Hamilton Tiger-Cats Extend CFL All-Star Defensive Lineman
This past week, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats have been aggressive in building up their defense, looking inward for one of the most important signings.
3DownNation’s Justin Dunk reported defensive lineman Casey Sayles is returning to Hamilton on a two-year contract extension through the 2025 season.
Sayles is back after the best year of his CFL career. The 28-year-old defensive lineman produced a career-high in tackles (50) and sacks (seven) in 2023 to earn his first CFL All-Star selection. His previous two CFL seasons were with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, where he racked up 64 tackles and 11 sacks in 32 games.
From 2017 through 2020, Sayles played in three different football leagues, including the NFL, AAF and XFL. He received significant playing time with the St. Louis Battlehawks of the XFL in 2020, finishing his five-game stint with 12 tackles and one sack. During his time with the Birmingham Iron of the AAF, he contributed 16 tackles and one sack in eight games. He also spent time in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Hamilton has stayed busy in free agency on the defensive line, also bringing in Dewayne Hendrix and Brandon Barlow. The Tiger-Cats also added defensive back Jamal Peters as they make a push for a Grey Cup run in 2024.
Sayles will be able to sign now since he was on the team last year. Free agents outside of their 2023 teams can officially sign on Feb. 13.
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Anthony Miller has been covering professional spring football since 2019 including XFL, USFL, and CFL. He was a local news reporter in Texas before transitioning to sports. Other sites he writes for includes College Football Network and NTZ Network.