Much was made of the limited success of the Redblacks’ secondary last season, and for good reason. The team allowed 5,304 passing yards last season most in the league by nearly 400 yards. This helped result in the third-worst-scoring defense in the league. Ottawa allowed 507 points over 18 games an average of 28.2 per game. 

This offseason the Redblacks played musical defensive backs cycling through players at a high rate to find the right lineup. Ultimately by the end of the offseason, very few new faces remained. Now one less remains as the Redblacks have released promising young defensive back Adrian Frye in favor of old friend Sherrod Baltimore. 

Survived Final Cuts Only to be Released Week One

Frye had seemingly made it through the final round of cuts and onto the regular season roster. With their first of three bye weeks coming in week one there was always the possibility that the team was not done making changes to their roster. 

Baltimore has spent every season of his professional career with Ottawa. Originally signed in 2017 after being scouted by Jean-Marc Edme’. The 31-year-old defensive back won a starting role as a rookie and played his way into a CFL Most Outstanding Rookie of the Year nomination. 

Since that first season, Baltimore has been more role player than a starter playing in 58 games since. He has been a valuable rotational player in the secondary while also collecting a handful of special teams tackles. The veteran defensive back has just 4 career interceptions. Two came in his second season, and two came in 2023. In February after seven years with the team, he was allowed to test free agency. 

Although Baltimore wasn’t a member of the roster Ottawa always seemed to support its former player, leaving the door open to a return. 

It certainly seems the fans are excited Baltimore is returning to his home away from home.