Montreal Alouettes Sign Linebacker Diamond Ferri

Montreal Alouettes

The Montreal Alouettes made their first move of the free agency period with a player from another team, signing Diamond Ferri to a two year contract.

Ferri is a linebacker who spent time with the team from 2007-2011. The Syracuse product played mostly outside linebacker but was also a contributor on special teams, both as a tackler and even sometimes as a returner gaining 866 yards on 39 returns while scoring one touchdown.

While in Montreal, he appeared in a total of 76 games, amassing 240 defensive tackles including nine quarterback sacks. He also racked up 24 special teams tackles.

“It’s great to have the Swiss Army Knife back in the fold,” said Alouettes general manager and head coach Jim Popp. “Diamond is by far one of the most versatile players in the league. We welcome him home.”

Ferri won two Grey Cups with the Alouettes and was most recently with the Saskatchewan Roughriders where he won a third championship.

He was a starter at outside linebacker when he first came to the Alouettes. But once Chip Cox was moved to linebacker found it harder to crack into the starting defence. Ferri is coming to Montreal to provide depth to the linebacking corps which needs a boost with Marc-Olivier Brouillette likely getting into a bigger role with the loss of Shea Emry.

Ferri will be able to provide more depth, especially at outside linebacker in case something were to happen to either Kyries Hebert or Cox. He is a converted defensive back much like Cox and Hebert are as well and seems to fit into the mould that the Alouettes like to have on the outside.

The fact that he is an American won’t hurt him as the people he is most likely to replace will also be import players.

Ferri is 32 years old and is likely on the downside of his career and allows the Alouettes to have a few more options and veteran depth is never a bad thing.