OTTAWA — After a season that saw him finish tied for the CFL lead in sacks, American defensive lineman Michael Wakefield has signed a one-year extension with the Ottawa REDBLACKS, the team announced on Wednesday.
Wakefield was set to become a free agent on February 11 and was ranked No. 25 on CFL.ca’s top 30 pending free agents list.
“Mike’s contributions as a leader on this team, as well as his tenacity in both defending the run and rushing the quarterback have served as critical components of our defence over the last two seasons,” said REDBLACKS head coach Bob Dyce. “We are thrilled to have him back for 2025.”
“I couldn’t be happier to be staying in Ottawa,” said Wakefield. “We’re building something special here, and I can’t wait to get back on the field with my teammates to build on the success we had last year.”
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MICHAEL WAKEFIELD PINS THE ARGOS DEEP #GCPlayoffs on CTV, TSN, & RDS
📲: Stream on CFL+ pic.twitter.com/K6hEFYSMqu— CFL (@CFL) November 2, 2024
A product of Valdosta, Georgia, Wakefield signed with the REDBLACKS for a second stint on February 14, 2023. The 30-year-old enjoyed the most productive season of his career in 2024, finishing tied with teammate Lorenzo Mauldin IV for the CFL lead with a career-high eight sacks. Wakefield appeared in all 18 games, also recording three forced fumbles, and 30 tackles, as well as tallying a pair of sacks in Ottawa’s Eastern Semi-Final matchup with the Toronto Argonauts. For his efforts, Wakefield was named to the East Division All-CFL team for the first time in his career, and was Ottawa’s unanimous nominee for Most Outstanding Defensive Player.
Wakefield played his collegiate career at FIU from 2012 to 2015, before signing in the NFL with Washington as an undrafted free agent. He signed with the REDBLACKS on June 12, 2017, and remained with the team until 2021, helping them reach the 106th Grey Cup in 2018.
Wakefield inked a deal with the Montreal Alouettes ahead of the 2021 campaign, where he remained until returning to Ottawa for the 2023 season. He has appeared in 101 CFL games, racking up 164 total tackles, 30 sacks, three forced fumbles, and an interception.