EDMONTON – The Edmonton Elks have locked up one of their key defensive pieces, announcing Thursday that American defensive lineman Jared Brinkman has signed an extension that keeps him in Green and Gold through the 2027 season.
Brinkman made it clear the decision was an easy one.
“Playing for Coach Kilam and his staff means a lot to me,” he said. “His leadership and vision are why I want to stay in Edmonton. We’ve built a locker room full of guys I’m proud to go to work with every single day.”
The 26‑year‑old is coming off a strong first season with the Elks in 2025, appearing in a career‑high 16 games and posting personal bests in 23 defensive tackles, along with two sacks and three tackles for loss.
Brinkman arrived in Edmonton as a free agent after three seasons with the Toronto Argonauts, where he suited up for 22 games, recording 31 tackles, four sacks, and a forced fumble, while helping the Boatmen capture Grey Cup titles in 2022 and 2024.
Before turning pro, Brinkman was a dominant force at Northern Iowa from 2017–2021, amassing 209 tackles, 39.5 tackles for loss, 18.5 sacks, and six forced fumbles across 55 games. He was twice named Missouri Valley Defensive Player of the Year (2020, 2021), cementing his status as one of the conference’s most disruptive defenders.
