‘A juggling act’: Riders’ GM still trying to lock up core ahead of CFL free agency

WATCH: Riders’ General Manager Jeremy O’Day speaks to media at CFL’s winter meetings.

With the free agency period in the Canadian Football League (CFL) opening in February, the Saskatchewan Roughriders are still trying to sure up their roster.

“It’s always a juggling act,” Riders’ General Manager Jeremy O’Day told reporters during an availability Tuesday at the CFL’s winter meetings.

“Something you do early in the offseason is set your priorities of who you want back.”

In recent weeks, O’Day has locked up key players like defensive lineman Malik Carney, linebacker Jameer Thurman as well as quarterbacks Trevor Harris and Jake Maier – who was acquired via trade from Calgary on Dec. 23, 2024.

While some pieces of the team’s core are in place, others remain unsigned.

Including defensive linemen Micah Johnson and Anthony Lanier, 2024 team interception lead Marcus Sayles and star return man Mario Alford.

“If you look at our defensive line right now, it’s an area where [we’re asking], ‘What is our plan there?” O’Day said. “We’ve got a number of potential free agents we’re working through.”

“And that’s an area we’ll be looking to address, either in free agency, negotiation list or whether through the draft.”

The general manager believes his offense is coming together well, as players like Harris, and running back A.J. Ouellette will be returning.

“A.J. is a very good player and he’s a big part of our team,” said O’Day.

But O’Day is still looking to improve in the trenches and the Canadian ratio in the process.

“Something that needs work is Canadian o-lineman,” he explained. “[We] want to have a good group of those guys. Especially with the many injuries we’ve had on the offensive line the last number of years.”

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Despite making it to the CFL’s West Final for the first time since 2021 last season, Head Coach Corey Mace says it is time for his squad to take the next step.

“There’s so much for us to improve on,” he said Monday. “Myself included.”

“We now have the experience of being in a big game like that and we want to push forward.”

O’Day would not comment on specific situations where players remained unsigned Tuesday, but did say he is hoping to keep the Green and White’s core intact.

“You don’t exactly want to be in a situation where you have to be super active in free agency” O’Day said. “You really want to get your core guys in-house and then retain them so they can build that continuity together.”

“It’s a different position we’ve been in the last couple of years and it pays dividends for the season,” he added.

CFL free agency opens Feb. 11. The team may also have a chance to improve the roster during the draft in early May.