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The second preseason game will be one last chance for players to show they should make the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ 2025 roster — no matter what their resume is.
“It’s very important. Jobs are on the line, and that will be the final checkmark for us to kind of validate or solidify our thoughts or prove us wrong going into it,” said head coach Corey Mace. “We want to make sure we do enough to give those guys an ample amount of opportunity and prove they deserve to be there. It’s extremely important.”
Saskatchewan will take on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in a preseason rematch on Friday. The Bombers won the first preseason contest 15-9 in Winnipeg last week.
Kickoff for the game at Mosaic Stadium is set for 7 p.m. The Green Zone pregame show begins at 5 p.m.
CFL camps can contain players with varying degrees of experience, but all are trying to do one thing — stick around on the team’s roster for this season and beyond.
One player who comes with pro experience is defensive end Aaron Patrick. Patrick was in the NFL from 2020-23 with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Denver Broncos. He dressed for 12 games with the Broncos during the 2021 season.
“I think (preseason) is important at any stage (in your career),” Patrick said. “You learn how to play with the players you’re playing with and you learn how to play against people. It’s even more important in a league like this because you’re learning how the new rules will affect you during a game.”
Even though he has NFL experience, Patrick admits he is feeling like a rookie again.
“There are some ways where there are things I had a good understanding of coming from the NFL and I am able to implement a lot of those things here — a lot of things on special-teams and stuff like that,” Patrick said.
“In other ways, like some of the new rules and all of that, I’ve had to relearn a lot of things. In those ways, I could be considered a rookie for sure.”
Defensive back Gideon Agyei is not only attending his first pro camp but will also take on a new position.
The Calgary Dino was the Riders’ sixth-round (52nd overall) pick in the 2025 CFL Draft. Due to an injury to Nelson Lokombo and the team trying out Jayden Dalke at linebacker, Agyei is taking backup safety reps for the first time in his football career.
“That’s completely new,” Agyei said. “It’s a whole new experience just seeing the field in a different way and different attack angles and quarterbacking and constructing the defence and making sure everybody is in position and in the right spot is just a different game. Just need to learn that a little bit more and I feel like I can get it now.”
Agyei’s versatility has drawn praise from Mace.
“The kid has some speed to him. We started him out a little bit at the corner spot and then he got some burn the last little bit here at the free safety spot and he is looking good. He is coming into his own and commanding the back of the field there,” Mace said.
“Being able to play a bit of free for us and be versatile is certainly going to help him. He doesn’t look out of place. He looks comfortable back there.”
For players like Patrick, they will look to show coaches they belong on this team that has Grey Cup aspirations this season.
“I just can’t wait to get out there and help the team,” Patrick said.
“I think every player should find their niche. Do whatever you have to do on the field to let that thing be so great that it helps the team in a way they couldn’t imagine. I hope to get out there, whether it is special teams or defence or whatever, I want to get out there and help the team.”
Final cuts are set to take place on Saturday. The Riders open the season on June 5th at Mosaic Stadium against the Ottawa Redblacks.
News and notes
- Mace didn’t have an update on defensive lineman Charbel Dabire and the seriousness of his injury. He said Dabire wasn’t expected to be ready to play in Week 1.
- Defensive end Shane Ray has a sprained ankle, but Mace believes he will be ready to play soon.
- Wide receiver D’Sean Mimbs was running with the first-team offence on Wednesday during training camp in place of slotback Kian Schaffer-Baker. Mace said Schaffer-Baker tweaked something, but it’s nothing serious.
