The B.C. Lions released offensive linemen Jacky Chen and Amari Cummings on Wednesday, as noted on the CFL Transactions page.
Jacky Chen, a 6-foot-6, 310-pound lineman from Port Jefferson, New York, initially signed with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent on May 12, 2023. He was later picked up by the Houston Texans via waivers on August 15, 2023, but was released on August 25, 2023. Chen joined the B.C. Lions on September 12, 2023, spending a month on the practice squad before re-signing on November 22, 2023. He played in one preseason game against the Calgary Stampeders in 2024. Chen played five seasons at Pace University (2018-22), participating in 31 games and contributing significantly to the offense’s production, including over 3,700 total yards in 2019. He was also a First Team All-NE10 selection in 2022 and played in the East-West Shrine Bowl.
Amari Cummings, a 6-foot-4, 320-pound lineman from Jackson, Mississippi, played 13 games for the Bay Area Panthers (IFL) in 2023, helping them win the United Bowl championship. The Panthers ranked third in scoring offense, third in rushing yards per game (95.7), and 12th in passing yards per game (134.5). Cummings signed with the B.C. Lions on November 27, 2023, and appeared in one preseason game against the Calgary Stampeders, recording one tackle. He played four seasons at Jackson State (2018-21), appearing in 17 games and contributing to an offense that scored 26.08 points per game in 2019, with 2,699 rushing yards and 2,400 passing yards for a total of 4,663 yards.
