Tough decisions ahead for Blades despite strong start to season
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The Blades are third in the eastern conference with a record of 11-5-1-1.
Big names on both sides of the ball are among the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ pending free agents.
There are 32 players who are eligible to hit the free-agent market Feb. 14 at 11 a.m., unless they re-sign before the deadline.
On defence, linebackers Darnell Sankey and Larry Dean — who finished first and third, respectively, in the CFL in tackles in 2022 — head the list of potential free agents. Sankey had 120 defensive tackles, while Dean had 101.
Seven defensive backs — Jordan Beaulieu, Blace Brown, Jeremy Clark, Mike Edem, Nick Marshall, Rolan Milligan and Godfrey Onyeka — could hit the market unless they re-sign.
Defensive ends Charleston Hughes and Pete Robertson, defensive tackles Charbel Dabire and Anthony Lanier, and linebackers Nigel Harris, Jordan Herdman-Reed, Justin Herdman-Reed and Gary Johnson also are on the Roughriders’ list.
Offensively, quarterback Cody Fajardo is arguably Saskatchewan’s highest-profile pending free agent. Fajardo completed 282 of 401 pass attempts for 3,360 yards with 16 touchdowns and 13 interceptions last season before being supplanted as the starter by Mason Fine.
Fajardo already has suggested he’ll test the free-agent waters once the deadline arrives.
Six of the Roughriders’ top eight receivers in yards last season are potential free agents. That group includes Shaq Evans (second), Duke Williams (third), Jamal Morrow (fourth), Justin McInnis (fifth), Kyran Moore (sixth) and Mitch Picton (eighth).
Morrow also was Saskatchewan’s leading rusher in 2022.
Offensive linemen Jamal Campbell, Dan Clark, Josiah St. John and Terran Vaughn, receivers Jake Harty and Wesley Lewis, and running backs Shaq Cooper and James Tuck also can hit the market in February.