2026 Saskatchewan Roughriders: Players battle for spots on Riders’ defence

After winning the 2025 Grey Cup, change was always on the way for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

While the team was able to retain most of its talent on offence, the defence saw a number of players sign elsewhere for 2026.

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A number of players were snapped up by the Ottawa Redblacks, including linebackers A.J. Allen and C.J. Reavis, as well as defensive end Habbakuk Baldonado. Defensive end Malik Carney also left, joining the Edmonton Elks, while Micah Johnson retired to join the Riders’ coaching staff.

Special teams will also look very different this season, as long-snapper Jorgen Hus retired, kicker Brett Lauther was released and the team did not re-sign returner Mario Alford.

Main camp for the CFL club begins on Sunday. Here’s a look at some of the positional battles on the defensive side of the ball:

Defensive line

On the roster: Mike Rose, James Vaughters, Caleb Sanders, Ali Saad, Benoit Marion, Lake Korte-Moore, Chico Bennett Jr., Devin Adams, Sundiata Anderson, Charles Kendy, Desmond Evans, Thor Griffith, Marcus Haynes, Liam Hoskins, Kevin Orange Jr., Jaylen Pate, Aaron Patrick, Nathan Pickering, Davin Vann, Justin Weaver, Sylvain Yondjouen

Riders head coach Corey Mace earned his stripes playing defensive line professionally and then started there as a positional coach.

So it makes a lot of sense the Riders have a lot of players battling for a spot in the trenches.

Rose is back for his second season in green and white. He will be joined by his former teammate in Vaughters, who signed with the Riders as a free agent this past offseason. Vaughters played in Calgary from 2017-18 before joining the NFL. He came back to the CFL and Calgary in 2023 for two seasons before playing for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers last season.

With Johnson’s retirement, Sanders is expected to see his role increase more after being a rotational player last season.

The team has some Canadian depth along the line with Saad, last year’s first-round CFL draft pick, expected to take another step in his development. He turned into a major contributor late in the season. Marion will also be back to provide some depth while Korte-Moore returns after suffering a torn ACL.

The defensive end spot opposite Vaughters will be a battle for a starting job after Carney left. A number of players at camp will look to prove their worth there, including Patrick, who was a key special-teams player last season for the Riders.

Linebackers

On the roster: Jameer Thurman, Antoine Brooks Jr., Josh Woods, Aubrey Miller Jr., Melique Straker, Nick Wiebe, David Gbenda, Vi Jones, Demouy Kennedy, Osasere Odemwingie, Ryder Varga, Tyrone Verde

Thurman, an All-CFLer at the middle linebacker position, will have two different players beside him to start this season.

Brooks Jr. started games for the team at the SAM linebacker spot after injuries forced Reavis to play safety. He started the Grey Cup at that position, but is expected to come into the season as the starting strong-side linebacker.

The team signed veteran Josh Woods to a contract this offseason. The 28-year-old American has spent the past five seasons with the B.C. Lions.

Miller Jr. has been with the team since 2024 and could make his own case to start in one of the spots.

The team also added Varga, a former University of Regina Rams linebacker, on the first day of rookie camp. He has been in the league since 2022.

Straker and Wiebe have been key special teams players, and both Canadians will look to expand their roles.

Marcus Sayles and the rest of the Riders’ defensive backs return in 2026. (Saskatchewan Roughriders)

Defensive backs

On the roster: Rolan Milligan, Marcus Sayles, Tevaughn Campbell, DaMarcus Fields, Nelson Lokombo, Jaxon Ford, Jayden Dalke, Kerfalla Exume, Nafees Lyon, Benny Sapp III, Carson Sombach, Gideon Agyei, James Burgess Jr., Garnett Hollis Jr., Juwuane Hughes, Jerry Jacobs, D’Angelo Mandell, Austin McKinney, Seyi Oladipo, Billy Jonas Perrier

All five starters are back in the Riders’ defensive backfield.

Milligan, who was the 2024 CFL Most Outstanding Defensive Player, Sayles, Campbell, Fields and Lokombo were the team’s Week 1 set. Campbell finished tied for the league lead with six interceptions, while Milligan was tied for third with four interceptions.

Ford is entering his third CFL season and will continue to push to get more playing time at safety. Dalke has started games at safety in his career, and has been dressed as a backup linebacker under Mace.

Sapp dressed for six games last season, recording 19 tackles.

Exume and Lyon provide some good depth, while Agyei returns to the Riders’ camp after he went back to the University of Calgary last season.

Special teams

On the roster: Michael Hughes, Aaron Crawford, Jesse Mirco, Jonathan Kim, Alex Hale, Oscar Chapman

The special teams group for the Riders is getting almost an entirely new look. It’s an open competition for the kicker job after the release of the veteran Lauther.

Hughes has the advantage of being with the Riders last season, making both his convert and field goal attempts in his only game.

Kim has a powerful leg, kicking a 58-yarder while with the Michigan State Spartans. Hale, meanwhile, spent time with the NFL’s Green Bay Packers.

Crawford is a long-time CFLer, with the long snapper getting drafted back in 2012.

Mirco returns for his second season with the team. He handled punting duties for five games and the playoffs for the Riders.