Over a month has gone by since the Ottawa Redblacks and the rest of the CFL entered the official free agent signing period and with the time gone by, there’s still a number of players available.
The free agency period brought light to Redblacks fans following a 3-15 season a year ago, and signing big name players like Arbuckle, Kanneh, Laing, Unamba and Coombs helps build a winning team. A winning team doesn’t always have to be perfect, as we’ve seen from our Grey Cup winning team in 2016 but to be able to win games you’ve got to have a complete team. Although we’re yet to see the team on the field together and theirs nothing to assess, on paper the Ottawa Redblacks roster is not complete.
On the field the Redblacks will have some hidden gems like they always are known to have, although on paper there are a few holes to fill. Luckily, there are still a couple of months left of the off-season to fill these holes.
One major hole that could use help filling would be at the receiver position. A year ago, the Redblacks lost both Greg Ellingson and Diontae Spencer, this year they lost Dominique Rhymes and Caleb Holley. With the losses the team has faced at the position, the only experienced receiver they’ve gained is Anthony Coombs who will mainly play out of the slot.
With that being said, in 2020 the Ottawa Redblacks will have (with CFL playing experience) Brad Sinopoli (9 years), RJ Harris (2 years), DeVonte Dedmon (1 year), Jerminic Smith (1 year), Malcom Williams (3 years) and Anthony Coombs (6 years). The list given may look okay but looking at the experience of these players, Ottawa should look for a veteran receiver to help groom the younger guys like Dedmon and company.
The free agents at the receiver position, is one of the strongest among positions. Now after saying that, who is available? Well out of the veterans available still Emmanuel Arceneaux, Luke Tasker, SJ Green, Derel Walker, Chris Matthews, Armanti Edwards and Canadian receiver Mike Jones.
That list of players gives the Redblacks a good group of players to choose from, but receiver isn’t the only position with a little help. On the same side of the ball the Ottawa Redblacks may need to fill a hole at offensive line. Since the start of the CFL off-season, Ottawa has released two offensive lineman both Philippe Gagnon and Stephane Nembot split time starting on the offensive line in Ottawa last year and the Redblacks might want to help fill those two holes.
Ottawa doesn’t necessarily have to go through free agency with the small signings made by the team but if they do, they’re bound to find a good offensive lineman. Available today, the Redblacks have 6 viable options. To keep up their all-Canadian offensive line they have 32 year old Ryan Bomben and 31 year old David Foucault, or to use an American veteran on the line they could sign Thaddues Coleman (34 y/o), Travis Bond (29 y/o), Derek Dennis (31 y/o) or even go younger with 27 year old Antonio Johnson.
All in all the two positions could use some help and the free agents available could do the Redblacks some good in 2020, so the Ottawa Redblacks are in a good spot right now. In a good spot, Ottawa looks to bounce back from a 3-15 season in 2019, so stay tuned for more moves out of the front office here in Ottawa.
This off-season the Ottawa Redblacks made a splash in the free agency market when it opened in February, although some of the biggest moves made by the team was surrounding the free agency frenzy. In December; two months ahead of free agency opening the Ottawa Redblacks went all out signing a group of young players.
Among the players signed by Ottawa was 24 year old American linebacker Dale Warren. Warren was signed by the team on December 16th with 5 other players. Warren says, “I’m excited to get this opportunity (to play with Ottawa) and I’m very thankful for another chance to show what I can do.”
Warren is just 24 years old but his football career goes back quite a bit. His career goes back to Chattanooga, Tennessee where he played college ball for the Chattanooga Mocs. At Chattanooga Warren made a name for himself, racking up over 150 career tackles, 107 of them going for a loss and having 7 sacks in 43 games. One of the 43 games made Warren’s name bigger than ever. Suiting up against Alabama he remembers his coach Rusty Wright telling the team, “Act like you’re supposed to be here. Because you do.”
