In the world of football, if a team is struggling in a specific area on the field or system, there are three ways to solve the problem. First, the team could change its personnel or approach to attacking an area. Second, a team can improve its technique or find a better way to disguise its strategy. Third, it can simply add more people to the area and outnumber the opponent.
They are choosing all of the above regarding the Tiger-Cat’s strategy to improve a defensive front seven that was one of the worst performing in the CFL in 2024. So far this off-season, the Tiger-Cats have made a change at defensive coordinator, bringing on Brent Monson from the Calgary Stampeders. Hamilton has also made several changes to their assistant coaches on the defensive side of the ball, including adding a new defensive line coach and a new coach for the Tiger-Cats linebackers.
That leaves only one strategy for the Tiger-Cats to make more adjustments to their defensive front, specifically to their defensive line. This off-season, the Tiger-Cats have made several changes to the personnel on their defensive line, including the recent addition of Tyshun Render, who brings NFL experience after spending time with the Miami Dolphins. Despite those changes, the Tiger-Cats continue looking for possible solutions. Today, the CFL transactions list shows that the Tiger-Cats have signed American defensive lineman Maalik Hall.
The 6’3″, 235-pound Hall comes to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats after spending the spring of 2024 with the Birmingham Stallions in the UFL, where he played in three games but only recorded one tackle. In 2023, Hall spent the NFL season on the New York Jets practice squad. Like most American players who come to the CFL, Hall is looking for an opportunity to prove that he can be a contributor on a defensive line at the professional level.
Before starting his career in professional football, Hall played college football at NCAA Division II Southeastern Oklahoma State University. Hall played in 43 games for the Savage Storm, and he registered 79 solo tackles, 72 assists, and 14.0 sacks during his college football career. If Hall can produce similar results during training camp and the Tiger-Cats pre-season games, he could find himself a role on the defensive line of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats during the 2025 CFL season.
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