Eugene Lewis can have a lot driving on the beginning of the 2025 CFL season.
The veteran receiver heads into the marketing campaign needing landing catches in his first two video games to tie Corridor of Famer Terry Evanshen’s CFL mark for consecutive matches with a TD seize (10). Lewis had landing receptions in Edmonton’s closing eight contests final yr, breaking the membership file of seven and tying the franchise mark for consecutive video games with any sort of TD.
“It’s positively essential however I don’t sit there and take into consideration (information) on a regular basis,” Lewis stated. “When information do come my approach, I perceive how essential they’re and the urgency of all of it as a result of it’s arduous to interrupt information and it’s arduous to get into these conditions.
“When you might have the chance to make actual, dwell historical past that may hold occurring technology after technology, I feel that’s spectacular.”
The six-foot-one, 200-pound Lewis had 74 catches for 1,070 yards and league-best 10 TDs enjoying in all 18 regular-season video games. He had 48 receptions for 844 yards and three touchdowns in 12 contests in 2023, spending time on the six-game injured record with a knee ailment.
“I knew coming into 2024 I used to be fully wholesome and that, ‘Hear, if y’all simply give me an opportunity…,’” Lewis stated. “I at all times knew God gave me the flexibility to do that however typically it’s about having people who belief you and provide the leeway to do it.”
Lewis cracked the 1,000-yard plateau for the third time in seven CFL seasons and earned a 3rd league all-star designation – key achievements that enhance his market worth as he enters CFL free company subsequent month.
Get breaking Nationwide information
For information impacting Canada and all over the world, join breaking information alerts delivered on to you once they occur.
Lewis, 31, was the league’s highest-paid receiver final season with a reported $320,000 wage. Extra importantly, in a league the place contracts are restructured on a regular basis, Lewis was capable of see his two-year take care of Edmonton to fruition.
“When you might have a receiver getting cash like a quarterback, many individuals don’t agree with it,” Lewis stated. “In my thoughts, I at all times advised myself once I bought this contract, I didn’t need to take a pay minimize and I shouldn’t should if I’m doing what I’m imagined to be doing.”
Lewis would readily welcome chasing Evanshen’s file with Edmonton.
“I really like Edmonton, I really like the followers, I really like the individuals there,” he stated. “However we have now all new coaches, all new individuals upstairs and so it’s additionally about do they need me again, am I any individual they need?
“Once you undergo that as a vet, you begin understanding and seeing, yeah, it’s a enterprise but it surely’s like I simply need to know the way do you’re feeling about me as a result of once I offer you my all, you’re going to get my all. That’s all I do know.”
Edmonton employed former Calgary assistant Mark Kilam as head coach final month. GM Ed Hervey rejoined the group in November after Chris Morris was employed as president/CEO.
Hervey stated Tuesday he hasn’t talked to Lewis’s consultant about an extension. However he added if Lewis stays in Edmonton, it will likely be for much less.
“I’m saying the technique I desire to absorb this occasion is to permit the market to indicate what’s true worth,” Hervey advised reporters throughout a CFL Zoom name. “If somebody’s prepared to pay him 300 (thousand {dollars}), nice.
“I can let you know unequivocally I’m not paying 300. You possibly can quote it and put it any which approach you need. We won’t be doing that.”
Lewis joined the Elks in free company following the ’22 season. That yr, he was the East Division’s excellent participant with 91 catches for 1,303 yards (each profession highs) and 10 TDs with Montreal.
Lewis feels he’s able to extra.
“Hear, the place I’m at now I’m in my prime … the sport has slowed down for me,” he stated. “I’ve nonetheless bought a lot to present.
“In 2022, I used to be the MOP of the East and I’ve bought one other (season) like that in me, plus some.”
Lewis developed chemistry final yr with quarterbacks Tre Ford and McLeod Bethel-Thompson. Ford might be Edmonton’s starter after signing a contract extension and Bethel-Thompson being dealt to Montreal.
“I positively have to present numerous credit score to MBT and Tre,” Lewis stated. “That’s why soccer is the final word group sport.
“You’ve bought to belief individuals will do their job and so they should belief that you just’ll do yours. That’s the way it’s imagined to be.”
Lewis added one cause he signed with Edmonton was the problem of recording 1,000-yard seasons with East and West Division groups.
“There have been individuals saying it was tougher to do within the West since you’ve bought to go in opposition to these groups,” he stated. “I’m like, ‘Hear, it doesn’t actually matter to me.’
“I really had enjoyable, it was enjoyable going in opposition to all of these dudes.”
© 2025 The Canadian Press
Source link