The Saskatchewan Roughriders have made changes to their backfield following injuries suffered in Week 1, but it won’t be the combination many expected.
Ka’Deem Carey will make his Green and White debut against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats after being signed earlier this week, but the 32-year-old former East Division all-star will be in a backup capacity. A.J. Ouellette will still make the start behind Trevor Harris despite exiting the opener early with an apparent head injury and being limited on Tuesday.
Instead of Ouellette on the shelf, it will be Canadian backup Thomas Bertrand-Hudon sitting out on the one-game injured list. The 28-year-old had 74 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns in relief last week, but is currently dealing with a groin injury that held him out of practice.
The Riders have also lost key starters on both sides of the ball, as weak-side linebacker C.J. Avery (bicep) and Canadian receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker (foot) have both been placed on the six-game injured list. The former generated 59 total tackles and three interceptions as rookie last year, while the latter is coming off a 735-yard campaign.
Canadian special teams standout A.J. Allen will get the nod in the linebacking corps after making four defensive stops in relief last week. Backup safety Jaxon Ford will also draw into the lineup after missing the opener with a hand injury, providing additional depth. Veteran Mitch Picton gets the nod in the vacant receiving spot, while fellow Regina Ram alumnus D’Sean Mimbs will dress for his first career game as a backup.
Changes have also been made along the offensive line, where Canadian Daniel Johnson will make his first start at left tackle following a knee injury to American rookie Payton Collins. With the ratio tweak, American Jacob Brammer will leapfrog into the right guard slot after recovering from a back injury and Zack Fry will serve as the sixth man.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders (1-0) will visit the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (0-1) at Hamilton Stadium on Saturday, June 14 with kickoff slated for 7:00 p.m. EDT.
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