The Ottawa Redblacks have signed quarterback Dru Brown to a two-year contract through the 2025 season.
That comes one week after the Redblacks acquired his rights via trade from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Per sources, Brown received a $137,500 signing bonus, part of his $286,000 in hard money for the 2024 season with playtime incentives giving him the chance to earn $340,000. In 2025, Brown is slated to earn $355,000 in hard money with incentives reaching $400,000.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this great organization and to play in front of RNation in Ottawa,” Brown said in a statement. “I’m excited to meet the guys and get to work.”
The 26-year-old won both starts as a member of the Blue Bombers in 2023, completing 69.7 percent of his passes for 983 yards with nine touchdowns and zero interceptions. He set a new single-season CFL record for most touchdown passes without registering a single INT.
The five-foot-eleven, 191-pound passer signed with Winnipeg in 2020 after a collegiate career that included stints at the College of San Mateo, University of Hawai’i, and Oklahoma State University. He didn’t receive any NCAA Division I scholarship offers out of high school in California.
Brown attempted only 14 passes during his rookie season in 2021 as Winnipeg’s third-stringer behind Zach Collaros and Sean McGuire. He took over the primary backup job in 2022 and made his first career start late in the season, throwing for 325 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions in a 40-32 loss to the B.C. Lions.
“Dru is a productive quarterback who has demonstrated when previously given the opportunity to be an excellent decision maker who can lead a team on the field,” Redblacks’ general manager Shawn Burke said. “We believe he will fit in well in our quarterback room and we’re excited that he wants to take the next step in his career as a Redblack.”
The Redblacks currently have six quarterbacks under contract for 2024, including Brown, Jeremiah Masoli, Dustin Crum, Tyrie Adams, Tyrrell Pigrome, and Jake Dunniway. Masoli recently agreed to a restructured contract as he continues his rehab from an Achilles injury suffered in July, while Adams is recovering from a torn ACL.
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