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!
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