The Saskatchewan Roughriders are adding some experience to their receiving corps, signing former East Division Most Outstanding Rookie Shemar Bridges.
The American receiver joins the Riders after spending the first three seasons of his CFL career with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
The move comes after Saskatchewan had two receivers not finish the game with injuries in Sunday’s 30-16 loss to the B.C. Lions. Canadian receiver Samuel Emilus and American receiver Johnny Johnson both left the game and did not return.
Bridges, who stands six foot four and weighs 208 pounds, originally signed with Hamilton in January 2024 and made an immediate impact.
He appeared in 15 regular-season games as a rookie, making 83 catches for 933 yards and four touchdowns. His 11.2 yards per reception average helped earn him East Division Most Outstanding Rookie honours, as well as an East Division All-CFL selection.
Bridges followed that up by playing all 18 games for the Tiger-Cats in 2025. His production dipped to 34 receptions for 361 yards and two touchdowns, but he also contributed in Hamilton's Eastern Final appearance, catching four passes for 33 yards and a touchdown.
The 28-year-old had yet to dress for a regular-season game in 2026, spending time on both the six-game and one-game injured lists.
Before coming to the CFL, Bridges signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent following the 2022 NFL Draft and spent part of that season on Baltimore's practice roster. He returned to the Ravens for training camp in 2023.
Bridges played three seasons at Fort Valley State University from 2019 to 2021. In 16 games with the Wildcats, he recorded 92 receptions for 1,358 yards and seven touchdowns.
Now, Bridges gets a fresh opportunity with the Roughriders as Saskatchewan deals with injuries at the receiver position. His size, CFL experience and previous production give the Riders another veteran option as they prepare for their next game.
