Winnipeg Blue Bombers sign three, including QB Darren Grainger to futures deals

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WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg Blue Bombers announced on Tuesday that the team has signed American quarterback Darren Grainger, American defensive end Brandon Wright and American defensive back Jordan Toles to futures deals as of the 2025 season.

Grainger (six-foot-four, 225 pounds) will return for the 2025 season after spending part of the 2024 season with the team. Grainger spent a five-year collegiate career with Furman (2018-2019) and Georgia State (2021-2023). With Furman, Grainger appeared in 17 games, starting 12, throwing for 1,403 yards on 161 attempts for five touchdowns, while rushing for 353 yards and five touchdowns.

Wright (six-foot-two, 250 pounds) returns in 2025 after joining the club during this year’s PR expansion window before being released. Wright spent a five-year collegiate career (2019-2023) with Michigan State. During the 2019 and 2020 seasons as a running back, Wright appeared in 12 games, rushing 24 times for 61 yards. For the 2021 season, Wright was converted to a defensive end to strengthen the pass rush. From 2021 to 2023, Wright appeared in 28 games, starting in seven of them, achieving 44 tackles, six tackles-for-losses, 5.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and one knockdown.

Toles (six-foot-one, 216 pounds) signs a futures contract with the Blue Bombers after spending a four-year collegiate career with LSU (2020-2021), and Morgan State (2022-2023). Toles signed as an undrafted free agent with the Baltimore Ravens in May 2024, but was released in July 2024. With LSU, Toles recorded 16 tackles (eight solo, eight assists) in 16 games.

After a transfer to Morgan State in 2022, Toles made 114 tackles (67 solo, 47 assists), three tackles-for-losses, four interceptions (one touchdown), seven passes defended, a half sack, three forced fumbles (two recoveries) and two blocked kicks in 20 games. The defensive back also returned six kicks for 107 yards and one touchdown. In 2023, Toles was named First Team All-MEAC and played in the Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl after the season.

The Bombers travel to Montreal this week and will face the Alouettes on Saturday.

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