CFL Training Camp set to kickoff in the Capital today, who is on the 2021 Ottawa Redblacks

Over the span of the last 20 months, since the last game at TD Place on November 1st of 2019 the Ottawa Redblacks roster has changed drastically. The very first time we will be able to see the roster together will be this weekend at the Ottawa Redblacks’ first CFL training camp practices, but who will you see on the field at TD Place?

To start off we’ve got two CFL veteran quarterbacks in both Matt Nichols and Dominique Davis. Davis who started for the Ottawa Redblacks in 2019 throwing for 2,216 yards and 5 touchdowns in 9 starts will be back behind Nichols like he was in Winnipeg back in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Matt Nichols will be coming to Ottawa for the first time in his career to start for the Ottawa Redblacks following the 2019 CFL season where he began the Grey Cup winning season for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. In the 7 wins he had in the 9 games started for the Bombers in 2019 Nichols completed 121 of 161 attempts (75%) for 1,506 yards with a touchdown, interception ratio of 13:2. He was on pace, looking at those 7 wins to throw for 3,012 yards and 26 touchdowns in 14 games which he will be playing in 2021 with the Redblacks. He will be coming to Ottawa with a mission to prove everyone wrong and that the Redblacks made the right decision at quarterback. Behind both Nichols and Davis will be both quarterbacks Taryn Christion, and Caleb Evans.. Christion, a dual threat quarterback has the ability to play a Swiss army knife role with the Redblacks given his history in the NFL with the Steelers and Cowboys as well as the success he had in University running the ball for South Dakota State University.

At running back the Ottawa Redblacks will be having a training camp battle between CFL veterans Timothy Flanders and Brendan Gillanders as well as both Akeem Hunt and Detrez Newsome who enter the league following NFL careers. Flanders looks to be the favourite at running back having spent time in LaPolice’s offence previously. In 18 CFL games Flanders has an all-purpose 1,058 yards and 7 touchdowns on 150 touches. During the three games he’s started over his CFL career he has averaged 136 yards per game on offence, gaining a total 407 yards on just 57 offensive touches. Flanders, if fully healthy this year could see a lot of action and have success doing so.

Timothy Flanders (20) of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers during the game against the Calgary Stampeders at McMahon Stadium in Calgary, AB, Friday Nov. 3, 2017. (Photo: Johany Jutras)

Then at receiver, despite not having a retiring 1,000 yard receiver on the offence there is plenty of potential with the group coming in. Leading the pack is RJ Harris who has spent 30 games in red and black over the past two CFL seasons catching 111 of 161 targets for 1,471 yards and 4 touchdowns. Over the 30 games he has had 11 games with 70 yards or more and 12 games with 5 or more receptions. In the final 6 games he played in the 2019 CFL season Harris combined for 34 receptions for 388 yards and a touchdown. He averaged 5 catches for 64 yards per game in that time span. Behind Harris is returning CFL receivers Jerminic Smith, Nate Behar, DeVonte Dedmon, Michael Klukas, Anthony Coombs, Nate Behar, Wesley Lewis, Marco Dubois and Daniel Petermann. The group of returning CFL receivers in smaller roles combined for 1,639 yards and 5 touchdowns in 2019. Outside of those coming back to the CFL, newcomers Ryan Davis, Jordan Smallwood, Kendrick Rogers and Amba Etta-Tawo each look to make impacts on the offensive side of the ball while Cortrelle Simpson, Marvelle Ross and Terry Williams do the same.

To complete the offensive roster that the Ottawa Redblacks have coming into Sunday’s CFL training camp there is an interesting situation at the offensive line position. After losing both Jason Lauzon-Seguin and Evan Johnson in free agency and Alex Mateas and Alex Fontana to retirements this off-season there are a lot of questions that need to be answered, however they are not too serious of questions. The Ottawa Redblacks have plenty of depth at the offensive line position. They have Mark Korte and Nolan MacMillan coming back as starters and Daniel Omara, Andrew Pickett and Na’Ty Rodgers who have spent time in the CFL. Alongside those that have CFL experience the Redblacks also will host Jamar McGloster, Chris Ferguson, Connor Berglof, Ketel Asse, Jakub Szott, Tyler Catalina, Kai Absheer, Brandon Hitner and Josh Dunlop who will each fight to make the roster at training camp. In 2019 the Ottawa Redblacks struggled in pass protection at times and did not have a 1,000 yard rusher so there is room to improve up front moving into the 2021 CFL season.