Going through the game the team played well, going up 3-0 to start the game and only trailing 14-3 at half-time the team was in the game with the number one team in the nation. Being in the game was something that the Chattanooga Mocs were and Dale Warren was more than in the game. Taking in his coach’s advice to act like he belongs on the field, Warren went all out, making play after play. He finished the game with 7 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, one sack and a forced, recovered fumble. Warren was the only player that season to come close to those numbers against Alabama that 2016 season.
The game against Alabama is what set Warren a side from the other players he says, “That was the best game of my life”, but it didn’t get to his head and he continued to play well, and enjoy his time at University. When talking about his University career at Chattanooga he goes on to mention, “I feel like (my time there) is what made me who I am. It was just meant to go as it did”
All in all, his time spent at Chattanooga is exactly what made him who he is, as it earned him a training camp with the NFL’s Buffalo Bills. Although his stint with the Bills was cut short just after the 2018 pre-season, he was still able to make the most of it. Playing with Buffalo was a great experience for Warren, as its something every football player dreams of, he comments, “As a kid, I dreamed of these moments. I prayed night and day, football is my first love, so when I got that call (being signed by the Bills) it was like ‘okay, this is real football’ because when I first came to Buffalo, it really hit me that this isn’t college, this isn’t high school and I wasn’t used to it.”
Dale Warren may not have been used to this kind of football, but he later adapted to the whole life style, when asked about when he was first hit by the reality he goes on to mention, “When I was given the playbook. It wasn’t like college when you’re just looking at a couple plays a day, we were looking at everything and making sure we saw what we did wrong and how to get better from there. So that was when it hit me that this is a business.” Football is a business, and theres a lot of transactions made in the business. One major transaction which had taken place in Warren’s football career is when he was cut by the Buffalo Bills.
When Warren was released by the Buffalo Bills, he was made a free agent where he was able to sign with any team from any league and luckily for him there was a new league in the making just when he was put into the free agency market. Just a few months following his departure from the Bills, Dale Warren was signed by the AAF’s Memphis Express. When asked about this opportunity, he explains, “God is good, and God had my back, giving me another shot at it.” He got another shot at football, but his time in the new league was cut short due to financial issues that the league had and was forced to fold.
The league folded, but Warren still had love for the league and what the league gave him in the opportunity he had with the league. He goes on to say, “The fans (in the AAF) were incredible, the jerseys were nice and the coaches were awesome. I overall had a great experience in the AAF, and when it folded, for me it was like okay its time to work and get my film together for the next opportunity.”
Coming out of this AAF experience, Warren was worried what he’d be doing but his worries later were gone when he got a call from the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Warren tells, “Winnipeg was following me and watching me since I went to the Gridiron showcase in Dallas when I was going out of Chattanooga. They always liked me for my play on the field and once I was available, they signed me.”
Dale Warren was signed to spend training camp with the Blue Bombers and after having a great pre-season and training camp, Warren was given the opportunity to spend the 2019 CFL season with the Blue Bombers practice squad. On the PR, Warren was put into a position to win a Grey Cup, “I can’t even explain to you what that was like (winning the Grey Cup) because it was just a great experience in all. All of my teammates and guys I built relationships with throughout the season all came together and we won the championship, anyone that has been in that situation know that feeling of accomplishment, and I can’t wait to do it again.”
To be able to go through that experience of winning a Grey Cup again, he’ll have to build new relationships with the players here in Ottawa, as he was just recently brought in to play for the Redblacks. Through all he’s been through, jumping through league after league, team after team, Warren says, “I’ve got a chip on my shoulder and its big as a boulder.” With a chip on his shoulder, Warren is yet to prove himself that he can be a big player in Ottawa. Dale Warren may have to prove himself to a number of personnel in Ottawa, but he already has proven himself and made relationships with some of the coaches and players in Ottawa.
Head coach, Paul LaPolice is already familiar with Dale from last season with Winnipeg. Warren says that sometimes LaPo would get angry that he was working the offensive line too hard in Winnipeg last year, so it looks like Warren has shown him a little what he’s got. Along with LaPo is defensive line coach Carey Bailey, who was a defensive coach with Chattanooga in 2016, and Warren remembers coach Bailey saying to him, “You’ve got covering on you. Everything you do you’ll be blessed by God.” That was the last things he had said to Warren, and after Warren heard he’d reunite with Bailey in Ottawa he reached out and thanked him for the comments, and told him, “This season is going to be special.”
