In a familiar twist of fate, the Canadian Football League’s Edmonton Elks announced on Friday they have signed former Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones to replace former signal-caller J.T. Barrett , who has been placed on the retired list due to an injury he suffered in March.
A fourth-round pick of the Buffalo Bills in the 2016 NFL Draft, Jones also spent time with the Los Angeles Chargers and Seattle Seahawks before signing with the XFL’s DC Defenders in 2020. He threw for 674 yards and four touchdowns in five games before the league shut down due to the pandemic.
The 29-year-old Jones notably replaced an injured Barrett late in the 2014 season and led the Buckeyes to the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship. While Barrett ultimately regained the starting job midway through the next season, Jones finished his career with an 11-0 record as a starter.
It has been more than two years since he suited up, but Jones hadn’t given up on his professional career. He participated in Ohio State’s Pro Day in late March, throwing to former running back Master Teague and wide receiver Chris Booker in front of more than 100 personnel from all 32 NFL teams.
With Barrett suffering the undisclosed injury, which the Elks said would have kept him out for the entire 2022 season, an opportunity presented itself to Jones. He’ll now take his talents north of the border, where he’ll be reunited with former wide receiver Jalin Marshall.
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