Riders' O'Day believes positive steps taken in 2024
8h ago
The Saskatchewan Roughriders will soon make decisions on how the team will look in 2025. That also includes what the CFL...
The CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders have officially signed linebacker Adam Auclair.
The sides had reportedly agreed to terms on Wednesday. The Ottawa Redblacks released Auclair on Thursday, allowing the Roughriders to announce his signing to a one-year contract Friday.
The deal was reached during the CFL’s free-agent negotiation window, which opened Sunday. It allows teams to negotiate with other clubs’ free agents over a seven-day period before free agency opens. That’s to happen Tuesday.
Auclair is one of six players who reportedly have agreed to terms with Saskatchewan during the negotiation period. The others are offensive tackle Jermarcus Hardrick, linebacker Jameer Thurman, tailback A.J. Ouellette, defensive back Jalon Edwards-Cooper and defensive end Malik Carney.
Auclair, a 27-year-old product of Saint-Georges, Que., spent the past three seasons with the Redblacks. Ottawa selected him in the first round (sixth overall) of the 2020 CFL draft out of Université Laval.
In his three seasons in Ottawa, the 6-foot-2, 223-pounder recorded 119 tackles, 30 special-teams stops, two sacks, one interception and two forced fumbles in 42 regular-season games.
Last season, Auclair had 63 tackles, 14 special-teams tackles, one sack, one pick and one forced fumble in 18 regular-season games. He started seven games for the Redblacks in 2023.
In Saskatchewan, Auclair could fill the starting weak-side linebacker spot held previously by fellow Canadian Micah Teitz, who’s eligible to become a free agent Tuesday.
Teitz is one of 15 players who were with the Roughriders last season who can hit the market Tuesday. Saskatchewan has signed contract extensions with 14 of its pending free agents this off-season and released one.
At Laval, Auclair won the President’s Trophy as the U Sports defensive player of the year in 2017. He twice was named a U Sports All-Canadian and was named the defensive player of the game in the 2018 Vanier Cup after recording 11 tackles and one interception in the Rouge et Or’s 34-20 victory over the Western Mustangs.