The Toronto Argonauts released eight players on Wednesday. They are wide receiver Mark Pope, offensive lineman Daniel Shin, defensive linemen Daymond Williams, Isaiah Chambers, and Jalen Green, defensive backs Armani Watts and Anthony Sao, and kicker Dawson Hodge.
Armani Watts is five foot eleven and weighs 205 pounds. The 29-year-old from Richmond, California, signed with the Toronto Argonauts on February 27, 2025.
The Kansas City Chiefs drafted Watts in the fourth round (124th pick) of the 2018 NFL Draft. Watts played four seasons in Kansas City making 58 tackles (42 solos, 16 assists), three tackles for loss, two sacks, two pass breakups, and one fumble recovery in 53 games helping the Chiefs appear in two Super Bowls in 2020 and 2021 winning Super Bowl LIV over the San Francisco 49ers. Watts became a free agent after the 2021 season.
The Indianapolis Colts signed Watts on April 5, 2022. In 2022, he played in two preseason games recording no stats but suffered a season-ending ankle injury in the last preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Collegiately, Watts played four seasons at Texas A&M (2014-17) making 327 tackles (214 solos, 113 assists), 24 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 10 interceptions for 61 yards, 29 pass breakups, six forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, and two blocked kicks in 48 games for the Aggies. He was named First Team All-SEC and Third Team All-American by the Associated Press in 2017.
Dawson Hodge is five foot eleven and weighs 180 pounds. A native of Coquitlam, British Columbia, Hodge signed with the Toronto Argonauts on May 5, 2025.
Collegiately, Hodge played four seasons at Wilfrid Laurier University (2021-2024) punting the ball 255 times for 10,530 yards (41.3 AVG), with a long of 94 yards, seven touchbacks, 53 from inside the 20-yard line, and 49 for 50-plus yards.
He also had 198 kickoffs for 11,191 yards (56.5 AVG), three touchbacks, made 63 of 86 field goals, with a long of 49 yards, one carry for 11 yards, and 18 tackles (16 solos, 2 assists), one pass breakup, and two forced fumbles in 41 games for the Golden Hawks. Hodge was named Second Team All-Canadian and OUA All-Star in 2022.