Closing off on that note, the 2020 CFL season will be special for the Ottawa Redblacks, and hopefully with the help of Dale Warren on the defense, the Ottawa Redblacks can bounce back from their 3-15 season a year ago. Warren also mentions, “I’m excited for my new opportunity. I’m thankful to have a job doing what I love, playing football and I’m in the best shape of my life so I’m bound to do great things in Ottawa. You Ottawa Redblacks fans can expect a real savage on the field because I’m the most underrated linebacker in the world and I’m ready to prove myself in front of you.”
During this self-isolation period, we look onto the accomplishments the Ottawa Redblacks have had. In just 6 seasons of existence, the team has made 3 trips to the Grey Cup, winning one in their third season, although these big accomplishments wouldn’t be able to be made without the players that have suited up in red and black.
Ottawa REDBLACKS Grey Cup Parade
November 29, 2016
PHOTO: Andre Ringuette/Freestyle Photography
Through the past 6 CFL seasons, the Ottawa Redblacks have seen hundreds of players come and go, some have been with the team since existence and some have never played a game with the team, but all in all the Ottawa Redblacks have hosted some of the greatest players to ever play in the CFL. Lets look at a list of the best players that have lined up on the offensive side of the ball at TD Place.
Quarterbacks
Starting with quarterbacks, we find ourselves in a no brainer situation at the starting quarterback position although who will be backing up Hank?
Henry Burris
Starting at QB, the Ottawa Redblacks will start hall-of-fame worthy quarterback Henry Burris. Henry, well known as Hank spent a solid three seasons with the team and helped the franchise win their first Grey Cup. The Grey Cup MVP and long-time CFL quarterback finished his CFL career in his family’s new hometown of Ottawa. Also in Ottawa, Hank put up over 11,000 yards as well as 49 touchdowns. These numbers are just a small part of his career as in his career he had in his totals, 57,968 yards, 340 touchdowns and even ran for 5,385 yards and 61 touchdowns.
Ottawa Redblacks quarterback Henry Burris (1) celebrates a touchdown with Trevor Harris during third quarter CFL Grey Cup action Sunday, November 27, 2016 in Toronto. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn ORG XMIT: gc134
In all, Henry Burris without a doubt would start at quarterback with the Redblacks all-time team.
Trevor Harris
Yes, Henry Burris may be one of the best to suit up in red and black, and could be one of the best QBs to ever play in the CFL but lets say Hank gets hurt and we need a backup to play for the all-time team. Luckily for Redblacks fans, the Ottawa Redblacks have Trevor Harris on the team.
Harris would be backing up Henry Burris on this team, just like he did in 2016 which was one of 3 seasons he spent in Ottawa. In the three seasons in Ottawa, the Redblacks and the fans got to know Trevor as a great quarterback in the league. Harris was a great piece to the Redblacks, where he was able to throw for over 13,000 yards and 66 touchdowns which added to his great totals of 120 career touchdown passes.
Although Harris may be a part of the Edmonton Eskimos roster now a days, he will always be remembered from what he did in Ottawa and will have a spot on the all-time team!
Dominique Davis
Looking onto the third spot onto the depth chart at quarterback, the Ottawa Redblacks all-time team would have Dominique Davis behind both Hank and Harris.
Davis may only have started 11 games in his CFL career, but as the only other starting quarterback that the Ottawa Redblacks have seen Dom would be up there on the Redblacks depth chart.
Running back
At running back, the Ottawa Redblacks could have a controversy to see who makes number one on the Redblacks all-time team, although there’s only just a few big names to pick from.
William Powell
The Redblacks haven’t seen too many big name running backs come and go, but the Ottawa Redblacks had created the big career of Will Powell. The fan favorite of R-Nation before leaving Ottawa put in 4 seasons in the capital, although he battled injuries in his time in Ottawa Powell put up 1,000 yards back to back seasons (2017-2018) and totaled up 2,835 yards and 13 rushing touchdowns.
