The Toronto Argonauts have signed five players to their expanded practice roster, including American receivers Justin Marshall and Aaron Parker, Canadian receiver Richie Sindani, American defensive lineman Tyler Williams, and Canadian defensive back Daniel Valente.
Marshall went unselected in the 2023 NFL Draft but has since spent time with the Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks. The six-foot-three, 213-pound target made 64 receptions for 837 yards and nine touchdowns with the University at Buffalo this past season, the final year of his collegiate career. The 24-year-old previously played at Louisville where he made 36 catches for 544 yards and one touchdown over 31 career games.
Parker started his professional career as an undrafted free agent with the Dallas Cowboys in 2020 and spent a season on the practice roster before being released amidst final roster cuts the following year. Parker then joined the Carolina Panthers’ practice squad, receiving a call-up for one game in 2021. Most recently, he spent training camp with the Kansas City Chiefs but did not make the final roster.
The six-foot-two, 210-pound target started his career as a linebacker before becoming a dangerous receiver over four seasons at the University of Rhode Island. As a senior in 2019, he caught 81 passes for 1,224 yards and nine touchdowns to earn second-team FCS All-American honours from the Associated Press. He clocked a 4.57-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine in 2020.
Sindani caught 12 passes for 90 yards over 12 games with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats this season prior to his release last week. The six-foot-two, 220-pound target was an eighth-round draft pick of the Calgary Stampeders in 2017 and caught 92 passes for 986 yards and three touchdowns over 60 career games with the team. The Regina native played collegiately that the University of Regina and University of Calgary.
Williams was in training camp with the Argos this season after a five-year career at Wake Forest. The six-foot-two, 295-pound defender made 65 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and five sacks over 44 career games and helped the Demon Deacons to back-to-back Bowl game victories in 2021 and 2022.
Valente was a fourth-round pick of the Ottawa Redblacks in the 2022 CFL Draft before returning to Western for his final year of U Sports eligibility. The 23-year-old made five interceptions that season and was named the OUA’s Outstanding Stand-up Defensive Player before returning to the Redblacks for training camp in 2023. The five-foot-eleven, 176-pound defender has since been a member of the Montreal Alouettes.
