At the end of January, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats decided not to re-sign wide receiver Tim White before paying White a roster bonus. That resulted in White being signed by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. That decision put the Tiger-Cats into position to pursue wide receivers during this week, during the legal tampering period, and during free agency starting next week.

However, the Tiger-Cats continue to make decisions to retain receivers who add quality depth, like National wide receiver Keaton Bruggeling, and potential playmakers, like wide receiver Xavier Malone. While it is unlikely that either receiver will effectively replace a player like Tim White, they do add depth at the wide receiver position, and both players have the potential to contribute on special teams. Those factors motivated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to extend wide receiver Keaton Bruggeling and sign former UFL receiver Xavier Malone.

National wide receiver Keaton Bruggeling returns to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for another season, after showing potential in the 9 games he appeared in during the 2025 season. During those games, Bruggeling caught only 7 passes for 63 yards, but he demonstrated he was an outstanding perimeter blocker. Before coming to Hamilton, Bruggeling spent three seasons with the Ottawa Redblacks, where he played in 31 games and caught 8 passes for 83 yards and a touchdown.

Bruggeling brings the prototypical size for a CFL wide receiver at 6’3″, 205 pounds. In addition to his size and ability to block, Bruggeling has also shown the ability to outjump opponents for high passes, which could make him a potential weapon near the goal line. Ultimately, Bruggeling needs to continue his development as a wide receiver after dealing with several injuries while playing U Sports football at Carleton, which has stunted his progress as a more productive receiving target.

American wide receiver Xavier Malone comes to the Tiger-Cats hoping for an opportunity to prove himself as a wide receiver. In college, Malone was an effective receiver at Northeast Mississippi Junior College in 2018 and 2019, and at NCAA Division 2 Henderson State. While playing at Henderson State, Malone caught 135 passes for 2,352 yards and scored 18 touchdowns.

Professionally, Malone spent part of the 2023 NFL season with the Atlanta Falcons and, in 2025, played for the Michigan Panthers during the UFL season. While playing for the Panthers, Malone made his most significant impact as a kick and punt returner, but as a receiver, he caught only 1 pass for 29 yards. As a 5’9″, 180-pound wide receiver, Malone lacks the ideal size for a CFL receiver, but he has shown in the past that he is versatile, and he has excellent speed, which makes him a potentially explosive playmaker, especially in open space.

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