With all said and done, the Ottawa Redblacks all-time team would feature William Powell at running back.
Mossis Madu
The Ottawa Redblacks all-time team would have Will Powell start at running back, but they’d have to put Mossis Madu at the position as well.
The newly retired CFL veteran would be backing up Will Powell like he did in a few seasons in Ottawa. Even-though he was a backup for the Redblacks, there was no stopping Madu to be a great back in the league. Being a part of the Redblacks offense, Mossis Madu was able to put up numbers.
Toronto Argonauts vs Ottawa REDBLACKS
September 23, 2016
PHOTO: Greg Kolz/Freestyle Photography
Rushing for over 1,000 yards and 6 touchdowns in Ottawa as well as catching 73 passes for 512 yards and two touchdowns Madu put a great resume in the CFL with the Redblacks and is without a doubt one of the best running backs to suit up in Ottawa.
Brendan Gillanders
After watching Powell go to Saskatchewan and Mossis Madu retiring, the only Redblacks running back from the 2016 Grey Cup season left on the team is Brendan Gillanders. Gillanders, the Ottawa native has played for the Redblacks since the 2016 season and has been able to play a major role on the Redblacks offense as well as the special teams in Ottawa.
Being a big part to the team, Brendan Gillanders has shared multiple great memories with the Redblacks, but he’s also contributed to winning a lot of big games. Helping the team, Gillanders has been able to get a hold of the football 92 times with a Redblacks jersey on which he turned into 475 yards.
The long time Redblack and former Ottawa Gee Gee star is arguably on the list to be one of the best Canadian running backs to suit up at TD Place and thats reasoning on why he’s on the Redblacks all-time team!
Fullback
Leading the way for the running back is the fullback, and considering Ottawa has seen just two true fullbacks in the past 6 seasons that the Redblacks have been in existence, this list should be easy to make.
Pat Lavoie
The list, well its not really a list because its just one player. Patrick Lavoie the all-time Redblacks team fullback is just one of two true fullbacks seen at TD Place and at Fullback, Lavoie has been able to play 4 of is 8 CFL seasons in Ottawa.
With the Redblacks, Lavoie is known for his Grey Cup touchdowns in 2015 and 2016, but he also put together a few solid seasons, catching 86 passes and rushing the ball just once he totaled for just under 800 yards and 3 touchdowns.
With the other option at fullback being JC Beaulieu who spent just 2 seasons with Ottawa, Lavoie is definitely the favorite at the all-time team fullback.
Wide Receiver
Through the past few seasons that the Ottawa Redblacks have been in existence, the Ottawa Redblacks have found themselves with some great receivers, and it’s hard to choose who the best are.
Greg Ellingson
Out wide is Greg Ellingson, Ellingson was signed by the Ottawa Redblacks just before the 2015 season after spending his first 2 seasons with Hamilton.
Ellingson made an impact right after he was signed by the Redblacks, putting up his first ever 1,000 yard season of his career and being known for the big 93 yard touchdown, putting the Ottawa Redblacks in their first Grey Cup.
Ottawa Redblacks’ Greg Ellingson (82) can’t make the catch as Toronto Argonauts Devin Smith (19) looks on during first half CFL action in Ottawa on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
The one-thousand yard season in 2015 was just the start of great things for Ellingson’s football career. Before leaving the team to go to Edmonton with Trevor Harris in the 2019 off-season, Greg Ellingson was a part of a Grey Cup winning Redblacks team in 2016 and stayed with the team through their Grey Cup run in 2018 also.
In all, Ellingson was with the Redblacks for 4 seasons, putting up 1,000 yards each season as well as totaling for 30 touchdowns in his Redblacks career. When its all said and done, Greg Ellingson will always be a big part of the Ottawa Redblacks history and will always have a spot on the team’s all-time team.
Chris Williams
Chris Williams is a name remembered by many Redblacks fans, although not thought of to be in the mix of greats that have played with Ottawa, but why not?
