The

2016 File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...

Saskatchewan Roughriders The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a professional Canadian football team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. The Roughriders compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league's West Division. The Roughriders were founded in 1 ...

season was the 59th season for the team in the

Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ci ...

and their 107th season overall. The Roughriders finished in 5th place in the West Division with a 5–13 record and missed the playoffs for the second straight year. The Roughriders improved upon their 3–15 record from 2015, but were eliminated from the playoffs three days after recording their fourth win, making this the second straight season that the Roughriders missed the playoffs. For the fourth consecutive season, the club held their training camp at

Griffiths Stadium Griffiths Stadium is a stadium located on the grounds of the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The current stadium was opened on June 23, 1967 to host the Saskatchewan Huskies football team. There was previously a Griffiths ...

Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...

with the main camp beginning on May 29. In week 16 on October 10, 2016, the Roughriders were officially eliminated from post-season contention, after the

Montreal Alouettes The Montreal Alouettes (Canadian French, French: Les Alouettes de Montréal) are a professional Canadian football team based in Montreal, Quebec. Founded in 1946, the team has folded and been revived twice. The Alouettes compete in the Canadian F ...

lost to the

Edmonton Eskimos The Edmonton Elks are a professional Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. The club competes in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member of the league's West Division and plays their home games at the Brick Field at Commo ...

Offseason

CFL draft

The

2016 CFL Draft The 2016 CFL Draft took place on Tuesday, May 10, 2016 at 7:00 PM ET on TSN2 and RDS2. 70 players were chosen from among eligible players from Canadian Universities across the country, as well as Canadian players playing in the NCAA. The draft wa ...

took place on May 10, 2016. The Roughriders had seven selections in the eight-round draft, including the first overall selection following a league-worst 3-15 record in 2015. On December 7, 2015, the Roughriders announced they had hired former

head coach Chris Jones as new head coach and general manager after a 3-15 season in 2015. Jones had won the

103rd Grey Cup The 103rd Grey Cup was a Canadian football game that was played on November 29, 2015 between the East Division champion Ottawa Redblacks and the West Division champion Edmonton Eskimos to decide the Canadian Football League (CFL) championship f ...

with the Eskimos a week before being hired by the Roughriders. On December 9, Jones hired John Murphy, assistant general manager of the

Calgary Stampeders The Calgary Stampeders are a professional Canadian football team based in Calgary, Alberta. The Stampeders compete in the West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The club plays its home games at McMahon Stadium and are the third-old ...

, as the Roughriders' new VP of player personnel. On December 15, the Roughriders cut 19 players, including veterans

Tyron Brackenridge Tyron Lyle Brackenridge (born June 30, 1984) is a former Canadian football defensive backs coach for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. He is a former gridiron football cornerback who played the majority of his career with the ...

, Weldon Brown and

Taj Smith Tajiddin M. Smith-Wilson (born September 30, 1983) is a professional gridiron football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He recently played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Green ...

. On December 18, the Roughriders traded defensive lineman Andre Monroe to the Toronto Argonauts in exchange for offensive lineman Jarriel King. On December 21, the Roughriders released more veterans, this time

Tristan Jackson Tristan Jackson (born March 5, 1986) is a former professional Canadian football defensive back, playing nine seasons in the league. He was signed as a street free agent by the Edmonton Eskimos in 2008 where he played for three seasons before bei ...

and Paul McCallum. In the new year, the Roughriders made more signings, including

Caesar Rayford Caesar Rayford (born March 4, 1986) is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys. He also was a member of the BC Lions, Spokane Shock, Utah Blaze, Jacksonville Sharks, Calgary Stampeders, Mont ...

on January 8, and Derrius Brooks on January 11. They would also acquire receiver

Maurice Price Maurice Price (born September 11, 1985) is a former gridiron football wide receiver who played for the Calgary Stampeders and Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free age ...

from the Redblacks. On January 16, the Roughriders released veterans

Weston Dressler Weston Dressler (born June 14, 1985) is an American former Canadian football slotback. Dressler last played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Prior to his being signed by the Blue Bombers organization in 2016, h ...

and

John Chick John Chick (born November 20, 1982) is a former professional Canadian football defensive end who played eight seasons in the Canadian Football League, primarily with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. After signing with Saskatchewan in 2007, he was na ...

, a move that received backlash from fans despite the move freeing up cap space. Dressler had signed a 4-year contract extension less than a year prior. Dressler would go on to sign with the

Winnipeg Blue Bombers The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a professional Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Blue Bombers compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league's West division. They play their home games at IG Fiel ...

