The Ottawa RedBlacks have lost one of their major defensive weapons.

Defensive end Aston Whiteside will miss the remainder of the CFL season with severe damage to his knee.

Whiteside, who joined the RedBlacks in mid-July, had seven sacks and 13 tackles and was a huge factor off the edge.

The RedBlacks have Marlon Smith, who began the season as a starter at defensive end, and a few internal options, but RedBlacks GM Marcel Desjardins said the team would be "looking at other options."