Photo courtesy: David Friedrich/B.C. Lions
The B.C. Lions have signed American defensive back C.J. Coldon.
The 27-year-old was released by the Ottawa Redblacks on Wednesday, after playing 17 games for the team last season. He started all of them at cornerback, amassing 55 defensive tackles, one special teams tackle, three interceptions, and a forced fumble.
The native of Belleville, Ill., originally signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2024 but was released as part of final roster cuts. He signed with Ottawa that September, playing one game where he produced seven defensive tackles and a forced fumble.
The five-foot-ten, 186-pound cover man signed with the Minnesota Vikings after going unselected in the 2023 NFL Draft and spent time on their practice roster. He was named an All-Big 12 honourable mention in 2022 at the University of Oklahoma and second-team All-Mountain West in 2021 while attending the University of Wyoming.
The B.C. Lions signed defensive lineman Casey Sayles and linebacker Darnell Sankey after they were released by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Montreal Alouettes, respectively, though the team was relatively inactive in free agency. The team’s major departure was All-CFL offensive lineman Jarell Broxton, who signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
The Lions hold the seventh overall pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28, at 7:00 p.m. EDT. All CFL training camps are scheduled to open on May 10. B.C. will play its first preseason game against the Edmonton Elks on Saturday, May 23, and its first regular-season game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday, June 13.
In 2025, B.C. finished second in the West Division standings with an 11-7 record. They beat the Calgary Stampeders in the West Semi-Final but lost the West Final to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Franchise quarterback Nathan Rourke threw for 5,290 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions to be named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player.