As for the defensive side of the ball, the team coming into the 2021 CFL season is much better than the one in 2019. It is better all around, starting with the defensive line which features Canadians Cleyon Laing and Stefan Charles in the middle, Avery Ellis coming back on the edge and a question mark between the names of Stansly Maponga, Praise Martin Oguike, and James Crawford as for who would take the fourth spot on the defensive line. There is also a great amount of depth, having 2019 Redblacks returning in Darius Jackson, Nigel Romick, and Kene Onyeka as well as a list of newcomers which headlines both Davon Coleman and Reshaan Davis. Behind the defensive line, for the Redblacks is arguably the best linebacking core in the CFL. Returning Redblacks Avery Williams, Jerod Fernandez, Shaheed Salmon and Denzel Johnson look to make an impact with CFL veterans and stars Don Unamba, and Micah Awe coming in with draft picks Adam Auclair, Dan Basambombo and Brad Cowan. Coming off of a 2019 CFL season where the team went 3-15 and finished last place in the majority of defensive categories the Ottawa Redblacks have seen major improvements and the linebackers will be a large reason why the defence has success in 2021.

Outside of the front-seven, the Ottawa Redblacks defence is still great. Coming back to the capital, Sherrod Baltimore, Randall Evans, Antoine Pruneau, Justin Howell, Nate Hamilin, Brandin Dandridge and Gump Hayes each have an opportunity to have big 2021 CFL seasons while thats not the entirety of the defensive secondary in Ottawa. Abdul Kanneh, Marcus Roberson, Marcus Lewis, David Jones, Brad Muhammad, Ironhead Gallon, and Treshaun Abrahams Webster all come to Ottawa to make impacts of their own to get a Grey Cup ring in December and should all be looked at for Sunday’s training camp.

Moving on to the Ottawa Redblacks’ special teams unit which has been the best in the CFL for years led by Bob Dyce it remains the same as it was in 2019. Both Lewis Ward and Richie Leone will be helping the Redblacks win games with their legs, L.P Bourrasa will be the long snapper once again and DeVonte Dedmon is expected to return kicks like he did in Montreal on August 2nd in 2019 where he returned two kicks back for touchdowns. Ward and Leone also have a global backup again with Jose Maltos and Dedmon could see more action on the offensive side of the ball, leaving room for a Marvelle Ross or Terry Williams in the return game.

All in all, the 2021 Ottawa Redblacks is a team to be excited about. The new look Ottawa Redblacks will have a great opportunity to bounce back from their 3-15 season in 2019 and it all starts now in training camp.

“It was everything I needed.” Edmonton Elks’ Jalen Tolliver looks back at off-season sessions with the 2 Live Late Night Crew

This off-season has been extremely long for a number of CFL players. Some hadn’t played since the league closed its 2019 season in November of 2019, some haven’t played in over two years due to injuries and cancelled seasons and then there are a group of players that have played in different leagues since November of 2019. For wide receiver Jalen Tolliver who had been signed by the Edmonton Elks this off-season his only football action recently came during the XFL season in 2020. In the XFL Tolliver played 5 games, leading the Tampa Bay Vipers in receiving with 21 catches for 297 yards and a touchdown but since the COVID-19 Pandemic forced the league to pause its operations in March of 2020 he hasn’t played a real football game. “It was tough to have the season shut down.” he said, “I was having some success and really getting back into it but over the year off I’ve learnt a lot. It’s been a grind on and off of the field.”

