Edmonton Elks re-signs veteran DB Aaron Grimes

On Wednesday, the Edmonton Elks locked up veteran defensive back Aaron Grimes to a two-year contract extension through 2023.

The 30-year-old from Seattle, Washington, played 13 games this year with 51 tackles, one special teams tackle, and one interception.

Grimes had played 95 games in seven seasons with 286 tackles, 19 special team tackles, one sack, 13 interceptions, two touchdowns, and two forced fumbles.

Grimes played college football at Idaho and went undrafted in the 2013 NFL Draft. Grimes spent the first three seasons with the Eskimos, including winning the Grey Cup in 2015 before joining the Philadelphia Eagles in 2016. He was on the Eagles’ practice squad and was released in 2017.

Then, Grimes returned to the Edmonton Eskimos for two seasons before joining the BC Lions. After the CFL canceled the 2020 season, Grimes returned to Edmonton for the third time.

In addition to Grimes, the Elks extended WR Diego Viamontes (two years), DL Tibo Debaillie (two years), OL Peter Kourtis (three years), and OL Emanuel McGirt (three years).

Diego Viamontes is a 31-year-old from Mexico and played three games in two seasons. He went to college at Universidad del Valle de México. Viamontes played for the Raptors Naucalpan and Mayas CDMX in the Liga de Fútbol Americano Professional (LFA). In 2018, he caught 26 passes for 519-yards and two touchdowns.

Tibo Debaillie is a 24-year-old from Belgium and played college football at Towson. Debaillie played three games this year for the Elks with one tackle.

Peter Kourtis is a 23-year-old from Toronto, Ontario, and played 24 games in three seasons with St. Mary’s. Kourtis was named to St. Mary’s all-decade team (2010-2020). He was the Elks fifth-round pick in the 2021 CFL Draft.   

Emanuel McGirt is a 24-year-old from Durham, North Carolina, and played for five years at NC State. He battled injuries while at NC State. He went undrafted in the 2020 NFL Draft and didn’t sign with any team.