Montreal Alouettes sign fullback Patrick Lavoie to three-year deal

Montreal Alouettes' Patrick Lavoie (81)lunges for the ball as he is tackled by Edmonton Eskimos' T.J. Hill during first half CFL football action in Montreal, Sunday, October 28, 2012. (Graham Hughes/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

MONTREAL -- The Montreal Alouettes have signed fullback Patrick Lavoie to a new three-year deal.

The six-foot-two, 240-pound native of Sainte-Flavie, Que., was the team's outstanding rookie this season with 307 yards and four touchdowns on 33 receptions. The 33 catches were the most by an Alouettes rookie since Ben Cahoon had the same number in 1998.

The Laval Rouge et Or product was the Alouettes' top draft pick, 11th overall, of the 2012 CFL draft.

"When we drafted Patrick earlier this year, we knew what type of player we were getting and we were surprised, quite frankly, that he was still available in the second round," Alouettes general manager Jim Popp said in a statement. "He has lived up to our expectations and played even more than we had anticipated. Off the field, he is exactly the kind of guy we want representing our organization."

Lavoie dressed for 17 games in 2012 and was a big part of the Alouettes' blocking schemes, opening holes for Montreal running backs while protecting quarterback Anthony Calvillo.

The Alouettes also confirmed that Mike Sinclair has left the team after five seasons as defensive line coach.

He is the third coach to leave since the end of the season. Defensive co-ordinator Jeff Reinebold was fired last week and replaced by Noel Thorpe, while offensive co-ordinator Marcus Brady joined the Toronto Argonuats in the same capacity on Monday.