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