Ottawa Redblacks acquire rights to former NFL pass rusher Luiji Vilain in trade with Toronto Argonauts

Photo courtesy: Minnesota Vikings

The Ottawa Redblacks have acquired the rights to Canadian defensive lineman Luiji Vilain via trade with the Toronto Argonauts.

The Argos received a third-round pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, 23rd overall, and a conditional third-round pick in 2027, which will become a second-round pick if Vilain signs. The Redblacks got a fourth-round pick this year, 31st overall, in exchange.

“Any time you have the opportunity to add a player of this calibre, it’s something you jump at,” Redblacks head coach and general manager Ryan Dinwiddie said in a statement. “Luiji is a high-level talent who fits the identity we want to build on the field. On top of that, him being a national player who can perform at a high level adds valuable flexibility to our roster.”

Vilain was selected by the Argonauts in the third round of the 2021 CFL Draft, but has spent parts of the past four seasons in the NFL. He has been a free agent since July 22, 2025, when he was released by the Dallas Cowboys.

The Ottawa native originally signed with the Minnesota Vikings after going unselected in the 2022 NFL Draft and dressed for three regular-season games as a rookie, recording four tackles. He was waived by the team in October 2023 and claimed by the Carolina Panthers, appearing in one game for each franchise that year. In 2024, he spent two weeks on the Cleveland Browns’ practice roster before joining the Dallas Cowboys.

The six-foot-four, 252-pound edge rusher originally attended the University of Michigan, where he played sparingly, but transferred to Wake Forest in 2021 and recorded 34 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, eight sacks, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. That earned Vilain an NFL opportunity.

The Ottawa Redblacks were the CFL’s most active team in free agency, adding players like quarterback Jake Maier, running back Greg Bell, offensive lineman Martez Ivey, defensive lineman Habakkuk Baldonado, linebacker A.J. Allen, strong-side linebacker C.J. Reavis, and defensive back Demerio Houston. The team also had a few key departures, including quarterback Dustin Crum (Montreal Alouettes), strong-side linebacker Adarius Pickett (Toronto Argonauts), and return specialist DeVonte Dedmon (Montreal Alouettes).

The Redblacks hold the first 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 Montreal Alouettes on Friday, May 22, and its first regular-season game against the Edmonton Elks on Saturday, June 6.

In 2025, Ottawa finished fourth in the East Division standings with a 4-14 record, missing the playoffs for the fifth time in the last six seasons. Ryan Dinwiddie was hired as the team’s head coach and general manager after the firing of Bob Dyce.