On the football field, the Arkansas-Monticello product has been aiming to get better and get back to the player he was when he was granted the opportunity to play in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals, Kansas City Chiefs and Tennessee Titans. Doing so he has been consistently working on his techniques at the wide receiver position and has been able to put the techniques to work against defensive backs in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas with Craig LeBlanc’s 2 Live Late Night Crew. Over the off-season LeBlanc, who coaches quarterbacks and other skill position players of all levels in the Dallas, Texas area had put on sessions every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, continuing those sessions until players are busy with their teams. The 2 Live Late Night Crew sessions give athletes of any position, mostly quarterbacks, receivers and defensive backs the opportunity to put what they have learnt and worked on with other coaches into game scenarios. For Tolliver it has been a big help during the off-season to get back into game ready shape and be ready to take on the CFL’s defensive backs as he enters training camp this week. “It was everything that I needed.” Toliver told JZ Media’s Jordan Zlomislic, “I’m thankful for Craig and them that put the sessions on. 2 Live had lots of great runs and we all got better. I am looking forward to the opportunity I have in Edmonton to show that I can still ball because the game means the world to me.”

Off of the football field, leading up to the call he received by the Edmonton Elks informing him that he’s been signed by the team and that he’s suppose to report for training camp in July Jalen Tolliver has been staying busy. He started working at foot locker over the pandemic which was then followed by a job he got at a local high school in the Dallas area where he served as a creative recovery teacher. He says, “I want to get into teaching in the future to be able to teach the younger generation and to give them what I didn’t get at that age.” With just a few hours left in his course at Arkansas-Monticello he looks forward to a career in teaching after he gets his degree and is done his playing career.

Tolliver kicks off his first ever CFL training camp this week and will battle for a spot on the Edmonton Elks roster as a 6-foot-3, big body receiver. If he does make the roster he will play his very first game on August 7th when he and the Elks would host the Ottawa Redblacks. On the Ottawa Redblacks is linebacker Denzel Johnson and receiver Jordan Smallwood who like Tolliver attended a few of Craig LeBlanc’s 2 Live Late Night Crew sessions over the off-season.

“I’m going to continue to work my tail off.” Canadian defensive back Kenzy Paul commits to Vanderbilt University

Recently the growth of football in Canada has come public. A number of Canadians have now made it across the border to the NFL and the NCAA to pair with the talent that has stayed in the country with the CFL and CIS which has helped give the younger generation of football players in Canada the idea that they can make it in the sport. One young athlete from Montreal, Quebec, Canada that is on his way to do major things in the game of football is Kenzy Paul. Paul, a 6-foot-1 defensive back announced his commitment to Vanderbilt University this week, just weeks following Edwin Tara-Kolenge’s decision to play at Boston College in 2022. Tara-Kolenge, like Paul is from Montreal and is a perfect example of the evolution of football talent in Canada. Talking about the talent he has surrounded himself with and the growth he’s seen in the group Kenzy Paul said, “It is amazing to see the amount of guys getting opportunities from Canada and they all deserve it. We all work super hard and overcome so many obstacles to get to the highest level possible and I have seen it with some guys I play with and I’m looking forward to seeing the talent continue to grow.”

Paul’s decision to go to Vanderbilt University comes just a month following his visit there and that was what sold him on being a Commodore. “At the visit I had a crazy good connection with the coaches and what stuck out to me the most is that they have bought into winning.” Paul explained, “At first when I started my recruiting process I just wanted to go to a school and win. I didn’t think of Vanderbilt of a school I’d go to but I realized that the decision should come down to where you fit the best and where you can actually see yourself being. Vanderbilt hasn’t won a lot recently but they have a new coaching staff and the players have really bought into the winning culture that they are building and I want to win with them.”

After spending time with Tennessee’s McCallie School Paul has earned 3 stars and his decision to commit to Vanderbilt goes over Duke, and Cincinnati who were his other top options alongside other offers he had in Tennessee, Ole Miss, Indiana, Penn State, Virginia, Michigan State, Tulane, Toledo and Missouri. He said, “I’m very excited to be committed to Vanderbilt. I am going to continue to work my tail off and when I hit the field the fans can expect the best from me.” Paul, despite being able to play both receiver and defensive back is expected to suit up on defence at defensive back for the Commodores in 2022.

The boys are back in town! Who on the Ottawa Redblacks to keep eyes on heading into the 2021 CFL season

After over year and a half since they were last playing football the Ottawa Redblacks have officially begun the 2021 CFL season. With less than a month away from the very first game of the season in Edmonton against the Elks the Ottawa Redblacks players are in the city of Ottawa, getting ready to kickoff their training camp this weekend.

