The Saskatchewan Roughriders signed national linebacker Henoc Muamba on Wednesday. Muamba, in Bombers colours, celebrates a tackle against the Saskatchewan Roughriders during CFL football action in Regina in a September 1, 2013, file photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Liam Richards

REGINA - Henoc Muamba is back in the CFL.

The six-foot, 230-pound linebacker signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Wednesday. Muamba, a native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo who grew up in Mississauga. Ont., attended the Dallas Cowboys' training camp earlier this summer and played in three exhibition games with the NFL club.

Muamba joins a Riders' squad that's last in the West Division with a CFL-worst 3-10 record. But he wasn't deterred by that.

"You've got to look at the future," Muamba told reporters. "You've got to look at the situation, everything has to fit.

"Coach Jones (Riders coach/GM Chris Jones) and I go way back. I've always been a fan of his defensive schemes, defensive systems. When we were talking with him he told me that he has great plans for myself and he seems me fitting in really well. I looked into it and I feel comfortable with that."

Jones is completing his first season with Saskatchewan after leading Edmonton to a Grey Cup title last year as its head coach. Muamba's brother, Cauchy, is a safety with the Eskimos.

Jones has also earned CFL championships as a defensive assistant/co-ordinator with Montreal, Calgary and Toronto.

"You look at the history, he's always done very well," Muamba said. "My brother played for him and told me a lot about him as well.

"He wins and a lot of the defensive players that play for him have fun. That's really what it's about and I am excited to be able to contribute and help the team."

Muamba was the first player taken in the 2011 CFL draft by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He spent three seasons there and was a league all-star in 2013 after registering 106 tackles.

Muamba spent the 2014 season with the NFL's Indianapolis Colts before returning to the CFL in 2015 with the Montreal Alouettes. He played the club's final four regular-season games, registering 14 tackles.

Muamba has accumulated 185 tackles, 54 special-teams tackles and four sacks over four CFL seasons.

Saskatchewan takes on the Ottawa Redblacks (6-6-1) on Friday but Muamba said there's no specific timetable regarding when he'll make his Roughriders debut.

"That's totally a coach's decision," he said. "It's just about getting to the playbook, getting comfortable enough.

"You don't want be out there and not know exactly what's going on. As soon as they (coaches) feel like I'm comfortable enough to play I think they'll give me the green light."

News from © The Canadian Press, 2016