Calgary Stampeders move two Canadians to six-game injured list

Photo courtesy: Calgary Stampeders

The Calgary Stampeders have moved Canadian defensive linemen Daniel Joseph and Justin Sambu to the six-game injured list, the team announced on Thursday.

Joseph played in the team’s recent 20-15 preseason win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders, recording one tackle and one sack.

The six-foot-three, 247-pound defender was originally a first-round pick in the 2021 CFL Draft out of North Carolina State by the B.C. Lions. The 29-year-old has since had a nomadic professional career, making stops with the Buffalo Bills, Seattle Sea Dragons, Birmingham Stallions, Lions, Toronto Argonauts, Edmonton Elks, and Stampeders.

The Toronto native played six regular-season games with Calgary last season, recording three defensive tackles and three special teams tackles. He is a brother of former first-overall CFL draft pick Faith Ekakitie and a cousin of longtime CFL defensive lineman Ese Mrabure-Ajufo.

Sambu was listed as inactive for Calgary’s recent preseason game. The six-foot-two, 295-pound defender has played 25 regular-season games over two years in Cowtown, recording 20 defensive tackles and five sacks.

The 27-year-old was originally a sixth-round pick in the 2024 CFL Draft out of Baylor University by the Toronto Argonauts.

The Stampeders have also signed American offensive lineman Martes Lewis and American defensive back Corey Coley Jr.

Lewis finished his collegiate career at Northwestern, where he made 11 starts over 13 games in 2025. He recently attended rookie mini-camp with the Washington Commanders.

The six-foot-six, 325-pound blocker previously spent five seasons at the University of Minnesota, where he made 16 starts over 51 games.

Coley Jr. originally signed with Calgary in January, though he was let go earlier this month. The six-foot-one, 185-pound native of Jacksonville, Fla. finished his collegiate career at North Carolina State in 2024, recording eight total tackles and two pass knockdowns.

The 22-year-old started his collegiate career at the University of Maryland where he made 27 total tackles and three pass knockdowns over 32 games.

The Calgary Stampeders opened training camp on May 10. Calgary will play its first preseason game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Monday, May 18 and its second preseason game against the Edmonton Elks on Friday, May 29. Final roster cuts are due on Saturday, May 30, after which the team will play its first regular-season game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday, June 5.

Calgary recently selected Angelo State linebacker Eric Rascoe with their first-round pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, adding a key piece to pair with veteran Micah Teitz. The team’s other major offseason addition was receiver Dejon Brissett, who set a career-high with 907 receiving yards with the Toronto Argonauts in 2025.

In 2025, the Stampeders finished third in the West Division standings with an 11-7 record but lost the West Semi-Final to the B.C. Lions.