Photo: Ottawa Redblacks
The Ottawa Redblacks have released American quarterback Matt Morrissey following the completion of rookie camp.
The six-foot-four, 229-pound passer had a stint on the team’s practice roster in 2025.
The native of Elmhurst, Ill. played 13 collegiate games at Eastern Kentucky University in 2024, completing 57 percent of his pass attempts for 2,088 yards, 14 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He also rushed for 297 and three scores.
The 25-year-old previously played at Western Illinois University, the University of Northern Iowa, and Trinity Valley Community College. Morrissey threw for 3,663 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions over those stops and scored four times along the ground.
The Redblacks have also cut 15 other American players, including running backs Marquez Cooper and Julian Gray, receivers TJ Speight, Latreal Jones, and Mathew Sexton, offensive linemen Gabe Brown and Chaz Neal, defensive linemen TJ Jackson, Josh Pearcy, Jordan Smith, and Marcel Walker-Burgess, linebacker Bo Spearman, and defensive backs Iverson Brown, Quenton Meeks, and Jordan Wright.
Ottawa has also signed American defensive lineman Bryce Cage.
The six-foot-five, 270-pound native of Baton Rouge, La. finished his collegiate career with two seasons at Grambling State, where he made 112 total tackles, 26.5 tackles for loss, and nine quarterback sacks over 24 games. He previously played at Texas State and Southeastern Louisiana.
The Ottawa Redblacks recently selected Purdue offensive lineman Giordano Vaccaro with their first-round pick in the 2026 CFL Draft and it appears he could be a day-one starter. The team’s other major offseason additions include quarterback Jake Maier, running back Greg Bell, linebacker A.J. Allen, and strong-side linebacker C.J. Reavis.
All CFL training camps are scheduled to open on May 10. The team will play its first preseason game against the Montreal Alouettes on Friday, May 22 and its first regular-season game against the Edmonton Elks on Saturday, June 6.
In 2025, Ottawa finished fourth in the East Division standings with a 4-14 record, missing the playoffs for the fifth time in the last six seasons. Ryan Dinwiddie was hired as the team’s head coach and general manager after the firing of Bob Dyce.
