Riders sign Charleston Hughes ahead of training camp

Charleston Hughes had one place listed ahead of the others when it came to where he wanted to play football in 2022.

“I was leaning towards a few teams but I wasn’t going anywhere unless I got an absolute no from Saskatchewan first, which they never gave me an absolute no,” said Hughes, who signed Tuesday with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. “It’s one of those situations where I do appreciate (general manager Jeremy O’Day and head coach Craig Dickenson) for making it work for me.

“(When I left the team last time) it was a bittersweet situation that was going on. I didn’t want to leave the team but it ended up happening that way anyways just because we couldn’t get a deal done at the time and I learned a lot from that. I learned that sometimes it’s not all about the money.”

Hughes said there are only a couple of teams in the CFL that know what he brings to a squad and he weighed his decision a lot on the coaching staff.

“I wanted to go to a situation where I knew I was going to be utilized for my strength and utilized properly,” Hughes said.

Hughes, who played the 2018 and ’19 seasons with the Riders, was a member of the Toronto Argonauts in 2021. Toronto released Hughes in December.

“(Toronto) was a great experience. That was the best we’ve seen that team in quite some time. The players there are awesome and the players is what made the situation a lot better for me. Things just didn’t work out when it’s all said and done and we came to a mutual agreement that we should part ways,” Hughes said.

During his two seasons with the Riders, Hughes amassed 31 of his 132 career sacks. The 38-year-old is seventh on the league’s all-time quarterback sacks list.

Hughes played in only nine games for the Argos last season, recording just two sacks.

“I’ve had doubters for the last seven years of my career. I understand that I have doubters and I have people who are always waiting and praying for my downfall and that I fall off at some given time or run out of steam or run out of gas,” Hughes said.

“I’m still at the top of my game and I never run out of gas. I don’t even look at last season as an off year. I look at last season as my past and it’s behind me. I went into a situation just wasn’t a great fit for me and I probably should have handled it a hell of a lot different.”

Prior to being traded to the Riders in 2018, Hughes spent 10 seasons with the Calgary Stampeders, with whom he won two Grey Cups (2008, 2014).

Hughes was named a CFL all-star in 2012 and ’13 as well as from 2016 through 2019.

Meanwhile, defensive end Jonathan Woodard — whom the Roughriders released in February so he could try his luck in the NFL — was cut by the Kansas City Chiefs.

Woodard had 10 sacks in 14 games for Saskatchewan last season. The Roughriders retained his CFL rights when he was released to go to the NFL.

If Woodard returns in time for training camp, the Roughriders could have Hughes, Woodard and 2021 sack leader A.C. Leonard among its defensive ends at camp.

“I’m ready to step in wherever the team needs me. I know getting to the quarterback is more my forte so I’m going to do what I need to do to help improve what the guys already do and that’s get to the quarterback,” Hughes said.

But even as Hughes enters a 14th CFL training camp, his mindset hasn’t changed from the first.

“I approach training camp the same way every year — high impact, high velocity and nothing but go, go, go. I don’t go into camp thinking about my age,” Hughes said. “Guys don’t even know how old I am until I tell them.”

Riders sign third-round draft pick

The Riders added another member of their 2022 CFL draft class to their roster ahead of camp.

The signing of offensive lineman Diego Alatorre Montoya was announced Tuesday. Originally from Tlajomulco de Zuniga, Mexico, Montoya spent four seasons with the UBC Thunderbirds. He was named a Canada West all-star in 2021.

The Riders also added another quarterback ahead of camp. The team signed Troy Williams, who spent the last two seasons with the Edmonton Elks.

The 27-year-old completed one pass for 15 yards and had 11 carries for 26 yards in two games over those two seasons.

There will also be another new target at camp for quarterbacks with the signing of wide receiver Jeremiah Haydel.

Haydel signed as an undrafted free agent in 2021 with the Los Angeles Rams.

He spent four seasons at Texas State University, playing in 44 games. He had 96 receptions for 1,191 yards and nine touchdowns during his time there.

Haydel also provides some special-teams depth, having returned 54 kicks for 1,141 yards and one touchdown while in college.