‘I’m ready to win’: Roughriders welcome back Lenius

Brayden Lenius is back home.

The Regina-born slotback has returned to the Saskatchewan Roughriders after trying his luck in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons.

“(The NFL) is out of my system now. I’m focused on (Saskatchewan),” Lenius said earlier this week. “I signed here for two years so I’m ready to win and be here and contribute to this organization.”

The 25-year-old isn’t expected to waste any time getting back into the lineup either: Lenius is set to join the Roughriders’ lineup for the Labour Day Classic on Sunday against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Kickoff for the CFL game is set for 4 p.m. The Green Zone pre-game show is set for 2 p.m.

“This game has a big place in my heart. I’ve been watching since I was a kid and I’ve got to play in it twice,” Lenius said. “It’s a big game and I kind of timed it perfect to be back.”

Lenius enjoyed a breakout season in 2021, when he caught 37 passes for 471 yards and four touchdowns in 14 games. That success helped him sign a futures contract with the Falcons to attend their training camp.

On July 28, just two days into camp, Lenius was released from the team.

“It was a numbers game. I didn’t do anything wrong. My exit meeting was very good and positive from the organization, it was just they had more need at safety than at tight end,” Lenius said. “We had eight tight ends and I was the eighth guy.

“It was tough. That was my first time being cut from anything so that was an experience, but it was a learning experience.”

After being let go and waiting a month to see if another opportunity would present itself, Lenius ultimately decided it was the best choice to come back to the CFL.

“That was as much as I wanted to wait. I didn’t want to take the chance of waiting until Week 10 (in the NFL) and what if I didn’t get signed? That’s a whole year missed just like the COVID year and I didn’t want to do that,” Lenius said.

“I wanted to come back home. I just wanted to play and get back going.”

But with two different styles of play between the NFL and CFL, Lenius has had to make some big adjustments to his body type over the past few months.

“I played here last year at 220 (pounds) and (the Falcons) wanted me up at 240. My rookie year, I was 240 here and then I had to cut 20 and then (Atlanta) wanted me to go up another 20,” Lenius said.

“From January to the end of July, I had to get as close to 240 as possible and it was uncomfortable. I feel more comfortable at 219.”

While he’s not quite there yet — Lenius said he’s around 225 pounds right now — he presents a big body for quarterback Cody Fajardo to throw the ball to.

“(He’s) a guy who picked up right where he left off. Going down south, sometimes you forget some things, but he came in and picked up the offence right away,” Fajardo said.

“What a way to start off, in the Labour Day game. It’s fun to have him back in the lineup and he brings a lot of energy to the receiver room and he’s just a good guy to be around.”

Lenius might not be the only returning Rider to the lineup.

Wide receiver Shaq Evans (ankle) and left tackle Terran Vaughn (hamstring) both are on track to start Sunday as well. Slotback Mitch Picton was running with the starters Thursday with Justin McInnis out with an ankle injury.