Inside the CFL: Riders are packin’ ahead of 2025 season

By Graham Kelly on May 22, 2025.

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On paper, the Saskatchewan Roughriders are the best team in the Canadian Football League.

They’ve got it all.

But future hall-of-fame quarterback Trevor Harris turns 39 on May 31, so his window of Grey Cup opportunity won’t be open very long. The last time Saskatchewan won the coveted mug was 2013 when they defeated Henry Burris and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, 45-23, at Taylor Field. Like the typical farmer’s fortunes, they’ve been up and down ever since.

After winning the big one, they finished dead last with a record of 3-15 the following year. Chris Jones was brought in. He won five games in 2016, missing the post-season. In 2017 with a mark of 10-8 the Riders were fourth but qualified for the crossover position. They beat Ottawa in the semifinal before losing the Eastern final 25-21 to Toronto.

Things were looking up when they finished second in 2018 to Winnipeg. Soon after Jones was gone, replaced by special teams guru Craig Dickenson. He led the Riders to top spot in the West, the first time in 10 years. At quarterback was Zach Collaros who was concussed by Hamilton’s Simoni, “I didn’t mean to hurt him,” Lawrence on July . He was replaced by Cody Fajardo, who was injured by Winnipeg’s Willie Jeffrerson with a late hit in the fourth quarter of the Western final.

In the meantime the man he replaced had been traded to Toronto and Winnipeg and went on to enjoy a spectacular career. Fajardo’s knee was never the same. In 2022 he was benched for the last two games of the season. He and his wonky knee led Montreal to a Grey Cup victory 12 months later. His replacement was Trevor Harris who had missed 14 starts between 2019 and ’21 with Edmonton and the Als.

His first year in Rider-livery he missed 13 games after sustaining a tibial plateau fracture of his right knee. Last season he missed six games with a lower-body injury. He came back, made the Western all-star team and led his team to a playoff win vs. B.C. before dropping the final in Winnipeg. Given his injury history and his age, he’s a risk.

To address that problem, general manager Jeremy O’Day signed Stampede starter Jacob Maier. A journeyman at best in Calgary, if called upon, Maier will have a lot more to work with than he did at McMahon. That includes an outstanding receiving corps of holdovers Samuel Emilus, Keesean Johnson, Kian Schaffer-Baker, Mitch Picton and possibly Shawn Banes Jr., who tore his LCL last October due to a dirty hit by Ottawa’s money hunter.

Possible additions include two-time Argo Grey Cup champion Canadian Tommy Nield signed as a free agent and 2024 draft choice Dhel Duncan Busby who provide depth. Running back could be a problem. While A.J. Ouilette is considered the starter, he only played eight games last year due to a hip injury. He likes to run over people but came into camp at just 200 pounds. I think he’s done.

Keep your eye on rookies Mario Anderson and Trent Pennix. The running back coach is the great Andrew Harris. The offensive line with perennial all-Canadian centre Sean McEwan (on crutches, right now), tackles Jermarcus Hardwick and Trevor Tate and guards Philippe Gagnon and Logan Ferland is superb.

Only the guards haven’t made all-Canadian.

Last season’s dominant defence is even better this year. Former Stampeder, three-time all-Canadian Mike Rose has joined the D-line along side Micah Johnson, Malik Carney and Caleb Sanders. The linebacking corps features all-stars C.J. Reavis and Jameer Thurman as well as C.J. Avery. The secondary is led by the CFL’s 2024 most outstanding defender, Rolan Milligan Jr., returning with him are Marcus Sayles, Demarcus Fields, Nelson Lokombo and possibly Tevaughn Campbell, a University of Regina grad who played in the NFL.

The inconsistent Brent Lauther is the place kicker, Adam Korsak the punter with Jorgin Hus the snapper. Return man Mario Alford is one of the best and can do triple duty as a running back and receiver.

This is Corey Mace’s second year as a head coach. He played for John Hufnagel and cut his coaching teeth under Dave Dickenson. He is an enthusiast and a motivator who knows how to get the most out of his players. He possesses excellent football judgement.

Graham Kelly has covered the CFL for the Medicine Hat News for 53 years. Feedback for this column can be emailed to sports@medicinehatnews.com.