recently released players yes or no for Ottawa

Think you got the wrong team there, champ!

LOL !!!! steve is getting his colors mixed up,last time I looked Willy plays for the BLUEGOLDS not the REDBLACKS :slight_smile:

OTTAWA - The Ottawa REDBLACKS of the Canadian Football League added trio linebackers to the team roster today: [b]Anton McKenzie, Travis Brown and Jeremiah Green[/b].

McKenzie, a 33-year-old native of Medford, N.Y., is an eight-year CFL veteran who played three seasons to begin his career in Saskatchewan before joining the B.C. Lions in 2009.

McKenzie (5-10, 235) has 398 career regular-season tackles, 13 sacks, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries.

In 2009 and his first season with the Lions, McKenzie had a career-high 85 tackles, 14 tackles on special teams and six sacks.

Brown, a native of Fresno, Calif., played collegiate football at Fresno State where he had 38 consecutive starts at linebacker for the Bulldogs. The 6-foot-1, 236-lb. Brown had 67 tackles during his senior year at Fresno State in 2012.

Green, a 23-year-old native of Tulare, Calif., joins the REDBLACKS after a standout collegiate career with the University of Nevada Wolf Pack.

Green (6-2, 235) joined the Jacksonville Jaguars of the NFL and attended training camp before joining the San Jose SabreCats of the Arena Football League last October.

It sounds like a guy painting a house,REDBLACKS add BROWN and GREEN :slight_smile: ,if anything Ottawa will have the most colorful team in the league.Not too sure about these two,but McKenzie even at 33 is a decent pickup for you,he still has some gas left in the tank and a high revved motor IMO an excellent addition to your team. :thup:

McKenzie another nice acquisition claimed off the waiver wire, not having the luxury of returning veteran players. McKenzie has still played well last season in a crowded LB corp.
Ottawa continues to have a nice mix of veteran imports and new imports. LB, DB/DE are positions that are hard to find in the Canadian Draft that can contribute right away on defense. DT and Safety are positions where there are several every season.
Ottawa still will be able to draft a top Olineman with the second pick something they cannot pass up. With Tardiff almost assured to be in an NFL camp and another being invited to an NFL super regional still would leave 2 with ability to contribute right away.
They could use top DT Evan Gill but will likley be gone by round 2. with one of the top DBS also invited to a super regional it cuts the 3 DBs with a chance to contrivute at Safety right away to two.

Ottawa can pretty well start a veteran CFLer at every position now with the addition of McKenzie and then work in the rookies as they see fit. There is always a surprise kid who seems to come out of nowhere to beat out a vet and there is always an injury or two to change plans.
I am expecting a couple of import OT's will be announced shortly to give them some depth behind Lee. Other than that they are what they are until after TC when some of the other teams cuts become available.
They just have to keep building piece by piece.

That is pretty much what they are doing so you can see the plan that they have in place. There are the CFL expereinced players, the pro expereinced players who ar new to the CFL but have been in NFL, Arena Football, and UFL over the past few seasons, and rookies who are out of college imports and Canadian rookie free agents 5th year players.
This is all before they have signed any of last years draft picks and the 2014 draft upcoming.

They have a nice group of import and Canadian first year pros or second year who have been to one training camp. These players will be willing to take practice roster spots.
Probably will see a combo top Canadian rookies, imports with a few years of pro experience who will be placed on the 9 game IR as well as some CFL vets most likley signed off the waiver wire after final cuts.

If the QB situation stands as is Burris, Glenn, and Demarco on the 42.
Matt Faulkner could accept a spot on the Practice roster as well.
I would also suspect to see a NFL free agent Qb or one in the Arena Football league also added to the 9 game IR.
Territorial Junior league excemption players will likely also be in camp and with the team during the season from the Ottawa Sooners

Now you're talking to yourself, Steve...

over excited i guess

It happens. :smiley:

But I had missed that you did add to your post. I thought you just quoted yourself then ended up not saying anything.

So in terms of developing Canadian QB’s…I think I read on Twitter that Carleton QB Jesse Mills has been invited to camp. So that slot appears to have been filled.

