Four defensive starters return for Montreal Alouettes against Ottawa

Montreal Alouettes

The Montreal Alouettes will have four defensive starters back in the lineup when they host the Ottawa Redblacks on Thursday night. The team released its official depth chart on Wednesday.

Defensive lineman Mustafa Johnson, linebacker Geoffrey Cantin-Arku, strong-side linebacker Najee Murray, and boundary halfback Wesley Sutton are all back in the lineup after sitting out the team’s most recent game, a 48-30 win over the Edmonton Elks.

Johnson has made 17 defensive tackles and four sacks over eight starts this season. The 27-year-old has been an impact player since he joined the Alouettes, tallying 122 defensive tackles, 21 sacks, one forced fumble, and one touchdown over five seasons. He earned an All-East Division selection in 2023.

Cantin-Arku has notched 38 defensive tackles, five special teams tackles, and two sacks through eight regular-season games this year, his first as a full-time starter. The native of Lévis, Que. originally joined Montreal as a first-round pick in the 2024 CFL Draft out of the University of Memphis.

Murray is one of the longest-tenured members of the Alouettes, having originally joined the team in 2018. The five-foot-nine, 187-pound defender has recorded 268 defensive tackles, six special teams tackles, four sacks, four forced fumbles, and three interceptions over 73 career regular-season games, and helped Montreal win the Grey Cup in 2023.

Sutton has made 24 defensive tackles, one sack, and one interception over seven starts this season. Since joining the Alouettes in 2021, the three-time All-East Division selection has made 280 defensive tackles, five special teams tackles, 10 sacks, seven forced fumbles, seven interceptions, and two touchdowns.

American running back Shomari Lawrence and Canadian linebacker Riley MacLeod have also been promoted from the practice roster to the active roster to fill depth roles.

In corresponding moves, the Alouettes have moved American linebacker Manuel Donovan and Canadian defensive back Arthur Hamlin to the reserve roster, while running back Rushawn Baker and defensive linemen Ty Anderson and Decarius Hawthorne have been placed on the practice roster.

Defensive back Faion Hicks, who has started four games this season in the secondary and recorded five defensive tackles and one forced fumble, has been placed on the disabled list.

The Montreal Alouettes (8-1) will host the Ottawa Redblacks (0-9) at Percival Molson Stadium on Thursday, August 20 with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EDT. Last week, the Redblacks extended their modern CFL record losing streak to 15 games, while the Alouettes were on bye.

The weather forecast in Montreal calls for 23 degrees and a mix of sun and cloud. The game will be broadcast on TSN and RDS in Canada, CBS Sports Network in the United States, and CFL+ internationally. Radio listeners can tune-in on TSN 1200 in Ottawa or TSN 690 (English) or 99.5 Montreal (French) in Montreal.

Montreal Alouettes

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.