Ottawa Redblacks cut local product Eric Cumberbatch, sign one

Photo: Gord Weber/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

The Ottawa Redblacks have released Canadian defensive back Eric Cumberbatch, the team announced on Monday.

The 23-year-old was placed on the team’s practice roster after training camp. He was a fifth-round pick in the 2025 CFL Draft and dressed for 11 regular-season games as a rookie, recording one defensive tackle and one special teams tackle.

The native of Alexandria, Ont. played collegiately at the University of Ottawa, where he made 83.5 total tackles, four tackles for loss, and two sacks with Gee-Gees. He was named a first-team U Sports All-Canadian in 2023 and a two-time OUA all-star.

Ottawa has also signed American offensive lineman Julian Pearl. The native of Danville, Ill. recently attended training camp with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

The six-foot-six, 315-pound blocker had stints in the NFL as a member of the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Minnesota Vikings, and Pittsburgh Steelers. Pearl played collegiately at the University of Illinois, where he was named an All-Big Ten honourable mention.

The Redblacks also formally announced the addition of running back Mario Anderson Jr., which 3DownNation reported on Monday morning.

The Ottawa Redblacks (0-1) will host the Toronto Argonauts (0-1) at TD Place Stadium on Saturday, June 20 with kickoff scheduled for 1:00 p.m. EDT. The Argonauts are coming off a high-scoring loss to the Montreal Alouettes, while the Redblacks spent Week 2 on bye.

The weather forecast in Ottawa calls for a high of 18 degrees and a 40 percent chance of showers. The game will be broadcast on TSN in Canada and CFL+ internationally. Radio listeners can tune in on TSN 1050 in Toronto or TSN 1200 in Ottawa.