When fans are able to watch the Redblacks on August 7th though, a lot will be different than they remember from the 2019 CFL season when the team went 3-15 falling dead last in the CFL. The majority of the coaching staff has changed, the starting offence has changed drastically and the defence has improved heavily as well, making a lot of players guys to look out for in training camp as well as during the season for not only Redblacks fans but all of the CFL because of the lack of confidence people have shown around the organization.

Photo: Johany Jutras

Out of all of the players to keep eyes on, the ones that stick out the most are the returning Redblacks and CFL players that are set to have larger roles in the 2021 CFL season. Offensive skill players like Timothy Flanders, R.J Harris, Anthony Coombs, DeVonte Dedmon, Jerminic Smith, Michael Klukas, Nate Behar and Daniel Petermann have all played with CFL teams before, for the most part with the Ottawa Redblacks but have never had a major role at the professional stage. Harris, with the retirements of both Brad Sinopoli and Jalen Saunders is looked at to be the team’s number one receiver while Jerminic Smith and DeVonte Dedmon back him up as Americans and Klukas, Behar, Coombs and Petermann each fill major roles as Canadian playmakers. In the 2019 CFL season this receiving core combined for 1,639 yards and 5 touchdowns, leaving a lot of room to improve and the 2021 CFL season will be their opportunity to show exactly what they can do on the big stage with a large opportunity.

Staying on the offensive side of the ball, protecting new Ottawa Redblacks quarterback Matt Nichols will be both Mark Korte and Nolan MacMillan. These two have already been known in Ottawa for some time now so they aren’t necessarily players to look out for but more players that you shouldn’t forget about. With losses of Canadian offensive linemen Alex Mateas, Jason Lauzon-Seguin and Evan Johnson this off-season there are a few different questions to be answered for the offensive line, whether they will play 3 Americans on the line or try and fit a young Canadian or two in the mix it will be interesting to see how it plays out, however there should be no worries surrounding both Korte and MacMillan. MacMillan being one of just three original Redblacks dating back to the 2013 CFL Draft has been a consistent offensive lineman, helping not only quarterbacks like Henry Burris and Trevor Harris get the ball off to make plays in three Grey Cups but also have William Powell rush for over 1,000 yards on multiple occasions. Korte has also been a part of the Redblacks’ recent success having been a 2018 CFL Draft pick and when he steps on the field in Edmonton he will be 25 years old, making him a young offensive lineman and one that the Redblacks can count on moving forward.

Going up against the offensive line in practice will be returning starting CFL defensive linemen Cleyon Laing, Davon Coleman, and Avery Ellis alongside young returning talent in Darius Jackson, and Kene Onyeka who go with the linebackers in what could be the best front seven in the CFL for the 2021 season. The linebacking core headlines returning Redblacks Avery Williams and Jerod Fernandez but also have CFL veterans Micah Awe, Christophe Mulumba, Don Unamba and Dwayne Norman in the mix. The group is experienced, proven and hungry for more going into the 2021 CFL season and will be a major reason why the defence has success in the secondary with returning defensive stars in Sherrod Baltimore, Antoine Pruneau, Brandin Dandridge, Gump Hayes and Justin Howell who come into camp with experienced CFL defensive backs Marcus Roberson and Abdul Kanneh.

It is needless to say that the Ottawa Redblacks’ returning CFL talent is ready for the season ahead of them and will be able to make plays for the team that will put them into positions to win games, like some CFL rookies will for them. As for the young talent coming into the CFL for their first time and some former NFL players crossing the border the Ottawa Redblacks have a good group of talent ready to make an impact. Receivers Kendrick Rogers, Jordan Smallwood, Ryan Davis, Joe Walker, Cortrelle Simpson and Amba Etta-Tawo all are going into Redblacks’ camp looking for a large role in the offence which is available considering the off-season departures the team faced and with both Mossis Madu and John Crockett out of Ottawa as well running backs Akeem Hunt and Detrez Newsome come to Ottawa from their NFL careers planning to battle experienced CFL running back Timothy Flanders for the starting running back spot.

