The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have signed a pair of American defenders for the 2026 season, adding linebacker Johnny Hodges and defensive back Javaris Davis.
Hodges began his collegiate career at the United States Naval Academy, where he committed to play lacrosse. The native of Darnestown, Md., quickly switched to football, where he recorded 63 total tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, four passes defended, and one forced fumble in 16 games with the Midshipmen.
The six-foot, 237-pound backer transferred to Texas Christian University in 2022, where he was named Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year and second team all-conference in his first year. He compiled 204 total tackles, 18 tackles for loss, five sacks, and one pass breakup in 31 games with the Horned Frogs.
Hodges went undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft. He secured an invitation to the Los Angeles Chargers’ rookie minicamp, but did not sign a contract.
Davis originally signed with the Bombers in February, but was placed on the suspended list ahead of training camp. He first signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2020 but was released during training camp, later signing with the Miami Dolphins. He played one game for the team the following season, recording two tackles and a pass breakup, before ending his NFL tenure with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2022.
The Jacksonville, Fla., signed with the XFL’s Orlando Guardians in 2023, spending just three weeks with the team before being released and picked up by the Arlington Renegades. Between the two teams, he appeared in two games and registered a single tackle.
The five-foot-eight, 183-pound cornerback played 49 games over five years at Auburn University, earning SEC All-Freshman team honours in 2016. He collected 147 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, two sacks, and a forced fumble while breaking up 35 passes and logging eight interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers finished fourth in the West Division standings in 2025 with a 10-8 record, qualifying for the playoffs as the crossover team before losing the East Semi-Final to the Montreal Alouettes. Zach Collaros threw for 3,048 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions over 13 regular-season games, going 6-7 as a starter.
The Blue Bombers ranked fifth in net offence, third in net defence, and eighth with a turnover differential of minus-eleven. The club’s leading rusher was Brady Oliveira with 1,163 yards, the leading receiver was Nic Demski with 1,001 yards, and the leading tackler was Tony Jones with 104 tackles. Winnipeg ranked first in attendance with average crowds of 32,343, which was a 3.7 percent increase from the previous year.
