Welcome to the SportsCage.com Saskatchewan Roughriders free agency project. We’re profiling each of the team’s pending free agents over November and December.
Things could have been so different for the Saskatchewan Roughriders this season if they had Rolan Milligan Jr.
A shoulder injury suffered in a season-opening win over the B.C. Lions kept the veteran defensive back sidelined until July 23. He played that game against the Edmonton Elks but then tore his ACL in practice the following week, which ended his campaign.
Two games, only one of which he finished. That left a gigantic hole in the Riders secondary.
Milligan’s absence was a tremendous blow. He was the CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 2024 after recording 71 tackles on defence, eight interceptions, and 10 pass knockdowns in 16 games. He shown his worth last season, too, with 52 defensive tackles, four interceptions, and six pass knockdowns in 15 contests.
Milligan said in his end-of-season avail that he wants to return to the Riders, which appears to be a great starting point to contract negotiations – at least on the surface. However, his health is now a major question mark.
The case for bringing him back
The on-field attributes and statistics are obvious. The Riders secondary struggled when it came to giving up big plays from opponents this season. Adding someone who’s been one of the top defenders in the league should only help matters.
Then there’s his leadership qualities. The Riders were torched by Elks quarterback Cody Fajardo in Milligan’s only full game of the season. Fajardo threw for 510 yards as the Riders lost 36-34.
After the game, Milligan made it clear in no uncertain terms that the issues in the defensive backfield would be addressed. Unfortunately for him, the knee injury happened a few days later and prevented him from backing up his words.
The case against bringing him back
Milligan is 32 and rehabbing from a major injury. That injury will almost certainly keep him sidelined into the start of next season. The best-case scenario is he’s ready at the end of training camp.
That’s far from ideal.
If there are any reservations on the Riders’ part, however, Milligan wants to put them to rest. He explained in an interview with Voice of the Roughriders Dave Thomas earlier this month that he plans to leave no stone unturned to get back on the field as quickly as possible.
“My mom instilled in me just never giving up, never asking for handouts, just always being ambitious, and being able to accomplish whatever I wanted to accomplish,” he said.