Williams did suffer a hand full of injuries throughout his career, sidelining him for several games over time and with the injury bug constantly hitting him, Williams only got to play one full CFL season, playing 18 games in his second year of his CFL career with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats after being brought in from his NFL opportunities with the Bears.
He may not have played a full CFL season with the Redblacks, but when he was in Ottawa for 2015, and 2016 he made a big impact to the team’s offensive system. Putting speed into Ottawa, Williams helped the Ottawa Redblacks get to two Grey Cups, being one of the 4 receivers on the team getting back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons.
Being just one of six individual players to catch for over 1,000 yards in one season wearing red and black, Williams is without consideration on the Ottawa Redblacks all-time offense.
Dominique Rhymes
The big body that Rhymes brings to the Ottawa Redblacks offense is like no other, standing tall at 6 foot 4, Dominique Rhymes gave Redblacks fans something to cheer for when times were tough in the 2019 CFL season.
Having his first 1,000 yard season in red and black, Rhymes, like Chris Williams is one of just 6 players to get to that marker in a season for the Redblacks.
Out wide at receiver, the Redblacks have always enjoyed having a bigger body so they can launch the ball over a defender or two. In the past, the team saw Juron Criner play a big role for the Ottawa Redblacks in their 2016 Grey Cup run as well as the 2017 season, where he was in the mix of grooming a Dominique Rhymes to do similar things.
Once Rhymes got to where he is today, he will always be remembered by Redblacks fans from the tough 2019 season, but also for the numbers he was able to put up in the season. In his 3 year stint with Ottawa, Rhymes was able to catch for over 1,500 yards as well as 6 touchdowns while being tied for most catches in a single game with Ottawa (11).
Slotback
At slotback, the Ottawa Redblacks have seen a number of great players come and go through the past seasons and some may still be with the team.
Brad Sinopoli
Starting at slot for the Ottawa Redblacks all-time team would have to be Brad Sinopoli. The well known Canadian receiver could very well be one of the best the CFL has ever seen.
Whether its breaking records or getting a much needed catch in desperation time, Brad Sinopoli has always been a big piece to the Ottawa Redblacks offense. Sinopoli has been able to put up 4 1,000 yard seasons in Ottawa, which have helped the Ottawa Redblacks get to 3 Grey Cups, and in one of the Grey Cups, he got the Most Valuable Canadian award in the 2016 Grey Cup which the Ottawa Redblacks had won over Calgary.
He’s well known for what he has been able to do in his CFL career so far, but he remains in the Ottawa Redblacks team on an extended 3-year contract. If gone through the 3 years, the now 31 yea old receiver could see himself retiring a Redblack at 35 years old.
Before seeing him retire possibly in that time, Sinopoli has a lot left to do here in Ottawa, and many Redblacks fans should be excited to see how he fits into Paul LaPolice’s offense in 2020.
Ernest Jackson
The beloved Ernest Jackson. Many of you may have thought I forgot about him, but how can you forget about Uncle Ernie???
E-Jack is one of many great receivers that the Ottawa Redblacks have seen since they’ve come into the CFL in 2014, and in my opinion Jackson is the best they’ll ever see. From start to finish of his time in Ottawa, you always knew something special could happen when he was on the field, and something special always did happen.
AppleMark
Jackson was also known for his hands, in the 2016 season, he didn’t drop no more than 5 passes all year. He was the most reliable target for Hank and Trevor Harris that season, and even if he didn’t catch it on the first touch, Redblacks fans believed in the bobble. The bobble is exactly what the Redblacks believed in, and is something that will never be changed about the Ottawa Redblacks.
Jackson built a legacy in Ottawa on November 27th 2016, when the Ottawa Redblacks won their first Grey Cup in franchise history. The win wouldn’t have happened without E-Jack’s game winning overtime touchdown catch. With the big Grey Cup catch, Ernest Jackson totaled for 2 one-thousand yard seasons, racking up 2,261 yards and 15 touchdowns with the Redblacks.
