THE CANADIAN PRESS
TORONTO — What’s on the line in pre-season? For some players across the CFL, everything.
It’s two weeks into training camp and by the end of Tuesday players will have had 14 days and at least one pre-season game to prove they belong on a Canadian Football League roster.
With that, decision time arrives for coaches and general managers, because on Tuesday night at 11:59 p.m. ET teams must reduce their rosters to 65 players. The final cut down day is June 19, when teams must reduce their rosters to 46 active players by 11:59 a.m. ET.
As teams trim down their rosters over the next 48 hours, we check in on the latest:
Jump to team:
| BC | Calgary | Edmonton | Saskatchewan | Winnipeg | Hamilton | Toronto | Ottawa | Montreal |
BC LIONS
Draft picks Brennan Van Nistelrooy and Boyd Richardson are among those out the door in BC, while the team has parted ways with four defensive backs in total ahead of the first cut down day.
Players Released
DB Darious Lane (I)
DB Davarus Shores (I)
DB Dino Teague (I)
DB Brennan Van Nistelrooy (N)
DL Jacques Smith (I)
DL Boyd Richardson (N)
OL Rogers Gaines (I)
OL Micah Hatchie (I)
REC Colin Lockett (I)
REC Uzoma Nwachukwu (I)
EDMONTON ESKIMOS
The Eskimos released four receivers, including former NFL burner Jacoby Ford who played sparingly and did not make a catch in pre-season action vs. the Stamps. It means seven of the Eskimos’ 12 remaining receivers are Canadian.
Players Released
OL Steven Baker (I)
DE Kaelin Burnett (I)
REC Jacoby Ford (I)
DB Terrell Pinson (I)
FB Matt Rea (N)
DE Daniel Ross (I)
REC Tim Smith (I)
REC Darryl Surgent (I)
REC Brandon Swindall (I)
CALGARY STAMPEDERS
Bryant Moniz exits the competition for third-string quarterback in Calgary after being released Monday. The Stampeders also announced the addition of quarterback G.J. Kinne, a 6-foot-2, 218-pound Tulsa graduate.
Moniz dressed for 36 games over the past two seasons and threw for 29 yards and a touchdown on 2-of-4 career passing. In short-yardage duties, he carried the ball 35 times for 98 yards and six touchdowns.
Players Released
LB Jared Brackens, (I)
LB James Green (N)
DL Quayshawne Buckley (I)
DB Travis Manning (I)
QB Bryant Moniz (I)
REC Chleb Ravenell (I)
REC Cam White (I)
DL Brandon Thurmond (I)
DL Ridge Wilson (I)
RB Reggie Whatley (I)
LS Tim St. Pierre (N)
SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS
National defensive back Dan West is one of nine players released by the Riders to get under the roster limit, a surprise move for the Riders as he was part of the competition to start at safety.
Also among those on their way out are young receivers S.J. Haidara and Marquez Clark. Clark has been with the team since mini-camp back in April while Haidara is a former CFL Draft pick.
Players Released
REC Marquez Clark (I)
OL Will Corbin (I)
REC S.J. Haidara (N)
RB Johnta Hebert (I)
DB Caesar Rayford (I)
LB Rollins Stallworth (I)
DL Ino Vitale (I)
DB Dan West (I)
REC Devrin Young (I)
WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS
The Bombers released six and narrowed down the competition at receiver, dropping international Kevin Cone. Cone joined the Bombers late last year but struggled to make an impact, while other young pass-catchers took major strides in this week’s pre-season loss to Ottawa.
Players Released
REC Kevin Cone (I)
DB Johnny Patrick (I)
DB Donald Celiscar (I)
DL Andrew Robinson (I)
OL Aundrey Walker (I)
DL Nate Collins (I)
Placed on Six-Game
OL Jeff Keeping (N)
REC Addison Richards (N)
LB Kyle Knox (I)
HAMILTON TIGER-CATS
The Ticats parted ways with five on Tuesday, including international offensive tackle Brandon Washington and veteran defensive tackle Zach Anderson. Anderson is a three-year pro and made 32 tackles in 16 games last season and in 2013, his rookie season, recorded seven sacks in 14 games.
Players Released
RB Michael Ford (I)
WR Patrick Robertson (I)
DE Antonio Coleman (I)
DT Zach Anderson (I)
OL Brandon Washington (I)
LB Troy Davis (I)
DB Chase Minnifield (I)
Placed on Six-Game
QB Jacory Harris (I)
DB Demond Washington (I)
DT Evan Gill (N)
TORONTO ARGONAUTS
Two experienced veterans lead the list of Argos first cuts, as Adrian McPherson and Chad Kackert are among seven players released. Keep a close eye on the receiver position because there are still some big cuts to be made by next week’s final cut-down day.
Players Released
DL J.C. Copeland (I)
RB Chad Kackert (I)
REC Christion Jones (I)
QB Adrian McPherson (I)
LB Marquis Spruill (I)
REC Shane Williams-Rhodes (I)
DL Jamal Young (I)
OTTAWA REDBLACKS
No big names among those released in Ottawa, as five players including four internationals were let go on Tuesday for the team to reach the 65-player limit. The REDBLACKS had to make their decisions in short order, barely 24 hours after a pre-season win over the Bombers.
Players Released
DB Keldyn Ahlstedt (N)
REC Maurice Morgan (I)
DB Keelan Johnson (I)
DB Marc Anthony (I)
DL Kris Redding (I)
MONTREAL ALOUETTES
While a couple of names stand out among the nine players released, none of them are quarterbacks. Linebacker Kyler Elsworth and offensive tackle Quinn Lawlor are on their way out, while the Als have also released Jerry Rice Jr., the son of pro football’s all-time leading receiver.
Players Released
OL Vincent Brown (I)
LB Kyler Elsworth (I)
RB Jewel Hampton (I)
DB Victor Hampton (I)
OT Quinn Lawlor (N)
REC Demarlon Morris (I)
REC Jerry Rice Jr. (I)
DB Nathan Slaughter (I)
DE Diaheem Watkins (I)
