Ottawa Redblacks make 12 roster changes for game against Argonauts

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

The Ottawa Redblacks have made a dozen changes to their roster for Saturday’s game against the Toronto Argonauts. The team released its official depth chart on Friday morning.

Five of the alterations have come to the team’s starting lineup on defence, as Isaiah Mack and Luiji Vilain will start along the defensive line, and Christian Matthew, Adrian Frye, and Travian Blaylock will start in the secondary.

Mack signed with the team earlier this week. The six-foot-one, 320-pound defender has previously been a member of the Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, New York Jets, Washington Commanders, and Miami Dolphins. He played 25 career NFL regular-season games, making 17 total tackles, three tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and one fumble recovery.

Vilain made five starts with the Redblacks at defensive end earlier this season, recording five defensive tackles, one special teams tackle, one tackle for loss, and one pass knockdown. The six-foot-four, 258-pound native of Ottawa missed the team’s most recent game against the B.C. Lions with a knee injury.

Matthew has dressed for two regular-season games this year in a depth role. The 29-year-old was originally a seventh-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals. He played 20 regular-season NFL games with the Cardinals and Chicago Bears, registering 20 total tackles and three pass knockdowns. This will be his first CFL start.

Frye has returned to the starting lineup after completing a stint on Ottawa’s six-game injured list. The six-foot, 205-pound defender has recorded 49 defensive tackles, six special teams tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and one pass knockdown over 19 career regular-season CFL games.

Blaylock joined the Redblacks last month and this will be his first regular-season appearance with the team. The 26-year-old played one regular-season game with the B.C. Lions last year, recording three defensive tackles. The five-foot-eleven, 195-pound native of Humble, Texas also attended training camp with the Edmonton Elks this year, though he was released among final cuts.

Benny Sapp III has moved from field-side halfback to strong-side linebacker in place of C.J. Reavis, who has been placed on the six-game injured list due to a hamstring injury. The six-foot, 198-pound defender has tallied 38 defensive tackles, two special teams tackles, one tackle for loss, and four pass knockdowns this season.

Cleyon Laing, Amani Bledsoe, and Kori Roberson Jr. have each been added to the active roster in depth roles along the defensive line. Laing just completed a stint on the six-game injured list, while Bledsoe and Roberson Jr. both joined the roster earlier this week.

A.J. Allen has returned to the lineup in a depth role at linebacker after recovering from a hip injury. Michael Brodrique and Kyahva Tezino will also dress in depth roles at the same position. Brodrique recently completed a stint on the six-game injured, while Tezino was acquired from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in a trade.

Global tight end Jevoni Robinson has returned to the lineup after missing two games with a hip injury. The 33-year-old has made three catches for 43 yards this season. Ottawa had a Global roster spot available following the release of Habakkuk Baldonado, who has since rejoined the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Depth players who have come off the active roster include American offensive lineman Zachary Barlev (practice roster), American defensive lineman Jessie Evans (one-game injured list), American linebacker Brian Cole II (reserve roster), Canadian linebacker Josh Connors (practice roster), and American defensive backs Marcus Barnes (six-game injured list) and Shadwel Nkuba II (practice roster).

Canadian defensive lineman Philippe Lemieux-Cardinal, American defensive lineman Norell Pollard, and Canadian linebacker Daniel Kwamou, all of whom dressed for Ottawa’s most recent game, were released earlier this week.

The Ottawa Redblacks (0-11) will visit the Toronto Argonauts (6-6) at BMO Field on Saturday, September 12 with kickoff scheduled for 1:00 p.m. EDT. Last week, the Redblacks were on bye while the Argonauts won the season series against Hamilton with a 37-22 victory in the Labour Day Classic.

The weather forecast in Toronto calls for a high of 24 degrees and sun. The game will be broadcast on TSN and RDS in Canada, and CFL+ internationally. Radio listeners can tune-in on TSN 1200 in Ottawa or TSN 1050 in Toronto.

Eligible sports bettors in Ontario and Alberta can find relevant information for wagering on the games by clicking on their respective jurisdiction. Please bet responsibly.