The Montreal Alouettes have released 10 American players following the May 14 roster cut date in which CFL teams were required to cut their rosters down to 75 players. They have also placed 2 American players on the suspended list.
Surprisingly this list included cornerback Kordell Rodgers who started in 11 games for the Alouettes last year before missing the remainder of the season due to injury.
Players released:
CB Kordell Rodgers, DB Dishon McNary, DL Trey Botts, LB Troy Brown, DL Jerron Cage, WR Malachi Carter, DB Ferlando Jordan, RB Charles McClelland, RB Marcus Williams, DL Jordan Wright
Players suspended:
DB Matt Severance, DB Linden Stephens
CB Kordell Rodgers – Texas State (5’11, 175 lbs, 25 y/o)
Kordell Rodgers played his rookie CFL season last year. He began the season on the Alouette’s practice roster before getting a start at cornerback in Montreal’s third game getting a chance to play due to injuries to other players. He played in 12 games with 11 starts over the regular season before the season was cut short due to injury. He recorded 35 tackles and 2 interceptions over the season.
Rodgers filled in well for the Alouettes and allowed the team to continue performing as arguably the best defense against the pass last season. He had the 5th highest cover grade in week 8 by Pro Football Focus and the 7th highest in week 10. He was also recognized by PFF as an honorable mention for Rookie of the Year at the midseason point when they released their midseason all-star team.
Rodgers played for Texas State from 2017 to 2022 appearing in 51 games with 34 starts. He recorded 106 solo tackles, 50 assisted tackles, 25 passes defended, 7 interceptions, 4 tackles for a loss, and a forced fumble with the program.
DB Dishon McNary – Central Michigan (6’0, 196 lbs, 26 y/o)
McNary joined the Alouettes midway through the season last year. He spent 3 games on the practice roster before being elevated to the active roster for the final 4 games of the regular season and the 3 playoff games. He was listed as a 2nd string cornerback in all 7 games he played in. He recorded 1 special teams tackle in the regular season.
He played for Central Michigan from 2019 to 2021 where he played in 12 games with 10 starts. He recorded 31 solo tackles, 16 assisted tackles, 10 passes defended, and 3.5 tackles for a loss with the program. Prior to Central Michigan, he played for Independence CC (KS) in 2017 and 2018.
McNary signed with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2022 although he did not make the final roster. He was with the Calgary Stampeders ahead of the 2023 CFL season and was released amid final cuts.
DL Trey Botts – Colorado State-Pueblo (25 y/o, 6’3, 281 lbs)
Trey Botts was signed by Montreal in early April. He played in 43 games for Colorado State-Pueblo over 4 seasons. He played in 43 games and contributed 58 solo tackles, 95 assisted tackles, 25.5 tackles for a loss, 8.5 sacks, and a fumble recovery.
He was recognized as an All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Honorable Mention in 2021 and 2019. In his senior season, he was recognized as the RMAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2022 which saw him record 23 solo tackles, 43 assisted tackles, 16 tackles for a loss, and 5.5 sacks over 12 games.
Botts signed with the Baltimore Ravens in 2023 as an undrafted free agent although he was waived amid final roster cuts. He played in 3 preseason games recording 4 solo tackles, 3 assisted tackles, and a sack.
LB Troy Brown – Mississippi (25 y/o, 6’1, 220 lbs)
Troy Brown was signed by Montreal in late February. He played in 41 games for Central Michigan from 2018 to 2021. Over that span, he recorded 158 solo tackles, 57 assisted tackles, 31.5 tackles for a loss, 17 passes defended, 5 interceptions, 6.5 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles. He was named First Team All-MAC in 2019, 2020, and 2021.
Brown played his final season with Ole Miss in 2022 appearing in 13 games with 12 starts. He made 44 solo tackles, 49 assisted tackles, 5 passes defended, 2.5 tackles for a loss, 0.5 sacks, and a forced fumble in 2022. Brown was named Third Team All-SEC by PFF in 2022. He was the team leader in tackles that season.
Brown was signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2023. He was placed on injured reserve on August 17 and waived on August 23.
