Roughriders unveil final roster
Questions surround offence with new starting QB, release of veteran receivers
There’s a different look to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2018.
Departed from the 2017 team that lost 25-21 to the Toronto Argonauts in the CFL’S East Division final are receivers Bakari Grant, Chad Owens and Rob Bagg, all of whom were released Saturday. Other veterans, like quarterback Kevin Glenn and middle linebacker Henoc Muamba, were set free during the off-season.
How their replacements fare will be determined through the Riders’ 2018 season, which kicks off Friday when they host the Toronto Argonauts.
Here’s a look at the Riders after the final cuts.
Players at each position are listed in alphabetical order. Internationals are denoted by an asterisk.
QUARTERBACKS
Brandon Bridge, *Zach Collaros, *David Watford.
The skinny: The Riders will confirm who will be their starting quarterback on Monday when they begin preparing for their regular-season opener. Neither Bridge nor Collaros distinguished himself in Friday’s 39-12 pre-season loss to the Calgary Stampeders. Collaros is expected to get the nod.
RECEIVERS
WR Devon Bailey, *WR-CB Duron Carter, *WR Shaq Evans, *SB Caleb Holley, WR Christion Jones, WR Denzel Radford, *SB Naaman Roosevelt, WR Joshua Stanford, *SB Jordan Williams-lambert, *WR Kyran Moore.
The skinny: Saskatchewan had one of the league’s best receiving corps before releasing Bagg, Grant and Owens. It’s likely Holley will take over for Grant, with Bailey filling the position Bagg had manned.
RUNNING BACKS/ FULLBACKS
*RB Tre Mason, RB Jerome Messam, *RB Marcus Thigpen, *RB Zac Stacy; FB Spencer Moore, FB Albert Awachie.
The skinny: The Riders need to get to Week 3, when Thigpen returns from a two-game suspension he received after testing positive for a banned substance. Thigpen was the best running back in camp. His absence likely leaves Messam as the starter with Mason as his backup.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
G Dariusz Bladek, OL Mathieu Breton, C Dan Clark, *T Takoby Cofield, *T Thaddeus Coleman, *G Jarvis Harrison, G Brendon Labatte, *T Terran Vaughn.
The skinny: Travis Bond was expected to anchor the right side of the line, but was released on the weekend. That may clear the way for Bladek, who spent his rookie season as the sixth offensive lineman, to start. Bladek did miss two weeks of training camp with an undisclosed injury. Vaughn, a rookie, will handle left offensive tackle. Canadian depth remains a concern.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
*DE Tobi Antigha, DT Zack Evans, *DE Chad Geter, DT Makana Henry, *DE Charleston Hughes, *DE Willie Jefferson, DT Tresor Mafuta, *DT Curt Maggitt, DE Jordan Reaves, DT Eddie Steele.
The skinny: The defensive line is the Riders’ foundation. Hughes and Jefferson are the anchors at defensive end, with Evans and Steele providing a push from the middle. Antigha and Henry provide depth.
LINEBACKERS
Adrian Clarke, Alexandre Chevrier, Alexandre Gagne, *Samuel Eguavoen, Kevin Francis, Sam Hurl, Cameron Judge, *Derrick Moncrief, Cody Peters, *Eric Striker, Micah Teitz.
The skinny: Moncrief could be in for a monster year, based on his performance in the pre-season. Eguavoen remains solid as the weak side linebacker. Judge adds Canadian depth to the weak side. Hurl leads the Canadian contingent at middle linebacker. Anyone who plays middle linebacker should be helped by the strength of the Riders’ defensive line.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
*HB Crezdon Butler, *WR-CB Duron Carter, S Marc-olivier Brouillette, S Mike Edem, *HB Ed Gainey, DB Colton Holmes, *CB Aaron Ivory, *CB Jovon Johnson, *CB Nick Marshall.
The skinny: Marshall starts at boundary cornerback when Carter isn’t out there. Halfbacks Butler and Gainey are solid. Johnson keeps purring along as the field cornerback. Edem will start at safety, with Brouillette also seeing action.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicker: Brett Lauther. Punter: Josh Bartel. Long snapper: Jorgen Hus. Returner: Christion Jones. The skinny: Incumbent kicker Tyler Crapigna is out for the season due to a surgical procedure on his kicking leg. That leaves the job to Lauther, who connected on all five of his field goal attempts during the pre-season. Lauther was a seventh-round pick (53rd overall) of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the 2013 CFL draft. He hasn’t attempted a field goal in a regular-season game since 2013, when he was 6-for-10 (which hardly inspires confidence). But with Crapigna on the sideline, he’s the man.