The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed American defensive back Jamar Johnson.
The six-foot-one, 197-pound cover man was selected in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. He dressed for three regular season games with the team that season, playing 38 snaps on special teams.
The 24-year-old was released by the Broncos during training camp in 2022 and remained a free agent until the following year when he joined the Arlington Renegades of the XFL. He later signed with the New Orleans Breakers of the USFL.
The Sarasota, Fla. native made 69 defensive tackles, eight tackles for loss, seven interceptions, four sacks, five pass deflections, and two forced fumbles over 31 collegiate games at Indiana University. He was named first-team All-Big Ten as a senior in 2020.
Johnson ran a 4.58-second forty-yard dash at the NFL Combine in 2021 along with a 35-inch vertical jump, 122-inch broad jump, 7.22-second three-cone drill, 4.41-second short shuttle, and 17 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press.
The Riders will open their 2024 regular season on Saturday, June 8 when they visit the Edmonton Elks at Commonwealth Stadium.
