Bill Smith / Chicago Bears
MontrealAlouettes.com
MONTREAL – The Alouettes announced on Thursday the signings of a trio of defensive players to their roster, adding linebacker Winston Venable, defensive end Kenny Iwebema and defensive back Eddie Elder. All three import players signed two-year deals with the club.
Venable (5’11”, 220 lbs.) rejoins the Alouettes after spending the final five regular season games of 2012 on the team’s practice roster. Prior to joining the Alouettes, the 25-year-old linebacker signed with the Chicago Bears in 2011 as an undrafted free agent from Boise State University. He contributed on special teams during his time in Chicago, amassing ten special team tackles, good for fifth on the team. That season, Venable appeared in 12 games for the Bears, recording eight defensive tackles. He played collegiately for Boise State and in 2009, made a late fourth quarter interception to secure the Broncos 17-10 win over Texas Christian University in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
Iwebema (6’4”, 280 lbs.) was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft (116th overall). During his three seasons with the Cardinals, the 28-year-old suited up for 31 games, recording 13 defensive tackles and two sacks. The Minneapolis, MN native played his college football at Iowa State University tallying 106 tackles, 14.5 sacks and three forced fumbles in 43 games. In a 2006 contest against Syracuse, Iwebema recorded a career-high 11 defensive tackles. In 2005, he tied a school record when he blocked two field goals in a single game.
Elder (5’10”, 185 lbs.) signed with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in May 2012 and attended their rookie mini-camp before being brought back to the Cardinals training camp. He dressed in all four preseason games, recording five defensive tackles and a forced fumble, while learning the ropes from veterans Kerry Rhodes and Adrian Wilson. The 23-year-old played his last two seasons collegiately for Arizona State, where he tallied 130 tackles, three interceptions, seven passes defended, one sack and one forced fumble. The Sacramento, CA native started 20 of the 25 games he played for the Sun Devils.
