During the 2025 CFL season, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats hit a defensive goldmine with linebacker Devin Veresuk. However, Veresuk was so successful that he generated interest from the NFL and was signed by the Cleveland Browns. In an effort to fill the void left by Veresuk, the Tiger-Cats made the decision to add veteran linebacker Wynton McManis from the Toronto Argonauts, but McManis has yet to make an impact with Hamilton due to an ongoing knee injury.
With no Veresuk and no McManis leading the Hamilton defensive front seven, the Tiger-Cats had an opportunity to find a new player that could step in and be the playmaker the Tiger-Cats defensive unit desperately needs in the box. It turns out the answer to the Tiger-Cats' problem at linebacker was already on their roster, and he just needed an opportunity to prove himself. Canadian linebacker Ryan Baker has taken advantage of that opportunity, and coming out of Hamilton's Week 4 bye, the Tiger-Cats have decided to reward Baker with a contract extension that keeps him in black and gold through the 2027 season.
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats selected Canadian linebacker Ryan Baker in the 2nd Round of the 2024 CFL Draft. Since 2024, Baker has been a depth player for the Tiger-Cats on defense and an active special-teams player. While filling those roles, Baker has played in 34 games for Hamilton and recorded 67 defensive tackles and 14 special teams tackles. During the 2026 season, Baker has played in all three games for Hamilton and posted 16 defensive tackles.
Baker's emergence as a legitimate playmaker at linebacker is a success for U Sports football, where Baker played college football at the University of British Columbia from 2018 until 2023. During his 32 games with the Thunderbirds, Baker registered 221 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and 5.5 quarterback sacks. In addition, broke up 7 passes, recovered 3 fumbles, forced 1 fumble, and intercepted 1 pass for UBC.
So far this season, Baker has been successful due to his unique ability to diagnose plays quickly, which has made him a highly productive tackler. In addition to his success on the defensive side of the ball at linebacker, Baker has boosted his value through his willingness and ability to play an active role on special teams. On the other hand, Baker is limited to playing inside linebacker due to his shortcomings in linear speed and his lack of range in defending the passing game.
For more football content, check out Football Scientific
Follow me on X: @AaronSauter7