The Winnipeg Blue Bombers released fullback Konner Burtenshaw, wide receivers Carlton Agudosi, Oliver Martin, and Ronnie Blackmon, defensive lineman Kuony Deng, defensive back Abu Daramy-Swaray, and punter Karl Schmitz.
Konner Burtenshaw is five foot ten and weighs 223 pounds. The 27-year-old from Amherstview, Ontario, played ten games with one kick return for 15 yards. The Blue Bombers drafted Burtenshaw in the eighth round (74th pick) in the 2022 CFL Draft.
Collegiately, Burtenshaw played five seasons at Queen’s University (2017-21) with 20 carries for 68 yards, three touchdowns, one kick return for 20 yards, 27 tackles (20 solo, 7 assists), one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery in 25 games for the Golden Gaels. He was named to the OUA All-Rookie Team in 2017 and selected as the school’s top special-teams player in 2019.
Carlton Agudosi is six foot six and weighs 217 pounds. The 29-year-old from Somerset, New Jersey, made nine catches for 120 yards in four games for the Blue Bombers in 2023. Winnipeg signed Agudosi as a free agent on April 30, 2021. In 2022, Agudosi made six catches for 70 yards, and two touchdowns in two games.
Before Winnipeg, Agudosi signed with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2017. In addition, he spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2019 and St. Louis Battlehawks (XFL) in 2020 where he made two catches for 32 yards.
Collegiately, Agudosi played three seasons at Rutgers (2014-16) with 30 catches for 434 yards, and two touchdowns in 34 games for the Scarlet Knights.
Oliver Martin is six foot one and weighs 200 pounds. The 24-year-old from Coralville, Iowa, signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2023. He played two preseason games with three catches for 11 yards.
Collegiately, Martin played two seasons at Michigan (2017-18) with 11 catches for 125 yards, one touchdown, and one carry for 11 yards in 13 games for the Wolverines. Then, he transferred to Iowa in 2019 with five catches for 28 yards, one touchdown, and one carry for five yards in eight games for the Hawkeyes.
After Iowa, Martin transferred to Nebraska (2020-22) with 26 catches for 428 yards, and two touchdowns in 25 games for the Cornhuskers.
Ronnie Blackmon is five foot eleven and weighs 185 pounds. The 25-year-old from Atlanta, Georgia, was on the practice squad for the Montreal Alouettes in 2023. In 2022, caught 30 passes for 451 yards, five touchdowns, seven kick returns for 150 yards, and 17 punt returns for 160 yards in ten games for the West Georgia Wolves.
Collegiately, Blackmon began at Colorado (2017-18) on special teams with 23 kick returns for 486 yards, 34 punt returns for 329 yards, and seven tackles in 19 games for the Buffaloes.
Then, Blackmon transferred to Toledo (2019-20). He sat out in 2019 due to transferring from Colorado. In 2020, he caught 12 passes for 149 yards, two touchdowns, two kick returns for 27 yards, and 13 punt returns for 59 yards in six games for the Rockets.
After Toledo, Blackmon transferred to West Georgia (2021-22) with 72 catches for 860 yards, eight touchdowns, one carry for two yards, 24 kick returns for 510 yards, 33 punt returns for 295 yards, one touchdown, and two tackles in 22 games. He was named Second Team All-Gulf South Conference in 2022.
Kuony Deng is six foot five and weighs 240 pounds. The 25-year-old from Aldie, Virginia, signed with the Blue Bombers on September 24, 2023, and was placed on the practice squad.
Before Winnipeg, Deng signed with the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2022. He also spent time with the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Collegiately, Deng played one season at Independence Community College in 2018 with 48 tackles (19 solo, 29 assists), 5.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and six pass breakups in 10 games for the Pirates.
Then, he transferred to California (2019-21) and played three seasons with 154 tackles (79 solo, 75 assists), 10 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, eight pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery in 19 games for the Golden Bears.
Abu Daramy-Swaray is five foot nine and weighs 176 pounds. The 27-year-old from Columbus, Ohio, played five games for the Blue Bombers in 2023 with 23 tackles and one forced fumble. He started the season on Winnipeg’s practice squad. Before Winnipeg, Daramy-Swaray signed with the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent but was released during training camp. In addition, he spent time with the Arlington Renegades (XFL).
Before signing with Cincinnati, Daramy-Swaray played for the Potsdam Royals (GFL) in 2022 with 39 tackles, two interceptions, nine pass breakups, one forced fumble, and two blocked kicks in 12 games.
Collegiately, Daramy-Swaray played four seasons at Colgate (2016-19) with 155 tackles, one sack, five interceptions, 25 pass breakups, two blocked kicks, 70 punt returns for 650 yards, one touchdown, 42 kick returns for 874 yards, five carries for 20 yards, one touchdown, and two catches for 26 yards in 44 games for the Raiders, of which 37 were starts.
In his final season in 2019, Daramy-Swaray had 54 tackles, ten pass breakups, two blocked kicks, one kick return for 21 yards, 15 punt returns for 131 yards, one kick return for 21 yards, two carries for 26 yards, five carries for 20 yards, and one touchdown in 12 games.
In 2019, he was named All-America Third Team (STATS FCS), All-America Fourth Team (Phil Steele), All-Patriot League First Team (Coaches [Defense & Special Teams]), and the Colgate All-Decade Team. In 2018, he was named All-America Second Team (STATS FCS).
In addition to football, Daramy-Swaray competed in Track and Field with six meets placing first in the 100 meters at the Hamilton College Mid-Week Invitational with a personal-best time of 11.22. He also set a personal best time of 10.97 in the 100 meters at the Patriot League Outdoor Championships, helped the 4×100 meter team place second at the same meet in a time of 42.70, and placed third with the 4×100 meter team in a time of 44.01 at the Lafayette 8-Way Invitational.
Karl Schmitz is six foot four and weighs 215 pounds. The 36-year-old was taken in the second round (17th pick) of the 2023 CFL Global Draft from Jacksonville State. He signed with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent and also had brief stints with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers.