DL Jerron Cage – Ohio State (6’2, 305 lbs, 25 y/o)
Jerron Cage was signed by Montreal in late January. He played in 43 games for Ohio State with 7 starts. He recorded 13 solo tackles, 20 assisted tackles, 3 sacks, and a touchdown. He also had 6 tackles for a loss over the 35 regular season games.
Cage signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2023 although he was waived amid final roster cuts. He recorded 2 solo tackles and an assisted tackle in the preseason.
WR Malachi Carter – Georgia Tech (24 y/o, 6’2, 305 lbs)
Malachi Carter was signed in late January by Montreal. He played in 58 games with 45 starts from 2018 to 2022 with Georgia Tech. He caught 99 passes for 1,417 yards and 10 touchdowns with the program.
Carter signed with the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 2023 although he was waived amid final roster cuts. He caught 4 passes for 43 yards in last year’s preseason with the Bengals.
DB Ferlando Jordan – Southeastern Louisiana (26 y/o, 6’0, 180 lbs)
Jordan Ferland was signed in January by Montreal. He played in 47 games with 42 starts while at Southeastern Louisiana from 2018 to 2022. He made 105 solo tackles, 44 assisted tackles, 38 passes defended, 11 interceptions, 4.5 tackles for a loss, a forced fumble, and 5 touchdowns while at the program.
He was named All-Southland Conference in 2019, 2020, and 2022.
Jordan attended a rookie mini-camp with the Atlanta Falcons in 2023. He later played in 4 games with the Pittsburgh Maulers of the USFL in 2023 where he made 3 solo tackles and an assisted tackle.
RB Charles McClelland – Cincinnati (25 y/o, 5’11, 200 lbs)
Charles McClelland was signed in late January by Montreal. He played in 42 games with 13 starts while at Cincinnati from 2018 to 2022. He rushed 268 times as a Bearcat for 1,639 yards (6.12 yards per carry) and 12 touchdowns. He also recorded 30 receptions for 273 yards and a touchdown. In his final year, he had 849 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns.
McLelland signed with the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2023 although he was released in late July.
RB Marcus Williams – Louisiana Tech (26 y/o, 5’10, 204 lbs)
Marcus Williams signed with Montreal in January. He played 4 seasons with Appalachian State where he played in 42 games. He rushed 400 times for 2,216 yards (5.54 yards per carry) with 14 touchdowns while at the program.
Williams played his final season of college ball with Louisianna Tech in 2021 where he rushed 194 times for 787 yards (4 yards per carry) and 8 touchdowns. He also caught 20 passes for 202 yards and a touchdown.
He rushed for over 500 yards in every season of his collegiate career.
DL Jordan Wright – Kentucky (6’5, 233 lbs, 25 y/o)
Jordan Wright was signed in mid-April by Montreal. He played in 54 games with 24 starts with Kentucky from 2017 to 2022. He recorded 92 solo tackles, 76 assisted tackles, 25 tackles for a loss, 17 passes defended, 9.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, and a touchdown while at the program.
He made the SEC Academic Honor Roll in 2020 and 2022.
Wright was drafted in the 2023 XFL Rookie Draft by the Arlington Renegades although he did not sign with the team.
Suspended: DB Matt Severance – Bentley (5’10, 195 lbs, 22 y/o)
Matt Severance was signed by Montreal on Sunday. He played in 41 games from 2019 through 2023. He made 76 solo tackles, 44 assisted tackles, 22 pass breakups, 2 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, and half a sack with the program.
Severance was Second Team All-Northeast-10 in 2022. In 2023 he was First Team All-Northeast-10.
Suspended: DB Linden Stephens – Cincinnati (29 y/o, 6’0, 193 lbs)
Linden Stephens was signed in February by Montreal. He played for Cincinnati from 2014 to 2017. He recorded 92 solo tackles, 48 assisted tackles, 26 passes defended, 6 interceptions, 1.5 tackles for a loss, and a forced fumble with the program.
Stephens signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He was waived amid final roster cuts and spent time with several NFL teams from 2018 to 2022 primarily on practice squads. He appeared in 3 games with the Denver Broncos in 2019 and made 3 solo tackles. In 2020 he played in 13 games with the Seattle Seahawks and made 3 tackles.
Stephens played in 8 games in 2023 in the XFL with the Seattle Sea Dragons. He made 15 solo tackles and 7 assisted tackles with Seattle.
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