The Montreal Alouettes re-signed punter Joseph Zema to a two-year contract extension through the 2026 season and Sam Clark to a three-year contract extension through the 2027 season on Friday.
Joseph Zema is six foot and weighs 215 pounds. The 30-year-old from Melbourne, Victoria, punted the ball 106 times for 4,947 yards (46.7 AVG) with a long of 61 yards in 18 games. Zema re-signed with the Alouettes on December 4, 2024.
The Montreal Alouettes drafted Zema in the first round (6th pick) in the 2021 CFL Global Draft. In 2021, he punted the ball 90 times for 4,071 yards (45.2 AVG) with a long of 67 yards in 14 games. A year later, Zema punted the ball 85 times for 4,017 yards (AVG) with a long of 65 yards in 18 games finishing fourth in the league.
In 2023, Zema punted the ball 101 times for 4,772 yards (47.2 AVG) with a long of 69 yards in 18 games helping the Alouettes win the 110th Grey Cup over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Collegiately, Zema played one season at Incarnate Word in 2017 with 77 punts for 3,595 yards (46.7 AVG), five touchbacks, 20 from inside the 20-yard line, 31 from 50-plus yards, and three kickoffs for 188 yards. Before Incarnate Word, Zema graduated from Australian Catholic University in 2015 with a degree in Exercise Sport Science.
Sam Clark is six foot four and weighs 202 pounds. The 27-year-old from Lilyfield, Australia, attended the 2024 CFL Kicking Combine in San Diego in January and was drafted by the Montreal Alouettes in the first round (9th pick) of the 2024 CFL Global Draft.
Clark played two preseason games punting the ball six times for 221 yards (36.8 AVG) with a long of 49 yards. He spent the 2024 regular season on the practice squad. The Alouettes released him on November 10, 2024. Montreal re-signed Clark on December 5, 2024.
Collegiately, Clark played three seasons at Sacramento State (2019-21) punting the ball 97 times for 4,062 yards (41.9 AVG) with a long of 73 yards, two touchbacks, 37 fair catches, 32 from inside the 20-yard line, 12 from 50-plus yards, and one tackle (1 solo) in 25 games for the Hornets. He was named Third Team All-Big Sky in 2021.
Then, Clark transferred to James Madison in 2022 punting the ball 50 times for 2,161 yards (43.2 AVG) with a long of 65 yards, four touchbacks, 18 fair catches, 16 from inside the 20-yard line, and nine from 50-plus yards in 11 games for the Dukes.
