Once the Saskatchewan Roughriders football operations staff led by General Manager Jeremy O’Day determine the next Head Coach for the Roughriders, the organization will need to make some important decisions on the roster.
3DownNation recently posted the list of potential free agents for the Roughriders.
In the Canadian Football League, player contracts are usually short-term, which means that change is bound to happen. After missing the playoffs for two consecutive seasons, it is evident that the Saskatchewan Roughriders require some changes. The question now is how extensive those changes should be.
Free agency in the Canadian Football League is in February.
Even with a contract signed through next season with the Roughriders, quarterback Trevor Harris knows there are no guarantees.
The 37-year-old’s first year in Saskatchewan came to a premature end in July following a knee injury against the Calgary Stampeders.
He doesn’t want the lasting image of his career to be his injury.
“My last play can’t be me carted off the field, but at the same time, you know I’m going to say it’s not.”
Harris believes he’s capable of producing again in the future.
“I think I got plenty of years left as a tier one quarterback.”
In five games this season with Saskatchewan, Harris had 1,274 passing yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions.
Before being eliminated from playoff contention, the quarterback had planned to return to practice if Saskatchewan made it to the postseason.
The other quarterbacks on the Roughriders are eligible for free agency, including Jake Dolegala, Mason Fine and Antonio Pipkin. Shea Patterson was on the team’s practice roster at the end of the season and is free to sign with any CFL team.
Two running backs for the green and white are eligible for free agency in Jamal Morrow and Frankie Hickson.
Morrow said on Sunday, when the players were cleaning out their lockers, that he will wait and see what happens this winter.
“Just take care of what you can take care of.”
On the offensive line, guards Logan Ferland, Philip Blake, and Evan Johnson, with tackles Eric Lofton and Colin Kelly, are eligible for free agency.
For Ferland, he knows that offseason moves are inevitable in football.
“There’s are always going to be a lot of changes no matter what on a team after each year, you never going to lock up the same guys you had the year before, there’s going to be some sort of change.”
Johnson believes he still has plenty of good football left, even though he became the team’s sixth offensive lineman during the season.
“I’m 29-years-old so I still have a lot of playing years in front of me, no matter what happens I don’t think it will be the end for me.”
Among the wide receivers that could head to free agency include Shawn Bane Jr.
It was a career season for the Sarasota, Florida product, registering his first career 1,000-yard season with the Roughriders. Bane Jr. moved to Saskatchewan after two years with the Calgary Stampeders.
Former Most Outstanding Special Teams Player Award winner Mario Alford, Tevin Jones, Brayden Lenius and Juwan Brescacin all can become free agents.
There are several questions on the defensive side of the ball, beginning with the defensive linemen.
Anthony Lanier II, Pete Robertson, Micah Johnson, Miles Brown, Demarcus Christmas, and Charbel Dabire all eligible for free agency this winter.
Lanier II said that change is a part of the business in professional football.
“We’ve been dealing with this for years and it’s nothing new.”
Last off-season, the Savannah, Georgia product signed a lucrative contract to be among the highest-paid defenders in the CFL.
In his third season with Saskatchewan, Lanier II saw action in 14 games and had five sacks.
All the Roughriders starting linebackers are potential free agents, including Larry Dean, Micah Teitz and Derrick Moncrief.
Dean is coming off his second straight 100+ tackle season in Saskatchewan after he tore his Achilles on the first day of training camp in 2021.
Teitz played in all 18 games in 2023 after missing last season with a hip injury. He registered 57 tackles.
Moncrief completed his fifth season with the Roughriders. The former Oklahoma State Cowboy returned to Saskatchewan for his second stint with the team in 2022. He had 50 tackles this year.
In the secondary, Nic Marshall could potentially become a free agent. The former Auburn Tiger matched a career-high five interceptions in 2023. Marshall has been in Saskatchewan for the last five seasons.
C.J. Reavis is another possible free agent. Reavis recorded 59 tackles, three sacks, three forced fumbles, and one interception.
Amari Henderson played in all 18 games with Saskatchewan and recorded a pair of interceptions.
Other defensive backs scheduled for free agency include Jeremy Clark, Trumaine Washington, and National Defensive Backs Godfrey Onyeka and Nelson Lokombo.
Lauther has been with the Roughriders since 2018, while Hus has worn green and white since 2015.
