Rating the Saskatchewan Roughriders pending free agents

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Thirty-two potential free agents. That’s how many CFL veterans have completed the final season of their respective contracts with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

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How many should come back? Who deserves an offer? Who doesn’t? Who will leave? Let’s play keep-’em/dump-’em by dividing them into eight, four-player groups to debate who should get contract offers from the Roughriders.

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Goodbye, thanks for coming: DL Anthony Lanier II, OL Philip Blake, DB Amari Henderson, RB Frankie Hickson.

High-priced Lanier lost his starting spot because of injuries and ineffectiveness. Oft-injured Blake is worn out after being paid big bucks while dressing for eight games in two seasons. Did Henderson cover anyone in the West final? Hickson’s running style doesn’t fit into Saskatchewan’s power-back offence. Dump ’em.

Absolutely, positively bring ’em back: LB Jameer Thurman, OL Peter Godber, DL Miles Brown, DB Marcus Sayles.

Thurman anchored the CFL’s best run defence. Godber’s presence at centre stabilizes the offensive line. Although Brown’s play dipped after being fined for repeated rough play, he’s capable of wreaking havoc for years. Why did the B.C. Lions release Sayles, who obviously has plenty of game left?

Totally keepable, but there may be other options: QB Trevor Harris, WR Mario Alford, DL Micah Johnson, OL Ryan Sceviour.

Knee injuries and age (39 next season) are concerns with Harris. One-dimensional Alford doesn’t play receiver or running back and now, although occasionally capable of big plays, aims earlier for the sidelines when returning punts and kickoffs. Johnson seems ageless and was strong last season, but for how long? Calgary let Sceviour get away for some reason while there was still charge in his batteries.

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There’s room for this front four: DL Malik Carney, DL Bryan Cox, DL Charbel Dabire, DL Christian Albright.

Carney and Cox are solid defensive ends, capable of pressuring quarterbacks on a defence that rarely blitzes. Dabire and Albright are usually dependable components of the rotation on the defensive line. It’s a CFL-worthy front four, worthy of contract offers.

Canadians who fill important roles: LB A.J. Allen, LB Adam Auclair, DB Nelson Lokombo, WR Mitchell Picton.

Allen and Auclair were occasionally listed as starting outside linebackers to make sure the Roughriders abided by the CFL’s impossible-to-explain Canadian/American roster regulations, plus they made enough noteworthy plays to be brought back. Lokombo isn’t a ferocious hitter and rarely intercepts a pass, but after moving from cornerback he’s decent in pass coverage and should get a second season to show he’s a starting safety. Picton is a wily veteran who knows every receiving position and gets open when required. Keep ’em.

Keeping the families together: LB Jordan Herdman-Reed, LB Justin Herdman-Reed, DB Godfrey Onyeka, DB Kosi Onyeka.

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The linebackers are twin brothers while the defensive backs are cousins. Instant roommates, saving money on nameplates and inexpensive Canadian depth for special teams are good reasons to keep all four. CFL rosters are full of groups like this, but they’re not usually related.

Still proving themselves: WR Jerreth Sterns, OL Trevon Tate, DB Deontai Williams, OL Noah Zerr.

Sterns, Tate, Williams and Zerr were on the roster, off the roster. All started games, so they have value. They’re the type of players who usually re-join their familiar team, which isn’t a bad thing. Offer them contracts.

Maybe someone else wants them: QB Shea Patterson, DB Jayden Dalke, WR Colton Hunchak, DL Benoit Marion.

It’s hard to see these players fitting into the roster. Patterson was simply OK when pressed into starting duty, and he’s not very reliable on short-yardage plays. Dalke lost his spot at safety, while Hunchak and Benoit were emergency fill-ins. They’re not high-in-demand retainees.

Because the 2024 Roughriders placed second in the West with a 9-8-1 record, the 2025 Roughriders don’t need to look radically different. But there’s always offseason movement, especially since CFL veterans have been allowed to sign one-year contracts and teams have typically had 20-40 players on expiring contracts.

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Unless they get released to negotiate freely with any football team or league, or they re-sign with Saskatchewan, the pending free agents can legally discuss new deals with the other eight CFL teams from Feb. 2-9. If a player gets a documented contract offer, the Roughriders have two days to counter-offer before free agency officially hits at noon ET on Feb. 11. That’s when things get really hectic and the pieces start fitting together.

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