On the offensive line, young Americans in Jamar Mcgloster, Tyler Catalina, Brandon Hitner, Juwan Bushell Beatty and Na’Ty Rodgers come into Ottawa with CFL Draft picks Jakub Szott, Ketel Asse and Connor Berglof as well as returning young Canadians Andrew Pickett, Daniel Omara, and Ben Petrie.

As for the defensive side of the ball, the Ottawa Redblacks seem to be fine with the group they have coming back and the experienced CFL guys coming in however they also have a number of talented individuals coming in for their first ever CFL opportunities. Defensive linemen like Praise Martin-Oguike, Stansly Maponga, James Crawford, and Reshaan Davis come in with Frank Beltre and Stefan Charles who have experience on the line in Canada and linebackers Lakiem Williams, Juwuan Johnson, D’Juan Hines, Denzel Johnson, Brad Cowan, Dan Basambombo and Adam Auclair have an opportunity to come to camp and fight for a roster spot alongside so many others.

At defensive back the team also has Marcus Lewis, Treshaun Abrahams Webster and Ironhead Gallon ready to make plays for the Ottawa Redblacks and they should have no problem making those plays with the returning group’s help.

All in all, the Ottawa Redblacks have a great group of players coming back to the CFL as well as a great group coming to the CFL for their first ever Canadian opportunities and with the majority of people looking down on the team going into the 2021 CFL season they are ready to shock the CFL so don’t be surprised if they have success.

After retirements of Alex Mateas, Brad Sinopoli, J.P Bolduc and Ettore Lattanzio who will be the Ottawa Redblacks fan favourites for the 2021 CFL season?

This off-season the Ottawa Redblacks have been hurt by a number of retirements, in fact well over a dozen players have retired from the Ottawa Redblacks this off-season, some have been fan favourites as well. Losing players like Alex Mateas, Brad Sinopoli, J.P Bolduc and Ettore Lattanzio will not only affect the Ottawa Redblacks play on the field in the 2021 CFL season but will also question the team’s fans who their new favourite players are. Mateas, Sinopoli, Bolduc and Lattanzio have been key contributors for the Ottawa Redblacks on and off of the football field, having done a number of good deeds in the community while making plays on the football field, helping the team win games but taking a look at the 2021 Ottawa Redblacks roster there are still a good group of players that are active in the community and that have made big plays for the Ottawa Redblacks that should be or continue to be R-Nation fan favourites.

Some of those returning players would consist of original Redblacks Nolan MacMillan, Nigel Romick and Antoine Pruneau who have been with the team since the inaugural 2014 CFL season. Those players have not only been big factors to the team’s previous success on the football field but like Mateas, and those that retired have been active members of the communities in Ottawa. Another few players that have been active in the community during past seasons and the recent pandemic have also been Sherrod Baltimore, Nate Behar, Lewis Ward, Justin Howell, Dominique Davis, Abdul Kanneh, Brendan Gillanders and Avery Ellis. Alongside those that are in the community and have had success on the field, a lot of fans tend to go with who is having success now and who’s winning and eventhough there may not be your usual favourites like Diontae Spencer, William Powell or Jonathan Rose, players like DeVonte Dedmon, RJ Harris, Gump Hayes, Avery Williams, Jerminic Smith, Matt Nichols, Timothy Flanders, Akeem Hunt, Randall Evans, Micah Awe and Don Unamba may be in for big seasons and it is never too early to jump on the bandwagon before the Redblacks’ season opener on August 7th.

The 2021 CFL season will be weird for everyone, from the players and coaches to the media and fans there will be very few normalcy as we are still battling the COVID-19 pandemic however that does not mean that you cannot make adjustments to the CFL like you have for everything else the last year plus. Although some of your favourite players are no longer with the Redblacks you can make new favourites and there are several players to choose from going into the 2021 CFL season.

Ottawa Redblacks’ fan favourite centre Alex Mateas retires from CFL following 5 seasons with hometown team

This 2019-2020-2021 CFL off-season will be one to remember for fans, players, coaches, owners and reporters, except it will be remembered differently by everyone. For some it was awful to be away from the game of football for so long, for some it was good to regroup and freshen up for their future in the game but for a lot of players it was a blessing in disguise, finding their second life during the time. Alex Mateas, an Ottawa, Ontario native, University of Connecticut alum and long time Ottawa Redblack in the CFL was among those that found that second life during the time away from football. He found himself in the commercial real-estate business and will remain in the commercial real-estate business as he announced his retirement from the CFL this weekend.

