SOME ROUGHRIDERS WAIVER-WIRE ADDITIONS ARE A CUT ABOVE OTHERS
The spirit of giving is not restricted to the holiday season.
Consider the impactful players that rival CFL teams have donated to the Saskatchewan Roughriders over the years.
A recent example is defensive back Loucheiz Purifoy, who was released by the Ottawa Redblacks in August. He was quickly claimed by the Roughriders, with whom he became a key component of a strong defence.
Purifoy could have tested free agency, but opted to re-sign with Saskatchewan. The deal was announced Wednesday, when a prehistoric pundit began to wonder: “How many other times has something like this happened?”
Without further preamble, here is a list of other players who have excelled in Saskatchewan after being deemed expendable by another CFL franchise.
Oh, and thanks to Mitchell Blair (@scruffyregina), Chris Garton (@gartsregina), Fake Gainer (@FAKEGAINER) and Double Z Ag Sales (@Doublezagsales1) for their input after I floated this column idea on Twitter. Plus, our man Murray Mccormick weighed in — which is fabulous fun for him because he has lost 40-plus pounds — with one suggestion. (Translation: If you don’t like this column, it’s their fault. Don’t blame me. Onward …)
Ed Buchanan: Released by the Calgary Stampeders during the 1963 season, the fleet tailback quickly found a home in Saskatchewan. He scored two touchdowns in a 1963 playoff classic against Calgary — The Little Miracle of Taylor Field — and was simply brilliant the following year. In 1964, Buchanan rushed for 1,390 yards (averaging 7.8 yards per carry) and added 36 receptions for 681 yards (18.9 yards per catch). Duron Carter: The controversial receiver was cashiered by the Montreal Alouettes late in the 2016 season amid circumstances that were never explained. Saskatchewan snapped him up in 2017 and was handsomely rewarded when he was named the team’s most outstanding player. He piled up 1,043 receiving yards and caught eight touchdown passes, in addition to scoring another major on an interception return. However, he was released again — without explanation, as usual — in August even though the lack of a passing attack plagued the Roughriders all season.
Jason Clermont: Cast aside by the B.C. Lions after the 2008 season, the former University of
Regina Rams star resurfaced in his hometown and spent three years with the Roughriders. He did not recapture the 1,000-yard form he demonstrated with B.C., but his exemplary leadership was noted by members of a young receiving corps. His first touchdown catch as a Roughrider was the overtime winner in a 2010 home playoff victory over B.C.
Craig Ellis: Saskatchewan claimed Ellis on waivers after he was released by Calgary in the fall of 1983. He was named a West Division all-star running back in 1984. An all-purpose threat, he scored 17 touchdowns and caught 102 passes in 1985. Kevin Glenn: The Winnipeg Blue Bombers released the veteran quarterback in January 2017. He soon became a third-time Roughrider and enjoyed a strong season, throwing for 4,038 yards and 25 touchdowns while registering a quarterback-efficiency rating of 100.
Roger Goree: This undersized but hard-hitting linebacker was released by the Stampeders despite playing well for them in 1973 and 1974. Saskatchewan general manager Ken Preston happily helped himself to Goree, who ended up in the Plaza of Honour. Jovon Johnson: The veteran defensive back quickly landed in Saskatchewan after being released by Montreal in June 2017. He went on to enjoy a strong season with Saskatchewan, while also becoming an all-star in the community.
Milson Jones: Despite being named the most valuable Canadian in the 1987 Grey Cup game, Jones was cut by the Edmonton Eskimos the following year. He spent the next five seasons in Saskatchewan, scoring 31 touchdowns over the first three years. Brett Lauther: He bounced around the CFL for nearly five years — spending time with the Eskimos, Hamilton Tiger-cats, Toronto Argonauts and even Saskatchewan (in 2015 and 2017) — before becoming an ultrareliable member of the 2018 Roughriders. After hitting 54 of 60 field-goal attempts, he was named a West all-star. (We are cheating a bit here in that Saskatchewan was among the teams for which he had previously tried out. So sue me.)
Robert Mimbs: Dumped by Winnipeg (in 1992) and B.C. (1993), Mimbs was out of football for a year before becoming a Roughrider in 1995. The next season, during which he turned 32, he rushed for 1,403 yards en route to being named the West’s most outstanding player. The league award was won by somebody named Doug Flutie.
Dave Ridgway: (Robokicker) had unsuccessful stints with Montreal and Winnipeg before signing with Saskatchewan in 1982. He spent 14 seasons as a Roughrider en route to entering the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
Barrin Simpson: At 32, Simpson was released by Winnipeg late in 2009. He resurfaced in Saskatchewan and was named a West all-star linebacker in 2010 while helping the Roughriders reach the Grey Cup game.
Joey Walters: The Blue Bombers (notice a trend here?) released Walters in 1977 following his first four CFL games. The Roughriders were more than happy to put in a claim. The spectacular No. 17 enjoyed backto-back seasons that are unmatched in Roughriders history, amassing 1,715 receiving yards (an enduring team record) in 1981 and adding 1,692
(on 102 catches) the following year.
Have I missed anyone of note? If so, tweet me at @robvanstone or send an email to …