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The Colts parted ways with linebacker Jonathan Newsome after a February arrest for marijuana possession and the 2014 fifth-round pick will now continue his professional football career in Canada.

As a result of the arrest, Newsome faced a suspension to start the 2016 season if he signed with an NFL team this season. He referenced that while discussing his decision to sign with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League this week.

“I could have waited for somebody to get hurt and I could have been invited to camp and then sat out a game if I made it,’’ Newsome said, via the Regina Post-Leader. “I’ve never been the type of guy to wait on any handouts. If it had taken this long for teams to buy into me or believe that I showed some change or redemption … I just had to come up here and show them. It was an opportunity that I was blessed with.”

Newsome had 6.5 sacks for the Colts in the 2014 regular season and forced a fumble in their playoff victory over the Broncos, but saw his playing time fall dramatically last season with Robert Mathis back in the lineup. If he can find his rookie form in Canada and stay out of further off-field trouble, another shot in the NFL could come his way in 2017.