Roughriders announce final cuts, including some surprising names

The Saskatchewan Roughriders announced their final cuts Sunday — and the list includes some notable names from the 2021 season.

Among the players released by the CFL team were defensive backs A.J. Hendy and Blace Brown.

Hendy played 14 games with the Roughriders in 2021, recording 14 defensive tackles, seven special-teams tackles and one interception. Brown had 22 total tackles, one interception and one forced fumble in nine games before he was injured last season.

CFL veteran Shaq Cooper was also among the players released by the team.

The running back split the 2021 season between the B.C. Lions and Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

In five games with B.C., he had 33 carries for 142 yards and one touchdown and 11 receptions for 69 yards. In Winnipeg, Cooper contributed on special teams, recording eight punt returns for 19 yards and five kickoff returns for 108 yards.

Cooper’s departure means veteran Jamal Morrow and rookie Frankie Hickson will be the Roughriders’ American tailbacks.

The Roughriders completed their pre-season schedule Friday with a 20-18 loss to the Lions in Vancouver. Saskatchewan is to open the regular season next Saturday against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Mosaic Stadium.

The full list of Riders’ transactions is listed below:

RELEASED

• American defensive back Blace Brown
• American offensive lineman Tommy Champion
• American defensive lineman Nick Coe
• American linebacker Brian Cole II
• American running back Shaq Cooper
• American wide receiver Jeremiah Haydel
• American defensive back A.J. Hendy
• National defensive back Zach Herzog
• American wide receiver Johnathan Johnson
• American offensive lineman Noah Johnson
• American linebacker Alvin Jones Jr.
• American defensive back T.J. Morrison
• National linebacker Justice Momoka
• American running back Troymaine Pope
• American defensive back C.J. Reavis
• American defensive lineman Justin Thomas
• American wide receiver Xavier Ubosi
• National defensive back Matt Watson
• American defensive lineman Jester Weah
• American defensive lineman Samuel Wright
• National long snapper Zach Zynomirski
  

ADDED TO PRACTICE ROSTER

• National offensive lineman Diego Alatorre Montoya
• American wide receiver Dieuly Aristilde Jr.
• National linebacker Tommy Bringi
• American defensive lineman Miles Brown
• American defensive back Amari Henderson
• American wide receiver Tevin Jones
• American defensive lineman David Kenney
• American offensive lineman Andrew Lauderdale
• Global kicker Henry Nell
• National defensive back Kosi Onyeka
• American offensive lineman Kooper Richardson
• Global punter James Smith

RETURNED TO SCHOOL

• National wide receiver Riley Boersma
• National defensive back Tristan Fleury
• National offensive lineman Zack Fry

Fry was the Roughriders’ second-round pick (16th overall) in the 2022 CFL draft out of Western University. Saskatchewan selected Fleury in the fifth round (45th overall) out of McGill University and Boersma in the eighth round (72nd overall) out of the University of Regina.

Another former U of R player, Kyle Borsa, was among the players cut by the Bombers on Saturday.

SUSPENDED

• Global defensive back Maceo Beard
  

MOVED TO INJURED

• American linebacker Gary Johnson Jr.
• National linebacker Micah Teitz

Teitz has been nursing a groin injury during training camp and his move to the injured list was expected.