The Edmonton Elks signed defensive linemen Reece Martin and Charles Loose on Friday. They also released defensive lineman Sam Acheampong and placed linebacker Darien Butler on the suspended list.
Reece Martin is six foot five and weighs 285 pounds. The 24-year-old from Moncton, New Brunswick, re-signed with the Ticats on December 6, 2024. The Ticats released him on May 11, 2025.
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the fourth round (31st pick) of the 2023 CFL Draft. In 2023, he made two tackles in two preseason games.
The Ticats released him on August 14, 2023, and he returned to Mount Allison for his final collegiate season. In 2024, Martin made five tackles in two preseason games. He appeared in three regular season games recording no stats. The Ticats released him on October 26, 2024.
Martin played four seasons at Mount Allison (2018-19, 2021-24) making 115 tackles (63 solos, 52 assists), 24 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and six pass breakups in 37 games for the Mounties.
In 2023, he made 30 tackles (13 solos, 17 assists), 3.5 tackles for loss, and one fumble recovery in eight games. He is a three-time Hardy Trophy winner (2018, 2021-22). In 2022, Martin made 25 tackles (19 solos, 12 assists), 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and two pass breakups in eight games for the Mounties.
Charles Loose is six foot three and weighs 275 pounds. The 23-year-old from Hillsdale, New Jersey, transferred to Rice in 2024 making 43 tackles (19 solos, 24 assists), nine tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, one pass breakup, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries in 12 games for the Owls.
Collegiately, Loose played five seasons at Dartmouth (2019, 2021-23) making 92 tackles (44 solos, 48 assists), 15 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, three pass breakups, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and one blocked kick in 30 games for the Big Green.
In 2023, Loose made 43 tackles (19 solos, 24 assists), 9.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, three pass breakups, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and one blocked kick in 10 games. He was named First Team All-Ivy League, Division I All-New England Team, a winner of the Gold Helmet Award, and a finalist for the Bushnell Cup.
Samuel Acheampong is six foot five and weighs 265 pounds. The 29-year-old from Brampton, Ontario, made eight tackles in six games for the Elks in 2024. He missed most of the season with a groin injury. The Elks re-signed him on February 12, 2025.
The Toronto Argonauts drafted Acheampong in the second round (20th pick) in the 2020 CFL Draft. Acheampong played three seasons in Toronto making 49 tackles, one tackle on special teams, and four sacks in 41 games. He is a member of the Toronto Argonauts 109th Grey Cup Championship team.
In 2023, Acheampong played one game before the Argonauts traded him to the Edmonton Elks on July 8, 2023, for a 2024 fifth-round draft pick. In Edmonton, he made 14 tackles and one sack in 12 games.
Collegiately, Acheampong played five seasons at Wilfrid Laurier University (2015-19) making 50 tackles (40 solos, 22 assists), 16.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, one pass breakup, one forced fumble, and one blocked kick in 30 games for the Golden Hawks.
He is a member of the 2016 Yates Cup Championship team. In addition, he was named First Team OUA All-Star in 2019, and a two-time Glenn Caroll Team of the Year winner.
