The Montreal Alouettes have signed Canadian offensive lineman Sage Doxtater to a one-year contract.
Doxtater was released by the Toronto Argonauts on March 9 in a move that surprised many. General manager Pinball Clemons revealed on Wednesday that the decision was made due to financial reasons, as the once-highly touted draft pick wanted to renegotiate his contract and the team couldn’t accommodate that request.
The six-foot-seven, 317-pound blocker played 11 games last season, starting all of them at left guard. He originally signed with the Argos in October 2024, finishing the season on the practice roster.
Doxtater was originally selected by the Argonauts in the second round of the 2021 CFL Draft. He used an extra year of NCAA eligibility to return to New Mexico State University in 2022 and later signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent. He was waived following training camp with an injury designation before spending time on the practice roster with the Arizona Cardinals and Saints that same year.
The 27-year-old started five games at left tackle for the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL in 2023. A member of the Oneida Nation of the Thames, he signed with the UFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks in January 2024 but was unable to play due to injury.
Doxtater started 48 games over five seasons at left tackle for New Mexico State. He recorded 27 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press at his pro day along with a 5.40-second forty-yard dash, 28-inch vertical, 101-inch broad jump, 4.99-second short shuttle, and 8.17-second three-cone drill.
The Montreal Alouettes were relatively quiet in free agency, though they still added quarterback Dustin Crum, receiver Jerreth Sterns, and return specialist DeVonte Dedmon. The team also suffered some key losses, including Austin Mack (Edmonton Elks), linebacker Darnell Sankey (B.C. Lions), defensive back Marc-Antoine Dequoy (retirement), and return specialist James Letcher Jr. (Saskatchewan Roughriders).
The Alouettes hold the eighth overall pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. All CFL training camps are scheduled to open on May 10. The team will play its first preseason game against the Ottawa Redblacks on Friday, May 22, and its first regular-season game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Thursday, June 4.
In 2025, Montreal finished second in the East Division standings with a 10-8 record and beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the East Final before losing the 112th Grey Cup to the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
