Riders to focus on positional battles in first preseason game

For the first time in 2025, the Saskatchewan Roughriders will get a chance to hit someone in a different coloured jersey.

The Riders will open up their preseason in Winnipeg to take on the Blue Bombers. Kickoff for the game is set for 2 p.m. It is being broadcast on CFL+.

While the CFL club returned a lot of starters on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, there are still some battles taking place and players will need to show the coaching staff what they can do.

“There’s going to be some tough battles and I think these preseason games are going to be an opportunity for guys to separate themselves,” said Riders head coach Corey Mace. “There’s a lot of competition out there at a lot of spots. We will have eyes everywhere.”

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Some of those spots include who will be the starting defensive end opposite of Malik Carney. Veteran Shane Ray is expected to be the starter but as he was just signed this past offseason, he doesn’t come in as the incumbent.

One player who will look to showcase what he can do is Ali Saad. Saad was taken by the Riders in the first round (fourth overall) in the 2025 CFL Draft. Saad missed rookie camp and day one of main camp as he attended a rookie mini-camp with the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers.

“It’s been great. The competition here is out of this league for sure. It’s completely different from college,” Saad said.

“Coming in on the first day and the first meeting, I didn’t know what I was doing. Coach threw me out there. Him doing that helped me learn quicker. He was still meeting with me after meetings and stuff like that to discuss more on each play what we have installed and stuff like that.”

Saad is looking forward to finally playing in a game again.

“I’m coming out to ball and I hope I have a great day honestly,” Saad said. “I haven’t hit someone in a while. I’m ready to compete, let’s get this win and get some stats up there — see where I stand and where everyone else stands as a team.”

Defensive end Ali Saad (96) is looking to show what he can do in a game for the Riders. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)

Another position that eyes will be on is the backup running back spot. With AJ Ouellette back healthy, he is expected to improve on last year’s campaign where he was only able to play eight games.

But the team has two American running backs hoping to claim a spot on the team — Mario Anderson and Trent Pennix.

One of the things to pay attention to will be how Mace rolls out the quarterbacks for the game. It remains to be seen how many reps Trevor Harris, Jake Maier, Jack Coan and Tommy Stevens will get.

“The goal is to get these guys some game reps. We think that’s valuable. Anticipate everyone who is healthy to get some kind of reps out there,” Mace said.

Maier joined the Riders after his negotiation rights were traded from the Calgary Stampeders to Saskatchewan in the offseason. He started 45 games as a member of the Stamps.

He admits he is feeling rejuvenated with this opportunity with Saskatchewan even though he is expected to be the team’s backup pivot.

“I feel like it’s a reset for me. I try to do that every year but I think this year has been a much more natural reset process for me as a player,” Maier said.

“I’m just trying to take it one day at a time. I know that sounds cliche but I really just try to make my life that simple at the moment. When my number is called, I try to go in there and produce the way I can to make sure this team doesn’t skip a beat if I get in there.”

One of the team’s top performers at camp this year has been defensive back Antoine Brooks Jr. It’s turned into an almost daily occurrence he has made a play on the ball.

“Camp’s been fun. I’m learning a lot,” Brooks Jr. said. “No one is perfect in a game so I need to be an A+ guy. I’m just focused on the littlest things to make sure I can make the big plays.”

The Green Zone pregame show begins at noon on Saturday on 980 CJME and 650 CKOM.