Toronto Argonauts demote Samuel Hicks against Hamilton Tiger-Cats

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The Toronto Argonauts have demoted running back Samuel Hicks to the practice roster ahead of their game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday evening. The team released its official depth chart on Friday morning.

The five-foot-nine, 190-pound ball-carrier has rushed 65 times for 383 yards, made 22 catches for 165 yards, and scored four touchdowns this season. This is his first professional stint after playing collegiately at Saddleback College, Central Michigan, and Abilene Christian University.

The 25-year-old will be replaced in the starting lineup by Isaiah Smith, the team’s second-round pick in the 2026 CFL Draft.

The native of Burlington, Ont. has rushed 31 times for 116 yards and caught six passes for 77 yards so far this season. He played collegiately at the University of Guelph, where he rushed for 1,060 yards, made 41 receptions for 469 yards, and scored nine touchdowns.

Toronto will also dress running back Qualan Jones in a depth role. The CFL rookie has been on Toronto’s practice roster all season.

The five-foot-ten, 242-pound ball-carrier finished his collegiate career at Stephen F. Austin University, where he rushed for 798 yards, caught 13 passes for 80 yards, and scored eight touchdowns. He previously played at Baylor University, where he rushed for 689 yards, caught 37 passes for 192 yards, and scored nine touchdowns.

In addition to the change at running back, Toronto will be without the services of Canadian defensive lineman Paris Shand, who has been placed on the one-game injured list with an oblique issue. Rookie Gabriel Maisonneuve, who was signed earlier this week as insurance, will make his CFL debut behind Jonathan Kongbo, who is playing despite a foot injury that caused him to miss two days of practice.

Backup defensive backs Alex Teubner (hamstring) and Ethan John (ankle) are both slated to make their return from injury in the secondary. American defensive back Dathan Hickey and National linebacker Jalen Rayam have both been demoted to the practice roster in a corresponding move.

The Toronto Argonauts (4-5) will host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (4-6) at BMO Field on Saturday, August 22, with kickoff scheduled for 7:00 p.m. EDT. The Tiger-Cats are coming off a 26-19 upset win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders, while the Argonauts got blown out by the Edmonton Elks by a score of 42-12.

The weather forecast in Toronto calls for a high of 23 degrees and a 40 percent chance of rain. The game will be broadcast on TSN in Canada, CBS Sports Network in the United States, and CFL+ internationally. Radio listeners can tune in on the Ticats Audio Network in Hamilton or TSN 1050 in Toronto.

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