Joel Reinders

Just days after losing their most seasoned offensive lineman in the expansion draft, the Ticats have re-signed four youngsters they hope will be a big part of the future.

The team announced Thursday that Canadians Mike Filer, Joel Reinders, Landon Rice and Carson Rockhill – all 26 or under – has re-upped with the club after finishing last season on the practice roster. They are technically free agent signings, not extensions, and sources say all four deals are longer than the minimum one-year plus an option contract.

The signings come just three days after 10-year veteran centre Marwan Hage was taken by Ottawa in the third round of the expansion draft. General manager and head coach Kent Austin said the team left Hage exposed – the Ticats protected 12 other non-imports – because the team feels good about its young talent.

Filer, a 6-foot-2, 300-pound native of Brantford, is the most experienced of the four, having played in 14 regular season games since signing with the Ticats on August 2012. He was selected in the fifth-round (31st overall) of the 2012 CFL Draft by Calgary and is only one of the four with experience at Hage's old spot at centre.

Reinders, is a 6-foot-8, 312-pounder from of Oakville who dressed in five games with the Ticats last season after joining the practice roster on Sept. 19 following his release by Toronto. He also spent time with the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants.

The 6-foot-6, 315-pound Rice is from Brandon, Manitoba and spent last season on the Ticats practice roster following five seasons at the University of Manitoba while the 6-foot-6, 294-pound Rockhill was drafted by the Ticats in 2012, traded to Edmonton, then re-signed to Hamilton's practice roster this spring.