Mateas was drafted first overall in the 2015 CFL Draft by the Ottawa Redblacks and has since played in 88 CFL games including 3 Grey Cup games, one being the 2016 Grey Cup he won with the Redblacks. At 30 years old Alex Mateas can look back at his 5 season CFL career with a big smile, knowing that he achieved his goals and had success doing so.

During an old interview with Jordan Zlomislic he quoted, “It has been unbelievable, a dream come true in fact. Almost no one has gotten the opportunity I’ve had, so I really try and remember how grateful I am. I get to see my mom, dad and my sisters and 30+ friends and family cheering me on and being so supportive at every game. I just want to play well, and make them proud, and playing for my home team is a dream come true!” when he was asked about what it was like playing for his hometown’s Ottawa Redblacks.

In his announcement this weekend on Instagram he had said,

“Well RNation, it has been an absolute pleasure representing you on the field and I will forever be grateful for the experiences and memories. My decision to retire from professional football has been difficult and ultimately comes down to health for myself and my family.
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The only part of the decision that is very difficult is leaving the Team, Organization and Fans… in general and with this timeline. 
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To all the Fans, Teammates, Coaches, Friends, Foes, Competitors and everyone in between… THANK YOU“

Ottawa Redblacks newly signed receiver Michael Klukas “really excited to experience the game day atmosphere at TD Place as a part of the home team”

During this extended CFL off-season the Ottawa Redblacks have faced numerous changes to the offensive side of the ball. They have lost a number of their starting skill position players from the 2019 season in Brad Sinopoli, Dominique Rhymes and John Crockett but losing these players have given them the opportunity to replace them and replace them with younger talent. A lot of the skill players brought in to fill in the spots of the departing 2019 starters are Canadians. Players like Nate Behar, Daniel Petermann and Anthony Coombs have been signed with Michael Klukas, another Canadian with a very high ceiling coming into the 2021 CFL season.

Klukas played with the Calgary Dinos until being signed by the CFL’s Stampeders. He was signed in the 2018 CFL off-season where he eventually spent a full 2019 season on the Calgary Stampeders practice roster before getting his first game action in 2019. Over the span of the 2019 CFL season, as a part of the Stampeders talented receiving core headlining Reggie Begelton, Kamar Jorden, Eric Rogers, Markeith Ambles and Hergy Mayala Klukas played in 13 games recording a total 16 catches for 169 yards. Averaging over 10 yards per reception he caught a long 31 yard pass in Calgary’s week 10 matchup against the Alouettes as well as a 27 yard sideline catch versus the Saskatchewan Roughriders in week 4 where he had a season high 68 receiving yards on 4 catches. He also added 29 rushing yards on 3 attempts in the 2019 season, rounding his season totals on offence to 19 touches for 198 scrimmage yards.

The Canadian pass catcher found himself running a 4.36 40 yard dash earlier this off-season making his speed very valuable to the Redblacks’ offence that already has speedsters in Akeem Hunt, Brendan Gillanders, DeVonte Dedmon, Ryan Davis, Rafael Araujo-Lopes, Marvelle Ross and more. He said in an interview with Jordan Zlomislic, “I’ve got some speed to bring to the offence and hands but really I’m ready to bring whatever they need from me.” explaining more, “They’ve already got a good group of receivers and I’m excited to compliment them in the offence and learn from them while helping the team out.”

This opportunity to help out the Ottawa Redblacks offence came to Michael Klukas following a full year and a half off-season which began last November, finally ending on July 10th when he and his teammates report for CFL training camp. Some things that he’s the most excited about for the first few games back in the CFL with the new look Redblacks, the fans. “I was once a kid with aspirations of playing in the CFL.” he said, “I remember being that kid meeting Stampeders players at my school and stuff and I can’t wait to meet the fans in Ottawa. I’m really excited to experience the game day atmosphere at TD Place as a part of the home team.”

