Jamie Nye: Rest is best

Rest vs Rust.

The benefit of clinching a playoff spot for the Roughriders is they get to choose who plays and when and who doesn’t play and why.

Already this week, we’ll see Naaman Roosevelt, Sam Eguavoen and maybe Kacy Rodgers held out. If it were the playoffs these players would be playing, but there is no reason for them to be in there.

It allows Chris Jones and his staff to evaluate certain players as Chad Owens will play his second game.

Winning isn’t necessary and nor should you risk aggravating injuries in some players when your most important games are two weeks away.

The risk is always rust. That is the notion or fear that if you rest players they’ll lose some game readiness come playoff time.

But in sports, especially football, rest is imperative after a lengthy season. For the Roughriders, they haven’t had a bye week since mid-August.

You can’t rest everyone because of smaller rosters in the CFL but when you get the opportunity to rest some, you have to take advantage. Jones and the Riders would be best served sitting some veterans out.