The Edmonton Elks have signed five players to their training camp roster, including Global kicker Toshiki Sato.
The 31-year-old native of Yokohama, Japan, has spent the past two seasons on the practice roster of the Calgary Stampeders, serving under current Elks head coach Mark Kilam. He was a second-round selection by the Toronto Argonauts in the 2021 CFL Global draft and played one regular-season game that season, punting nine times for an average of 34.6 yards per kick.
After playing four years at Waseda University in Tokyo, Sato suited up for IBM Big Blue in the Japanese X-League, setting a league record in 2019 with a 58-yard field goal. He then played in The Spring League with the Austin Generals in 2019 and for the Aviators in 2020.
Also joining the Elks are four Americans, including defensive backs Chris Jackson and Roterius Torrence, receiver Binjimen Victor, and running back Artavis Pierce. Both Jackson and Victor were recently released from the UFL.
Jackson was a seventh-round pick of the Tennessee Titans in the 2020 NFL Draft and went on to spend three seasons with the team, making six starts across 24 appearances. He recorded 59 tackles, two tackles for loss, and broke up five passes in his NFL career, before adding 15 tackles in four games with the Birmingham Stallions last year.
The 26-year-old played collegiately at Marshall, where he recorded 81 total tackles, 27 pass breakups, and two interceptions in 23 games.
Victor spent parts of three seasons in the NFL with the New York Giants and Baltimore Ravens, dressing for two games without recording a reception. He caught 12 passes for 146 yards and a touchdown in 12 games for the Stallions last year.
The 28-year-old played at Ohio State for four seasons and finished his collegiate career with 83 receptions for 1,340 yards and 18 touchdowns in 47 games.
Torrence played two seasons at Arizona State where he accumulated 73 total tackles, two sacks, 13 passes breakups, and two interceptions in 21 games as a Sun Devil. The six-foot-three, 200-pound cornerback began his career at Auburn before spending time at Hutchinson Community College. He later had stints with the Seattle Seahawks and Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent.
Pierce spent two seasons with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent, rushing six times for 34 yards and one touchdown in six games. He wrapped up his time in the NFL with a brief stint as a Cleveland Brown and last played for the XFL’s DC Defenders in 2023, playing in a single game and recording a special teams tackle.
The 28-year-old played four seasons at Oregon State, rushing 367 times for 2,128 yards and 15 touchdowns in 44 games. He also caught 74 passes for 578 yards and two majors.
The Edmonton Elks finished fourth in the West Division in 2024 with a record of 7-11, missing the playoffs for the fourth straight year. The team will open its 2025 regular season by visiting the B.C. Lions at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver on Saturday, June 7 with kickoff slated for 10:00 p.m. EDT.
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