The champs are here – about two-thirds of them anyway.
With Saturday’s transactions by the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the team’s roster – as it stands today – includes 29 of the 45 players who dressed for them in last year’s Grey Cup championship win over the Montreal Alouettes.
The most impacted position, relative to the Riders’ final game-day lineup of 2025, is wide receiver where each of Dohnte Meyers (released – NFL), Mario Alford (free agency – HAM, since released), Ajou Ajou (released) and Mitch Picton (retired) are no longer with the club.
The defensive line will also have a much-discussed new look without end Malik Carney (free agency – EDM), Micah Johnson (retired), end Habakkuk Baldonado (free agency – OTT) and end Aaron Patrick (retired).
And on special teams, punter Jesse Mirco (released), placekicker Brett Lauther (free agency – OTT) and long snapper Jorgen Hus (retired) are all likewise departed.
Beyond that, the rest of the Cup-winning lineup is virtually intact, with head coach Corey Mace noting after Friday’s practice that his goal was to find “the guys that we feel are going to make this team better than what we were last year.”
Among those returning to chase a repeat are all four running backs, two of three quarterbacks, two of three slotbacks, five of six offensive linemen, six of seven linebackers and seven of eight defensive backs.
Only quarterback Jake Maier (free agency – OTT), slotback Tommy Nield (free agency – WPG), left guard Trevon Tate (free agency – unsigned), linebacker A.J. Allen (free agency – OTT) and safety C.J. Reavis (free agency – OTT) have since moved on from that group.
Replacing Maier in the quarterback room to start the season is 23-year-old rookie Brayden Schager from the University of Hawaii, as the Riders will once again carry four quarterbacks – Trevor Harris, Jack Coan, Tommy Stevens and Schager – at least for the time being.
“Trevor is Trevor, obviously,” Mace said Friday, discussing that prospect with media.
“Tommy, he's got an absolutely special skill set and he's also progressing as a quarterback. Jack, I think, operates mentally very similar to Trevor. He's getting better. His release time has been getting better over his time here. He has a good understanding of the playbook.
“And Schager, he's a firecracker. Live arm, super competitive. So, yeah, they're all different. They all have a bunch of positives that you admire.”
Rider fans will of course see more familiar faces among the current 2026 squad as quarterback Jack Coan, wide receiver KeeSean Johnson, offensive lineman Daniel Johnson, slotbacks Dhel Duncan-Busby and D’Sean Mimbs, and defensive lineman Kendy Charles, Lake Korte-Moore and Benoit Marion all made the cut to start another season after filling a wide variety of roles in 2025 – from practice roster and depth support to over 1,000 yards receiving.
