The Ottawa Redblacks re-signed defensive linemen Ronheen Bingham, Darius Hodges, Jake Heimlicher, and Chase McGowan, and defensive backs Tobias Harris, Clay Fields III, and Gavin Heslop on Thursday.
Ronheen Bingham is six foot two and weighs 242 pounds. The 29-year-old from Bennettsville, South Carolina, signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on October 31, 2022. He played two games making one tackle before the Ticats released him on November 7, 2022.
Bingham signed with the Houston Gamblers (USFL) in 2023. In 2023, Bingham made 24 tackles (11 solos, 13 assists), five tackles for loss, and four sacks in 10 games.
In 2024, the Gamblers were rebranded as the Roughnecks. Bingham made 23 tackles (11 solos, 12 assists), four tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and one pass breakup in 10 games. The Roughnecks released him on August 15, 2024. The Ottawa Redblacks signed Bingham on September 10, 2024, and spent the season on the practice squad. He was released by the Redblacks on November 3, 2024, and re-signed with them on November 22, 2024.
Collegiately, Bingham played two seasons at Hutchinson Community College (2015-16) making 110 tackles (29 solos, 81 assists), 25.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, three fumble recoveries, and one pass breakup in 20 games for the Blue Dragons.
Then, Bingham transferred to Arkansas State (2017-18) making 87 tackles (37 solos, 50 assists), 26.5 tackles for loss, 14 sacks, five pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery in 25 games for the Red Wolves. He was named First Team All-Sun Belt in 2018 and Second Team All-Sun Belt in 2017.
Darius Hodges is six foot two and weighs 280 pounds. The 23-year-old from Montgomery, Alabama, signed with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent on May 11, 2024, but was released on May 14, 2024. The Ottawa Redblacks signed Hodges on September 18, 2024, and spent several weeks on the practice squad. The Redblacks released him on October 18, 2024.
Collegiately, Hodges played four seasons at Tulane (2020-23) making 114 tackles (84 solos, 30 assists), 34 tackles for loss, 18.5 sacks, four pass breakups, three forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery in 46 games for the Green Wave. In 2023, Hodges made 25 tackles (20 solos, 5 assists), 9.5 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks in 13 games. He was named Second Team All-AAC in 2022.
Jake Heimlicher is six foot four and weighs 255 pounds. The 25-year-old from Aurora, Colorado, went undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft and attended the New York Giants rookie minicamp. The Ottawa Redblacks signed Heimlicher on October 8, 2024.
He spent nine days on the practice squad before Ottawa released him on October 17, 2024. Heimlicher signed a future contract with Ottawa on October 18, 2024.
Collegiately, Heimlicher played four seasons at Penn (2018-19, 2021-22) making 112 tackles (60 solos, 52 assists), 27.5 tackles for loss, 17.5 sacks, one interception for four yards, one pass breakup, and one forced fumble in 31 games for the Quakers. He was named First Team All-Ivy and Third Team All-American by the Associated Press in 2022.
Then, Heimlicher transferred to UCLA in 2023 making seven tackles (5 solos, 2 assists), one tackle for loss, and one pass breakup in 12 games for the Bruins.
Chase McGowan is six foot one and weighs 250 pounds. The 24-year-old from Stafford, Virginia, went undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft. He signed with the Billings Outlaws (AFL) on May 27, 2024.
In 2024, McGowan made 7 tackles (2 solos, 5 assists), three tackles for loss, two sacks, and two pass breakups in four games. In the playoffs, McGowan made 7 tackles (4 solo, 3 assists), two tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and one forced fumble helping the Outlaws in ArenaBowl XXXIII over the Albany Firebirds 46-41. The Ottawa Redblacks signed McGowan to a future contract on September 13, 2024.
Collegiately, McGowan played six seasons at the University of Delaware (2019-23) making 122 tackles (63 solos, 59 assists), 47.5 tackles for loss, 27 sacks, four pass breakups, five forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries in 61 games for the Fightin’ Blue Hens.
He was named a two-time Second Team All-CAA and two-time Third Team All-CAA. He ranks fourth all-time in sacks (27), and fifth all-time in tackles for loss (47.5).
Tobias Harris is five foot nine and weighs 187 pounds. The 24-year-old from Pflugerville, Texas, signed with the Ottawa Redblacks on August 2, 2023. In 2023, Harris played ten games recording no stats. In 2024, Harris made 21 tackles, one tackle on special teams, one forced fumble, 9 kick returns for 175 yards, and 16 punt returns for 191 yards in eight games. The Redblacks released him on November 3, 2024. The Redblacks re-signed Harris on November 18, 2024.
Collegiately, Harris played four seasons at West Texas A&M (2018-21) making 162 tackles (112 solos, 50 assists), 5.5 tackles for loss, half a sack, 17 interceptions for 323 yards, three touchdowns, 42 pass breakups, one fumble recovery, 61 punt returns for 804 yards, two touchdowns, 53 kick returns for 1,160 yards, and one touchdown in 34 games for the Buffaloes.
He was a First Team All-American, two-time Second Team D2CCA All-Super Region 4, and Second Team All-Lone Star Conference.
Then, Harris transferred to Old Dominion in 2022 making 33 tackles (14 solo, 19 assists), two tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, 12 pass breakups, and two punt returns for 36 yards in nine games for the Monarchs.
Clay Fields III is five foot ten and weighs 211 pounds. The 24-year-old from Franklin, New Jersey, signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent on June 6, 2024. He played two preseason games making two tackles (2 solos).
The Colts released him on August 25, 2024. The Ottawa Redblacks signed Fields III on September 18, 2024, and spent several weeks on the practice squad. The Redblacks released him on October 18, 2024. Ottawa re-signed Fields III on November 25, 2024.
Collegiately, Fields III played five seasons at Marist College (2018-22) making 169 tackles (75 solo, 94 assists), five tackles for loss, half a sack, seven interceptions for 166 yards, one touchdown, 20 pass breakups, one fumble recovery, 11 kick returns for 176 yards, 20 punt returns for 191 yards, and one touchdown in 32 games for the Red Foxes. He was named a two-time First Team All-PLL (2021-22) and Third Team FCS All-American in 2021.
Then Fields III transferred to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2023 making 49 tackles (36 solo, 13 assists), two tackles for loss, one interception, nine pass breakups, and one quarterback hit in 12 games for the Mocs.
Gavin Heslop is six foot and weighs 195 pounds. The 27-year-old from Yonkers, New York, signed with the San Antonio Brahmas on January 19, 2024. In 2024, he made three tackles (2 solos, 1 assist) in three games. The Brahmas released him on May 14, 2024. The Ottawa Redblacks signed Heslop on November 18, 2024.
Heslop signed with the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent on May 4, 2020. In 2021, he played three games making one tackle (1 solo) for the Seahawks. Heslop also spent time with the New York Giants, Carolina Panthers, and Cleveland Browns.
Collegiately, Heslop played four seasons at Stony Brook (2016-19) making 196 tackles (138 solos, 58 assists), 21 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 30 pass breakups, four forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, three blocked kicks, and one punt return for 21 yards in 45 games for the Seawolves. He was named Second Team All-CAA in 2018 and Third Team All-CAA in 2019.
