The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have signed Canadian defensive lineman Charbel Dabire.
The 29-year-old suffered a knee injury during training camp last year, causing him to miss the entire 2025 CFL season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
The six-foot, 300-pound defender appeared in only four regular-season games in 2024 due to a knee injury, recording four defensive tackles, one special teams tackle, two sacks, and one forced fumble.
Dabire had a career year in 2023, suiting in all 18 regular-season games while registering 13 defensive tackles, two special teams tackles, and two sacks.
The native of Toronto, Ont. was originally selected in the fifth round of the 2019 CFL Draft by the Roughriders. In 58 career regular-season games, he has registered 41 defensive tackles, four special teams tackles, eight sacks, and one forced fumble.
Dabire played collegiately for Wagner College in New York, suiting up in 33 games over three seasons. He recorded 73 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, one forced fumble, and returned one blocked kick for a touchdown during his time with the Seahawks.
Pending CFL free agents were able to communicate with teams around the league from February 1 to 8, during which time contracts could be negotiated and agreed upon but not signed. Starting, Tuesday, February 10 at noon EST, players can officially change teams.
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats finished first in the East Division standings in 2025 with an 11-7 record, though the team lost the East Final to the Montreal Alouettes. Bo Levi Mitchell led the CFL with 5,296 passing yards, 36 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions after starting all 18 regular-season games, earning the East Division’s nomination for Most Outstanding Player.
The Tiger-Cats ranked third in net offence, eighth in net defence, and first with a turnover differential of plus-ten. The club’s leading rusher was Greg Bell with 1,038 yards, leading receiver was Kenny Lawler with 1,443 yards, and leading tackler was Stavros Katsantonis with 69 tackles. Hamilton ranked fourth in attendance with average crowds of 22,858, which was a 3.9 percent increase from the previous year.
