All-CFL DL Casey Sayles, DB Robert Panabaker return for Hamilton Tiger-Cats vs Bombers

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats will have a couple of recognizable names back in the lineup when they face the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday.

The most impactful player returning is defensive tackle Casey Sayles, who sat out last week with a groin injury.  The 30-year-old is in his third season with the Tiger-Cats and earned an All-CFL selection in 2023. The six-foot-three, 290-pound defender has made 20 defensive tackles and one sack this season, adding to his career totals of 171 defensive tackles, 26 sacks, and two forced fumbles over 77 regular-season games.

Also back in a depth capacity is Canadian defensive back Robert Panabaker, who has only seen action in one game this season due to a hamstring injury. The Western University product saw the field in 16 games as a rookie last season and made several starts, amassing 18 defensive tackles, eight special teams tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble.

In corresponding moves, American defensive end Maalik Hall (oblique) has been placed on the one-game injured list, while rookie Canadian offensive lineman Arvin Hosseini has been returned to the practice roster.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats (7-5) will host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (6-6) on Friday, September 12 with kickoff slated for 7:00 p.m. EDT. The Blue Bombers are coming off a 21-13 loss to Saskatchewan in the Banjo Bowl, while the Tiger-Cats went on the road to beat Montreal 26-9.

The weather forecast in Hamilton calls for a high of 21 degrees with a mix of sun and cloud and a 20 percent chance of showers. The game will be broadcast on TSN and RDS in Canada, CBS Sports Network in the United States, and CFL+ internationally. Radio listeners can tune-in on 680 CJOB in Winnipeg and the Ticats Audio Network in Hamilton.

Graphic courtesy: Hamilton Tiger-Cats