Saskatchewan Roughriders lock up returning vets, bring in familiar faces

Consistency is something the Roughriders have been looking for over the past few seasons.

This appeared to be evident for general manager Jeremy O’Day in his approach to the CFL’s Free Agency communication window.

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A lot of the work done by O’Day involved bringing back a few more key veterans while signing some players who were familiar with the coaching staff or were formerly Riders themselves.

Before the end of January, the CFL club announced Shane Ray had signed a contract with the club. The defensive end is both a Grey Cup (2022) and Super Bowl Champion (2015). While he has spent most of his time in the National Football League (NFL), his two prior CFL seasons (2021-22) were with the Toronto Argonauts. During that 2022 season, current Riders head coach Corey Mace was his defensive co-ordinator.

Then just a day before the window was set to open last week, the Riders announced Mike Rose has signed a contract with the club.

The defensive tackle had been released by the Calgary Stampeders on Jan. 27. During his tenure there, he was a three-time CFL all-star and accumulated 36 sacks over 86 games. Mace was Rose’s defensive line coach from 2017-21 with the Stamps.

Tevaughn Campbell also makes his return not just to Saskatchewan, but the CFL.

The Scarborough, Ont., product has been in the NFL since 2019 after spending 2015-18 in the CFL. He was with the Riders during the 2016 season.

Campbell (6-foot and 200 lb.) returns to the Saskatchewan Roughriders, where he played in 2016.

Defensive back Tevaughn Campbell played in 2016 with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. (CFL/Submitted)

Campbell, a former member of the University of Regina Rams, was selected by the Calgary Stampeders in the third round (22nd overall) of the 2015 CFL Draft after posting a blazing 4.35-second 40-yard dash at the CFL Combine.

Tommy Nield also signed with the Riders, adding to their Canadian depth at wide receiver. The Guelph product was selected by the Toronto Argonauts in the fourth round (30th overall) of the 2021 CFL Draft and went on to play four seasons with the team. The 25-year-old made 63 receptions for 776 yards and two touchdowns over those seasons.

After adding those new faces, O’Day also locked up a few more key veterans from the 2024 Riders’ team.

Defensive back Marcus Sayles, defensive lineman Micah Johnson, wide receiver Mitch Picton and returner Mario Alford all signed extensions with the Riders.

Sayles, who signed a two-year extension, joined the Riders after being cut by the B.C. Lions after training camp. Despite a rough first game, he turned things around quickly and recorded four interceptions in a campaign that saw him named an All-CFLer for the second time in his career.

Johnson will play his 12th CFL season in 2025 and is coming off an All-CFL campaign. The 36-year-old suited up for all 18 games for the Riders last season, recording six sacks — the most on the team. Due to many injuries along the offensive line, Johnson also had to play two-and-a-half quarters at the offensive guard position during the Labour Day Classic. He is a four-time CFL all-star.

Picton will return for another season with his hometown Riders. The Regina product has been with the club ever since he was drafted by the team in 2017. He hauled in 16 catches for 185 yards and two touchdowns in 12 games last season, missing some time due to injury, and is a versatile receiver for the team, able to step into any of the five receiver spots if needed.

Alford will also return for 2025. He was traded to the Riders in 2022 and would end up being that season’s Most Outstanding Special Teams player.

He appeared in 18 games for the Riders and was one of only three players to return a kickoff for a touchdown last season.

Alford’s three seasons with the Riders have seen him among the team’s best all-time at returning kicks. He currently holds the record for most return touchdowns as a Rider (eight) and ranks second in Rider career punt return touchdowns (four).

All of those players are now officially members of the Riders and there are reports a couple of other new faces could join shortly.

Any deals made with other team’s free agents during the communication window won’t become official until Feb. 11, when CFL Free Agency officially begins at 11 a.m.

Reports are Stamps short-yardage quarterback Tommy Stevens and Montreal Alouettes guard Philippe Gagnon have agreed to deals with the team.