The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed former NFL and CFL all-star receiver Duke Williams, per sources.
It’s a one-year contract for Williams with the Riders for the remainder of the 2021 season. He receives a $25,000 signing bonus, $12,000 in housing, $2,000 for travel to go along with a $102,000 base salary which is pro-rated for the remaining six regular season games — totaling $141,000.
The connections on Saskatchewan’s football operations staff, offensive coordinator Jason Maas and assistant general manager Paul Jones helped draw Williams to the green and white. The best recruiter currently wearing Roughrider colours: Nick Marshall. He was his quarterback while the two were teammates at Auburn University.
Williams spent parts of the last three years in the NFL. He was waived by the Buffalo Bills with a hamstring injury in August after earning nearly $700,000 over two seasons in Western New York.
The 28-year-old dressed for one game in 2020 while spending the rest of the schedule on the practice squad. The six-foot-three, 225-pound target made 12 catches for 166 yards and one touchdown — a game-winning TD in his NFL debut – in four games during the 2019 season.
In Canada, Williams caught 88 passes during the 2018 season for a league-leading 1,579 yards and 11 touchdowns in 18 games. The physical presence earned three-down league all-star honours that year which led to the NFL interest.
The Los Angeles native has played 31 career CFL games recording 134 receptions for 2,294 yards and 15 touchdowns, averaging 17.1 yards per catch.
