The Edmonton Elks issued several injury updates Friday as per TSN Football Insider Farhan Lalji, including a pair of blows to their defensive line.
Lalji reports both Darien Newell and Brandon Barlow will each miss the 2026 season with Achilles tears. Barlow played 18 games for the Elks last season and had 35 defensive tackles, while Newell has yet to play in a CFL game.
#Elks injury news:
— Farhan Lalji (@FarhanLaljiTSN) May 29, 2026
- DL Darien Newell joins Brandon Barlow with an Achilles tear. Both out for the season.
- Brett Boyko (hand) & DB Benjamin Sangmuah (knee) will go on 6-game. Neither will require surgery & are expected back.
- Receivers Robustelli & KJG will be ready for week 1
Offensive lineman Brett Boyko (hand) and defensive back Benjamin Sangmuah (knee) will each start the season on the six-game injured list. However, as Lalji notes, neither player requires surgery and are expected to return during the season.
Boyko is a four-year CFL veteran and has spent the past two seasons with the Elks, while Sangmuah was selected in the second round of the 2026 CFL Draft out of the University of British Columbia.
Lalji also reports receivers Joseph Robustelli and Kaion Julien-Grant are each expected to play in Week 1 against the Ottawa Redblacks.
Robustelli had 38 catches for 544 yards and three touchdowns in 12 games for the Elks last season. Julien-Grant had 57 grabs and 820 yards with seven TDs in 18 games for Edmonton.
The Elks open their regular-season schedule against the Ottawa Redblacks on TSN on Saturday, June 6.
