Ottawa Redblacks Make Moves, Re-Sign Leading Rusher Devonte Williams
This week, the Ottawa Redblacks looked to their 2023 roster to re-sign three players and also added offensive lineman Dariusz Bladek. The returning players include linebacker Gary Johnson Jr., linebacker Frankie Griffin and running back Devonte Williams. Ottawa also announced the release of offensive lineman Jacob Ruby.
The two-year extension of Williams is a big move for Ottawa; the second-year running back rushed for over 1,000 yards last season. He also added a trio of scores in 15 games.
“I can’t wait to be back in Ottawa. I’m glad my free agency process is over because there is no other place I’d rather be,” Williams said in a statement. “I love the culture we are creating here, I love the fan base, and it’s time we put a season together that we all deserve and bring the Grey Cup back home!”
Johnson was re-signed Tuesday after completing his first season with the Redblacks. He finished with eight tackles and a forced fumble in 11 games. Johnson played with the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 2019 through the 2022 season. Before the extension, he had a workout with the Jacksonville Jaguars in December.
Griffin completed his third season in the CFL with 79 total tackles and one interception in 14 games. Since joining the Redblacks in 2021, he has made 127 total tackles.
New OL in the Capital 🔏
— Ottawa REDBLACKS (@REDBLACKS) January 31, 2024
We’ve signed 🇨🇦 OL @_DBladek to a one-year deal.#ALLIN | 📝: https://t.co/Ze64uBDSZ1 pic.twitter.com/FkeosxKdMH
Bladek joins Ottawa after missing most of the 2023 season to injury. He previously played in Toronto, starting in 19 total games in 2022 en route to a Grey Cup victory. He has appeared in 72 career games since the Saskatchewan Roughriders took him in the second round of the 2017 CFL Draft.
The Montreal Alouettes drafted Ruby eighth overall in 2015, where he played until joining Edmonton in 2017. He has played in 96 games in his CFL career, the last two seasons of which were spent in Ottawa.
The Redblacks have extended 14 players on their roster this offseason and have 19 players still lined up to be pending free agents.
Ottawa Redblacks Re-Sign Three Starting Defenders
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Anthony Miller has been covering professional spring football since 2019 including XFL, USFL, and CFL. He was a local news reporter in Texas before transitioning to sports. Other sites he writes for includes College Football Network and NTZ Network.