With organized team activities (OTAs) right around the corner for the Minnesota Vikings, fans are going to get their first look at the 2026 squad. In the meantime, the Canadian Football League joined the United Football League, kicking off their preseason on Monday, May 18. The first matchup featured the defending champion Saskatchewan Roughriders defeating the Calgary Stampeders, 20-15.
This matchup, and many more CFL games this season, will feature a handful of former Vikings. These players are looking to get back to the NFL. Meanwhile, NFL teams need talent that can compete right away, especially during training camp.
Minnesota has a long history of finding talent north of the border, most famously Joe Kapp and Bud Grant. More recently, the current roster includes Jacob Roberts, who spent last season with the Calgary Stampeders, competing for a spot in the linebacker room. The team even routinely flirts with CFL stars like Bo Levi Mitchell and Nathan Rourke, who the team worked out in different years.
The CFL features top talent who have made stops in Minnesota during their careers. Looking at players from rookie minicamp tryouts to those who spent time on the active roster, we are going to highlight how some of them are faring (further) up north.
Offense
Alexander Hollins is the most notable ex-Viking on the offensive side of the ball in the CFL. Hollins played for Minnesota in 2019 and 2020 and made a few appearances on the active roster. He caught two passes for 46 yards in the 2019 season finale against the Chicago Bears. Since joining the CFL, Hollins was named an All-Star in 2023 and looks like he’ll be part of the Montreal Alouettes’ dangerous passing attack.
Myron Mitchell joins Hollins in the CFL, a fellow wide receiver who is with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The Vikings signed Mitchell as a UDFA in 2021, and he spent a short time with the team. Mitchell looks to form a connection with quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell, who leads Montreal, the title favorites in the East.
The Tiger-Cats also feature Trevor Reid, last offseason’s CFL import. Reid spent time on Minnesota’s reserve list in 2025 but never made the active roster.
Finally, Makai Polk and Zach Zebrowski wrap up the offensive side of the ball, who were rookie minicamp tryouts for the team in 2024 and 2025. Polk has seen success in the CFL, earning All-Star honors in 2024 and helping the Toronto Argonauts capture the Grey Cup that same season. Meanwhile, Zebrowski, a two-time Harlon Hill Trophy winner, is trying to establish himself as the future face of the franchise with the Edmonton Elks.
Defense
On the opposite side of the ball, the Ottawa Redblacks recently signed once-promising Vikings pass rusher Luiji Vilain. If you remember, Vilain was a preseason standout for the squad but never managed to establish himself in a talented edge-rush room.
Since his days in Minnesota, Vilain made short stops with the Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, and Dallas Cowboys before taking his talents north. Look for an NFL journeyman like Villain to be a standout in the CFL, joining fellow edge rushing superstars with NFL experience like Willie Jefferson and Mathieu Betts.
Jaylin Williams is another preseason standout for the Vikings who’s getting his shot in the CFL. Williams was signed as a UDFA out of Indiana in 2023 and was a young, bright spot for the team, showing promise to then-first-year defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Jaylin is now with Edmonton and is looking to lead a young Elks squad into the playoffs this season.
Joining him in the league are fellow defensive backs C.J. Coldon, Marcus Sayles, and Brian Cole, who plays a hybrid linebacker/defensive back role. All three look like established players in their roles and will be key features for their squads this season.
The CFL/Vikings Connection
The CFL is full of ex-Vikings looking to pave their way back to the NFL, and organizations are always searching for talent who can step in and compete immediately. Minnesota has scouted the CFL, and they need to continue doing so, given their cap situation and poor drafting over the past few seasons.
We have seen a trend from this regime of bringing in CFL talent during the past few offseasons, signing the likes of Reid, Roberts, and Jaylon Hutchings. The talent is there, and the CFL is a well-established source of young players; the Vikings should embrace this route more than ever.
Full list
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
N/A
Saskatchewan Roughriders
Marcus Sayles (CB) – 2020
Oscar Chapman (P) – 2025
Edmonton Elks
Zach Zebrowski (QB) – 2025
Jaylin Williams (CB) – 2023
Calgary Stampeders
N/A
BC Lions
Silas Bolden (WR) – 2025
Darnell Sankey (LB) – 2017
C.J. Coldon Jr. (CB) – 2023
Toronto Argonauts
Makai Polk (WR) – 2024
Montreal Alouettes
Alexander Hollins (WR) – 2019-20
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Myron Mitchell (WR) – 2021-22
Trevor Reid (OL) – 2025
Reggie Stubblefield (DB) – 2022
Ottawa Redblacks
Luiji Vilain (DL) – 2022-23
Brian Cole II (DB) – 2020
