The Ottawa Redblacks released wide receiver Easop Winston Jr., defensive lineman Eric Black, and defensive back Alijah McGhee on Sunday according to the CFL Transactions page.
Easop Winston Jr. is five foot eleven and weighs 190 pounds. The 28-year-old from San Francisco, California, signed with the Ottawa Redblacks on July 9, 2025. He spent over a month on the practice squad.
The Los Angeles Rams signed Winston Jr. as an undrafted free agent on May 4, 2020. He was released on September 20, 2020. Next, he signed with the New Orleans Saints on May 14, 2021.
In 2021, he made one catch for 35 yards and four punt returns for 64 yards in two preseason games. In the regular season, he made one catch for five yards in three games. In 2022, he made one catch for 12 yards in one preseason game. The Saints released him on August 15, 2022.
He would also have stops with the Cleveland Browns, Seattle Seahawks, and the New York Jets making 14 catches for 201 yards, two touchdowns, and three punt returns for 31 yards in five preseason games.
Collegiately, Winston Jr. played two seasons at the City College of San Francisco (2015-16) making 133 catches for 2,157 yards, 24 touchdowns, one punt return for one yard, and two tackles (2 solos) in 22 games for the Rams. Then, he transferred to Washington State (2018-19) making 125 catches for 1,419 yards, 16 touchdowns, two punt returns for 74 yards, and one tackle in 23 games for the Cougars. He was named an All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention in 2019.
Eric Black is six foot and weighs 247 pounds. The 26-year-old from Rochester, New York, made one tackle in two preseason games. The Roughriders released him on May 31, 2025. The Ottawa Redblacks signed Black to the practice squad on August 5, 2025. He spent four weeks on the practice squad.
Black attended the New York Giants rookie minicamp in 2023. Black signed with the Edmonton Elks on January 25, 2024. He played two games for the Elks in 2024 making four tackles and one tackle on special teams.
The Elks released Black on July 21, 2024. The Saskatchewan Roughriders signed Black on August 5, 2024. Black appeared in two games and spent the rest of the season on the practice squad.
Collegiately, Black played four seasons at Buffalo (2018-21) with 36 tackles (18 solos, 18 assists), eight tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries in 29 games for the Bulls. He recorded a pair of sacks in the 2021 Camellia Bowl.
Then, he transferred to Stony Brook in 2022 with 19 tackles (11 solos, 8 assists), seven tackles for loss, five sacks, four pass breakups, and one forced fumble in ten games for the Seawolves.
Alijah McGhee is six foot two and weighs 195 pounds. The 25-year-old from Warner Robins, Georgia, re-signed with the Ottawa Redblacks on January 21, 2025. In 2025, he made 22 tackles, three tackles on special teams, one interception, and one touchdown in six games.
The Houston Roughnecks (XFL) drafted McGhee in the 2023 XFL Rookie Draft. The Ottawa Redblacks signed McGhee on August 24, 2023. In 2023, he made six tackles and one forced fumble in two games. In 2024, he made 44 tackles, three interceptions, and one forced fumble in 11 games.
Collegiately, McGhee played three seasons at Kentucky Wesleyan (2018-20) making 91 tackles (62 solos, 29 assists), four tackles for loss, nine interceptions for 89 yards, one touchdown, 23 pass breakups, one forced fumble, two blocked kicks, one kick return for 40 yards, 79 punt returns for 2,729 yards, and four carries for 35 yards in 25 games for the Panthers.
Then, he transferred to Minnesota State (2021-22) making 80 tackles (55 solos, 25 assists), seven tackles for loss, two interceptions for 33 yards, one touchdown, 11 pass breakups, one fumble recovery, and two blocked kicks in 21 games for the Mavericks. He was named Second Team All-NSIC in 2022.
