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.
When the Saskatchewan Roughriders signed defensive end James Vaughters in free agency last February, there was a common message around the acquisition.
They knew exactly what they were going to get.
Vaughters had been a model of consistency through his first five seasons with Calgary and Winnipeg, averaging close to a couple tackles a game and a half-dozen sacks through the campaign. That, on top of a veteran presence and experience in the NFL, made him the kind of signing that could help a team succeed.
For the most part, that’s what the Riders saw through each of his 17 starts. Vaughters helped Saskatchewan become one of the best run-stopping teams in the CFL and was a valuable anchor out of his spot as the strong-side defensive end.
Now, as a free agent, Vaughters has a decision to make. Stay with the team and be his consistent self for another season, or take his talents elsewhere and help another team succeed.
The case for bringing him back
That aforementioned consistency and experience.
Vaughters finished with 21 tackles over 17 games but was effective in pressuring the quarterback and helping shut down the run whenever Saskatchewan was having success.
He also finished with a career-high seven sacks and with even a bit more luck could have hit double digits.
Then there’s his experience — Vaughters has seen a lot of football over the years, and what he knows could be valuable to youngsters coming up.
The case against bringing him back
That drop-off in tackles and maybe his age.
There’s not a lot to dislike about Vaughters, but he will be turning 34 next season, and he plays one of the most physical positions in the game. He racked up more than 30 tackles the previous two seasons as well, so the dip this season is a bit of a concern.
Vaughters’ sack total stalled dramatically after the mid-season point, as he had five through eight games and only two the rest of the way. That’s likely due to teams paying more attention to him, but it’s still worth noting.
Still, the benefits outweigh the negatives at this point. We’ll see if Vaughters and general manager Jeremy O’Day can come to an agreement.
