Elks aim to shed losing past with strong start - BERITAJA

EDMONTON – Of each the questions surrounding the Edmonton Elks heading into this CFL season, the only 1 that really matters is: could they win?

The past clip the franchise had a winning grounds was 2017, 12-6 erstwhile they were still the storied Eskimos. The team’s horrid starts for the past 5 seasons person been good documented, discussed and dissected.

And second-year caput coach Mark Kilam has had capable of the questions.

“I’m tired of that narrative,” Kilam said precocious successful training camp. “I’ve only been present for 1 year. None of these guys were present for immoderate of that worldly and we’re creating our ain communicative and we’re focused connected the task astatine hand.”

That’s the aforesaid cognition of about of the players, including backmost Cody Fajardo.

“Everybody’s been punishment and gloom about this statement for truthful galore years,” said Fajardo, who had his statement extended successful the off-season and was handed the team’s starting backmost position. “The only measurement you could alteration that communicative is by winning games. But I felt we did capable past twelvemonth to create momentum; we conscionable person to create the momentum (this season) by starting fast.”

After a 1-6 commencement successful 2025 the Elks vanished 7-11, missing the playoffs for a 5th consecutive year. That prompted important changes successful unit connected some sides of the football.

General head Ed Hervey focused connected bolstering the violative line, improving the receiving corps and strengthening the defence.

The violative statement was 1 evident weakness pinch Fajardo sacked much than different backmost past twelvemonth erstwhile the statement gave 52 sacks, 2nd about successful the league.

Hervey brought successful Coulter Woodmansey — 1 of the apical Canadian linemen disposable successful the free agency excavation — Brendan Bordner and Jordan Murray to bolster the statement anchored by returnees Mark Korte, David Beard and Carter O’Donnell.

Kilam is hoping those changes will supply the basal protection for Fajardo and backup Taylor Powell, obtained from Hamilton, and unfastened holes for moving backmost Justin Rankin.

“I consciousness existent bully about guys they brought in, bully to travel backmost to the aforesaid offence and conscionable hone successful connected everything we did past year,” said Rankin, who rushed for 1,013 yards and 9 touchdowns successful 2025.

“We’ve sewage a batch of guys who attraction about shot and attraction about winning. It’s a very beingness team, beingness nasty connected the line, beingness receivers.”

The receiving halfway sewage a awesome upgrade pinch the summation of free supplier wide receivers Austin Mack from Montreal and Brendan O’Leary-Orange from Hamilton.

While the Elks mislaid receivers Kurleigh Gittens Jr. and Steven Dunbar Jr., and released Binjimen Victor, they retained past season’s apical receiver, Kaion Julien-Grant. The six-foot-two, 210-pound Julien-Grant, a Toronto native, led the squad past play pinch 57 receptions for 820 yards and 7 touchdowns.

The defence is mostly unchanged. Newcomer Malik Carney joins Robbie Smith, Jordan Brinkman, Noah Taylor and Jordan Williams connected the line.

The only important nonaccomplishment among the protect backs is Nyles Morgan successful the middle. Brock Morgenson and Nick Anderson will capable that spot. The corners are again parented by Tyrell Ford and J.J. Ross pinch Joel Dublanko, Kordell Jackson, Chelen Garnes, Kobe Williams and Kenneth Logan Jr. each returning to capable the halfback positions.

As well, Kilam, violative co-ordinator Jordan Maksymic and protect coordinator J.C. Sherritt person a play of moving together, learning each other’s tendencies and figuring retired to activity together for the use of the team.

“There’s a batch much charity, a batch much familiarity, we understand each different a spot more,” Kilam said of moving the twelvemonth pinch Maksymic. but it could see each the staff. “Working pinch personification successful a stressful business connected a regular basis, and that’s what pro shot is, you person to spell done a small spot of that to find champion practices.

The Elks unfastened their regular play Saturday successful Ottawa against the Redblacks.

SEASON SNAPSHOT

2025 record: 7-11, fifth, West Division

Did you know? Only 3 players person been pinch the Elks for 4 seasons aliases more.

Key additions: WR Austin Mack (Montreal), WR Brendan O’Leary-Orange (Hamilton), QB Taylor Powell (Hamilton), DL Malik Carney (Sask).

Key losses: WR Kurleigh Gittens Jr. (Hamilton), QB Tre Ford (Hamilton), LB Nyles Morgan (Ottawa).

Players to watch: Mack, RB Justin Rankin, MLB Nick Anderson.

This study by BERITAJA was first published July 2, 2026.