Klukas will travel to his home province of Alberta to face the Edmonton Elks to open the 2021 CFL season on August 7th with the Ottawa Redblacks, marking 21 months since his last CFL game that he played against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in October of 2019 as a part of the Stampeders. He and the Redblacks receiving core have a lot to prove following the departures this off-season and R-Nation should be just as excited as Klukas to see these hungry playmakers at work come August 7th.

The 2021 Ottawa Redblacks are much different than the team you saw at TD Place in 2019; a look into the improvements by the front office

When CFL training camp begins on July 10th there will be 100 players stepping foot on the field at TD Place. The last time the Ottawa Redblacks were at TD Place was on November 1st 2019 for their 2019 CFL season finale against the Montreal Alouettes. This time will be much different, though. Not because of a global pandemic nor the new turf put down at the stadium but because of the changes made within the organization. Among the players set to start for the Ottawa Redblacks in 2021 only about half are returning from the 2019 squad while the others are new additions, fresh, new additions. For the casual fan it will be very tough to recognize the team come week one of the 2021 CFL season but those that have stayed in the loop will be very excited for the new look Ottawa Redblacks team. One person that has been behind the scenes in all of the moves for the Ottawa Redblacks and is very excited to see the team back on the field is Jean-Marc Edme. He said, “I’m excited to see it all. It is hard to pick and choose who exactly to watch out for this year because we have focused on every position. We have gotten better and we’ve focused on bringing in the best training camp roster possible.”

The majority of major Ottawa Redblacks changes came on the offensive side of the football. Bringing in a primarily new running back and receiver room to go around veteran CFL quarterback Matt Nichols the Redblacks’ offensive weapons will be very young going into 2021. The oldest receiver on the team is 29 year old RJ Harris while the oldest running back is Brendan Gillanders at 30 years old but Edme says, “We’re looking forward to seeing the young players come in.” He explained, “we signed a number of young players at all of the positions and those players coming in with the veterans we already have will be a good thing.”

One of the positions on the offensive side of the ball that is expected to be filled with young talent is the receiver position. After losing both Brad Sinopoli and Jalen Saunders to retirement recently and both Caleb Holley and Dominique Rhymes to free agency since the 2019 season the Redblacks have brought in numerous receivers, now hitting 22 total on the roster. Some young receivers to look out for that weren’t with the team in 2019 like RJ Harris, Jerminic Smith, DeVonte Dedmon, Rafael Araujo-Lopes, Wesley Lewis and Nate Behar were would be Ryan Davis, Michael Klukas, Daniel Petermann Jordan Smallwood, Kendrick Rogers and Joe Walker. The receivers have experience at the professional stage and have had success at the collegiate level making them viable for the Redblacks offence and Edme had mentioned, “We signed guys that fit LaPolice’s offence and that we think can make an impact for us.” Davis, a former Auburn receiver and the University’s record holder receiver as for receptions is a versatile receiver, similar to DeVonte Dedmon, Jerminic Smith and Anthony Coombs. He, Cortrelle Simpson, and Ervin Phillips have speed and have the skill set to be able to stretch the field after they catch the ball while Kendrick Rogers, Joe Walker, Amba Etta-Tawo, and Jordan Smallwood are bigger body receivers that have the ability to win the contested catches. The young group coming in should have some success and will surprise the casual fan alongside those coming back from the 2019 CFL season.

Along with the receivers, the Ottawa Redblacks have also improved heavily on the defensive side of the ball, at all positions. From Cleyon Laing, Stefan Charles and Davon Coleman coming in as defensive tackles and Stanley Maponga, Praise Martin-Oguike and James Crawford as defensive ends to Marcus Roberson, Abdul Kanneh and Don Unamba coming in in the defensive back field the Redblacks have made easy for defensive coordinator Mike Benevides to be excited to coach the 2021 Ottawa Redblacks defence. “Everything starts in the middle,” Jean-Marc Edme had said, “We’re built well in the middle with experienced and proven talent, helping the other pieces on the edge and in the backfield succeed.” In the backfield the Redblacks can find their 2019 MOP Avery Williams with their rookie of the year Jerod Fernandez as well as free agent signees Micah Awe, Don Unamba and Christophe Mulumba. They, alongside defensive backs Sherrod Baltimore, Randall Evans, Gump Hayes, Abdul Kanneh and Brandin Dandridge are bound to have success with the defensive line and coaches that the Redblacks have coming into the 2021 CFL season and should be given the recognition they deserve leading into the season.

