Ciante Evans puts drones on hold to soar again with Alouettes

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At age 32, Ciante Evans had moved on from football.

The native of Fort Worth, Tex., was in Chicago working for a security consulting company. He also owns a drone service company and is a certified drone pilot who performs commercial work for construction sites.

While the veteran defensive back continued working out — just in case — he appeared ready to close the book on his CFL career after 110 games, dating to 2015, when he launched his career with Calgary.

But the Alouettes have injuries — safety Marc-Antoine Dequoy hurt his shoulder last Saturday against Saskatchewan, while cornerback Kabion Ento (calf) was a late scratch — and you can never have enough depth in the CFL. So when general manager Danny Maciocia called Evans, he gladly accepted an invitation to return to Montreal for a third time.

“I bring experience. I bring leadership and a calm presence,” Evans said this week after a practice at Stade Hébert.

The 5-foot-11, 195-pounder played for the Als in 2019, then returned in 2023 as a free agent after two seasons with Hamilton. Evans played an instrumental role in the Als’ Grey Cup championship season, intercepting three passes despite playing only 10 games.

While there’s no guarantee Evans will be in uniform on Friday night, when the Als host the Edmonton Elks and their former starting quarterback, Cody Fajardo, Montreal needs a cornerback because Dionté Ruffin (adductor) is the latest casualty and hasn’t practised this week.

Along with the addition of Evans this week, the Als also signed cornerback Brandin Dandridge, who spent five seasons with Ottawa and was an East Division all-star as recently as 2023. Dandridge also can return kicks if necessary. That’s significant, because Montreal is also missing returner James Letcher Jr. (hand injury).

The Als will declare their roster Thursday morning.

“He was part of our (2023) defence that was very good and made plays,” head coach Jason Maas said of Evans. “He’s also a great communicator and a great locker-room guy. He’s a smart player who gets our defence. And he knows the league. That’s a huge plus.”

For reasons that were never made clear, Evans left the Als after their championship run and signed with B.C. as a free agent — presumably for more money because his agent advised him it was an opportunity he couldn’t spurn.

“I really wanted to stay, but it was out of my control,” said Evans, who wasn’t re-signed by the Lions last winter when his contract expired.

The Redblacks’ release of Dandridge in January also caught many by surprise. The 5-foot-11, 180-pounder played 40 games for Ottawa, producing 11 interceptions, four forced fumbles and two defensive touchdowns.

“Am I surprised to see a guy that can return the ball and play defensive back on the street? Sure,” Maas said. “Especially with the amount of injuries that have creeped up this year in the CFL. But I’m obviously thankful that he’s here now with us. The fact he can return kicks is huge. With Letcher down, we’re looking for a guy to step up in that position. Bottom line. Obviously, he has experience doing that and has done it at a high level in our league. And he can play DB, which is something we’re in need of right now.

“We’re thankful a guy of his calibre and pedigree was on the street.”

Dandridge, 28, remained in Ottawa after his release, working out and being a father. He had not yet pursued non-football employment. A knee injury limited him to nine games last season.

“Things for me came by surprise,” he said. “I wanted to get back (into the CFL), show I’m healthy and remain a dominant player. This is a fresh start and I’m happy to be here. I’ve been preparing. I knew a call was coming. It’s all instincts. I’ve been doing this for years. The past few months have been crazy.”

After last weekend’s embarrassing 34-6 loss to the Roughriders, it’s imperative the Als rebound as they reach the midpoint in the schedule. With first-place Hamilton hosting B.C. Thursday night, Montreal must remain within striking distance. And although they hold a healthy lead over Toronto and Ottawa, those teams meet Saturday afternoon. Should the Als lose to Edmonton, one of those teams will creep two points closer.

“Whether you win or lose, you’ve got to get on to the next one,” Maas said. “Obviously, it’s harder to do when you lose. We have a long season. Each week brings a different challenge. Getting to work kind of helps you move on.”