Diontae Spencer
Diontae Spencer only spent 2 seasons wearing red and black, but he will forever be loved by Redblacks fans. Whether he was back returning a kick or catching passes at receiver, Spencer always knew how to make Redblacks fans jump out of their seats.
Jumping out of their seats was one thing Redblacks fans did a lot of on October 27th 2017, and is a reason why Spencer is on the list of all-time players in Ottawa. Playing against Hamilton in the Redblacks last game of the season, Diontae Spencer did it all. He caught the ball, he ran the ball and he returned the ball for a grand total of 496 yards. He not only broke the CFL’s record for most all-purpose yards in a single game, but he beat the NFL’s and NCAA’s. With that being said, he broke the all-time record for it all.
The big game in 2017 was just a glimpse of what was to come in the 2018 season, which he helped bring the Redblacks to the Grey Cup in. Going to his first ever Grey Cup, and the team’s third, Spencer tallied for 1,007 receiving yards and 7 touchdown catches in 2018 which was just a small piece of his total 2,714 all-purpose yards and 8 total touchdowns.
Since the 2018 season, Diontae Spencer has had the chance to explore NFL opportunities with the Denver Broncos who he spent the 2019-2020 NFL season with. With the Broncos, Diontae suited up for all 16 games of the NFL season, catching his first 6 career catches for 31 receiving yards, running the ball 3 times for 6 yards as well as putting in the work in the return game, returning 26 punts for 208 yards (42 yard long) and 15 kick returns for 436 yards with a 60 yard long against the Packers.
DENVER, CO – DECEMBER 1: Denver Broncos wide receiver Diontae Spencer (11) warms up prior to the start of the game on Sunday, December 1, 2019 at Empower Field at Mile High. The Denver Broncos hosted the Los Angeles Chargers for the game. (Photo by Eric Lutzens/The Denver Post)
Going through his numbers with Ottawa and the future he has in the NFL, Spencer is looked on to be one of the best returners and receivers Ottawa has seen.
Offensive line
The Ottawa Redblacks have seen a number of great offensive linemen come and go through the city, and some have made a big impact on the run and pass game. Lets all look in on the top 5 offensive lineman the Redblacks have had a part of the team.
Jon Gott
Getting Jon Gott in a trade with Calgary before the 2014 CFL season could very well be one of the best decisions made by the Ottawa Redblacks front office.
Gott was loved by the fans since day one, bringing the beard in the game was a special part of Ottawa Redblacks football and playing 5 years for the Ottawa Redblacks, he played 83 of his 145 career games in a Redblacks jersey, but all in all the last regular season game had to of been the most memorable for him and the city of Ottawa.
On November 1st 2018, the Ottawa Redblacks faced off against the Toronto Argonauts for the last game of the regular season. The game didn’t mean anything to either team, with the Redblacks clinched to first place in the East and Toronto fallen out of playoff hopes, so the Redblacks had their backups in, not risking any injuries.
Although the game didn’t mean much, and there wasn’t much to cheer for, Jon Gott brought in the best reason to cheer. Following a Mossis Madu touchdown, Madu and company celebrates, while Gott comes running from his center position to the back of the endzone to get a beer from his girlfriend who at the time was sitting in the Ottawa Redblacks log cabin. Gott chugs the beer, and the crowd absolutely loves it.
Ottawa Redblacks offensive lineman Jon Gott (63) smashes a beer can on his helmet after chugging it, as he celebrates his team’s touchdown against the Toronto Argonauts during second half CFL football action in Ottawa on Friday, Nov. 2, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang ORG XMIT: JDT108
One of many reasons why Jon Gott will forever be remembered in Ottawa.
Alex Mateas
Mateas has found himself wearing a Redblacks jersey since 2015 when he was selected first overall in the CFL draft. After spending his college career down south with Connecticut, the Ottawa native was brought in by his hometown team.
Since then, he’s built a great career. Going to 3 Grey Cups in 5 seasons, and only missing 2 games in his 5 year career. Suiting up for 88 games in a Redblacks jersey, Alex Mateas is loved by R-Nation and is without a debate on the Redblacks all-time team.
