Photo courtesy: Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The New Orleans Saints worked out Hamilton Tiger-Cats returner Isaiah Wooden and Calgary Stampeders receiver Damien Alford on Tuesday, per the NFL’s transactions wire.
Wooden played 14 regular-season games with the Tiger-Cats in 2025, leading the CFL in punt return average (15.0) and finishing second in kickoff return average (26.3). He recorded 1,782 total return yards and three return touchdowns despite suffering an arm injury midway through the season.
The 25-year-old product of Southern Utah first signed with the B.C. Lions in 2024 and spent time on the team’s practice roster, though he was later released and signed in Hamilton. He reportedly ran a 4.38-second forty-yard dash at his pro day last year.
Alford was selected by the Stampeders with the first overall pick in the 2025 CFL Draft, appearing in 15 games for the team as a rookie. The native of Montreal, Que. caught 20 passes for 407 yards and five touchdowns despite serving primarily as a backup.
The six-foot-six, 224-pound deep threat was barely utilized at the University of Utah as a senior, but recorded 67 receptions for 1,291 yards with seven touchdowns over the previous four seasons with Syracuse. He ran a 4.46-second forty-yard dash at the Big 12 pro day earlier this year.
The NFL workout window opened on Monday, November 17 and closes on February 10, 2026, at 12:01 p.m. EST. The window to sign with an NFL team opens on January 5, 2026, and ends on February 10, 2026, at 12:01 p.m. ET.
NFL teams must ask CFL franchises for permission to work out players, but the request cannot be denied. CFL players can opt out of their agreements north of the border if an NFL team offers a contract, though the CFL team retains their exclusive rights for the remainder of the pre-existing contract.