The B.C. Lions signed offensive lineman Larnel Coleman and defensive back Jalon Edwards-Cooper to the practice squad on Tuesday.
Larnel Coleman is six foot six and weighs 310 pounds. The 26-year-old from Malden, Massachusetts, signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on March 18, 2024. He played in two preseason games and was placed on the practice squad. The Blue Bombers released him on June 3, 2024.
Coleman was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the seventh round (231st pick) in the 2021 NFL Draft. He did not play in 2021 due to a knee injury. In 2022, he played one game for the Dolphins before spending time on their practice squad. However, Coleman signed with the Carolina Panthers on October 25, 2022. He was released by the Panthers on August 26, 2023, after playing three preseason games.
Coleman signed with the Houston Roughnecks (XFL) on December 13, 2023, but the original Roughnecks were not included in the XFL and USFL merger that formed the United Football League (UFL).
Instead, the Houston Gamblers (USFL) were rebranded as the Roughnecks. The Birmingham Stallions drafted Coleman in the 2024 UFL Dispersal Draft but released him on March 10, 2024.
Collegiately, Coleman played four seasons at the University of Massachusetts (2017-20) playing both tackle positions in 36 games for the Minutemen. In 2018, UMass ranked 14th in FBS in passing offense (298.1 yards per game), 16th in passing efficiency (153.91), and 34th in total offense (437.6 yards per game).
Jalon Edwards-Cooper is five foot eleven and weighs 175 pounds. The 27-year-old from Spring, Texas, signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders on February 6, 2024. However, the Roughriders released him on May 12, 2024.
The B.C. Lions signed Edwards-Cooper as a free agent on June 16, 2021. He played three seasons with 79 tackles, one tackle on special teams, one interception, and one forced fumble in 30 games. In 2023, Edwards-Cooper made 36 tackles, one tackle on special teams, one interception, and one forced fumble in 14 games.
Collegiately, Edwards-Cooper played four seasons at Texas A&M University-Commerce (2016-19) making 139 tackles (97 solo, 42 assists), 16.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, six interceptions for 63 yards, one touchdown, 32 pass breakups, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and one blocked punt in 46 games for the Lions.
