The Saskatchewan Roughriders were without four starters as the team began preparing for the West Final.
Star receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker (neck), left tackle Trevor Reid (knee), defensive end Bryan Cox Jr. (knee), and strong-side linebacker C.J. Reavis (knee) were all non-participants in practice on Tuesday, casting their status for Saturday’s game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in doubt.
Reid went down on the first play of the second quarter in Saskatchewan’s West Semi-Final win over the B.C. Lions and didn’t return. He was replaced by Trevon Tate, who moved from right tackle to left tackle, as Logan Ferland moved to right tackle and Peter Godber took over from Ferland at centre.
Schaffer-Baker made four catches for 39 yards before suffering his injury early in the third quarter on a hit from B.C. linebacker Ayinde Eley, which was flagged for unnecessary roughness. The University of Guelph product returned after being shaken up on the play but didn’t register another target.
Cox Jr. made three tackles in the win but left the game with a little over one minute remaining in regulation. The 30-year-old native of St. Louis, Mo. made 17 starts for the Riders this season, making 24 tackles, six sacks, and two forced fumbles.
Reavis made four tackles in the West Semi-Final and didn’t leave the game due to injury. The six-foot, 198-pound defender made 89 tackles, four sacks, and one forced fumble on the season over 17 starts at strong-side linebacker.
Other players who missed practice with the Roughriders on Tuesday include receivers Shawn Bane Jr. (knee), Dohnte Meyers (shoulder), and Joe Robustelli (shoulder), defensive lineman Lake Korte-Moore (knee), linebacker Aubrey Miller Jr. (back), and defensive back Jaxon Ford (knee).
The Saskatchewan Roughriders (10-8-1) will visit the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (11-7) for the West Final on Saturday, Nov. 9. Kickoff is slated for 6:30 p.m. EST and the game has already sold out.
