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Consistency was the goal for the Saskatchewan Roughriders on offensive side of the ball heading into the 2026 season.
The defending Grey Cup champions were able to bring back a majority of their starting players from 2025, including Grey Cup MVP Trevor Harris and running back A.J. Ouellette.
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That doesn’t mean the group is without change, as wide receiver Mitch Picton called it a career and West Final hero Tommy Nield signed a contract with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
There are a few positions to keep an eye on with training camp beginning on Sunday at Saskatoon’s Griffiths Stadium.
Quarterbacks
On the roster: Trevor Harris, Jack Coan, Tommy Stevens, Brayden Schager, Jordan McCloud
Harris will once again lead the team for the 2026 season. The 39-year-old started had one of the best years in his CFL career in 2025, throwing for 4,549 yards, 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He had one of his most productive games on the biggest stage, completing a Grey Cup record 85.2 per cent of his passes for 302 yards and no interceptions.
The backup spot has some intrigue this season, as veteran Jake Maier signed with the Ottawa Redblacks. Coan has been with the team since 2024 and has limited playing experience, often with the second team. He has only thrown 29 passes in regular-season games, completing 12 of them for 138 yards and a touchdown.
Stevens is the best short-yardage quarterback in the CFL, and will once again be a steady hand when called upon. He had five rushing touchdowns last season and averaged 3.7 yards per carry.
CFL rookies Schager and McCloud will look to showcase their arms and earn at least a practice roster spot.
Running backs and fullbacks
On the roster: A.J. Ouellette, Mario Anderson, Thomas Betrand-Hudon, Albert Awachie, Morgen Runge, Peny Boone, Darrell Henderson Jr., Peter Boersch, Corbin Ebben
Ouellette is once again expected to carry a bulk of the workload when it comes to the running back position. The 30-year-old Ouellette had 1,222 rushing yards and eight touchdowns last season. It was the second time in his CFL career that he has crossed the 1,000-yard mark, and he tied a career-high in rushing touchdowns.
Betrand-Hudon has been a productive runner as well for the team, with the Canadian averaging 5.7 yards per carry in his career. He was limited to nine games last season.
Anderson was the team’s backup American running back. He was released in June, but was brought back after a season-ending injury to Ka’Deem Carey. He had 24 carries for 134 yards and two touchdowns last season.
One of the intriguing signings the Riders made this offseason was former Los Angeles Rams running back Darrell Henderson Jr. The 28-year-old has 1,854 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns in his NFL career, which spanned from 2019-2023.
Albert Awachie and Morgen Runge are the team’s fullbacks, both returning from last season.
Boersch (Regina Thunder) and Ebben (Saskatoon Hilltops) are at camp as territorial juniors.
Wide receiver Sam Emilus missed 11 games last season, but was among the CFL’s best when healthy. (Saskatchewan Roughriders/Submitted)
Wide receivers
On the roster: Sam Emlius, KeeSean Johnson, Kian Schaffer-Baker, Dhel Duncan-Busby, D’Sean Mimbs, Daniel Wiebe, Dylan Djete, Collin Brunstein, Tyrie Cleveland, Abdul Janneh Jr., Ali Jennings III, Jaylen Johnson, Siaosi Mariner, Shemar McBean, Freddie Swain, Juwan Winfree
Four of the five starters from last year’s team return, but one spot will see a new face emerge with the top group.
The team seems set to start three Canadians, with Emilus, Schaffer-Baker and Duncan-Busby expected to fill those roles.
Emilus proved to be one of the best wide receivers in the CFL when healthy, recording 588 yards and two touchdowns in just seven games. Schaffer-Baker also saw his season shortened due to injury, as he only played in five games, catching 15 passes for 177 yards. Duncan-Busby was a starter for stretches last season, putting up 355 yards and two touchdowns. The release of Ajou Ajou means Duncan-Busby will once again be expected to be one of the starters.
Wiebe, who was the Canada West player of the year, is back for a second training camp after finishing off his career with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. He, along with Mimbs and two picks from this year’s CFL draft – Dylan Djete and Shemar McBean – will look to provide Canadian depth.
Johnson was an All-CFLer last season after he played in 16 games and hauled in 86 passes for 1,159 yards and four touchdowns.
Dohnte Meyers has gone to the NFL for an opportunity with the Cincinnati Bengals. That means a second American spot in the starting lineup is up for grabs.
With a few of the candidates bringing NFL experience with them, it remains to be seen if they will be attending the rookie camp or just the main camp.
Swain, Winfree and Cleveland have all played in regular-season NFL games in their careers.
Johnson spent most of 2024 on the Los Angeles Chargers’ practice roster and Brunstein attended a minicamp with the Los Angeles Rams, while Jennings III was at a minicamp with the Green Bay Packers.
Offensive line
On the roster: Jermarcus Hardrick, Jacob Brammer, Logan Ferland, Payton Collins, Zack Fry, Erik Andersen, Darius Bell, Dayton Black, Spencer Brown, Carter Yoesph, Jez Janvier, Daniel Johnson, Percy Lewis IV, Justin Osborne, Thomas Perry, Dartanyan Tinsley, Darius Washington, Jaison Williams
Four of the five starters from the team’s Grey Cup win are back along the offensive line.
Ferland (centre), Hardrick (right tackle), Collins (left tackle) and Brammer (guard) were all starters for the team’s win in Winnipeg over the Montreal Alouettes. Fry was the team’s sixth lineman in the game, but he was a starter early in the season.
Trevon Tate was not re-signed after starting in the game.
The Riders have been flexible with how they use the ratio along the offensive line, starting as many as four Americans in the group.
Johnson and Washington both played games for the Riders last season due to injuries.
Andersen is back for his second Riders camp after going back to school following last season’s edition. He led the way for the Western Mustangs offensive line and was named the U Sports lineman of the year.
Bell was the highest-selected offensive lineman by the Riders in this past draft, taken in the third round. He has both centre and guard experience.
Janvier was the other lineman taken in the draft (fifth round) who will be at camp.
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