The Hamilton Tiger-Cats continue to acquire more prospects in the hope that they will find a combination of players that will help them upgrade their defensive front seven. During the 2024 CFL season, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats front seven had one of the worst performances in the CFL. That was exceptionally disappointing for Tiger-Cats fans after Hamilton spent their 2024 offseason acquiring players to rebuild their defensive line and linebacking core.

This offseason, the Tiger-Cats continue to acquire new talent in hopes of upgrading their defensive line and linebacking units. Earlier this week, the Tiger-Cats signed American defensive lineman Maalik Hall after he spent some time with the New York Jets in the NFL. According to the CFL Transactions list, the Tiger-Cats have also signed American linebacker Chris Russell Jr.

The 6’1″, 235-pound Russell comes to the CFL after being signed by the Memphis Showboats in January, but the Showboats released Russell before the start of the 2025 UFL season. Before being signed by the Showboats, Russell spent time with the Green Bay Packers during the 2024 NFL season. Linebacker is currently a high-need area for the Tiger-Cats, and Russell’s NFL experience should allow him to earn a spot on the Tiger-Cats 2025 CFL roster.

Before starting his professional football journey, Russell played college football at Texas A&M from 2019 until 2023. While playing for the Aggies, Russell played in 58 games and recorded 60 solo tackles, 53 assists, and 4.5 quarterback sacks. Russell also intercepted one pass while playing for the Aggies.

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