WINNIPEG, MB., – The Winnipeg Blue Bombers today announce the club has agreed to terms with American defensive back Alden Darby, Jr. on a one-year contract extension.
He was scheduled to become a free agent on February 14th.
Darby, Jr. (5-11, 194, Arizona State; born: June 22, 1992, in Long Beach, CA) returns in 2023 for what will be his third stint with the Blue Bombers.
Darby Jr. is a veteran of 66 regular season games in the CFL, including 43 with the Toronto Argonauts, 10 with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and 13 and counting with the Blue Bombers.
Winnipeg has twice traded for Darby, Jr. in two years, most recently acquiring him from the Tiger-Cats at the trade deadline last October. He was first acquired by the Bombers in a trade with Toronto in July of 2021 and found a place in the Blue Bombers starting defence while being named a West Division All-Star that year.
He had 34 tackles, one tackle for a loss and a pass knockdown in nine regular season starts in 2021, before adding two tackles and a sack in the Western Final win over Saskatchewan and six tackles, a pass knockdown and an interception in the Grey Cup victory over Hamilton.
Darby, Jr. made two regular season starts for the Blue Bombers last year after the trade and had six tackles before adding four more tackles and a sack in the playoff run.
Darby, Jr. first signed with the Argos in July of 2017 and appeared in 43 games over three years with Toronto, finishing with 137 tackles, one sack and eight interceptions. He was a member of the 2017 Grey Cup champion Argonauts, although he was on the injured list and did not play in the game.
Darby, Jr. played his college ball at Arizona State and had 10 interceptions during his days with the Sun Devils. He signed as an undrafted free agent with the San Diego Chargers in 2014 and had NFL looks with the Pittsburgh Steelers, New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts.