Sir Vincent Rogers
Although you can find Sir V wearing different colors out in Edmonton, Rogers brought in a lot of hope to the Ottawa Redblacks run game. He may not have a beer chug under his name like Jon Gott, but Sir V played 61 games with Ottawa and went to all 3 of the franchises Grey Cups.
Nolan MacMillan
With 77 games in Ottawa, Nolan MacMillan has been a well-known offensive lineman in the CFL.
He’s gotten to 3 Grey Cups including the win in 2016 with Ottawa, and through his career, he’s been able to keep up a starting role on the Redblacks offensive line.
J’Michael Deane
Deane spent the first three seasons of the Ottawa Redblacks franchise on the team’s offensive line. He bounced back and forth from guard and tackle and going through his time in Ottawa, he played in 51 games, and won the 104th Grey Cup with the Redblacks in 2016.
Going through this article, Id like to than you for reaching the end! Stay tuned to see the Ottawa Redblacks all-time team defensive list of players as well as special teams!
This off-season, a lot of players on the Ottawa Redblacks have been working extra hard on their football craft and Corey Tindal has been doing the same. Tindal may be working hard to get to his best potential on the football field he has had a lot of time on his hands to work on other things.
One thing Tindal has decided to work on this off-season is music. Through the past few weeks, Tindal has published 6 different songs onto his SoundCloud account. Check them all out in the link below.
Due to the ongoing spread of Covid-19, the XFL has canceled the rest of their 2020 season. Although the XFL season is no longer, the XFL has granted all players the opportunity to sign with other leagues. Tomorrow, March 23rd the players from the XFL will be able to sign with the CFL’s Ottawa Redblacks, but will the team sign anyone?
When the team announced their negotiations list a couple of months ago, the Ottawa Redblacks had P.J Walker on their list. Walker later had an outstanding few games playing with the Houston Roughnecks and could pursue NFL opportunities. If Walker does not go to the NFL, Ottawa is the only CFL team with rights to sign him. Will Ottawa sign Walker?
When you think of the XFL, PJ Walker is a big name that comes in mind, but there are several other players that could make their ways to Ottawa come tomorrow.
To checkout a list of players available checkout the graphics below, made by the XFL when they were first advertising the draft last October.
The article you have selected toread is a small documentary based on Ottawa Redblacks receiver and return specialist DeVonte Dedmon. The video is found on the YouTube link below, and a short article on Dedmon is just under where you can find the video! Enjoy, and remember to watch out for #17 when you are watching the Ottawa Redblacks in 2020!
This coming CFL season, DeVonte Dedmon will be joining the Ottawa Redblacks for his second season of his professional career. Year two for Dedmon will be a big year for himself and the Redblacks team around him. Coming off of a 3-15 rookie season with the Ottawa Redblacks, Dedmon has all eyes on winning games although that will only be made possible if he plays the majority of the games.
In his rookie year, Dedmon played 5 games of the 18 on the team’s schedule. He may not have been in as many games as the other receivers like Dominique Rhymes or R.J Harris, but he made a big impact in the ones he did dress for. Being on the field for just 5 games, DeVonte Dedmon put his whole hometown of Williamsburg, Virginia on his back and performed at his best abilities for the Ottawa Redblacks. Dedmon’s name was a household name for most Redblacks fans in August when he made Sportscenter’s top 10 for one of his two return touchdowns against the Montreal Alouettes in week 8. DeVonte Dedmon’s name became bigger than ever after that one big game, but with injuries taking him out of the majority of the games he was later forgotten by many CFL fans.
He may be forgotten as of now, although once the 2020 CFL season comes around, CFL fans will be reminded of who he is. Around his big game in Montreal, the 2019 season wasn’t the best opportunity for Dedmon to introduce himself to the CFL. Being on a team without much publicity due to a losing season and him not being able to play more than 5 games, Dedmon wasn’t in the headlines much although when he returns for his second season, that is bound to change.
