The hype has officially started for the Saskatchewan Roughriders leading into the 2025 CFL season because 3DownNation’s braintrust ranked them as the No. 1 team in the three-down league after free agency.
General manager Jeremy O’Day kept nine all-stars from last season with the Green and White while making some shrewd acquisitions during the winter months.
Trevor Harris was re-signed for one year at a fair price, while Jake Maier joined the team through a trade and reworked contract. The former Stampeders starter will earn $165,000 in hard money with an additional $59,000 in playtime, $15,000 in statistical bonuses, and $6,000 in all-star and award incentives available.
Short-yardage QB monster Tommy Stevens signed a one-year contract worth $93,000 in hard money with an additional $27,000 in playtime plus $6,000 in all-star and award incentives available. Stevens will earn $200 for each rushing touchdown he scores in 2025. Adding Stevens to the roster could send second-year QB Jack Coan to the practice roster unless the Riders carry four quarterbacks on the active roster.
Three-time All-CFL centre Sean McEwen signed a one-year contract worth $143,000 in hard money with $6,000 in all-star and award incentives available to anchor the offensive line. Fellow Canadian offensive lineman Philippe Gagnon, who was a full-time starter in Montreal last year, signed a one-year contract worth $92,000 in hard money with $9,000 in playtime plus $5,000 in all-star and award incentives available.
McEwen is as smart as they come at centre and steps into the role vacated by Peter Godber, who signed with the Ottawa Redblacks. Gagnon brings starting experience at guard, giving Saskatchewan ratio flexibility and Canadian depth up front.
Canadian receiver Tommy Nield signed a one-year contract worth $91,700 in hard money with $5,400 in playtime plus $6,000 in all-star and award incentives available. He can also earn $100 for each special teams tackle he records. Nield provides Canadian depth with upside as a pass catcher while being a key special teams contributor.
Three-time CFL all-star defensive lineman Mike Rose signed a one-year contract worth $175,000 in hard money with $5,000 in all-star and award incentives available. Former first-round NFL pick Shane Ray signed a one-year contract worth $125,000 in hard money plus $5,000 in all-star and award incentives available. Rose slots in at three-technique to replace Anthony Lanier II and Miles Brown while Ray takes over the field side end spot from Bryan Cox Jr.
Canadian defensive back Tevaughn Campbell signed a one-year contract worth $153,200 in hard money. He can earn $5,400 in playtime plus $5,000 in all-star and award incentives. With Deontai Williams and Amari Henderson signing elsewhere in CFL free agency, expect Campbell to start at boundary corner.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders finished second in the West Division in 2024 with a 9-8-1 record and defeated the B.C. Lions in the West Semi-Final before losing the West Final to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The team will open the 2025 CFL regular season against the Ottawa Redblacks at Mosaic Stadium on Thursday, June 5 with kickoff slated for 9:00 p.m. EDT.
Saskatchewan Roughriders
Added: QB Jake Maier (A), DL Shane Ray (A), DL Mike Rose (A), DB Tevaughn Campbell (N), REC Tommy Nield (N), QB Tommy Stevens (A), OL Philippe Gagnon (N), RB Khalan Laborn (A), OL Sean McEwen (N), DB Kerfalla Exumé (N)
Subtracted: REC Ajou Ajou (N), DL Christian Albright (A), LB Adam Auclair (N), DL Miles Brown (A), DL Bryan Cox Jr. (A), OL Peter Godber (N), DB Amari Henderson (A), DL Anthony Lanier II (A), DB Godfrey Onyeka (N), QB Shea Patterson (A), OL Trevor Reid (A), REC Jerreth Sterns (A), DB Deontai Williams (A)
Unsigned: OL Philip Blake (N), RB Frankie Hickson (A), REC Colton Hunchak (N), OL Ryan Sceviour (N)
