Official: special teams standout Brian Cole II joins Ottawa Redblacks

Photo courtesy: Bob Butrym/RFB Sport Photography

The Ottawa Redblacks have officially signed American linebacker Brian Cole II to a one-year contract. 3DownNation reported the agreement during the negotiation window.

Cole played all 18 games for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2025, logging three defensive tackles, 19 special teams tackles, and a forced fumble.

The 28-year-old played 37 games in three seasons with Winnipeg from 2022 through 2024, recording 51 total tackles, 27 defensive tackles, four forced fumbles and one interception.

The six-foot-one, 215-pound Cole previously spent time in the CFL with the Edmonton Elks (2022) and Saskatchewan Roughriders (2022) in addition to NFL stints with the Carolina Panthers (2021), Miami Dolphins (2020-2021) and Minnesota Vikings (2020).

The native of Saginaw, Mich., was originally selected by the Vikings in the seventh round, 249th overall, during the 2020 NFL Draft after spending his collegiate career with Mississippi State (2017-2019), Michigan (2015) and East Mississippi Community College (2016).

Pending CFL free agents were able to communicate with teams around the league from February 1 to 8, during which time contracts could be negotiated and agreed upon but not signed. Starting Tuesday, February 10, at noon EST, players can officially change teams.

The Ottawa Redblacks finished fourth in the East Division standings in 2025 with a 4-14 record, missing the playoffs for the fifth time in the last six seasons. Dru Brown went 2-7 over nine starts at quarterback, throwing for 2,389 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Dustin Crum went 2-4 over six starts, throwing for 1,771 yards, six touchdowns, and two interceptions.

The Redblacks ranked sixth in net offence, fifth in net defence, and ninth with a turnover differential of minus-16. The club’s leading rusher was William Stanback with 698 yards, the leading receiver was Justin Hardy with 1,019 yards, and the leading tackler was Adarius Pickett with 84 tackles. Ottawa finished eighth in attendance with average crowds of 18,136, which was a 4.2 percent decrease from the previous year.