QB commotion overshadows Roughriders’ free agent pickups
A considerable portion of Valentine’s Day was spent waiting for the Saskatchewan Roughriders to announce sweetheart deals.
As of press time for this bestselling edition of the Regina Leader-post, the team had signed seven players since the CFL’S free-agency period began Tuesday.
So here, in a departure from the theme of “here’s who the Roughriders HAVEN’T signed,” is an enumeration and evaluation of non-marquee-quarterback-related moves made by general manager Jeremy O’day:
NAAMAN ROOSEVELT
Word arrived Thursday afternoon, via 3Downnation.com, that Roosevelt has agreed to terms on a new contract with Saskatchewan.
Finally!
Roosevelt is 31 and coming off a down year, from a statistical perspective, but he is a sure-handed, classy veteran whose presence should always be welcome.
The mind rewinds to the 2018 West Division semifinal, in which Roosevelt was open for what should have been two touchdowns against the visiting Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
However, quarterback Brandon Bridge missed the target on both occasions — hitting an upright, nowhere near Roosevelt, on the second throw — and the Roughriders ended up losing 23-18.
When Roosevelt last wore a Roughriders uniform, it was clear that he still had plenty of game left. But, again, there was the (ahem) quarterbacking ...
WILLIAM POWELL
Powell was clearly the premier running back available via free agency. O’day wasted little time wrapping up a deal with someone who, in recent years, the Roughriders’ defence has had considerable difficulty wrapping up.
Powell rushed for 1,362 yards in 16 games last season with the Ottawa Redblacks, for whom he caught 39 passes for 319 yards. He has been an East Division all-star in each of the past two seasons.
A compact five-foot-eight and 210 pounds, he breaks tackles and extracts every inch (profuse apologies to fanciers of the metric system) from every play.
The only concern pertains to age. Powell turns 31 on March 9.
However, he is not a high-mileage back — this is a no-metric zone — and should continue to compile impressive yardage (who needs metres, anyway?) totals over the duration of a twoyear contract.
Powell can help the Roughriders’ passing game by keeping defences honest. The running threat provides offensive co-ordinator Stephen Mcadoo with opportunities to use play-action in advantageous fashion.
If Powell’s presence forces rival defensive co-ordinators to crowd the box, there could be one-onone opportunities downfield.
The signing of Powell was overshadowed by the focus on Saskatchewan’s primary deficiency — the passing game. On Day 1 of free agency, the Roughriders pursued Bo Levi Mitchell before settling on Zach Collaros at quarterback.
O’day did not settle at tailback. Powell is a difference-maker.
MICAH JOHNSON
Johnson earned CFL all-star honours with the Calgary Stampeders in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
He is the rare defensive tackle who has the ability to be among the league’s leaders in quarterback sacks.
Last season, for example, Johnson had 14 sacks — only one fewer than Roughriders defensive end Charleston Hughes’ league-high total.
A.C. LEONARD
Leonard, who spent last season with Ottawa after playing for Saskatchewan in 2016 and 2017, rejoined the Green and White on Wednesday.
An East all-star last season, Leonard will fill some of the void created by the departures
of Willie Jefferson (to Winnipeg) and Tobi Antigha (Toronto Argonauts).
DYSHAWN DAVIS
The six-foot-two, 230-pound linebacker was a Day 1 signing by the Roughriders, whose special teams will be bolstered by his arrival.
With 22 special-teams tackles, Davis was fourth in the league last season. He will be an important cog for head coach/ special teams co-ordinator Craig Dickenson.
CORY WATSON
Watson, approaching 35, gives the Roughriders an experienced national receiver — a necessity now that Jake Harty is to miss a second consecutive season due to knee woes.
With the B.C. Lions last season, Watson caught 38 passes for 406 yards and three touchdowns. He has averaged 36 catches and 415 yards per season since becoming a CFLER in 2010.
CODY FAJARDO
From a Roughriders standpoint, Fajardo was the Tony Gabriel of the 2017 East Division final.
Fajardo scored on a one-yard quarterback sneak late in the fourth quarter to give Toronto a 25-21 victory over Saskatchewan. He entered the game as the short-yardage quarterback, replacing Ricky Ray, and applied the coup de grace.
Last year, Fajardo toiled for B.C. — completing 14 of 20 passes for 153 yards, with one touchdown. His Td-pass production equalled that of Bridge and the Roughriders’ other backup quarterback, David Watford, in 2018.