Davis: Got any change, Saskatchewan Roughriders? Not really, no ...
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The Saskatchewan Roughriders just went through three-plus weeks of rookie/training camps, lost two CFL pre-season games while scoring only one touchdown and emerged without really changing anything.
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Change, evidently, isn't needed for a team intending to be better than a West division finalist.
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After falling one game shy of qualifying for the 2024 Grey Cup, Riders general manager Jeremy O'Day and his staff along with head coach Corey Mace and his assistants spent the off-season configuring this season's roster. They secured all eight of last season's all-stars, let some backbenchers leave and signed a few newcomers to key positions.
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The starting rosters were certainly predetermined before camp. The Roughriders' current roster is basically identical to what they envisioned in March.
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'From the totality of it, yeah,' Mace said after the team's practice Sunday at Mosaic Stadium. 'But there was heavy competition for guys to solidify their spots.'
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No breakout stars forced the Riders brass to change their minds. Return specialist Drae McCray was the most captivating of the prospects, but suffering an injury during Saskatchewan's 27-20, smoke-delayed loss to the visiting Winnipeg Blue Bombers may have kept him from unseating veteran Mario Alford. The Roughriders said 26,293 tickets were distributed for Friday's game but it looked like nearly half of them went unused.
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All nine CFL teams announced their final cuts Saturday night.
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The Roughriders cut 17 players, signed 11 to their practice roster, put five Canadian draft choices on their retired list (so they can return to university) and suspended one. Many of the moves are administrative, designed to protect players from rival teams until the Roughriders begin their regular season Thursday against the visiting Ottawa Redblacks. There will be roster tinkering before the opener.
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The suspended player is punter Bailey Flint, who likely lost a challenge against Joe Couch for the only starting spot available when the Riders began practising May 7 in Saskatoon. That spot opened because dependable punter Adam Korsak unexpectedly retired during the off-season. The Roughriders initially auditioned Flint, but after he averaged only 40.6 yards per punt in their first pre-season game they recalled Couch, who averaged 45.2 yards on six punts in the pre-season finale.
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