The Saskatchewan Roughriders will not be on the field Friday. Instead, General Manager Jeremy O’Day, and Head Coach Corey Mace will collaborate to determine which 46 players will be on the active roster and who will be offered a practice roster position. The deadline to do so is Saturday night at 10pm.
Some of the battles that were identified prior to camp will be some of the major discussion points in the Rider offices. Let’s take a look at some of those battles. (in no particular order)
Quarterback:
Trevor Harris – the savvy veteran doesn’t look to have skipped a beat returning from his tibial plateau fracture from Week 5 last season. Harris has showed a genuine enthusiasm to work within the new Marc Mueller offence and his leadership has been evident from day one of rookie camp.
Mason Fine – despite entering his fourth season with the Green and White, Fine knew coming to camp that there were no guarantees. Fine has made the most of his practice reps, however a minor injury limited his reps in the pre-season opener. That said, Fine ran the offence for most of the first half in pre-season game number two in Edmonton. He would finish that afternoon 9-of-11 passing for 75 yards and a touchdown pass. In the final week of camp Fines reps were on par with Jack Coan and Shea Patterson and he made the most of them throwing some nice balls AND using his veteran experience to mix-up his cadences to draw the defence off-side and give his receivers an advantage off the line.
Shea Patterson – the three-year pro out of Michigan is in his second camp with the Riders after spending time with B.C. and Montreal. Patterson has shown his athleticism throughout camp. His ability to change his launch point and move the pocket has bought him extra time allowing him to look downfield for receivers. In the pre-season, Patterson most notably came into game number two in Edmonton for the fourth Quarter. He would throw 8 times completing 5 for 80 yards. Most observers were impressed with his compete level when scrambling out of the pocket late in the game, Patterson was stripped of the ball but his second effort allowed him to recover the ball so the Riders could maintain possession.
Antonio Pipkin – has the most CFL experience behind Trevor Harris entering his seventh season. Pipkin’s quick feet and 6’3” frame give him a presence on the field. Pipkin’s prowess in short yardage makes him a valuable asset. Unfortunately for Pipkin, his reps have been limited in practice and pre-season. In week one versus Winnipeg, he was 0-3 passing and only had one pass attempt late in the second quarter of the second pre-season game in Edmonton, an incompletion.
Jack Coan – the rookie out of Notre Dame has steadily improved throughout rookie and main camp. The 6’3” 220 pounder came to Saskatoon with eyes wide-open. New game, new field, new players, and a new system were all thrown at him. The 25-year-old has been able to tackle the mental challenge while showcasing his athleticism at the same time. His ability to read and react to what he sees from defences has increased steadily from the beginning of camp. That improvement has led many fans attending practice to contemplate whether Coan is the Quarterback of the future.
Left Tackle:
Perhaps the least sexy of the battles to watch but likely one of the most important ones for the team to find a competent performer for. Here are some of the players inside the competition:
Trevor Reid – from the outset of camp the former Philadelphia Eagle has taken most of the reps and been given every opportunity to take the position and run with it. The 24-year-old definitely hasn’t done anything to hinder his chances at the starting spot. Couple that with the extra work that he is doing with some of the veterans after practice, has made his improvement evident throughout camp.
Jordan Tucker – his imposing 6’6” 340lb frame coupled with his footspeed have moved him up the offensive line depth throughout camp, even taking second reps at Left Tackle in the final pre-season game in Edmonton. Tucker has shown his ability to process information with a great work ethic.
Daniel Johnson – after a workout with the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts delayed his arrival at training camp. Johnson, the fifth-round pick of the Riders in this year’s draft came to camp in fine physical condition. Johnson has bounced around the offensive line as the team looks to put him in a spot to succeed. Unfortunately, an injury has kept him off the field for the last week of camp, limiting some of his on-field opportunities.
Evan Floren – a 2023 7th round draft pick of the Riders has performed well when given an opportunity. The Queen’s grad has clearly felt he has had something to prove, and it has been on display throughout camp.
Jacob Brammer – the rookie from Vanderbilt turned heads in the Riders first pre-season game when he took reps against Winnipeg’s Willie Jefferson. Brammer’s physicality and effort level was evident in film study after the game, impressing the Riders coaching staff. Brammer has continued to work throughout camp, and it will be interesting to see if his attributes can transfer to a roster spot.
Noah Zerr – entering his third season pro. This University of Saskatchewan grad started his CFL career with Hamilton dressing for three games. His attitude and quick feet made him stand out early in camp. However, an injury has kept him out of practice the last four workouts.
Defensive End:
With the move of Anthony Lanier II and Micah Johnson to the interior of the defensive line the search was on to find some pass rush and run contain off the edge of the defensive line. Some of the players to watch:
Malik Carney – comes to the Riders after three seasons in Hamilton where he racked up 13 sacks. Carney has done everything that you would expect of a veteran in camp. His ability and versatility are a strong combination for the Green and White. His absence from the final preseason game in Edmonton may be a sign that he has locked up his position.
Briyan Cox Jr. – after injury derailed a stellar 2023, Cox Jr. has been physical and fast in camp earning the majority of the number one reps throughout.
Lake Korte-Moore – The UBC grad and 2023 3rd round pick of the Riders looks faster and stronger in camp. While reps haven’t been strictly his, he has made the most of them. His presence on special teams is also evident, which gives the youngster a checkmark beside his name.
Habakkuk Boldonado – in his second year with the Riders he has been consistent throughout the camp. Whenever there is a big play along the line or a quarterback with a player in his face that player is frequently Boldonado which has definitely made him standout.
Christian Albright – he took the left end spot, generally occupied by Carney, for the final pre-season game in Edmonton. His quickness getting off the snap hasn’t gone unnoticed.
The decisions for the Riders brass are not going to be easy but I don’t think that they would want it any other way.
