On Wednesday, the Ottawa Redblacks made significant moves by signing offensive lineman Dariusz Bladek to a one-year contract and securing linebacker Frankie Griffin with a two-year contract extension, keeping him with the team until the 2025 season.
Standing at six feet five inches and weighing 303 pounds, 29-year-old Bladek, hailing from Clifton, New Jersey, didn’t see action for the Toronto Argonauts in 2023. He joined the Argonauts as a free agent on February 11, 2020, and contributed to the team over two seasons, playing in 27 games. In the 2022 season, he played a crucial role in the Argonauts’ success, participating in 17 games and aiding in their East Division victory with an impressive 11-7 record.
During that season, the Argonauts went on to win the East Semi-Final against the Montreal Alouettes and pulled off a remarkable upset against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the 109th Grey Cup in Regina, Saskatchewan, ultimately claiming the title with a final score of 24-23. This victory marked Toronto’s 18th Grey Cup title in franchise history.
Before Toronto, the Saskatchewan Roughriders drafted him in the second round of the 2017 CFL Draft. He played three seasons in Saskatchewan playing 45 games, of which 22 were starts.
Collegiately, Bladek played four seasons at Bethune-Cookman University (2012-15) playing 34 games for the Wildcats. He was named to the 2015 SBN Black College All-America Team.
In 2015, the Wildcats’ offensive line paved the way to lead the MEAC in several statistical categories, including scoring offense (31.4 avg/g), total offense (445.0 avg/g), rushing offense (191.8 yds./g), pass offense (253.2 avg/g), and pass efficiency (164.1 efficiency).
Frankie Griffin is six foot and weighs 203 pounds. The 28-year-old from Spring, Texas, made 75 tackles, four tackles on special teams, and one interception in 14 games for the Redblacks in 2023. In 2022, Griffin made 34 tackles and one tackle on special teams in eight games. He signed with Ottawa as a free agent in 2021.
In three seasons, Griffin had made 117 tackles, 10 tackles on special teams, and one interception in 30 games. Before Ottawa, Griffin signed with the Green Bay Packers but was released during training camp in 2020.
Collegiately, Griffin played four seasons at Texas State (2016-19) with 258 tackles (153 solo, 105 assists), 30.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, four pass breakups, seven forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and one blocked kick in 44 games for the Bobcats. Griffin was named 2018 All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention, and 2017 Third Team All-Sun Belt Conference by Phil Steele.
Be the first to comment