, while Chick moved east to sign with the

Hamilton Tiger-Cats The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a professional Canadian football team based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Tim Hortons Fiel ...

. On January 17, the Roughriders signed veteran defensive lineman Shawn Lemon. On January 20, the Roughriders restructured the contract of

Darian Durant Darian Bernard Durant (born August 19, 1982) is a former professional Canadian football quarterback. He played college football at the University of North Carolina. By the end of his college career, he held school records for completion percentag ...

, a move that freed up cap space. In the days leading up to CFL Free Agency, the Roughriders re-signed Spencer Moore and

Rob Bagg Rob Bagg (born February 3, 1985) is a retired professional Canadian football wide receiver. He played 11 seasons for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) from 2008 to 2018. He is a member of the 101st Grey Cup winnin ...

, and on free agency day, re-signed veteran offensive lineman

Chris Best Chris Best (born April 3, 1983) is a former Canadian football guard who played 10 seasons for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. He played CIS Football at Waterloo, as well as playing four seasons in the United States ...

. Veteran linebacker

Shea Emry Shea Emry (born April 23, 1986 in Richmond, British Columbia) is a former Canadian football linebacker who played eight seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was drafted by the Montreal Alouettes in the first round of the 2008 CFL Draf ...

would announce his retirement from the league. The Roughriders would be busy during free agency, signing receivers John Chiles,

Jeremy Kelley Jeremy Kelley (born June 9, 1988) is a former gridiron football wide receiver. He attended the University of Maine. Kelley was a member of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Utah Blaze, Jacksonville Sharks, Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Power, San Jose S ...

and

Shamawd Chambers Shamawd Chambers (born March 10, 1989) is a Canadian football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He most recently played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL). After the 2011 CIS season, he was ranke ...

, offensive lineman Andrew Jones, linebacker Greg Jones, running back

Curtis Steele Curtis Devon Steele (born March 24, 1987) is a Canadian football running back who is currently a free agent. He was most recently a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He has also played for the Toronto A ...

, returner

Kendial Lawrence Kendial Lawrence (born April 13, 1991) is a former Canadian football running back who was last a member of the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2013. He played ...

and defensive lineman Justin Capicciotti. They would also acquire defensive backs Graig Newman,

Otha Foster Otha Foster III (born September 27, 1988) is an American former professional gridiron football defensive back. He played college football at West Alabama. He has been a member of the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens of the NFL, and the To ...

and

Ed Gainey Edward C. Gainey (born February 19, 1970) is an American politician who is the 61st mayor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Previously, he served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 24th district. In November 2021, Gaine ...

. The team would make trades as well, acquiring

Bruce Campbell Bruce Lorne Campbell (born June 22, 1958) is an American actor and director. He is known for portraying Ash Williams in Sam Raimi's ''Evil Dead'' franchise, beginning with the 1978 short film ''Within the Woods''. He has starred in many low ...

from the Argonauts and

Tevaughn Campbell Tevaughn Shaquele Campbell (born June 14, 1993) is a Canadian professional football cornerback for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He played CIS football for the Regina Rams. He played four seasons in the Canadia ...

from the Stampeders. There would be releases as well, such as Keenan MacDougall and Jake Doughty. On March 23, 2016, the Roughriders released an updated version of their logo that has been used since 1985. That same day, the Roughriders signed former Stampeders national running back

Matt Walter Matthew John Walter (born July 20, 1989) is a retired professional Canadian football running back. Walter spent 4 seasons with the Calgary Stampeders, he was most recently a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football Le ...

Pre-season

The 2016 season was the Roughriders' final season at

Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field Taylor Field, known in its latter years as Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field for sponsorship reasons, was an open-air stadium located in Regina, Saskatchewan. It was the home field of the Canadian Football League's Saskatchewan Roughriders from 193 ...

, where they played for their first 107 years of existence. The new Mosaic Stadium, under construction during the

2016 CFL season The 2016 CFL season was the 63rd season of modern-day Canadian football. Officially, it was the 59th Canadian Football League season. Toronto hosted the 104th Grey Cup on November 27. The regular season began on June 23 and ended on November 5. ...

, was completed in late 2016. The Roughriders subsequently moved into the stadium in time for the 2017 season. In December 2015, the team launched its "Farewell Season" campaign, which featured tributes leading up to and during the season, and branded merchandise featuring a commemorative logo. 2016 Schedule
/ref>

Regular season

Season standings

Schedule

Team

Roster

Coaching staff

References

{{2016 CFL season by team Saskatchewan Roughriders seasons 2016 Canadian Football League season by team