Saskatchewan Roughriders thread

[ArgoGabe22]

Lots of money being thrown around in Riderville.

For the second year in a row.

[jerrym]

Chris Jones has put Vince Young on their negotiation list. Gary Lawless discusses why it is unlikely that he will end up in Saskatchewan (hint: has something to do with not playing a game since 2011 and having to get in shape), even though he has hired an agent and says he wants to get back in the game.

http://www.tsn.ca/video/alouettes-si...-young~1059247

[jerrym]

#VinceYoung We have opened discussions with Saskatchewan Roughriders of @CFL for @VinceYoung10 @Longhorn_FB @LonghornNetwork

— Leigh Steinberg (@leighsteinberg) February 16, 2017

[argolio]

So the Riders get rid of an active and productive 34 year-old QB and may replace him with a 33 year-old QB who hasn't played in six years. What could go wrong?

[jerrym]

International OL Thaddeus Coleman has resigned with the Riders.

The six-foot-eight, 320-pound Coleman became a free agent Tuesday. Coleman started all of Saskatchewan’s 18 games last year, spending time at both right and left tackle.
The Riders acquired Coleman from Edmonton in May 2016.

http://ottawacitizen.com/sports/foot...hampagne-party

[jerrym]

Riders have signed a starting WR, Bakari Grant, and a ST/LB backup Glenn Love, formerly with the Stampeders.

Grant finished with 44 receptions for 625 yards and four touchdowns in 10 games for the Stampeders last season. For his career, the 29-year-old Grant has 286 receptions for 3,652 yards and 21 scores in 80 games split between the Stampeders and Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Love finished with 11 defensive tackles and 21 special teams tackles in 10 games for the Stamps last year. The 27-year-old has 53 career defensive tackles and 56 special teams tackles, to go along with two sacks in 44 games over five seasons.

http://www.tsn.ca/roughriders-sign-grant-love-1.675009

[ArgoRavi]

The Riders signed a tonne of free agents last year and have released many of those since. They have basically done this off-season what they did last off-season and it will take them most of 2017 to gel in any way as it did in 2016. Furthermore, they are weaker at the key position of QB IMO.

[Argo57]

The Riders signed a tonne of free agents last year and have released many of those since. They have basically done this off-season what they did last off-season and it will take them most of 2017 to gel in any way as it did in 2016. Furthermore, they are weaker at the key position of QB IMO.

Seems to be Jones's plan, go crazy and sign as many free agents as possible then simply discard the one you don't want to keep.

[ArgoRavi]

Seems to be Jones's plan, go crazy and sign as many free agents as possible then simply discard the one you don't want to keep.

I question whether this will ultimately work. It's similar to what he did with the Argos' defence in 2013 and we all know that largely cost the Argos another Grey Cup berth. Conversely, in Edmonton, he stuck with the same players for two years and it worked and he largely stuck with the same players in Toronto through the 2012 season and that worked too.

[Argo57]

I question whether this will ultimately work. It's similar to what he did with the Argos' defence in 2013 and we all know that largely cost the Argos another Grey Cup berth. Conversely, in Edmonton, he stuck with the same players for two years and it worked and he largely stuck with the same players in Toronto through the 2012 season and that worked too.

I don't think it will work Ravi.
I see free agency as a tool to strategically augment your lineup and address some weaknesses not rebuild your whole team.
That way you have a better chance at having good team chemistry.
In 2013 I got the sense that the Argonauts thought Jones was such a genius that he could plug in any player and make it work which turned out to be false.
Ultimately you need both good talent and a good scheme that suits their strengths as a whole.

[R.J]

Seems to be Jones's plan, go crazy and sign as many free agents as possible then simply discard the one you don't want to keep.

The Riders are nowhere near good enough right now, they kind of have to go heavy on Free Agency to fill some gaps. Winnipeg has done the same the last couple of seasons. Hufnagel is probably the only GM nowadays that doesn't spend much of FA's.

[Argo57]

The Riders are nowhere near good enough right now, they kind of have to go heavy on Free Agency to fill some gaps. Winnipeg has done the same the last couple of seasons. Hufnagel is probably the only GM nowadays that doesn't spend much of FA's.

Calgary is still the model franchise in the CFL, Hufnagel has built a good program, recruits well and quietly goes about his business.

[OV Argo]

Calgary is still the model franchise in the CFL, Hufnagel has built a good program, recruits well and quietly goes about his business.

