Calgary Stampeders DL Lorenzo Mauldin IV sad to leave Redblacks but ‘wasn’t the player’ for their scheme

Courtesy: Calgary Stampeders
Defensive lineman Lorenzo Mauldin IV practiced with the Calgary Stampeders for the first time on Tuesday after being acquired from the Ottawa Redblacks in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2026 CFL Draft.

The native of Sacramento, Calif., who will turn 33 on Wednesday, is happy to be a member of the Stampeders but said leaving Ottawa was “a hard pill to swallow.” He spent four years in the nation’s capital where he welcomed his second daughter and was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 2022.

Hard feelings aside, this was far from Mauldin’s most productive season with the Redblacks. Over 14 starts, he recorded 26 defensive tackles and only two sacks, which tied for fourth on the roster. For context, the former third-round NFL draft pick had 30 sacks over his first three seasons in Ottawa, earning two All-CFL selections.

Mauldin, who reportedly dropped 20 pounds in advance of this season, attributed his low production this season to being a poor fit in Ottawa’s scheme.

“It’s been tough for me, just learning a new defence and being able to get accustomed to it. I definitely felt like I could have gave more and I will give more,” Mauldin told the media in Calgary. “It’s the thing of understanding defence and being able to apply myself in the defence, so I just feel like when it comes to schemes, some players work well in schemes and some players don’t. I just feel like I wasn’t the player for that scheme.”

“I was going to go crazy for the last four (regular-season games in Ottawa) and this happened.”

The Redblacks are on the brink of being eliminated from playoff contention at 4-10, which led to Mauldin being shipped out west. This year’s trade deadline is set for Wednesday, October 1, though the event is generally low-key compared to other professional leagues.

Head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson sought character references from some of his team’s former Redblacks, including receiver Dominique Rhymes, linebacker Gary Johnson Jr., and defensive back Damon Webb. When they all came back positive, he felt comfortable pulling the trigger on the trade for Mauldin.

“I just feel like we needed that type of player to hopefully make our defence feel a little more confident stopping the run, and then on second-and-longs, feeling like we can settle in and get pressure not necessarily having to blitz to do it,” said Dickenson. “You also remember what he did against you and he’s had good games against us consistently. That was an easy reason to bring him in.”

The six-foot-four, 265-pound defender will be tasked with helping fill the void left by Folarin Orimolade, who suffered a season-ending Achilles tear earlier this month. The Stampeders have lost three straight since the game during which he suffered the injury, falling to 8-6 with the hopes of hosting a postseason game fading fast.

Calgary has recorded 26 sacks on the year, which ranks fifth in the CFL, with Clarence Hicks and Jaylon Hutchings being tied for the team lead with seven.

Mauldin, who played and lost two Grey Cups as a member of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, is excited for a chance to get back to the CFL’s championship game with his new team.

“I’m just happy to be here and I’m going to do whatever I can and everything in my power to help this team get to the Grey Cup.”

The Calgary Stampeders (8-6) will visit the B.C. Lions (8-7) at BC Place Stadium on Saturday, October 4 with kickoff slated for 7:00 p.m. EDT. The Stampeders suffered a one sided loss to the Montreal Alouettes this past week, while the Lions came away with a close win over the Toronto Argonauts.

The game will be broadcast on TSN in Canada and CFL+ internationally. Radio listeners can tune-in on 770 CHQR in Calgary and 730 CKNW in Vancouver.