2017: Saskatchewan Roughriders Year in Review
Published: Sunday, Dec 31st 2017, 4:12pm
by Alex Dormuth (@RealAlexD)
What a whirlwind calendar year for the Riders 2017 was. From starting the season as a 5-13 team to getting to 23 seconds and 1 yard from a Grey Cup appearance, 2017 saw it all. Let’s take a look back at the 2017 Saskatchewan Roughriders.
January
6th – K Tyler Crapigna signs extension, keeping hjm under contract through 2019
13th – Franchise QB Darian Durant traded to Montreal for 2 draft picks
20th – All-star DE Willie Jefferson signs 1 year extension
23rd – QB Kevin Glenn signs 2 year deal
26th WR Duron Carter signs 1 year deal
February
14th – Reigning Most Outstanding OL Derek Dennis and RB Kienan LaFrance sign
15th – WR Chad Owens and S Marc-Olivier Brouillette sign
16th – RB Cameron Marshall signs
21st – WR Bakari Grant and DT Zach Minter sign
23rd – OL Chris Best retires
28th – P Josh Bartel signs extension through 2019
March
8th – Jeff Hecht re-signs
9th – Former NFL QB Vince Young signs
April
25th – Mini-camp opens in Florida
May
7th – CFL Draft. Riders take LB Cameron Judge #2 overall and OL Dariusz Bladek #11 overall
11th – Acquire S Mike Edem in trade with BC
27th – Acquire OL Peter Dyakowski in trade with Toronto
27th – S Marc-Olivier Brouillette retires the day before Training Camp opens
28th – Training Camp opens in Saskatoon
June
2nd – Riders announce profit of $33,983
6th – QB Vince Young tears Hamstring
10th – Mosaic Stadium houses first CFL game, 25-25 tie vs. Winnipeg in Preseason
16th – Riders lose Preseason game in BC 42-10
17th – Final roster announced. Among cuts are QB Vince Young and RB Anthony Allen
18th – Draft pick LB Cameron Judge signs
19th – DB Jovon Johnson signs 1 year deal
22nd – Riders lose season opener in Montreal vs Darian Durant 17-16 (thanks to the football gods) (0-1)
29th – New Fan Walls and Statue unveiled in front of Mosaic Stadium
July
1st – The first ever home opener at Mosaic Stadium goes to overtime. Riders lose to Winnipeg 43-40 (0-2)
8th – The Riders defeat Hamilton for the first win of the year and first win at Mosaic Stadium (1-2)
22nd – The Riders lose 27-10 in Calgary. QB Kevin Glenn joins the 50,000 yard passing club (1-3)
29th – Duron Carter has the catch of the year in a 38-27 win against Toronto (2-3)
August
5th – BC dominates the Riders in BC 30-15 (2-4)
13th – DB Ed Gainey has a record 4 interceptions (and a fumble recovery), Duron Carter plays DB as Riders route BC at Mosaic Stadium 41-8 (3-4)
15th – Riders acquire QB Vernon Adams Jr. from Montreal
25th – Riders waltz into Edmonton and crush the Eskimos 54-31. Duron Carter returns a missed extra point 115 yards for a 2 point convert (is there anything he can’t do??) (4-4)
September
2nd – Riders unveil statues of the 2 greatest Riders ever, George Reed and Ron Lancaster outside Mosaic Stadium
3rd – Riders win first Labour Day Classic at Mosaic Stadium 38-24 over Winnipeg (5-4)
9th – Riders drop Banjo Bowl 48-28 . QB Kevin Glenn hurts hand (5-5)
11th – LB Jeff Knox Jr. signs with the Riders after stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
12th – LB Otha Foster and RB/KR Marcus Thigpen both sign with the Riders
15th – Brandon Bridge starts his first game for the Riders, a 27-19 win in Hamilton (6-5)
20th – DB Elie Bouka joins Riders after time with the Arizona Cardinals.
20th – S Marc-Olivier Brouillette comes out of retirement, reports to the Riders
24th – Riders stumble at home to Calgary, losing 15-9 (6-6)
26th – Riders sign former NFL RB Trent Richardson
29th – KR Christion Jones sparks comeback as the Riders win in Ottawa 18-17 (7-6)
October
7th – QB Brandon Bridge leads comeback as Riders beat Toronto 27-24 (8-6)
13th – Riders give away game at home to Ottawa, lose 33-32 (8-7)
16th – Riders sign WR Chris Getzlaf
20th – WR Chad Owens makes Rider debut, Duron Carter has pick-6 on Bo Levi Mitchell (there really isn’t anything he can’t do!!) as Riders dominate in Calgary 30-7 and clinch first playoff birth since 2014 (9-7)
23rd – OL Brendan Labatte signs 4 year extension with the Riders
27th – Taylor Field’s west side grandstand is brought down, signalling the end of Taylor Field
27th – Darian Durant returns to Regina, plays first game as a visitor. Trent Richardson runs wild over Montreal as Riders win 37-12 (10-7)
November
4th – Riders struggle in season finale and lose at home to Edmonton 28-13. Riders finish 4th in the West Division, crossing over to East playoffs (10-8)
5th – LS Jorgen Hus and RB/KR Marcus Thigpen sign 1 year extensions with the Riders
7th – WR Caleb Holley signs extension
12th – Riders go into Ottawa and dominate East Semi-final 31-20
19th – Riders lose heartbreaker in East Final to eventual Grey Cup Champions Toronto 25-21
December
5th – WR Duron Carter, OL Brendan Labatte, DE Willie Jefferson and DB Ed Gainey all named CFL All-stars
12th – GM/HC Chris Jones signs extension with Riders through 2019
19th – Riders sign WR Mitch Picton, LB Alexandre Chevrier, LB Alexandre Gagne and OL Danny Sprukulis
20th – QB Brandon Bridge signs 1 year deal avoiding free agency
21st – DB Jovon Johnson and OL Thaddeus Coleman sign 1 year contract extensions
27th – KR Christion Jones signs extension through 2019
29th – DB Crezdon Butler signs extension through 2019
It was a year full of ups and downs, but much more positive than negative. The vision of Chris Jones has come out and we have a hungry, talented team ready to take that next leap into Grey Cup contenders in 2018. Still some work to be done but we are in for another wild ride in 2018!
If you're having trouble subscribing, subscribe here instead.
