'A better team than people realize': Riders optimistic heading into free agency period

Saskatchewan Roughriders head coach Craig Dickenson and general manager, Jeremy O’Day are under immense pressure to produce a substantially better product on the field in the 2023 season and that begins with locking down key players in free agency.

The Canadian Football League’s [CFL] free agency opens Feb. 14 and the biggest question that has surrounded the Riders since the end of last season is who will be their starting quarterback.

“We have to see what the dollars are going to be because you can only spend so much at each position and the more you are spending on quarterbacks, the less you have for other positions,” said Dickenson.

“You have to have experience and you have to have good, young talent behind him to push him.”

O’Day said he wouldn’t rule anything out at the quarterback position.

“There’s a number of different ways that it could go and obviously there’s a lot to happen between now and free agency,” he said.

O’Day went on to explain the challenges of trying to lock down players given the market of the CFL and regulations leading up to and following free agency.

“It seems like you’re doing a bunch of contracts every year, reading every offer, renegotiating, it’s kind of constantly [going on] from the end of the season all the way through the last couple of days of free agency,” O’Day explained.

He said the league is trying to do some things that will hopefully entice players to stay with their team more than they have in the past.

“The reality of it, with the one year contracts, and, you know, being a small league, and how the seasons go up and down, [it makes it tough].”

O’Day went on to describe what the week and day usually looks like for the organization.

“Our equipment guys do a nice job of setting up the room for everything so we’re prepared, but with the window that’s been added over the last number of years, the week leading up to free agency is where a lot of legwork is really done,” said O’Day.

“A lot of the communications and agreements are really happening during that week. So the week leading up, I’m going to be honest, is just crazy. You spend the whole day and night on the phone talking to players and communicating with agents.”

He said things can change so quickly, as sometimes they go in with a plan then realize the player is going back to their team.

“The day before free agency, there’s a period where you’re not allowed to talk to the free agents and they’re allowed to talk to their own team. So you may think you have a deal in place and then all of a sudden, it changes,” he said.

O’Day and Dickenson are currently in Kananaskis, Alta for the Canadian Football League’s 2023 winter meetings and are using the time to do a deep dive into who is available come free agency.

A big name from Ridernation that will hit the market is linebacker, Darnell Sankey. Sankey was one of the few bright spots for the Riders in 2022, with 122 tackles, three sacks, and one interception.

“He’s a tackling machine and he brings a lot of toughness and character to the locker room. We’re going to do out best to try and get him back. He’s got, I think, some NFL aspirations and we want him to certainly do what’s best for himself,” said Dickenson.

The Riders have already locked down defensive backs Rolan Milligan, Nick Marshall, and Jordan Beaulieu for next season. As well, defensive tackle Charbel Dabire will return to the green and white.

Last week, the team announced some new faces on the roster when they added safety Deontai Williams and defensive back, Austin Joyner.

“We’re going to try like crazy to have as much depth as possible in the secondary and in every other position. The reality is we want as deep of a group of guys as we can find,” said Dickenson on the signings and re-signings.

“We’ve been fortunate for a couple of years to have depth in certain positions and then last year I felt like we could have done a better job. You always have to be prepared for injuries,” echoed O’Day.

The topic of whether Cody Fajardo will return to Saskatchewan is still one of the hottest amongst the league and fans.

“We’re thinking we need to upgrade a quarterback and whether that be with him signing and getting a little better up front on the o-line or looking at other players. We’ve been honest with him and we’ve told them him we’re going to look around. At the same time, we haven’t decided he’s not the guy,” said Dickenson.

“But until really that free agency date comes and we know who’s available, we’re still not sure who’s going to be out there.”

One of the biggest names that is expected to be out there is quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell. The 32-year-old was traded to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in November, although he plans to go to free agency before committing anywhere.

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There is wide speculation that Mitchell could come to Saskatchewan, however, Dickenson remains tight lipped.

“I can’t even give you the odds [that he will come to Saskatchewan]. I think it’s all out in the space world right now. I can’t tell you,” laughed Dickenson when asked about Mitchell.

However, it’s not just the starting quarterback that is worrying fans, so is the offensive line, after they allowed a record number of sacks in the 2022 season.

“The more you work with guys consistently, the better you can become as a unit. So it’s certainly something we will have to pay close attention to. There will be some challenges moving forward upfront,” said O’Day.

The organization knows the fans are passionate about creating a good product on the field and will not hold back after the disappointments of the 2022 season when the Riders take to the field this year.

“I would take passion over apathy any day and the people in Saskatchewan care. That’s a good thing. But I feel like we’re going to put a good product out there and we’re going to have a better team than people realize or maybe expect,” said Dickenson.