan Rigmaiden.Rigmaiden didn\u2019t offer names, but the CFL top-30 pending free agents published on the league website Friday had B.C. left tackle Jarell Broxton at No. 14 and running back James Butler at No. 20.<\/p>\n Broxton, 32, made the All-CFL Team this season, while Butler, 30, finished third in the league in rushing (1,213 yards). Butler was representing the Lions at the recent high school provincial finals at B.C. Place<\/a>. Read into that what you may.<\/p>\n Advertisement 5<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cKeeping guys in our culture, guys that have bought in, guys that know what Buck expects, is a priority for us,\u201d Rigmaiden explained.<\/p>\n CFL player salaries aren\u2019t widely published. Dan Ralph of The Canadian Press reported that Hatcher\u2019s two-year deal is worth a guaranteed $630,000. Others have confirmed that total, although there\u2019s not been a year-by-year breakdown.<\/p>\n 3DownNation had Kenny Lawler of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats as the league\u2019s top earning receiver last season, at $277,200, and Lions receiver Justin McInnis coming in at $250,000. They also had Rourke as the league\u2019s highest paid player, making $624,200, although $200,000 of that was for marketing and didn\u2019t count against the salary cap.<\/p>\n There\u2019s no word on what Rourke and McInnis are making this year, but it\u2019s safe to guess it\u2019s in that same ballpark.\u00a0<\/p>\n Advertisement 6<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n The salary cap was $6.06 million last season, and Rigmaiden says that B.C. was compliant. The cap is slated to jump to $6.16 million this season. That\u2019s expected to be confirmed early next year.<\/p>\n Rigmaiden admits that staying under the cap is \u201calways difficult,\u201d but appreciates that\u2019s the gig he signed up for, too.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been on staffs before where we were under by $400. You have to push it, you have to remain competitive,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a challenge because you want to sign the best players possible, but this is the business that we are in, so it\u2019s all got to make sense. It\u2019s definitely a jigsaw puzzle.\u201d<\/p>\n The Lions forfeited their first- and second-round picks in the 2025 CFL Draft after going over the salary cap by $347,889 in 2024.<\/p>\n Read More<\/p>\n B.C. Lions\u2019 Nathan Rourke named CFL\u2019s top player and Canadian<\/p>\n![\"Hatcher\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1209-hatcher.jpg\")
B.C. Lions’ receiver Keon Hatcher. Photo by DARRYL DYCK \/THE CANADIAN PRESSArticle content<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/20.1.2\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-vp.svg\"){kind=logo}
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Nathan Rourke. \u201cI think everybody wants to play with 12,\u201d Lions general manager Ryan Rigmaiden said, referring to Rourke\u2019s jersey number. Photo by Brian Johnson<\/p>\n![\"B.C.](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fbo-cfl-awards-20251113_299856726.jpg\")
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