The Redblacks deserve more recognition going into the 2021 CFL season, however that is not what they are seeking. They are seeking the opportunity to win games and be in the Grey Cup once again like they were in 2015, 2016 and 2018. Edme says, “We as a team have put a lot of work in to build the best roster possible this off-season, we believe we have done that and I’m excited to see the team play again.”

Receiver Jordan Smallwood “very excited” for opportunity to play with the CFL’s Ottawa Redblacks

For the majority of players in the CFL they haven’t played since November of 2019. The CFL has been on pause since the 2019 Grey Cup due to the COVID-19 Pandemic however wide receiver Jordan Smallwood who was just recently signed by the Ottawa Redblacks played football in March of 2020 in the XFL alongside some other CFL players before the XFL was forced to fold. Smallwood said, “It was hard to just stop playing football.” when talking about the closures in 2020, “I had to stop doing a lot of things at one point because of the pandemic but I’ve been training still, working to get back in an opportunity and now I’ve got one.”

Smallwood had signed with the CFL’s Ottawa Redblacks last weekend with the 2021 CFL training camp just days away. The opportunity brings Smallwood to Canada for the second time after he spent time with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2018. He has also spent time with the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs and XFL’s Los Angeles Wildcats since leaving the University of Oklahoma as an undrafted free agent in 2018. As an Oklahoma Sooner he caught 18 passes for 170 yards and one touchdown in 47 games while running in two touchdowns on four attempts for 16 total yards. In the 2018 NFL pre-season with the Chiefs he caught two passes for 32 yards and in his XFL stint in 2020 he was featured as the Wildcats’ number one receiver, catching 18 passes for 236 yards and one touchdown. Over just the last two games of the XFL season prior to the league folding Smallwood caught 11 passes for 161 yards.

Coming to Ottawa, Jordan Smallwood will be given a fair chance to make the final roster come August 7th when the team opens the season on the west-coast against the Edmonton Elks. He will be battling for a spot alongside other newcomers Kendrick Rogers, Amba Etta-Tawo, Joe Walker, Ryan Davis and Ervin Phillips as well as some returning CFL receivers like Shannon Smith, Wesley Lewis, Guillermo Villalobos, Michael Klukas and Nate Behar but he doesn’t mind competition. “Training camp is a great way to prove yourself.” he said, “There are a lot of great players coming to camp, we’ve been on some meetings together and I have a lot of respect for my teammates but I look forward to making the most of this opportunity.”

At 26 years old Smallwood still has dreams of being a playmaker in the NFL, however with the chance to play in the nation’s capital in Canada he has set a goal for himself to achieve in Ottawa. “I want to do anything I can to help my team. I have done that at every single level I have played at and I will be helping Ottawa win their next Grey Cup. I’m going to bring energy, passion and a lot of support to the locker room. I play like a professional and I am very excited to be doing it in Ottawa in front of their supportive fans.”

Jordan Smallwood will be joining the Ottawa Redblacks and the CFL on July 10th as they open their 2021 CFL training camp. This will be the first football in Canada since November 24th 2019 when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers won the 107th Grey Cup over the Hamilton Tiger Cats. He will be more than ready for the opportunity after his long off-season spent training in Dallas, Texas with a number of different coaches including Craig LeBlanc who has also been at sessions with Redblacks receiver Jerminic Smith.

Ottawa Redblacks begin to cut down their roster going into CFL training camp, release Ironhead Gallon, Chris Larsen and 4 others

To begin the Ottawa Redblacks roster cuts the team has announced the releases of linebacker Ironhead Gallon, defensive end Chris Larsen, wide receiver Jovon Durante, wide receiver Jaelan Austin, defensive back Lashard Durr and linebacker Nicholas Grigsby.

The team, along with the other 8 in the CFL are expected to release more players going into the 2021 CFL season as they are only allowing a certain number of players on the roster heading into training camp which begins on July 10th.