The Ottawa Redblacks have signed former first-round CFL draft pick Anthony Bennett.
The 27-year-old dressed for 18 games during his rookie season with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2023, making eight defensive tackles and three special teams tackles. He was cut by the team in 2024 prior to the start of the regular season and had an offseason stint with the Montreal Alouettes in 2025.
The six-foot-one, 235-pound defensive end was named a first-team U Sports All-Canadian and a Canada West all-star at the University of Regina, recording 38 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, and nine sacks in 2022 — a single-season school record.
The Redblacks have also added American receiver Sam Schnee and American defensive back Gavin Heslop to the practice roster, both of whom attended training camp in Ottawa.
Schnee spent six seasons at the University of Northern Iowa where he made 139 receptions for 2,231 yards and 14 touchdowns in 48 games. As a senior in 2023, the five-foot-ten, 191-pound target was named a second-team FCS All-American by AFCA after catching 57 passes for 1,039 yards and six touchdowns. The native of Dubuque, Ia. had a stint with the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2024.
Heslop played three regular-season games with the Seattle Seahawks after joining the team as an undrafted free agent in 2020, recording one tackle. After two years in Seattle, he was a member of the New York Giants, Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, Houston Roughnecks, and San Antonio Brahmas. The six-foot, 195-pound native of Yonkers, N.Y. played collegiately at Stony Brook University where he was twice named All-CAA.
The Redblacks have also released American receiver Ayir Asante and Canadian receiver Ethan Jordan.
Asante played 13 games for the University of Wyoming in 2023, registering 21 receptions for 372 yards and six touchdowns. He previously played at Holy Cross, where he was a three-time second-team All-Patriot League selection and amassed 117 catches for 1,718 yards and 16 touchdowns across 40 career games. The six-foot, 178-pound receiver spent time with the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent during the 2024 preseason.
Jordan was selected in the sixth round of the 2025 CFL Draft out of Wilfrid Laurier University. The five-foot-eleven, 175-pound pass catcher played 12 games for the Golden Hawks in 2024, recording 89 receptions for 1,374 yards with 12 touchdowns. He was named an OUA first-team all-star and U Sports first-team All-Canadian for his efforts.
The Ottawa Redblacks (0-2) will visit the Calgary Stampeders (2-0) at McMahon Stadium on Saturday, June 21 with kickoff slated for 2:00 p.m. EDT.
