The B.C. Lions have released American receiver Lynn Bowden Jr.

The 27-year-old has spent the majority of training camp on the team’s suspended list after leaving Kamloops for family reasons. He was activated on Friday but released less than a week later.

Bowden Jr. was originally selected in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft, going 80th overall to the Las Vegas Raiders. The six-foot-one, 205-pounder was listed at running back but hyped up as a versatile offensive weapon before being traded to the Miami Dolphins after training camp in exchange for a sixth-round pick. He later spent time with the New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints.

The Youngstown, Ohio native appeared in 26 NFL games across four seasons, catching 39 passes for 294 yards and carrying the ball 14 times for 64 more. He also returned seven punts for 53 yards and three kickoffs for 64 yards, along with completing a 32-yard pass attempt. He was most recently under contract with the UFL’s DC Defenders but was released among final roster cuts without ever playing a game.

Bowden Jr. appeared in 39 games for the University of Kentucky from 2017 to 2019, earning consensus All-American honours as a junior and winning the Paul Hornung Award as the most versatile player in college football. He recorded 114 receptions for 1,303 yards and six touchdowns, ran 206 times for 1,530 yards and 13 majors, and completed 38 of 74 pass attempts for three touchdowns. He also contributed on special teams with nine punt returns for 199 yards, with two of those brought back for scores.

In a corresponding move, the Lions have brought back American defensive lineman Tomasi Laulile, who was released following rookie camp.

The six-foot-four, 285-pound pass rusher played in the United States Football League with Arlington and Houston. After signing with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2018, he also had stints with Denver, San Francisco and New Orleans over the next five years.

In 33 games at BYU from 2014 through 2016, he registered 47 total tackles, 11 tackles for a loss, six sacks, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and one interception.

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