The Toronto Argonauts released running backs DeAndre Torrey and Isaiah Bowser, and wide receivers J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, Jeff Badet, and Aaron Parker on Monday according to the CFL Transactions page. These players were either placed on the suspended list or the retired list earlier this year.
Deandre Torrey is five foot seven and weighs 201 pounds. The 25-year-old from Gautier, Mississippi, signed with the Toronto Argonauts on January 15, 2024. He was placed on the suspended list on May 16, 2024.
Torrey signed with the Michigan Panthers on June 14, 2022. In 2022, he played one game for the against the Pittsburgh Maulers in Week 10 with two carries for three yards. Next, Torrey signed with the Philadelphia Eagles on August 11, 2022. He played two preseason games with three carries for 13 yards. The Eagles released him on August 22, 2022.
The Vegas Vipers drafted Torrey in the ninth round (69th pick) of the 2023 XFL Draft. In 2023, he had 19 carries for 48 yards, one touchdown, six catches for 40 yards, and 18 kick returns for 357 yards in six games.
Collegiately, Torrey played one season at Mississippi Gulf Coast in 2017 with 185 carries for 1,298 yards, 12 touchdowns, six catches for 34 yards, and four kick returns for 132 yards in nine games for the Bulldogs.
Then, Torrey transferred to North Texas (2018-21) with 609 carries for 3,228 yards, 36 touchdowns, 57 catches for 436 yards, four touchdowns, 51 kick returns for 1,159 yards, one touchdown, and one punt for 16 yards in 44 games for the Mean Green. He was named Second-Team All-CUSA in 2021.
Isaiah Bowser is six foot one and weighs 220 pounds. The 25-year-old from Sidney, Ohio, signed with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent on May 15, 2023. The Bills released him on June 6, 2023. The Toronto Argonauts signed Bowser on December 22, 2023. Toronto placed Bowser on the suspended list on May 23, 2024.
Collegiately, Bowser played three seasons at Northwestern (2018-20) with 334 carries for 1,300 yards, seven touchdowns, 22 catches for 153 yards, and one touchdown in 23 games for the Wildcats. Then, he transferred to Central Florida (2021-22) with 364 carries for 1,502 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 23 carries for 260 yards in 22 games for the Knights. He was named Second Team All-AAC by the Coaches and Pro Football Network in 2022.
J.J. Arcega-Whiteside is six foot two and weighs 237 pounds. The 27-year-old from Inman, South Carolina, signed with the Toronto Argonauts on January 8, 2024. He was placed on the retired list on April 24, 2024.
The Philadelphia Eagles drafted Whiteside in the second round (57th pick) of the 2019 NFL Draft. Whiteside played three seasons in Philadelphia making 16 catches for 290 yards and one touchdown in 40 games. In 2022, the Eagles traded Whiteside to the Seattle Seahawks.
The Atlanta Falcons signed Arcega-Whiteside on May 22, 2023. In 2023, Arcega-Whiteside made six catches for 86 yards in three preseason games for the Atlanta Falcons.
Collegiately, Whiteside played three seasons at Stanford (2016-18) with 135 catches for 2,219 yards and 28 touchdowns in 36 games for the Cardinal. He was named Second Team All-Pac-12 in 2018.
Jeff Badet is five foot eleven and weighs 183 pounds. The 29-year-old from Orlando, Florida, signed with the Toronto Argonauts on February 8, 2024. The Argonauts placed him on the suspended list on May 12, 2024.
Badet signed with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2018 and spent a couple of seasons on the practice squad. In 2020, he played for the Dallas Renegades (XFL) making 16 catches for 108 yards in five games before the XFL ceased operations due to the pandemic. His play would lead him to sign with the Washington Football Team, and later spent time with the Las Vegas Raiders and Atlanta Falcons.
In 2022, Badet was drafted by the Michigan Panthers (USFL) in the 15th round (123rd pick) of the 2022 USFL Draft. He spent the majority of the season on the injured list due to a hamstring injury and played one game for the Panthers making one catch for 12 yards against the Houston Gamblers.
After Michigan, The Vegas Vipers (XFL) drafted Badet in the sixth round (44th pick) of the 2023 XFL Draft. In 2023, Badet made 34 catches for 448 yards, five touchdowns, and six carries for seven yards in nine games.
Collegiately, Badet played four seasons at Kentucky (2013-16) making 82 catches for 1,385 yards, seven touchdowns, one carry for 25 yards, and 15 kick returns for 344 yards in 32 games for the Wildcats. Then, he transferred to Oklahoma in 2017 making 26 catches for 400 yards, three touchdowns, six carries for 41 yards, 15 kick returns for 313 yards, and two punt returns for five yards in 14 games for the Sooners.
Aaron Parker is six foot two and weighs 210 pounds. The 25-year-old from Prince George’s County, Maryland, signed with the Toronto Argonauts on December 28, 2022. In 2023, he spent part of the season on the practice squad. Toronto re-signed Parker on November 22, 2023. He was transferred to the suspended list on May 12, 2024.
Parker signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent on May 4, 2020. There was no preseason in 2020 and he spent the season on the practice squad. In 2021, he made five catches for 76 yards, and one touchdown in four preseason games. The Cowboys released him on August 31, 2021.
Parker signed with the Carolina Panthers on September 1, 2021. He played one regular season game on October 24, 2021, against the New York Giants. The Panthers released him on May 12, 2022, and he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs on June 16, 2022. He played one preseason game against the Green Bay Packers making one catch for 27 yards. The Chiefs released him on August 27, 2022.
Collegiately, Parker played four seasons at Rhode Island (2016-19) making 216 catches for 3,443 yards, 30 touchdowns, 15 carries for 46 yards, one touchdown, and 12 punt returns for 109 yards in 44 games, of which he started 35 of them for the Rams.
He was a two-time CAA Football First Team All-Conference and the 2018 New England Football Writer’s Association All-New England selection.
