Eskimos' receivers Kenny Stafford and Shamawd Chambers move on to Als, Riders

The Edmonton Eskimos have lost some of their key receivers in CFL free agency, with American receiver Kenny Stafford heading to the Montreal Alouettes and Canadian receiver Shamawd Chambers going to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Both players were important pieces for Edmonton last year, with Stafford posting 732 receiving yards on 47 catches during the regular season and leading the team with nine receiving touchdowns. Chambers was limited by injuries and couldn't always find a way into the Eskimos' lineup, only recording three catches for 13 yards during the season, but he was a big factor in the postseason and was named the Grey Cup's top Canadian after making two catches for 49 yards. Both will be losses for Edmonton this coming season.

It's interesting to see Stafford heading back to Montreal, as the Alouettes traded him to the Eskimos for Fred Stamps last offseason. That move worked out well for him, as his 732 yards were a career-high, but it's unusual to see a player head back to the team that just traded him. Montreal might be a better fit for him now, though, as the Alouettes seem to be ready to make him a bigger piece of their offence. They also brought back Duron Carter, who just happens to be Stafford's cousin, from the NFL, so that reunion should help Stafford fit in there.

Chambers may be a good fit in Riderville, too. Saskatchewan already parted ways with Weston Dressler and lost Ryan Smith to Winnipeg, and they may lose other receivers like Chris Getzlaf as well. That could pave the way for some further opportunities for Chambers. He also is quite familiar with new Riders' head coach and general manager Chris Jones, who was his head coach with the Eskimos. Chambers had been in Edmonton for four years, though, so this will be a change for him. Here's the goodbye to the Eskimos' fans he posted on Instagram:

style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;">To the fans, and my extended family in Edmonton... It has been a roller coaster ride to say the least and I feel blessed to have been a part of such a class act organization, with a community so dedicated to excellence. As I look back over my past 4 years in Edmonton, there is no better feeling than to have accomplished our goal of becoming Grey Cup Champions. It's a memory I will cherish forever. I want to thank Len Rhodes and the board of directors for bringing an amazing experience to CommonWealth Stadium every week. Ed Hervey and the management staff for allowing me to be a part of a championship team. Kavis Reed, Chris Jones and all the coaches I've been privileged to work with, have taught me how to become a better football player, and have helped me become the man I am today. The training staff for getting me back on the football field, Dwayne and the equipment staff for always keeping me fresh out on the field. And last, but definitely not least, my team mates. A brotherhood and a bond that will never be broken. I've been blessed to be in their presence for the past 4 years. I'm closing this chapter with no regrets and an open mind for the future. Once an Eskimo always an Eskimos. B. O. N. E.

A photo posted by Shamawd Chambers (@shamawdchambers17) on Feb 9, 2016 at 2:00pm PST

It's going to be interesting to see where the Eskimos go from here, too. They still have their top two receivers from 2015, Adarius Bowman and Derel Walker, but Stafford and Chambers were a couple of important depth pieces for them. They've also lost offensive lineman Andrew Jones to Saskatchewan, and they may lose some other key contributors, including Aaron Grymes, Kendial Lawrence and J.C. Sherritt. We'll see what they do next.