Defensive backs Dante Marsh and Ryan Phillips are returning to the B.C. Lions.
The CFL team agreed to terms with Marsh hours before he was slated to become a free agent.
The Lions then announced the return of Phillips roughly two hours into the free agency period.
The 29-year-old Phillips joined the Lions in 2005 and has been a member of two Grey Cup-winning teams (2006, 2011). The five-foot-10, 195-pound Phillips is a two-time CFL all-star.
Marsh has spent his entire eight-year CFL career with B.C., winning two Grey Cups (2006, 2011). The 30-year-old is a three-time West Division all-star and was named a CFL-all star last season for the first time.
CFL free agency kicked off at noon ET on Wednesday, with Saskatchewan Roughriders slotback Andy Fantuz and Winnipeg Blue Bombers offensive lineman Brendon LaBatte regarded as the top two available players.
But the first official free agent to sign a new deal was veteran offensive lineman Glenn January, who opted to remain with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
The six-foot-six, 297-pound American-born tackle has spent the last three seasons in the Manitoba capital and was an East Division all-star last season after missing all of 2010 with a torn pectoral muscle.
January becomes the second starting offensive lineman to remain with Winnipeg, joining Canadian Steve Morley, who re-signed Tuesday.
The Edmonton Eskimos signed receiver Cary Koch, who spent the last two seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The six-foot, 198-pound American had 32 catches for 400 yards and three TDs with the Riders.
