Riders beat Lions to punch ticket to CFL West final
Nov 03, 2024
The Riders are back in the West final for the first time since 2021.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders’ roster of backup quarterbacks decreased by one Friday.
The CFL announced in a tweet that James Franklin had retired, along with receiver Rashad Greene.
Franklin signed with the Roughriders in February of 2020 after spending his first five seasons in the league with Edmonton (2015-17) and the Toronto Argonauts (2018-19).
The 29-year-old product of Oklahoma City didn’t play a game with Saskatchewan, as the 2020 season was cancelled due to COVID-19.
He was slated to become a free agent in February, but signed a one-year extension with the Roughriders.
Franklin’s retirement leaves the Roughriders with four quarterbacks on the depth chart behind starter Cody Fajardo.
Isaac Harker was Fajardo’s primary backup during the 2019 season and completed 44 of 61 pass attempts for 467 yards with three interceptions.
The other three QBs currently on the roster — Luke Falk, Mason Fine and Tom Flacco — are all CFL rookies.
Greene, a 2015 fifth-round pick of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, signed with the Roughriders in February of 2020. Like Franklin, Greene never appeared in a game with Saskatchewan.