Rolan Milligan back for Riders in showdown against Elks

“Agent 0” is back on the case for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Defensive back Rolan Milligan is set to return to the lineup after being injured in the team’s first game of the season.

“They say I separated my shoulder – grade two or three – but everything was ahead of schedule and the doctor said I was good to go and I feel good,” Milligan said.

Read more:

• ‘You have to keep going’: Riders learn from the past as they grieve
• From handoffs to headlocks: The other side of Roughrider running back AJ Ouellette
• Lifelong Rawlco listener Les Stephens lives out Roughriders dream

The former CFL Most Outstanding Defensive Player is a welcome addition back to the team’s starting lineup as that spot has seen a lot of turnover since he was hurt. No player has started at that spot for two games in a row, with Juju Hughes, Jonathan Edouard — twice — and Nelson Lokombo taking starts.

“They did what they had to do. We have been winning games and that’s all you can ask for,” Milligan said.

Riders head coach Corey Mace called Milligan a difference-maker out on the field.

“We’re happy to have him back. When he ended up going down and getting the news that it wasn’t going to be super long-term, that was good for us and good for him. Happy as ever to have him back. It’s been a good week of practice for him and I know he has been itching to get back out there with his brothers,” Mace said.

“There are so many different things that you can do with Rolan on the roster. It opens up your playbook defensively, but I think just having that security blanket in any game, you’re looking for situations for someone to make a play.

“When you have zero back there, the percentages feel like they are a little bit higher,” Mace continued. “Everyone talks about the things that he does with taking the ball away, but he is a hellacious tackler as well. If asked to play special teams, he never bats an eye and goes out there and is an elite special teamer. We’re gaining one of our team captains, one of the best players on our team.”

Milligan will look to help lock down the Edmonton Elks offence, which not only includes former Riders quarterback Cody Fajardo, but also running back Justin Rankin – who still remains on pace to become the first player in CFL history to have 1,000 rushing and receiving yards in the same season.

“(We) just have to make sure we are in the right spots and being where we are supposed to be and not try to peek and be out of gaps. We just have to go hit him. We have to tackle by population,” Milligan said.

Saskatchewan comes into the game with a 4-1 as the Elks sport a 5-1 mark at this point in the season, making this a battle for the top spot in the CFL’s West Division.

Running back Thomas Bertrand-Hudon (head) will also return after he missed a game. National defensive end Benoit Marion is making his 2026 season debut after missing the team’s first five games with a shoulder injury.

Kickoff for the game at Mosaic Stadium is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday. The Green Zone pregame show begins at 5 p.m.