VANCOUVER — The BC Lions have made a loud statement in the free agent market, signing international receiver Chris Williams, the team announced Friday.

The news was initially reported on Wednesday before being confirmed two days later. Williams, 29, was the 11th-ranked free agent according to CFL.ca’s top-30 list released back in January.

“When you think of players who possess pure speed and the ability to get up the field, Chris Williams tops that list,” said Head Coach and General Manager Wally Buono. “An effective and complete offence includes a combination of proven possession receivers and legitimate vertical threats. The addition of Chris makes our offence more complete and adds another level of excitement for our fans.”

Even after an ACL injury cut Williams’ 2016 season short, he still managed to surpass the 1,000-yard mark – one of the four REDBLACKS to do so last year.

The 29-year-old caught 77 passes for 1,246 yards and 10 majors in 14 games and was also named a CFL East Division All-Star. He also broke the record for the most receiving yards in the first three games of a season, collecting 493 yards and scored six touchdowns in the first three contests of the year.

Williams signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2011 and had an excellent rookie season. In 15 games, he caught 70 passes for 1064 yards and six touchdowns and was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie.

In 2012, Williams set a new CFL record for the most return touchdowns in a single season with six after he returned on in the Labour Day Classic. That score was also the third consecutive game in which Williams returned a punt for a touchdown, setting another record. He was awarded the John Agro Special Teams Award that season and also hauled in 83 passes for 1,298 yards and 11 touchdowns.