The Calgary Stampeders released quarterback P.J. Walker, fullback Ron Tiavaasue, wide receiver Chandler Worthy, linebacker Dan Basambombo, defensive lineman Anthony Federico, defensive backs Keaton Ellis, Clifford Chattman, and Meiko Dotson, and kicker Toshiki Sato from the practice squad on Sunday according to the CFL Transactions page.
P.J. Walker is five foot eleven and weighs 215 pounds. The 29-year-old from Elizabeth, New Jersey, signed with the Seattle Seahawks on June 11, 2024. He played three preseason games completing 15 of 28 passes (53.6%) for 148 yards, and three carries for five yards.
The Seahawks released him on August 27, 2024. The Calgary Stampeders signed Walker on October 8, 2024, and spent three weeks on the practice squad.
The Indianapolis Colts signed Walker as an undrafted free agent on May 4, 2017. He spent two seasons on the practice squad. Next, Walker was drafted by the Houston Roughnecks (XFL) in the 2020 XFL Draft.
Walker was having an MVP-caliber season completing 119 of 184 passes (64.7%) for 1,338 yards, 15 touchdowns, four interceptions, 24 carries for 99 yards, one touchdown, and two tackles (2 solo) in five games before the league suspended the season due to COVID-19. At the time of the suspension, the Roughnecks were 5-0.
His play in the XFL earned him a contract when he signed with the Carolina Panthers on March 25, 2020. He played three seasons in Carolina completing 131 of 228 passes (57.5%) for 1,461 yards, five touchdowns, 11 interceptions, and 18 carries for 50 yards in 15 games, of which 7 were starts. He became a free agent after the 2022 season and signed with the Chicago Bears on March 16, 2023. The Bears released him on August 27, 2023.
Then, Walker signed with the Cleveland Browns on August 30, 2023. In 2023, Walker completed 54 of 111 passes (48.6%) for 674 yards, one touchdown, five interceptions, and 13 carries for 30 yards in six games, of which two were starts. Walker became a free agent after the 2023 season.
Collegiately, Walker played four seasons at Temple (2013-16) completing 782 of 1,363 passes (57%) for 10,179 yards, 70 touchdowns, 42 interceptions, 329 carries for 738 yards, nine touchdowns, made two catches for 39 yards, and two tackles (2 solo) in 46 games for the Owls.
He is the all-time leader in pass attempts (1,410), completions (803), passing yards (10,273), TD passes (72), and total offense (11,100). In 2016, he was named the American Athletic Conference Championship Game Most Outstanding Player after leading the Owls to the 31-14 win over Navy.
Ron Tiavaasue is six foot four and weighs 275 pounds. The 26-year-old from Auckland, New Zealand, was drafted by the Stampeders in the first round (4th pick) of the 2024 CFL Global Draft. The Stampeders signed him on May 23, 2024. He played in one preseason game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers targeted one time and recorded no stats. He spent the 2024 season on the practice squad.
Collegiately, Tiavaasue played two seasons at Missouri State (2020-21) making 21 catches for 247 yards, two touchdowns, and two tackles (2 assists) in 19 games for the Bears.
Next, Tiavaasue transferred to Utah State in 2022 with one tackle (1 solo) in four games for the Aggies. Then, he transferred to New Mexico State in 2023 making three catches for 44 yards, one touchdown, two carries for 24 yards, and one touchdown in 15 games for the Aggies.
Chandler Worthy is five foot eight and weighs 177 pounds. The 31-year-old from Griffin, Georgia, made 10 catches for 92 yards, one carry for six yards, and 48 kick returns for 1,136 yards in 14 games for the Montreal Alouettes in 2023 helping them win the 110th Grey Cup over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Alouettes released Worthy on May 1, 2024. The Calgary Stampeders signed Worthy on August 24, 2024, and spent the season on the practice squad.
Worthy signed with the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent on May 8, 2015. He played three games for the Houston Texans making three catches for 14 yards, one kick return for 27 yards, and three punt returns for nine yards. After Houston, Worthy spent time with the New York Jets.
Next, Worthy signed with the Toronto Argonauts as a free agent on February 2, 20217. He played three seasons for the Toronto Argonauts (2017,2019,2021) with 29 catches for 337 yards, four touchdowns, four carries for 32 yards, 39 kick returns for 800 yards, and 65 punt returns for 572 yards in 16 games.
The Montreal Alouettes signed him as a free agent on June 1, 2022. He made four catches for 32 yards, one carry for six yards, 51 kick returns for 1220 yards, two touchdowns, and 47 punt returns for 547 yards in 15 games for the Alouettes on his way to being named a CFL East All-Star.
Collegiately, Worthy played four seasons at Troy (2011-14) with 136 catches for 1,765 yards, 11 touchdowns, 33 carries for 162 yards, one touchdown, and 80 kick returns for 1,912 yards, and two touchdowns in 46 games for the Trojans. He was selected to the Sun Belt Writers All-Freshman team as a receiver and all-purpose player in 2011.
Dan Basambombo is six foot and weighs 225 pounds. The 27-year-old from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, was drafted by the Ottawa Redblacks drafted Basambombo in the second round (19th pick) of the 2020 CFL Draft.
In 2022, Basambombo made six tackles on special teams in 18 games. Basambombo sat out the 2023 season with an undisclosed injury. He played three seasons in Ottawa making six tackles on special teams in 23 games. The Calgary Stampeders signed Basambombo on September 9, 2024, and spent the season on the practice squad.
