Ottawa Redblacks release former second-round CFL draft pick Deionte Knight, sign two

Photo courtesy: Bob Butrym/RFB Sport Photography

The Ottawa Redblacks have released former second-round CFL draft pick Deionte Knight.

The six-foot-three, 290-pound defender finished the 2024 season on the practice roster with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, making him a free agent, and signed with the Redblacks in December. Knight was originally selected by the Argonauts with the tenth overall pick in the 2022 CFL Draft out of Western University.

The 26-year-old native of Ajax, Ont. has played 33 regular season games with Toronto and Hamilton and recorded 23 defensive tackles, two sacks, and one forced fumble. He has made one career start at defensive tackle.

The Redblacks also signed two players, adding American offensive lineman Eric Miller and American defensive lineman Deshawn Holt.

Miller spent stints with the Cincinnati Bengals and Edmonton Elks in 2024, through he didn’t see any regular-season action with either team. The six-foot-eight, 311-pound native of Mason, Ohio finished his collegiate career at the University of Louisville, where he was named an All-ACC honourable mention. The 24-year-old spent the first four seasons of his collegiate career at Purdue University where he was a two-year starter.

Holt spent the last three seasons at University of Toledo, recording 91 total tackles, 18 tackles for loss, six sacks, and one forced fumble. The six-foot-five, 245-pound native of Waldorf, Md. spent the first three seasons of his collegiate career at the University of Maryland where he made 25 total tackles, four tackles for loss, and two sacks.

Ottawa has also released American offensive lineman Malik Pete.