It might be argued that Ottawa is THE new model CFL franchise now: won the last GC, played in the last 2, in just 3 years in the league as a new team ? Yep, emerged in a weak East, but still, 2 GC appearances in 2 straight seasons in just 3 years of existence = outstanding. Drafted well right from the start, went out and got key known FAs or recruited some good young import talent, plus showed faith in Canadian talent by playing more of them than any other CFL team (11 or 12 NIs playing regularly, combined on O & D in the play-off + GC win)

And not that much mention of the Canadian content in decision making that helped get them there - Canadian GM, DC, and several key coaches on the staff - Blugh, Dyce, Chiu = lots of CANADIAN football experience.

Too bad the Argos will not (most likely) be taking notes there and trying some similar tactics - especially in regards to Canadian content - both in decision making and on the roster. Likely instead to be some ex-NFL guy as GM and same old GOB attitudes towards the coaching staff and roster.

[OV Argo]

Seems to be Jones's plan, go crazy and sign as many free agents as possible then simply discard the one you don't want to keep.

LOVE to see ego-Jones fall flat on his face there and get punted out of town. How much rope is he given though? - new stadium should help his cause for some positives but what if they have few wins by Labour Day - do the natives get real restless?

Kevin Glenn at QB ? - he's got to be joking; signing clown-act Duron Carter plus now Board-hands Grant = shows little respect for the good young receivers they already have. A whole bunch of holes on defence, but ego-J thinks he can just plug-in "athletes" - good size or converted from other positions, and they'll be just fine; typical GOB lack of respect for Canadian talent means he will be all in a lather to pencil-in 7 only at pre-determined positions and will ignore some possible help with pencilling-in imports only at many positions.

Ego got his way and cast-off some all-time Rider greats - Dressler, Chick and now Durant - who weren't his guys, with the dollar$ excuse and thinking they were easily replaceable with his incredible football knowledge. We shall see in season 2. Maybe washed-up ex-NFL er Vince Young or partying Johnny Football save the day there though.

[Argo57]

LOVE to see ego-Jones fall flat on his face there and get punted out of town. How much rope is he given though? - new stadium should help his cause for some positives but what if they have few wins by Labour Day - do the natives get real restless?

Kevin Glenn at QB ? - he's got to be joking; signing clown-act Duron Carter plus now Board-hands Grant = shows little respect for the good young receivers they already have. A whole bunch of holes on defence, but ego-J thinks he can just plug-in "athletes" - good size or converted from other positions, and they'll be just fine; typical GOB lack of respect for Canadian talent means he will be all in a lather to pencil-in 7 only at pre-determined positions and will ignore some possible help with pencilling-in imports only at many positions.

Ego got his way and cast-off some all-time Rider greats - Dressler, Chick and now Durant - who weren't his guys, with the dollar$ excuse and thinking they were easily replaceable with his incredible football knowledge. We shall see in season 2. Maybe washed-up ex-NFL er Vince Young or partying Johnny Football save the day there though.

I'm with you OV, would love to see Jones knocked down a peg or two this season.
If I was a free agent I'd be a little wary in signing with him.

[jerrym]

Chris Jones discusses free agency signings.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders’ head coach, general manager and vice-president of football operations has signed six free agents since the market opened Tuesday, including one player (offensive lineman Derek Dennis) who was considered among the top free agents available.
Jones also landed a proven return man (Chad Owens) and added to the Roughriders’ Canadian depth with one player (2016 East Division all-star Marc-Olivier Brouillette) who likely will start at safety and another (Kienan LaFrance) who could be a ratio-buster as a No. 1 tailback.
The Roughriders’ efforts over the first two days of free agency have earned plaudits from many CFL observers, but Jones isn’t ready to rest on those laurels. “Every time you win a football game, there’s always something you can nitpick or try to find,” he said while meeting with the media Wednesday at Mosaic Stadium. “We feel like we’re better than what we were a day ago, but we’re still working.”
Asked if he thought the team he currently has on paper was starting to look like a potential contender, Jones once again demurred. “Our thoughts last year were that we were a winning football team quite honestly when we walked out of free agency,” said Jones, whose team went 5-13-0 in 2016. “We’re going to wait and we’re going to hold our comments until we start playing and we see exactly where we are.”
The Roughriders likely aren’t done in free agency — Jones said they’ve got “a couple more guys to wrap up” — and they’ll also keep examining other avenues (including trades and signing players out of tryout camps) to revamp the roster. Jones and his staff still want to find players along the defensive and offensive lines, along with more depth players. But so far, free agency has been critical to the Roughriders’ rebuilding process this off-season.
“I thought Ottawa last year did a really nice job in free agency, so we’re hoping that we can do some similar things,” said Jones, referring to a RedBlacks team that filled gaps well enough to win a Grey Cup title. “We can build some depth on our team. We need to be stronger along the offensive line and (need to) be able to absorb an injury or possibly two. That’s what we were looking to try to do.”

http://www.riderville.com/2017/02/15...ork-isnt-done/

[jerrym]

New Rider Derek Dennis discusses his route to becoming the Most Outstanding Lineman in the CFL in 2016.

