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With just a few days to go before the kickoff of the 2026 Canadian Football League season, the Montreal Alouettes have made a significant number of roster cuts to finalize their lineup.
Among the names drawing particular attention is that of Arnaud Desjardins. The Quebec-born quarterback had joined the Montreal organization on May 18 with the hope of earning a spot on the roster.
Arnaud Desjardins played in two preseason games with the Alouettes before being released.
During the preseason games, the former quarterback for Laval University's Rouge et Or delivered solid performances. He completed 17 of 22 passes for 131 yards, without throwing a touchdown or suffering an interception.
At 26, Desjardins already has an impressive college career. He notably won the Vanier Cup twice with the Rouge et Or, in 2022 and 2024, before going undrafted in the 2025 CFL Draft.
Despite his strong performances, Montreal's management ultimately chose to continue the season with other options at the quarterback position.
James Morgan also cut
The other notable decision concerns James Morgan, who had already played several games with the Alouettes last season.
The American quarterback had been called upon to play a key role due to injuries to Davis Alexander, McLeod Bethel-Thompson, and Caleb Evans during the previous campaign.
James Morgan appeared in ten games with the Alouettes in 2025.
In ten regular-season games, Morgan completed 55 of his 93 passes for a total of 547 passing yards, throwing two touchdown passes against four interceptions.
However, his experience with the organization was not enough to secure his spot on the final roster.
A long list of released players
The Alouettes also announced the departure of several other players at various positions.
Among them are Cyrus McGarrell, Thakarius Keyes, Faion Hicks, Desmond Igbinosun, Trey Jones III, Lucus Spencer, Jakai Moore, Damonte Smith, R.J. Perry, Brandon Sneh, Deemer Blankumsee, Tsion Nunnelly, Terique Owens, Dalton Stroman, Malick Sylla, and Bryce Ganious.
These decisions come as the organization finalizes the last necessary adjustments before the start of the regular season.
Montreal Ready for Opening Game
The Alouettes will officially kick off their season on Thursday night with an away game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
The season opener will reveal the final roster selected by the Montreal organization.
After an intensive evaluation period during training camp and the preseason games, the coaches now have a much clearer picture of their team.
While some cuts may surprise fans, they are part of the normal process of building a competitive roster for a long season.
The coming weeks will now show whether the Alouettes' decisions will pay off on the field.
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