Darian Durant views Malik Carney as top priority for Riders to re-sign

Photo courtesy: Matt Smith/CFL.

When former Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Darian Durant looks at the team’s current pending free agent list, he views defensive lineman Malik Carney as the next priority to be re-signed.

“With the ages of Mike Rose, Shane Ray and the guys up front, the retirement of Micah Johnson, you need some veteran leadership on that D-line. Malik Carney is a guy who’s a veteran, who’s still highly productive and still getting it done,” Durant said on The SportsCage.

“I think you need to bring back him, that experience, and make sure he’s locked in. Then that way you have someone that can mentor these young guys because I think they want to go a lot younger at the defensive line position.”

The 30-year-old recorded a single-season career-high eight sacks in 2025. Carney earned $178,400 last season, which put him among the top-15 highest-paid players at his position in the CFL. He recorded 39 tackles with one forced fumble in 18 regular-season games and added five tackles, two for loss, in Saskatchewan’s West Final and 112th Grey Cup wins.

Meanwhile, general manager Jeremy O’Day was able to re-sign fan favourite Canadian receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker. It’s a two-year contract through the 2027 season for No. 89, who has been the most popular player among fans in Riderville for some time.

“Whenever you can get high-level Canadians in your receiver room or anywhere on the roster, you don’t have to use those roster spots on Americans, now you can build the team elsewhere. With [Samuel] Emilus and Schaffer-Baker being high-level Canadians, pretty much on par with some of the top American receivers around the league, you allow yourself flexibility with the roster,” Durant said.

“Getting this young core of receivers to stay together is huge. The chemistry that they’ve built with Trevor [Harris], it’s so important to have that when you’re trying to repeat. This is a big-time signing with Schaffer-Baker and getting him back in that receiver room.”

The 27-year-old Mississauga, Ont. native made 15 catches for 177 yards over five regular-season games last year. He added three receptions for 56 yards and a touchdown in the West Final against the B.C. Lions and three catches for 27 yards in the 112th Grey Cup against the Montreal Alouettes.

O’Day was able to bring back quarterback Jack Coan on the same day Schaffer-Baker’s new contract became official. The 51-year-old GM said from the winter meetings in Calgary, Alta. that Jake Maier’s decision about his future would help the team know which direction to go at backup QB.

“In this case, with Jake being a former starter in the league with his time in Calgary, you have to approach this differently. You have to ask him, is he comfortable being a backup? Would he like to see what opportunities are out there around the league if other teams may give him an opportunity to compete for a starting job?” Durant questioned.

“It’s a different scenario because he’s been a starter. That’s tremendous by J.O. showing him that respect and not bringing him back for selfish reasons, but finding out where he’s at in his development. I wouldn’t say it’s normal, but I think in this situation, with Jake being a former starter, he’s being shown that respect from J.O. and the front office of the Riders.”

The 28-year-old passer is a pending free agent after spending the 2025 season behind Trevor Harris in Regina. He was acquired by the Riders through a trade in December 2024 and signed a one-year contract extension last January.

“With Jake’s situation, being a former starter, he may be looking elsewhere trying to see around the league some other places where he has an opportunity to start or at least compete for a starting job. Trevor’s the guy in this case and nothing’s happening to really put much threat his way. Everything behind him is laying the foundation to see who will be the next guy,” Durant said.

Maier dressed all 18 regular-season games for the Roughriders in 2025. He made two starts and completed 64.3 percent of his passes for 617 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. The six-foot, 200-pound QB produced a 1-1 win-loss record, though it’s worth noting he did not finish his Week 20 start against Winnipeg as Coan entered in the fourth quarter to get some playing time.

“You have to look at the rosters around the league. I keep going back to Jake being a former starter, that’s the ultimate position you would like to be in — that’s all you care about. So you’re looking around the league each and every game, who’s hurt, who’s having issues at the quarterback position, which guys are struggling,” Durant said.

“If you look around the league, you look what’s going on out there and the uncertainty in Ottawa, especially behind Dru Brown, there may be some more enticing opportunities for Jake, and that may be what he’s looking at.”