With the CFL regular season set to kick off Thursday, The Canadian Press looks at 10 players to watch in 2016.

John Bowman

The veteran defensive end for the Montreal Alouettes doesn't appear to be slowing down after leading the CFL with a career-high 19 sacks last season. The 33-year-old, who owns the franchise record for sacks with 102, set another personal milestone with 46 defensive tackles in 2015. Bowman has registered at least 11 sacks in six of his 10 seasons and will surely be hunting down more quarterbacks this campaign.

Solomon Elimimian

The league's most outstanding player in 2014, the B.C. Lions linebacker ruptured his Achilles tendon last August and was lost for the season. Elimimian worked hard in rehab and was ready to go for the first day of training camp, but it will be interesting to see if the 29-year-old can recapture the form that saw him accumulate 143 defensive tackles and 151 total tackles, both CFL records, to go along with five sacks just two seasons ago.

Andrew Harris

The 29-year-old running back from Winnipeg bolted the Lions in free agency this winter for his hometown Blue Bombers after six seasons with B.C. Harris has been a consistent performer carrying and catching the ball, and his level of success in 2016 will go a long way in determining whether or not Winnipeg can get back to the playoffs after missing out six of the last seven years.

Trevor Harris

The Ottawa Redblacks turned some heads when they signed the former Toronto Argonauts quarterback in free agency, mainly because the club already had the league's reigning most outstanding player under centre. Henry Burris posted a CFL-record 481 completions in 2015 and led the league in passing with 5,693 yards. But at 41, it's clear the Redblacks have an eye on both the present and the future. Don't be surprised to see Harris take over as the starter if Burris falters. The 30-year-old topped all QBs last season with 33 touchdown tosses and a 71 per cent completion rate to go along with 4,354 passing yards, but also led the league with 19 interceptions.

Jonathon Jennings

An unknown rookie quarterback at this time last year, Jennings will lead the Lions into 2016. The 23-year-old took over under centre last September after starter Travis Lulay and backup John Beck were felled by injuries, finishing with a 3-3 record in six regular-season starts. He wound up completing 66 per cent of his passes for 2,004 yards with 15 touchdowns against 10 interceptions to earn a new three-year contract. If Jennings falters or gets hurt, Lulay is waiting in the wings.

Shawn Lemon

The Saskatchewan Roughriders have a lot of new faces after a dismal 2015, including on the defensive line. The 27-year-old Lemon joined Ottawa partway through last season following a stint in the NFL, grabbing six sacks in nine games. Along with fellow free-agent addition Justin Capicciotti, who had 23 sacks in two seasons with the Redblacks, Lemon will be counted on to get after the quarterback for new Riders head coach and general manager Chris Jones.

Jerome Messam

The Calgary Stampeders are hoping the 31-year-old from Toronto can fill the running back void left by the retirement of Jon Cornish. Messam was acquired in a trade with Saskatchewan last season and finished second in the CFL with 1,503 yards from scrimmage. Look for Messam to be one of the club's offensive catalysts, especially after star receivers Eric Rogers and Jeff Fuller left for the NFL.

Chad Owens

Following six seasons with the Argonauts, the 34-year-old receiver/returner inked a deal with the rival Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Where exactly Owens fits in the offence remains to be seen, but with quarterback Zach Collaros out with a knee injury to start the schedule, he should provide a veteran presence for either Jeremiah Masoli or Jeff Mathews in the huddle. Adding Owens also gives Hamilton an exceptional 1-2 punch in the return game alongside Brandon Banks.

Ricky Ray

The 36-year-old Toronto Argonauts quarterback missed most of 2015 after undergoing shoulder surgery in the off-season. Trevor Harris excelled in his place, but signed with Ottawa in free agency. Ray is throwing without pain for the first time in two years, and the Argonauts must be confident that will continue after releasing Adrian McPherson in training camp, leaving Toronto with an untested Logan Kilgore as its backup.

Mike Reilly

The MVP of the Edmonton Eskimos' Grey Cup victory in November will need to be at his best again in 2016. A number of players and assistants followed former head coach Chris Jones to Saskatchewan, and there could be an adjustment period with first-year man Jason Maas. Edmonton won its final 10 games last season after Reilly returned from injury, and it's likely the Eskimos will once again only go as far as the 31-year-old takes them.

---

Follow @JClipperton_CP on Twitter