Dinwiddie says Dru Brown will remain Ottawa Redblacks starter

Ottawa Redblacks head coach and GM Ryan Dinwiddie told reporters that Dru Brown will remain the team's starting quarterback, despite injuries that limited him to nine starts last season. Backup Dustin Crum is slated to become a free agent next month and Dinwiddie expressed interest in keeping him.

The Ottawa Redblacks have named Dru Brown their starting quarterback for the upcoming season, coach and general manager Ryan Dinwiddie told reporters. Dinwiddie, hired by Ottawa in November after five seasons with the Toronto Argonauts, said the team has not wavered from Brown as the starter. Brown missed time to injury and started nine games last season. Ottawa finished the 2025 season 4-14 and missed the CFL playoffs. Reported details: - Ryan Dinwiddie announced that Dru Brown will remain the Redblacks' starting quarterback. - Brown completed 71.5 per cent of his passes in 2025 for 2,389 yards, with 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, and started nine games. - Brown's record as starter last season was 2-7 and he dealt with injuries that limited his appearances. - Dustin Crum, the backup who made six starts in 2025, completed 70.9 per cent of his passes and rushed for 429 yards with 11 touchdowns. - Crum is slated to become a free agent next month, and Dinwiddie said he would like to retain him if terms allow. Summary: Dinwiddie affirmed Brown as the starting quarterback and said the team will build toward giving him a chance to win. The next notable roster development is Dustin Crum's impending free agency, which may affect Ottawa's quarterback depth and will be decided during the offseason.