The Ottawa Redblacks signed defensive backs Jaquan Amos and Elijah Blades while releasing wide receivers Lonnie Moore IV and Floyd Allen on Monday according to the CFL Transactions page.
Jaquan Amos is six foot and weighs 195 pounds. The 25-year-old from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, made two tackles (2 solo) in one preseason game for the Baltimore Ravens against the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023. The Ravens signed Amos as an undrafted free agent on May 8, 2023. Amos also worked out for the New England Patriots in 2024.
Collegiately, Amos played three seasons at Villanova (2017-19) with 148 tackles (109 solo, 39 assists), six tackles for loss, half a sack, eight interceptions for 142 yards, three touchdowns, 25 pass breakups, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries in 33 games for the Wildcats. He was named a preseason CAA Honorable Mention.
Next, Amos transferred to Iowa State in 2021 with two tackles (1 solo, 1 assist) in three games for the Cyclones. Then, he transferred to Ball State in 2022 with 95 tackles (61 solo, 34 assists), 6.5 tackles for loss, half a sack, one interception for 31 yards, and six pass breakups in 12 games for the Cardinals.
Amos went to Northeast High School where he was a First Team All-State, two-time First Team All-City, two-time All-Public League, Northeast Times Player of the Year, and Team MVP.
Elijah Blades is six foot two and weighs 185 pounds. The 24-year-old from Pasadena, California, was drafted by the D.C. Defenders in the 2024 UFL Dispersal Draft. The Defenders released him on March 10, 2024. Before D.C., Blades was drafted by the Houston Roughnecks (XFL) in the 2023 XFL Combine Draft. The Roughnecks were not included in the XFL and USFL merger which formed the United Football League (UFL) but the brand went to the Houston Gamblers.
Collegiately, Blades played two seasons at Arizona Western Community College (2017–18) with 39 tackles (24 solo, 15 assists), one interception for 54 yards, one touchdown, nine pass breakups, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one blocked punt in 21 games for the Matadors where he was ranked the No. 4 JUCO player.
Next, he transferred to Texas A&M (2019-20) with 19 tackles (15 solo, 4 assists), 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and three pass breakups in eight games for the Aggies. Then, he transferred to Florida in 2021 with three tackles (2 solo, 1 assist) in three games for the Gators. Blades concluded his collegiate career at Buffalo in 2022 with 27 tackles (22 solo, 5 assists), 1.5 tackles for loss, and four pass breakups in eight games for the Bulls.
Lonnie Moore IV is five foot ten and weighs 175 pounds. The 26-year-old from Sicklerville, New Jersey, signed with the Redblacks as a free agent on January 4, 2024. In 2023, Moore IV made two catches for 23 yards and one kick return for 13 yards in two preseason games for the Toronto Argonauts.
The Argonauts signed Moore IV as a free agent on December 21, 2022. Before Toronto, Moore IV attended a rookie minicamp with the New York Jets in 2023.
Collegiately, Moore IV played five seasons at Monmouth University (2017-21) with 213 catches for 2,756 yards, 19 touchdowns, 23 carries for 285 yards, three touchdowns, 79 kick returns for 1,839 yards, two touchdowns, and two defensive tackles in 48 games for the Hawks.
In his senior season, Moore had 73 catches for 780 yards, six touchdowns, 11 carries for 107 yards, one touchdown, 22 kick returns for 540 yards, and one touchdown in 11 games in 2021.
He is Monmouth’s all-time leader in kickoff return yards (1,839). He ranks third with ten career 100-yard receiving games, second in career receptions (213), third in receiving yards (2,756), and second in all-purpose yards (4,880). He is a three-time First Team All-Big South selection.
Moore played at Paul VI High School with 112 catches for 2,111 yards and 32 touchdowns. He is a three-time first-team all-conference selection.
Floyd Allen is five foot ten and weighs 210 pounds. The 27-year-old from Houston, Texas, signed with the Redblacks as a free agent on December 19, 2023. In 2023, Allen played four games for the Stampeders in 2023 with four catches for 44 yards, and one touchdown after spending most of the season on the practice squad.
In addition, Allen played one preseason game for Calgary in 2023 against the B.C. Lions with two catches for 46 yards, two punt returns for 10 yards, and one kick return for 22 yards. The Stampeders signed Allen as a free agent on November 12, 2022.
Before Calgary, Allen signed with the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2019. Then, he was drafted by the Dallas Renegades (XFL) in the 2020 XFL Supplemental Draft. In 2021, he was with the Generals (TSL) but did not play a game.
Collegiately, Allen played one season at El Camino College in 2016 with three catches for 40 yards, one carry for one yard, three tackles, and one pass breakup in two games for the Warriors. Next, he transferred to Ole Miss (2017-18) with four catches for 44 yards and one kick return for ten yards in nine games for the Rebels.
