Veteran kicker Justin Palardy among expansion Redblacks final CFL cuts

Veteran kicker Justin Palardy was among 14 players released Saturday by the expansion Ottawa Redblacks.

It was D-Day for Ottawa and the other eight CFL clubs, which had until 10 p.m. ET to reduce their active rosters to 46 players. The 2014 regular season kicks off Thursday with the Toronto Argonauts visiting the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

The Blue Bombers made their final cuts Friday, releasing 11 players, including former starter Max Hall.

Palardy, a 26-year-old native of Truro, N.S., was looking to kick-start his CFL career with Ottawa. The former Saint Mary’s star was a fifth-round draft pick of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2010 and played in five games as a punter before being released.

Palardy then joined the Blue Bombers in August 2010 and made 26-of-30 field goals for a club-record 86.7 per cent success ratio. He followed that up by hitting on 40-of-52 field goals in 2011.

The following season, Palardy was Winnipeg’s nominee for the CFL’s top special-teams player after making 39-of-45 field goals and averaging a career-high 57.3 yards on 70 kickoffs.

But after hitting 9-of-12 field goals in ’13, Palardy was replaced by Canadian Sando DeAngelis and released by the Bombers on Aug. 27, 2013. He signed with Ottawa on March 6.

Ottawa made its final cuts after a 26-10 road exhibition win Friday night over the Montreal Alouettes. Palardy punted 12 times on that contest for a 39.8-yard average.

Over his career, Palardy made 114-of-139 field goals (82 per cent) and boasted a 42.1-yard punting average

Also released by the Redblacks were national receivers Aaron Hargreaves, Simon LeMarquand and Steven Adu, international defensive back Parker Orms, international linebacker Devin Arrington, national defensive lineman Stephon Miller, international defensive lineman Dimetrio Tyson, international picker Paolo Henriques, national offensive linemen James Lee, Brendan Dunn and Aaron Wheaton and international receivers Taulib Ikharo and Travon Patterson.

Saturday’s moves left Ottawa with American rookie Brett Maher as the lone kicker on the roster. Maher had a field goal, three converts and single in the win over Montreal.

The B.C. Lions released seven players. They were: national running back Guillame Bourassa, international defensive back Tony Burnett, international linebacker, Korey Jones, international defensive lineman Dyrell Porcha, international offensive tackle RJ Dill, national kicker/punter Steven Shott and national linebacker Thomas Spoletini.