As we told you the other day, it was just a matter of time before we heard that Emmanuel Arceneaux would be leaving the BC Lions.
Reports today are surfacing that the talented young Lions receiver has signed a 3 year $1.8 million deaL with the Minnesota Vikings. Arceneaux himself tweeted confirmation of the signing. Despite the Vikings not confirming the deal, reports are surfacing that Arceneaux will receive a $70,000 to $75,000 signing bonus. According to Sportsnet’s Arash Madani, Arceneaux turned down a $120,000 offer to remain in the CFL with the Lions.
The Lions had hoped that Arceneaux would remain in the CFL for at least another year or two, to both help them in their quest for a Grey Cup and to hone his skills a little more before making the jumP to the NFL. Like the Lions, Arceneaux started last season a little slowly before coming on the second part of the season, and becoming the Lions most dangerous receiver down the stretch, culminating with a thrilling last second catch in last season’s playoff game in Regina to send the game to overtime.
With the possibility of the NFL locking out it’s players in March it’s not an issue that Arceneaux is focusing on as he chases his NFL dream as he recently told Mark Masters of the National Post.
For more on the Arceneaux signing, be sure to check out this fine post by Andrew Bucholtz on his 55 Yard Line column over at Yahoo Sports as well as Lions beat writer Lowell Ullrich’s blog, The Fifth Quarter.
In the meantime, enjoy some his finest work as Lion with this video montage of Arceneaux’s time as a Lion:
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