Brett Lauther in ‘negotiating period’ with Riders rookie Malcolm Bell to reacquire number 12 jersey

Photo: Reuben Polansky/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders put together a deal at the CFL trade deadline to bring back Brett Lauther from the Ottawa Redblacks, but now it is the veteran kicker’s turn to negotiate.

The 35-year-old is currently without a number after arriving back in Regina late Wednesday night and would like to reacquire his old No. 12, which he wore with the team from 2018 until 2025. However, rookie Canadian defensive back Malcolm Bell has sported those digits through all 14 games this season, leaving Lauther’s jersey status in limbo.

“I’ll give you the complete update right now: I don’t know. Met Malcolm, kind of just asked, ‘What do you like? What do you like to do? Is there any way I can kind of get this figured out?’ If he’s attached to the number or not, it didn’t seem like it. Kind of in the negotiating period, I guess, right now,” Lauther told reporters at his reintroductory press conference on Thursday.

“It’s his number, though, so if I get it, great. If not, it’s all good. I’ll figure it out. I don’t want to say it’s the least of my worries, but I’m definitely just more focused on coming here and trying to put the ball between the uprights. I know a lot of people are messaging me, asking if I’m getting 12 back — family, friends, people that have the number — but we’ll see what happens.”

Bell was Saskatchewan’s first-round pick in the 2026 CFL Draft and is currently starting at field cornerback in the absence of Tevaughn Campbell, but there is little question as to who possesses No. 12 in the hearts of Rider Nation. Lauther grew into a fan favourite during his tenure with the organization and was widely praised as one of the franchise’s most active players in the community.

After a difficult 2025 season that was marred by a back injury and saw him connect on just 72.2 percent of his field goal attempts, the Riders elected to release Lauther this offseason. He found a new team in Ottawa, where his number of choice was retired due to the great Russ Jackson, and has had a career renaissance wearing No. 21.

The Truro, N.S., native admitted that he had heard some rumours about a potential reunion given Ottawa’s winless run and Saskatchewan’s kicking struggles, but still didn’t see the move coming. When he was called into the Redblacks’ head office on Wednesday, he expected it to be for paperwork related to his position in the CFLPA. Instead, he was informed of the trade, describing the next 24 hours as “crazy,” “bittersweet,” and “surreal.”

“Went in, found out, packed some stuff up, said some goodbyes. Obviously talked to JO (general manager Jeremy O’Day), (head coach Corey) Mace, (director of football operations Jordan) Greenly, some of the guys here pretty quick. Got sent some flight options. I wasn’t really prepared with my vehicle and everything over there, still have to figure out a lot of stuff to get my stuff over,” Lauther recalled.

“I tried to throw my cleats, some boxers and socks in a bag, and flew over and got in around 11:30, midnight-ish, and tried to get some sleep, and then just came in here today. It’s been a whirlwind, for sure.”

Many of the faces that Lauther won a Grey Cup with in 2025 remain in the Saskatchewan locker room, though there is a noticeably new contingent on special teams. Longtime long snapper Jorgen Hus retired in the offseason and has been replaced by veteran Mike Benson. Global rookie Oscar Chapman has taken over as the punter and holder. There will be a learning curve, but Thursday’s homecoming was as advertised.

“We introduced him as we do with every new player that comes in, new brother. He stands up. He got some boos. He got some cheers,” Mace joked. “This is exactly what you would want, as you would think. Lots of hugs. Lots of smiles. He’s meant a lot to this team in the previous years, and just to see some familiar faces and for them to see him, it was a nice reunion.”

Over 130 career regular-season CFL games, Lauther has connected on 333-of-404 field goal attempts (82.4 percent) and 232-of-248 convert attempts (93.5 percent). While 2025 represented a low point, he’s been one of the league’s best this year, nailing 32-of-34 field goal attempts to rank third in the CFL at 94.1 percent (min. 20 attempts). He’s also gone 22-of-23 on his conversion attempts.

The Riders, meanwhile, have struggled in his absence. Rookie Alex Hale made 24-of-32 field goal attempts (75.0 percent) and 32-of-35 conversion attempts (91.4 percent) before being demoted to the practice roster. Dawson Hodge has since gone five-for-five, though he’s yet to attempt a field goal over 33 yards.

Lauther seems to find no satisfaction in that contrast and does not carry a chip on his shoulder from his release. He has only gratitude towards Saskatchewan’s management team for what they have done for him in the past and the opportunity they have given him now.

“I’ll never hold ill will. If anything, I think that’s just mostly from maybe media or fans, not anyone in here. For me, it’s the complete opposite,” he said. “It was the first time I got a chance to reflect and be super thankful for those guys for giving me the opportunity to play and sticking with me. I’m forever in debt to those guys and this organization, everyone upstairs, the fans, you name it. I’m super lucky to be playing football and get to do what I get to do.”

“They gave me a shot multiple times here. They stuck with me for probably a lot longer than they should have a few different times, and to come back and have another opportunity — not getting ahead of myself, but even just thinking about stuff in the offseason or getting back into schools or doing the hockey game or getting back on the field, in the locker room with the guys — I’m just trying to put my best foot forward and hopefully make some people proud.”

That will have to wait at least a week, as Lauther isn’t on Saskatchewan’s gameday roster in Week 18. While the Saint Mary’s University product believes he could go, Mace is playing it safe.

“He got in pretty late last night, and I don’t think it would be fair to the football team, quite honestly, to just toss him out there without an extensive work of operation with a new snapper or new holder,” he said. “Dawson’s been on it this week, so I thought it was the right thing to do for the football team and for Brett too.”

At the very least, that will allow more time for negotiations to play out between Lauther and Bell, lest a not insignificant portion of the province’s wardrobe become redundant.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders (8-6) will host the Calgary Stampeders (7-8) on Friday, October 2, with kickoff scheduled for 9:30 p.m. EDT. The Roughriders are coming off a loss to B.C. that bumped them to third place in the West Division, while the Stampeders completed their two-game sweep of Ottawa.

The game will be broadcast on TSN in Canada and CFL+ internationally. Radio listeners can tune in on 620 CKRM in Regina and 770 CHQR in Calgary.