Breadcrumb Trail LinksSportsFootballCFLUnit short on experience but high on energy heading into 2025 CFL seasonPublished May 29, 2025 • 6 minute readOakland Raiders linebacker Marquel Lee (55) tackles Los Angeles Chargers running back Melvin Gordon III during the first half of an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018. Photo by Ben Margot /The Associated PressArticle contentIt’s not just the personnel that’s different these days among linebackers of the Calgary Stampeders.Advertisement 2THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLYSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsArticle contentArticle contentArticle contentIt’s the energy.And … wow … there’s lots of it with this bunch.Take it from Marquel Lee, who’s been a pro football talent for enough years to know the enthusiasm is running higher than it was with the 2024 edition on the Canadian Football League team.“The energy is way different around this team this year,” said Lee, who spent six years on NFL rosters and another spring with the United Football League’s Arlington Renegades before signing with the Stampeders in September.“Our vibe is we want to play for each other,” continued Lee, who fits the bill as the Stamps’ middle linebacker for the 2025 CFL campaign. “We want to play for our defensive coaches. Want to play for defensive coordinator Bob Slowik, and we want to play complementary football for the teammates on special teams and offence.Advertisement 3Article content“We want to bring a toughness, grit …” added Lee. “We want to be some bad mofos at the end of the day. We want to be a part of the bad mofo club. So anybody that steps on our turf in our home and any turf that we step on, we want to show those guys that we can’t be messed with.”Read More Defensive linemen in Calgary Stampeders camp: 'Game-wreckers' wanted Special teamers in Calgary Stampeders camp: Battles at hand at punter, returner Five takeaways as Calgary Stampeders pummel Edmonton Elks in final pre-season game The players10 Nicky Farinaccio 6’1, 205 lb. 25 Montréal18 Deshawn Pace* 6’2, 220 lb. 23 Central Florida42 Micah Teitz* 6’0, 229 lb. 29 Calgary48 Jacob Roberts* 6’1, 233 lb. 23 Wake Forest50 Marquel Lee* 6’3, 234 lb. 29 Wake Forest51 Kelechi Anyalebechi* 6’0, 240 lb. 24 Incarnate Word53 Trey Kiser* 6’0, 224 lb. 24 South Alabama56 Gary Johnson Jr.* 6’0, 230 lb. 28 Texas* — denotes AmericanYour Midday SunYour noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.Thanks for signing up!A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Your Midday Sun will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againArticle contentAdvertisement 4Article contentThe sceneThe linebacker corps is definitely a revamped unit with the Stamps having parted ways with a handful of veteran CFLers, including former league all-stars Micah Awe and Cam Judge.Longtime defensive back Brendan Dozier, who bumped up to play outside linebacker in his years with the Stamps, Darius Williams and Adam Konar have also moved on.Judge, of course, was traded to the Toronto Argonauts in exchange for high-profile rush-end Folarin Orimolade, in one of the many key transactions made by the Red and White in the off-season.The Stamps also brought in Fraser Sopik for a second tour of duty after making him a fourth-round selection in the 2019 CFL Draft. But he abruptly retired ahead of training camp because of an off-season injury to throw a wrench in the team’s plan at linebacker. Sopik was to be a key member of the corps.Advertisement 5Article contentBut others of a fresh group have since risen to strengthen the unit.“Probably the guy that’s stepped up is Marquel Lee,” Dickenson said. “He’s been a pro for a lot of years. He just hasn’t been in the CFL.“You want someone in your linebacking corps to make sure everybody’s accountable and doing the right thing.”And that’s Lee.The plotLee, 29, comes to Calgary and the CFL after a few bright years in the NFL, where he wasn’t just a spot player.The San Diego native and decorated Maryland football product saw action in 34 games over three seasons with the Oakland Raiders from 2017-20 and then again for another 11 games in his second tour of duty with the franchise in Las Vegas from 2021. He amassed 115 tackles total with the Silver and Black.Advertisement 6Article content“It came to the point where I’m getting a little older for NFL standards,” Lee said. “But I’m blessed to have Calgary give me the opportunity to come in further my career and be a staple in this community and in this city.“I felt like it gave me an opportunity to continue playing football at a high level professionally and also get experience in another country. I’ve always heard about the CFL. One of my childhood friends, Shawn Lemon, he’s been a great influence. And there are other guys from my area and from college that I’ve seen come to this league and played good football at a high level.”Lee played 48 games over four seasons (2013-16) with the NCAA’s Wake Forest Demon Deacons. He earned first-team all-Atlantic Coast Conference honours in 2016 after leading the Demon Deacons with 105 tackles, including 20 tackles for loss and adding 7.5 sacks. In his collegiate career, he started 37-of-48 games and accumulated 291 tackles and 14.5 sacks.Advertisement 7Article content“I think I bring the standard,” Lee said. “Every practice and every meeting, it’s being intentional about the work and also just bringing a grit and an edge that we’re not here to be pushed around.”Lee is joined by fellow Americans in Gary Johnson Jr., Jacob Roberts, Trey Kiser and Kelechi Anyalebechi in trying to make an impact — and the roster.Johnson is a sixth-year CFLer, playing in all 18 games for the Ottawa Redblacks in 2024. And after limited time with the Stamps last year, Roberts has shown well in camp.Lee, Roberts and Micah Teitz are the only returnees from last year’s unit, and at that, Teitz — a former U SPORTS’ Calgary Dinos star with six seasons of CFL under his belt — is the only one who was with the team from the first day of 2024.Advertisement 8Article contentThe endingWith just eight linebackers currently in camp, there won’t be many — if any — cuts being made.So they’d better be ready to roar.And watch for that experience to anchor the unit — with Lee flanked by Teitz on the weak side and Derrick Moncrief sliding down from his secondary spot to the strong-side linebacker role — a gig he’s well-suited for and well-versed in after seven previous CFL seasons.“I’m happy with that group, even though it’s very inexperienced,” Dickenson said. “But I don’t see them messing up.“They’ve got physicality. They can run. They make plays on the ball. There’s good leadership. So we’re not super deep at linebacker, but I do feel like we’ve got some players.”With only two Canadians on the unit, Teitz and 2025 draftee Nicky Farinaccio are super safe.Advertisement 9Article contentAfter that, it comes down to an American or two perhaps on the chopping block.“We’ve got a lot of guys that can go — I can say that,” added Lee. “We’ve got a lot of guys that are very intentional about our work. And it’s coming together real well.“We want to be the best corps in the nation, and our slogan is, ‘Be the best.’ And so we want to take that to the field, to the classroom and out into the community, as well. We want to be the best linebacker corps in the CFL.”Short yardageThe Stampeders take the next three days off — and make final cuts — before returning to practice Monday ahead of their season-opener Saturday, June 7, against the visiting Hamilton Tiger-Cats at McMahon Stadium (5 p.m., CHQR 770 AM/107.3 FM the Edge, TSN) … The roster will be comprised of 45 active players, 10 practice-roster types and those shifted to injured reserve … In the meantime, this Saturday is the Stamps’ annual fanfest at McMahon, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. inside the stadium. Fans can get a head start on the fun by attending the Calgary Grey Cup Committee’s pancake breakfast in the east parking lot at McMahon, from 9 to 11 a.m., with High Steppin’ Daddy providing live music.tsaelhof@postmedia.comX: @ToddSaelhofPMArticle contentShare this article in your social networkComments Join the Conversation Featured Local Savings