A.J. Ouellette returned to practice with the Saskatchewan Roughriders as a limited participant on Tuesday after missing the team’s last five games due to a hip injury.
The 29-year-old has played seven games this season, recording 114 carries for 466 yards and three touchdowns. He has also caught 14 passes for 140 yards. It seems unlikely that Ouellette will be activated this week as he can complete a stint on the six-game injured list if he misses one more game, providing the team with some salary cap relief.
“I want to be smart with A.J.,” said head coach Corey Mace. “Obviously, when we pull the pin on (him returning), we know exactly how he’s going to play, so he’s kind of one of those guys — not to say we have to protect him from himself — but certainly as the weather turns a little bit, he’s a guy you’re going to want out there. We’ll be smart with it.”
The five-foot-nine, 210-pound native of Covington, Ohio became the CFL’s second-highest-paid running back when he joined the Riders in free agency after a four-year run with the Toronto Argonauts. Over 42 career CFL games, he has rushed for 2,248 yards and 13 touchdowns and caught 72 passes for 579 yards and four touchdowns.
Running backs Frankie Hickson and Ryquell Armstead have shared the starting job during Ouellette’s absence. Hickson was a healthy scratch this past week, while Armstead suffered a shoulder injury that kept him out of practice on Tuesday.
“We’re going to slow play it here over the week and then make a decision (on Armstead’s status),” said Mace. “We’ll see.”
The first-year head coach also said the team “dodged a few bullets” on the knee injury receiver Shawn Bane Jr. suffered against the Redblacks, though his return isn’t imminent. The five-foot-nine, 178-pound target from Sarasota, Fla. has made 49 catches for 581 yards and five touchdowns this season.
Defensive lineman Habakkuk Baldonado (knee), offensive lineman Jacob Brammer (knee), and strong-side linebacker C.J. Reavis (knee) all missed practice on Tuesday, while defensive lineman Bryan Cox Jr. (illness) was a limited participant.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders (7-7-1) will visit the Edmonton Elks (5-10) on Saturday, Oct. 5 with kickoff slated for 7:00 p.m. EDT.
