Ticats sign two-time All-American DL Spencer Waege

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have signed American defensive lineman Spencer Waege to their training camp roster.

The six-foot-five, 282-pound pass rusher played 57 games over five seasons at North Dakota State, winning three FCS national championships with the Bisons from 2018 to 2022. The native of South Shore, S.D. notched 138 total tackles, 42 tackles for loss, 20.5 quarterback sacks, four batted passes, five forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and two blocked kicks, earning four All-MVFC selections — twice on the first-team, once as an honourable mention, and once as a freshman. He was named a first-team FCS All-American by the Associated Press in 2022 and took home second-team honours from the AFCA during the spring of 2021.

After going unselected in the 2023 NFL Draft, Waege signed with the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent but failed to make the team. He last spent time with the Green Bay Packers in 2024 but has yet to see action in an NFL game.

On top of Waege’s signing, the Ticats confirmed the addition of Canadian defensive lineman Owen Hubert and the release of veteran running back James Butler. Both moves had been previously reported by 3DownNation’s John Hodge.

The team also announced the release of American defensive tackle Trevon Mason. The 26-year-old product of the University of Arizona appeared in 10 games as a CFL rookie in 2024, making 18 defensive tackles.