James Vaughters agrees to terms with Saskatchewan Roughriders: sources

Photo: Winnipeg Blue Bombers

The Saskatchewan Roughriders have agreed to terms with American defensive lineman James Vaughters, per sources. Barring anything unforeseen, he’s expected to sign with the team on a one-year deal.

Vaughters spent the 2025 season with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He appeared in all 18 regular-season games, recording 36 defensive tackles, six sacks, and one touchdown.

The 32-year-old returned to the CFL in 2023 as a member of the Calgary Stampeders following a stint in the NFL. Over two seasons with the team, he made 47 defensive tackles, 10 sacks, and four forced fumbles.

The native of Chicago, Ill. played 27 NFL regular-season games with the Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons from 2019 to 2021, recording 33 total tackles, two tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and one forced fumble. He also attended training camp with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022, though he didn’t make the club’s final roster.

The six-foot-one, 256-pound defender’s original run with the Stampeders took place in 2017 and 2018. He made 50 defensive tackles, eight special teams tackles, and 11 sacks, helping the team win the Grey Cup in his second year with the squad.

After his collegiate career at Stanford University, Vaughters was a member of the Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, and San Diego Chargers, though he didn’t see any regular-season action at that time.

Pending CFL free agents can negotiate with teams across the league during the communication window, which closes on Sunday, February 8. Players can agree to terms on a contract with a particular franchise; however, the deals are not legally binding and can’t be made official until after free agency opens on Tuesday, February 10.

Vaughters was 3DownNation’s No. 21-ranked pending free agent.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders finished first in the West Division standings in 2025 with a 12-6 record, finishing first in the West Division for the first time since 2019. The team went on to defeat the Montreal Alouettes in the 112th Grey Cup in Winnipeg, marking the team’s first championship in 12 years. Trevor Harris went 11-5 as a starter, throwing for 4,549 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.

The Roughriders ranked second in net offence, second in net defence, and tied for third with a turnover differential of plus-eight. The club’s leading rusher was A.J. Ouellette with 1,222 yards, leading receiver was KeeSean Johnson with 1,159 yards, and leading tackler was A.J. Allen with 91 tackles. Saskatchewan finished second in attendance with average crowds of 28,427, which was a 2.7 percent increase from the previous year.