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When you build a team as young and talented as the Calgary Stampeders, it’s inevitable that the NFL will come calling for at least a couple of the players.

So it goes for the Stamps, whose 2018 Grey Cup win was made possible by young, high-upside players who always seemed destined to pique the interest of teams south of the border.

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On Wednesday afternoon, the Stamps officially released two players in order to allow them to pursue opportunities with NFL clubs, with sources revealing that Marken Michel is set to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles and James Vaughters is set to join the Chicago Bears.

Receiver Michel and defensive end Vaughters were both about to become free agents in February but were instead released early so that they could sign with their new NFL teams.

Photo by Al Charest / Postmedia

Last month, receiver Chris Matthews was also released.

Both Michel and Vaughters were finishing up the second year of their rookie CFL contracts and would have been able to sign with any team on either side of the border when the Canadian league’s free-agency window opens Feb. 12.