Montreal Alouettes cut Canadian quarterback Arnaud Desjardins, 18 others

Photo courtesy: Gord Weber/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

The Montreal Alouettes have released 19 players ahead of the CFL’s mandatory roster cutdown deadline, including quarterbacks Arnaud Desjardins and James Morgan.

Desjardins was a mid-training camp signing by the Alouettes due to quarterback injuries and performed well in limited preseason action, completing 17 of 22 passes for 131 yards.

The Montreal native is one of the most prolific quarterbacks in U Sports history, having earned three RSEQ all-star selections, two second-team U Sports All-Canadian selections, and one first-team U Sports All-Canadian selection. He also led the Rouge et Or to Vanier Cup victories in 2022 and 2024, but still went unselected in the 2025 CFL Draft.

Morgan was cut by the team in February, but was brought back at the same time as Desjardins. He completed just four passes on 12 attempts in the preseason, producing 40 yards and an interception.

The 29-year-old appeared in 10 regular-season games last season for the Alouettes and made two starts after injuries to Davis Alexander, McLeod Bethel-Thompson, and Caleb Evans. He completed 55-of-93 passes for 547 yards, two touchdowns, and four interceptions, while rushing six times for 17 yards. The six-foot-four, 229-pound passer was originally a fourth-round pick of the New York Jets in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Also released by the Alouettes were American receivers Demeer Blankumsee, Tsion Nunnally, Terique Owens, and Dalton Stroman; American offensive linemen Jakai Moore, R.J. Perry, and Brandon Sneh; American defensive linemen Damonte Smith, Malick Sylla, and Bryce Ganious; American linebackers Desmond Igbinosun and Trey Jones III; Canadian defensive back Cyrus McGarrell; American defensive backs Thakarius Keyes, Cale Sanders Jr., and Faion Hicks; and Canadian long snapper Lucus Spencer.

Additionally, three Canadian draft picks have been placed on the retired list with the intention of returning to school: receiver Nathan Udoh, defensive back Harrison Daley, and punter Michael Horvat.

Notably, Owens is the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver Terrell Owens.

Montreal also assigned 13 players to the practice roster to start the season: Canadian running back Liam Talbot; American running back Shomari Lawrence; American receivers Austin Watkins and Zakhari Franklin; Global offensive lineman Mark Petry; American offensive lineman Reuben Fatheree II; American defensive linemen Kylan Guidry and David Perales; Canadian linebacker Riley MacLeod; American linebacker Donovan Manuel; Canadian defensive back Shakespeare Louis; and American defensive backs Don Callis and Gemon Green.

The Montreal Alouettes will play their first regular-season game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Thursday, June 4. The team finished second in the East Division standings in 2025 with a 10-8 record and beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the East Final before losing the 112th Grey Cup to the Saskatchewan Roughriders.