I admit I’m not his biggest fan but in fairness to him I think the hype and build up (since he played for the Sooners while serving out his transfer year) put somewhat unrealistic expectations on him.

I think Mills was an obvious decision but they can invite more than one Canadian QB to camp as a non counter even one that would be eligible to sign a contract or a practice roster contract for the season.
There is no Quillan available this time around or Sinilopli.
Under the Radar there is Myles Gibbon who completed his eligibility and Di 2nd team QB in gunslinger Cayman Shutter who could end up in Saskatchewan for camp after a year with the Rams and one to go.
I just think sooner or later some team will make an effort to spend a contract dollars on developing Canadian QBS even if they are placed on the 9 game IR for at least a seaason.
Ottawa making all the right marketing and personal moves could be that team.
If Ottawa’s situation stands with Burris at 1 Glenn at 2 Dematco at 3 and the short yardage guy they may want a seperate QB for scout team and signing a CIS QB to do that job could be beneficiary.

I wonder if Hamilton's FA Kicker Congi will get a look now that Schiavone has gotten the axe.

As of right now as far as I know Congi hasn’t signed with anybody and is very much available,it will all depend if Ottawa chooses to employ 2 kickers or 1 who can do all 3 jobs.Congi is a fg kicker primarily and also does kick-off duties,but when he was in Hamilton,one of the main complaints about him was his consistency on fg’s and lack of depth on his kick-offs.Last year wasn’t a banner year for Congi,but you never know perhaps all he needs is a change of scenery and a fresh start to rejuvenate his career,after all he was an Eastern All-Star in 2012,if you ask me,you could do a lot worse than signing him up and giving him a shot at the job IMO he just had an off season and is still an above average kicker who might just be a good fit in Ottawa.

Lin J Shell DB - An import DB CFL veteran. Spent the last two seasons as a utility DB for the Lions after some all star seasons with Toronto. He has the ability to play both HB and SamLB which could be very valuable to have around for a new franchise. Makes for a good DI with his flexibilty.

Darrry Stephanson FB - Great Blocker and solid teams player. Got a chance to play some TE/H-Back for Hamilton late in 2012 and did pretty well as a threat on Offense for a few games. lavoi and Delahunt were both taken in the expansion draft and both were very effective at the FB/TE spots in their rookie seasons. Ottawa also has another TE Tyler Digby who played in the NCAA was 2013 draft pick has yet to sign. So that position is pretty crowded but Stephanson is as solid as they get.

Onrea Jones WR Hamilton Hank may like to have Jones around the REDBLACKS receiving corp.

Brandon Issaac SAMLB Hamilton They aquired TJ Hill and Isaac gives them another very well expereinced Sam LB. Both may be on the tail end of their careers but SAM LB is probably the toughest position for new Import DBs. These two guys have played the position at an All Star level and can help bridge the gap until Ottawa finds a younger replacement

Current SAM LB TJ Hill will turn 34 in July.
Potential FA's available to sign. Brandon Issac 29 and Lin J Shell will turn 32 during the season.
All three have been all star players. Shell can play all of the DB spots. Isaac likely the best of the three.

Import Receivers:
Cameron Kenney
DJ Woods
Fred Rouse
Mitchel Carleton
Miles Wallace

These 5 have had very limited CFL expereince but have been around pro football for a few years in NFL, Arena Football, and UFL.

Kierre Johnson and Dobson Collines both with CFL expereince as back ups. both still in Prime years in Football.

Potential FA signing Onrea Jones. Jones to me is an upgrade to all of these receivers. Spent his early years of career exhausting all NFL options but has prove to be a starting quality receiver in the CFL and is flexible to play Teams as well. Both coverage and return.

You would think Onrea Jones would be an obvious signing for the Redblacks.

He very well may be. The timing is not good with the draft this week. Could be a priority right after the draft.
The Riders also could be a team to be interested. Jones has proven he can play and start in the CFL at a high level. He also plays teams which is a plus.
he has played great IMHO but it has been a numbers game with him in Hamilton, he has been the odd man out of the starting line up for two coaches although receiveng for 500 yards plus in part time starting roles