The Hamilton Tiger-Cats, who already have a could-start-this-bunch-tomorrow offence under contract, added their finisher Monday with the announcement that Lirim Hajrullahu has re-signed with the team for two years.

Hajrullahu, who played for the Ticats in 2018 under a one-year, $145,000 contract, had hoped to make the NFL and did get a workout with the Seattle Seahawks but was not signed. He accepted "a bit less" money to return to Hamilton than he made last year or would have made had he signed with either Montreal or B.C., both of which courted him.

"But Hamilton made the most sense for myself and my family," he told The Spectator. "Geographically, but also I'm involved in the community here. And the way this team is set up for this year is really scary."

With Hajrullahu's re-signing, the Ticats now have on their 2019 roster the players who scored 91 per cent of last year's offensive and kicking points.

Last season, Hajrullahu set a CFL record seven successful field goals of 50 yards or longer without a miss.

In a 2018 season which featured generally high field goal accuracy across the CFL, his 85.2 per cent success rate ranked seventh in the league. He was also fifth in punting and kickoff averages.

Although he had periodic difficulties with directional kicks in 2018, Hajrullahu, who turns 29 later this month, gave the Tiger-Cats a superior statistical season to the one he had in Toronto in 2017 and exceeded his career averages in field goal percentage and punt and kickoff averages.

"I've been working this off-season really hard on kickoffs, angle punting and even field goals," he said. "My focus has been a lot higher and I'm more determined to take the next step in my career."

Hajrullahu, who was born in Kosovo and moved to St. Catharines with his family when he was eight, is the only Canadian in the CFL who handles all three kicking chores — punting, field goals and kickoffs — for his team. That versatility provides the Tiger-Cats with extra roster flexibility.

smilton@thespec.com

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