“It’s just work ethic,” Dennis, who signed with the Roughriders on Tuesday, said when asked to explain his progression over the years. “I’ve always been one of those guys who, if I put my mind to doing something, I’ve been able to do it …
“There was kind of a reluctance at first to play O-line. But I’ve had some good O-line coaches in college and my first couple of years at the pro level. I’ve taken tidbits from all the coaches I’ve played for and tried to mould it into one product. That’s what you saw last season.”
But, truth be told, basketball was Dennis’ first love. In high school in New York, he was a 250-pound power forward who drew some interest from college programs.
“I was just playing football as a thing to pass the time and to keep me in shape until basketball season,” said Dennis, who’s now 6-foot-3 and 341 pounds. “It just so happened that I was a big, athletic kid.”
He played tight end and defensive line during football season, but never offensive line. Watching the NFL gave him ideas about his future — but others had different ideas.
“I thought I could be the next Antonio Gates or Jimmy Graham, one of those basketball players who would convert to tight end,” Dennis said, referring to two NFLers who played basketball in college.
“But being that I was a big body, when I got to my college recruitment thinking I was going to play D-line or tight end, they were like, ‘Nah, we think you’ll make a better offensive lineman.’ That’s where it started for me.
“It was one of those things where everybody was telling me that I had a better chance of having a future in football (as an offensive lineman),” he added. “I listened to the people I trusted and it has got me to where I am now.”

http://www.riderville.com/2017/02/17...-true-calling/

[jerrym]

Saskatchewan has signed National LB free agent Henoc Muamba.

The 6-foot, 230-pounder’s college career helped him to become one of the most sought after defensive players and was selected first overall in the 2011 CFL Draft by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Muamba suited up in three seasons with the Bombers, playing in 47 games and collecting 167 defensive tackles, 54 special teams tackles, four sacks, one interception, one touchdown and six forced fumbles.
His best season in Winnipeg was in 2013, when he was named the Blue Bombers’ Most Outstanding Defensive Player, Most Outstanding Canadian and Most Outstanding Player after he registered 111 total tackles (tied with Montreal’s Chip Cox for first in the league), one sack and one interception.
He also earned CFL East Division Most Outstanding Canadian honours and was named an East Division and CFL All Star.
After making his return to the CFL near the end of last year – his third stint in the Canadian game – Muamba is now preparing to play in his first full season in the league since that stellar 2013 campaign. He spent the 2014 season in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts, the end of 2015 with the Montreal Alouettes and the start of 2016 with the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, playing in three preseason games before he was sidelined with an injury.
“This journey has been awesome for me,” Muamba said of his football career so far. “This sport has helped me to grow as a man. It has helped me to see the world and meet some people that have been so tremendous, so encouraging and has helped me become the person I am today.” ...
“I’m preparing myself to win games and I want to contribute as much as I can and as best as I can and help my team win,” Muamba said of getting ready for the season to get started. “I also want to make Rider Nation really proud, especially with this upcoming season, the inaugural season with the new stadium. It’s really exciting, there’s a lot of excitement in the air. I can’t wait to get out there and see the new stadium and see the fans as well.”

http://www.cfl.ca/2017/02/21/basketb...ey-riderville/

[jerrym]

Ian Hamilton looks at Saskatchewan's free agency moves below.
http://www.riderville.com/2017/02/22/riders-free-agent-moves-make-sense/

[jerrym]

OL Chris Best has retired from the Riders.

The 33-year-old was a key member and a familiar face on the Riders’ O-line ever since being drafted fourth overall by the team in 2005, although Best was forced to miss the entire 2016 season due to injury.
“I want to congratulate Chris Best on a successful 10-year CFL career,” stated Jeremy O’Day, Roughriders assistant vice-president of football operations. “I had the opportunity to work with Chris as a teammate and then as an administrator over the past decade. His level of intensity, competitive attitude, and will to win made Chris a great player. We wish him continued success in his next endeavour.”
Best played 114 career regular-season games after making his Rider debut July 8, 2007. The Calgary native was drafted by the Riders following four seasons at Duke University before transferring to the University of Waterloo to obtain his Masters in 2007.

http://www.cfl.ca/2017/02/23/riders-...0-cfl-seasons/