The Ottawa Redblacks are set to sign offensive lineman Phillip Norman and linebacker Silas Stewart on Tuesday according to 3DownNation’s John Hodge and JC Abbott.
Phil Norman is six foot four and weighs 318 pounds. The 28-year-old from Sebastian, Florida, did not play in 2023 after collapsing on the field on June 13, 2023, during practice and made a full recovery.
The Lions signed Norman as a free agent on May 18, 2018, and was placed on the practice squad. Norman has played 29 games in three seasons playing center, left guard, and left tackle.
Collegiately, Norman played five seasons at Bethune-Cookman University (2014-17) playing 40 games, of which 29 were starts for the Wildcats.
In 2014, he helped pave the way for the MEAC’s third-best rushing offense with the Wildcats averaging 199.2 yards per game on the ground. In addition, he blocked for the league’s fifth-best total offensive unit totaling 4,337 yards on the campaign (361.4 yards/game).
Silas Stewart is six foot one and weighs 224 pounds. The 28-year-old from New Castle, Delaware, made 11 tackles in five games for the Calgary Stampeders in 2023. The Stampeders signed Stewart as a free agent on January 27, 2021.
Stewart played three seasons in Calgary with 53 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, one sack, and one forced fumble in 35 games. Before Calgary, Stewart with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2019. He made one tackle (1 solo) in three preseason games.
Collegiately, Stewart played two seasons at Riverside City College (2015-16) with 70 tackles (40 solo, 30 assists), 8.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and nine pass breakups in 19 games for the Tigers.
Then, Stewart transferred to Incarnate Word (2017-18) with 130 tackles (68 solo, 62 assists), 7.5 tackles for loss, half a sack, three interceptions for 18 yards, 11 pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries in 22 games for the Cardinals. He was named Second Team All-Southland Conference in 2018.
