The CFL’s free-agent flurry, laden with luminaries, can obscure the reality that much of the groundwork has already been done.
Consider the case of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who have averaged one player signing every two days, dating back to Nov. 14.
On that fine day, the Roughriders announced that long snapper Jorgen Hus had signed a two-year contract extension.
Consummation of that deal ensured that Hus would not hit the open market beginning today (Feb. 13) at 11 a.m., Saskatchewan time.
Hus was the first of 47 players, veterans and newcomers included, to sign with the Roughriders over a 90-day period that concluded on Monday.
The number increases to 48 when you include the restructured contract quarterback Trevor Harris signed in early January. Harris had signed for two years as a free agent on Feb. 14, 2023.
OK, make it 49. Defensive back Rolan Milligan Jr., who was already under contract through the 2024 season, recently extended his deal by another year.
Once you factor in holdovers from 2023 who were already under contract for 2024, the Roughriders have upwards of 70 players under wraps before the free-agency period — the result of a collaborative effort between Jeremy O’Day (General Manager and Vice-President of Football Operations), Kyle Carson (Assistant GM), Paul Jones (Assistant GM) and Jordan Greenly (Director, Football Operations).
More than half of the Roughriders’ eligible free agents have already been re-signed.
Of the 30 Saskatchewan players whose names appear on the CFL’s Free Agency Tracker, 15 have been re-signed.
That number does not include Hus, receiver Brayden Lenius and quarterback Antonio Pipkin, each of whom re-signed shortly after last season — and before they could be classified as would-be free agents for the purposes of the Tracker.
Without further preamble, let’s break down the players who have signed new or extended contracts with the Green and White.
That list includes 25 players who played at least one regular-season game with the Roughriders in 2023:
- LS Jorgen Hus (signed Nov. 14)
- REC Brayden Lenius (Nov. 16)
- LB Matt Dean (Nov. 21)
- OL Zack Fry (Nov. 21)
- QB Antonio Pipkin (Nov. 23)
- DB Rodney Clemons (Nov. 29)
- DB Mark Fields II (Nov. 29)
- RET Mario Alford (Jan. 4)
- RB Frankie Hickson (Jan. 18)
- QB Mason Fine (Jan. 23)
- OL Philip Blake (Jan. 25)
- REC Shawn Bane Jr. (Feb. 1)
- DL Caleb Sanders (Dec. 4)
- REC Kendall Watson (Dec. 6)
- DL Miles Brown (Dec. 15)
- DB Amari Henderson (Dec. 15)
- LB C.J. Reavis (Dec. 23)
- OL Logan Ferland (Jan. 22)
- K Brett Lauther (Jan. 22)
- DL Charbel Dabire (Jan. 24)
- DB Nelson Lokombo (Jan. 29)
- DL Anthony Lanier II (Jan. 30)
- DB Rolan Milligan Jr. (Jan. 31)
- DB Godfrey Onyeka (Feb. 6)
- DL Micah Johnson (Feb. 12)
To date, the Roughriders have also announced the signings of 23 players who have yet to suit up for the team in a regular-season game:
- OL Evan Floren (Nov. 21)
- FB Morgen Runge (Nov. 21)
- LB Nick Thomas (Nov. 21)
- DB Cole Coleman (Nov. 29)
- OL Trevor Reid (Dec. 4)
- OL Jordan Tucker (Dec. 4)
- LB Jaxon Ciraolo-Brown (Dec. 6)
- REC Kalija Lipscomb (Dec. 6)
- REC Dohnte Meyers (Dec. 6)
- REC Jake Parker (Dec. 6)
- RB Jerrion Ealy (Dec. 14)
- OL Jacob Brammer (Dec. 22)
- REC O’Joshua Bunton (Dec. 22)
- OL Noah Zerr (Dec. 22)
- LB K.D. Davis (Jan. 18)
- DL Roman Lee Harrison (Jan. 18)
- REC Geronimo Allison (Jan. 19)
- LB Mark McLaurin (Jan. 24)
- LB Zakoby McClain (Jan. 30)
- DB C.J. Coldon (Feb. 1)
- LB Adam Auclair (Feb. 9)
- DB Nick Nelson (Feb. 9)
- DL Elijah Ponder (Feb. 12)
Of those 23 players, six attended the Roughriders’ Coors Light Training Camp: Floren, Runge, Thomas, Tucker, Lipscomb and Parker. So, who remains unsigned by Saskatchewan? Here is the list of pending free agents, as of Feb. 12:
- FB Albert Awachie
- REC Juwan Brescacin
- DL DeMarcus Christmas
- DB Jeremy Clark
- LB Larry Dean
- QB Jake Dolegala
- LB Justin Herdman-Reed
- OL Evan Johnson
- REC Tevin Jones
- OL Colin Kelly
- OL Eric Lofton
- RB Jamal Morrow
- DL Pete Robertson
- LB Micah Teitz
Veteran linebacker Derrick Moncrief, who was released on Jan. 4, is also available.
Also on the market is receiver Jake Wieneke, who signed a two-year contract with Saskatchewan on Feb. 14, 2023. He was released on Jan. 18.
