Ticats bolster secondary by adding Collins

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have been talking for weeks with the Calgary Stampeders about defensive back Milt Collins.

Monday, they got their man.

Sportsnet.ca has learned that the Ti-Cats will receive Collins and a late-round draft pick in 2013 for the rights to Jadon Wagner and a late-round draft pick of their own. The deal was finalized this afternoon, about 24 hours after the Tiger-Cats thumped the Stampeders in the Touchdown Atlantic game in Moncton, N.B.

Collins has been with the Stampeders since breaking into the CFL in 2008, and was a member of Calgary's Grey Cup winning team. He was part of then-Stamps defensive back coach Corey Chamblin's secondary. Now Hamilton's defensive coordinator, the two teams have been discussing Collins in trade talks going back to the early part of the summer.

Wagner, meanwhile, a defensive end from BYU, was a sixth round pick by Hamilton in the 2011 draft, but returned for his senior season. He has Calgary connections, having played for the Colts junior program and also does some long snapping.