The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have signed former Toronto Argonauts’ defensive back Leonard Johnson to their practice roster.

Johnson played in four games this season while making 24 tackles, before being released last week. The Hayden, Ala. native went unselected in the 2022 NFL Draft after tearing his ACL in training but eventually signed with the New York Giants ahead of the 2023 season, though he was released prior to training camp.

The six-foot, 194-pound corner played 47 games over five seasons at cornerback for Duke University, recording 165 tackles, 24 pass breakups, 10 tackles for loss, six interceptions, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two sacks.

The Ticats also added four other Americans to the practice squad, including defensive back Jayden Price, receiver Reggie Brown, defensive lineman Mario Kendricks, and running back Lorenzo Lingard.

Price suited up in 71 games over five seasons at North Dakota State University (2019-23), registering 107 total tackles, four tackles for loss, one quarterback sack, three interceptions, 17 pass breakups, one forced fumble and three fumble recoveries. Price also factored into the return game, posting 63 total punt returns for 910 yards with five touchdowns and earning third-team All-American honours in 2021. The six-foot, 185-pound corner most recently spent training camp with the Atlanta Falcon.

Brown suited up in 45 games over his five seasons at James Madison University (2019-23), registering 93 receptions for 1,686 yards with 16 touchdowns. The six-foot-one, 195-pound target was a first-team All-Sun Belt selection and honourable mention All-American last season, later spending training camp with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Kendricks suited up in 56 games over five seasons at Virginia Tech (2019-23), registering 67 total tackles, 16 tackles for loss, seven quarterback sacks and three batted passes. The six-foot, 300-pound defensive tackle had stints with the Miami Dolphins and Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent.

Lingard finished his collegiate career at the University of Akron, where he registered 143 carries for 641 yards and four touchdowns in 12 games, along with 38 receptions for 368 yards and two touchdowns. The six-foot, 205-pound back made previous stops at the University of Miami (2018-19) and the University of Florida (2020-22). He later spent time with the New York Giants and Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats (3-9) return to action on Saturday, September 14 when they host the Ottawa Redblacks (8-3-1).