The wide receiver and return specialist will be coming to Ottawa for training camp in May, where he’ll be competing for the starting receiver position. By the looks of it, Dedmon has the returning job in his hands, but due to the moves made this offseason he might be starting on the offensive depth chart as well. With that into consideration, all Redblacks fans should have eyes on Dedmon coming into the 2020 CFL season, as DeVonte Dedmon could be filling shoes of a starting receiver and even could have a similar role as Diontae Spencer once had in Ottawa.
In the mix of all the sports being canceled and postponed, the Ottawa Redblacks have decided to shuffle the roster around. Making changes to the roster, the Ottawa Redblacks and Philippe Gagnon have parted ways. The 27 year old offensive lineman was going onto year two of his Redblacks contract after being signed by the team last year in CFL free agency although Redblacks general manager Marcel Desjardins had other plans.
Releasing Gagnon, the Ottawa Redblacks have cleared $180,000 worth of cap space and are able to make more moves towards the 2020 CFL season.
On Sunday, Michael Wakefield and his wife Kelaysha opened their home to me to have an interview. Wakefield is coming back to Ottawa on a one-year contract for his 4th season with the Ottawa Redblacks and is more excited than ever. He’s excited, but from what he’s been hearing his defensive coordinator Mike Benevides is way more excited. Watch my interview with Michael Wakefield as well as a Trivia and drawing game Mike was put through!
The CFL was officially founded in January of 1958, which makes the league 62 years old. Through the years the league has seen thousands of players come and go, but only a few have made their marks in the record books.
Ottawa Redblacks Henry Burris holds up the Grey Cup celebrating his team’s win over the Calgary Stampeders in Toronto on Sunday, November 27, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn ORG XMIT: GC150
Many wonder how these football players get their starts in the CFL, and one popular way is a try out. Each CFL team has their own series of open tryouts one-two months ahead of the first regular season game. For the CFL’s Ottawa Redblacks, they have 6 open tryouts set up for both April and May. In these tryouts, any football player over 18 years of age has their opportunity to show the CFL scouts what they are made of and what they are capable of on the field.
Going 3-15 is tough for many teams and it was tough for the Ottawa Redblacks in the 2019 season, but as the team’s leaders have mentioned time after time, it is the past. With all eyes on the Ottawa Redblacks future in the CFL standings, there’s many questions if the team will bounce back following the down year.
Albany Empire’s head coach Rob Keefe celebrates a play with Brad Muhammad (23) against the Columbus Destroyers’ during their home opener arena football game Saturday, April 26, 2019, in Albany, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
The questions have not been answered yet, although it is noticed that the team has made efforts to improve and among the evidence in improvement is the signings. Since the end of the 2019 CFL season, the Ottawa Redblacks front office has been busy gathering a group of players to fill the roster, and one of the players that stands out on the list of signees is defensive back Brad Muhammad. The defensive back most recently played in the indoor football league for the Albany Empire, but he impressed the Redblacks the most from the time he spent with FIU. He only had the one season to play in the NCAA in 2017 but the product he put together in the season was enough to get a chance.
At FIU for his NCAA one year career, Muhammad played 13 games in their secondary where he was a moving danger sign for all opposing quarterbacks. Brad Muhammad was at FIU for business and made it clear making 53 total tackles, forcing 5 pass breakups as well as 4 interceptions which he returned one for a touchdown.
As mentioned he had enough at the college level to earn him a spot with the Ottawa Redblacks, but ahead of being signed in Ottawa Muhammad most recently was in the indoor football league which gave the Redblacks bonus coverage on him. Not only was his time in the IFL bonus coverage, it was good bonus coverage. Muhammad may have only had 13 tackles in the games he played, but he was a ball hawk for the Empire in 2019. In the secondary he had 3 pass breakups, and one going for an interception.
Taking a look at the Ottawa Redblacks secondary for the 2020 season, Brad Muhammad has the chance to play on the team’s active roster for a few games this upcoming season and could put the Redblacks in a position to win games defensively.
JZ MEDIA 