Collegiately, Basambombo played three seasons at Laval University (2016-18) with 57 tackles (36 solo, 21 assists), four tackles for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries in 17 games for the Rouge et Or. He helped Laval win the 54th Vanier Cup in 2018.
Anthony Federico is six foot four and weighs 240 pounds. The 26-year-old from Niagara Falls, Ontario, was drafted by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the second round (17th pick) in the 2022 CFL Draft. In his rookie season, Federico made five tackles on special teams in 10 games. In 2023, Federico made five tackles on special teams in 13 games for the Ticats.
The Ticats released Federico on June 1, 2024. Federico signed with the Montreal Alouettes on July 9, 2024. He played two games recording no stats. The Alouettes released him on September 16, 2024. The Calgary Stampeders signed Federico on September 17, 2024, and spent the rest of the season on the practice squad.
Federico played two seasons for the Hamilton Hurricanes of the Canadian Junior Football League while attending Niagara College to work on his sports management diploma. As a member of the Hurricanes, Federico made 34 tackles (23 solo, 11 assists), four tackles on special teams, 11.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one pass breakup, and one blocked kick in 19 games.
Collegiately, Federico played four seasons at Queen’s University (2018-21) making 87 tackles (59 solo, 28 assists), 34.5 tackles for loss, 20.5 sacks, and one pass breakup in 23 games for the Gaels. He was named Second Team U Sports All-Canadian in 2021 after making 33 tackles (24 solo, 9 assists), 12.5 tackles for loss, and eight sacks in 9 games.
Keaton Ellis is five foot eleven and weighs 190 pounds. The 23-year-old from State College, Pennsylvania, signed with the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent on May 10, 2024. In 2024, Ellis played three preseason games making six tackles (3 solo, 3 assists).
The Titans released him on August 27, 2024. The Calgary Stampeders signed Ellis on October 1, 2024, and spent four weeks on the practice squad.
Collegiately, Ellis played five seasons at Penn State (2019-23) making 86 tackles (58 solo, 31 assists), three tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, 14 pass breakups, and two interceptions in 56 games for the Nittany Lions.
Clifford Chattman is six foot five and weighs 198 pounds. The 27-year-old from New Orleans, Louisiana, signed with the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2023. He played three preseason games with seven tackles (6 solo, 1 assist) and one sack for the Falcons.
The Calgary Stampeders signed Chattman on September 26, 2023, and spent the season on the practice squad. He re-signed with the Stampeders on November 9, 2023. In 2024, Chattman played two preseason games making three tackles and one pass breakup.
The Stampeders released him on June 1, 2024. Calgary re-signed Chattman on October 2, 2024, and spent four weeks on the practice squad.
Collegiately, Chattman played three seasons at Texas A&M (2016-17, 2019) with 35 tackles (19 solo, 16 assists), one interception, six pass breakups, and one fumble recovery in 26 games for the Aggies. Then, Chattman transferred to the University of Texas-San Antonio (2021-22) with 90 tackles (59 solo, 31 assists), two tackles for loss, half a sack, five interceptions for 78 yards, 15 pass breakups, and one pass breakup in 18 games for the Roadrunners.
Meiko Dotson is five foot eleven and weighs 195 pounds. The 27-year-old from Daytona Beach, Florida, attended the Houston Texans rookie minicamp in 2022. Next, he signed with the New Jersey Generals (USFL) on January 20, 2023. Dotson made 15 tackles (11 solo, 4 assists), one forced fumble, and five pass breakups in nine games.
Then, Dotson signed with the Calgary Stampeders on March 11, 2024. He played in two preseason games in 2024 making one tackle. The Stampeders released him on June 1, 2024. Calgary re-signed Dotson on July 15, 2024. He played in one game against the Edmonton Elks in Week 14 making one tackle on special teams.
Collegiately, Dotson played one season at Georgia Tech in 2016 with two tackles (2 solo) in two games for the Yellow Jackets. Next, he transferred to Gardner City Community College in 2017 with 28 tackles (22 solo, 6 assists), four interceptions for 65 yards, one touchdown, and 10 pass breakups in eight games for the Broncbusters.
Then, Dotson transferred to Florida Atlantic in 2019 with 30 tackles (23 solo, 7 assists), one tackle for loss, nine interceptions for 108 yards, 12 pass breakups, and five kick returns for 97 yards in 13 games for the Owls.
He was named First Team All-C-USA. In the 2019 Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl, Dotson made one tackle (1 solo), one interception for 24 yards, and one pass breakup helping the Owls beat SMU 52-28.
Dotson wrapped up his collegiate career at Florida State (2020-21) with 21 tackles (14 solo, 7 assists), and one forced fumble in 10 games for the Seminoles.
Toshiki Sato is five foot ten and weighs 191 pounds. The 31-year-old from Yokohama, Japan, re-signed with the Stampeders on June 2, 2024, and spent the season on the practice squad.
Sato played four seasons for the IBM Big Blue (X-League) where he set the X-League record with a 58-yard field goal. He was named a two-time best kicker in Japan making 29 field goals in 18 games. In addition, he was a two-time Most Impressive Player (2017-18).
In 2019, Sato played two games for the Generals (TSL) making four field goals with a long of 54 yards. In 2020, he played for the Aviators of The Spring League. Then, Sato was drafted by the Toronto Argonauts in the second round (16th pick) in the 2021 CFL Global Draft.
He played one regular season game against the Edmonton Elks punting the ball nine times for the 311 yards (34.6 AVG) with a long of 60 yards. The Calgary Stampeders signed Sato on June 3, 2023. He spent the season on the practice squad. Collegiately, Sato attended Waseda University.
