The Canadian Football League’s pre-season cutdown period concluded with a series of roster moves that reshaped several clubs’ depth charts. The Saskatchewan Roughriders, Montreal Alouettes and Winnipeg Blue Bombers were among the teams to announce multiple releases as they trimmed to league limits.
These transactions included veteran starters, rookies and players shifted to various injured and practice lists. The decisions affect American and Canadian positional ratios and leave clubs finalizing plans for the opening weeks of the campaign. This report was first published May 30, 2026.
Saskatchewan makes significant changes to backfield and roster
The Saskatchewan Roughriders released 19 players in their final cut, a group that included running back Mario Anderson Jr.. Anderson, an American back measuring five-foot-eight and 205 pounds, will not be part of the team’s Grey Cup defence after spending his rookie CFL season in Regina. In nine regular-season appearances last year he accumulated 134 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries for a 5.6-yard average, and added four receptions for 13 yards. He also featured in pre-season action this spring, carrying 10 times for 65 yards and catching three passes for 18 yards.
Anderson closed last season on the one-game injured list during Saskatchewan’s 25-17 Grey Cup win over Montreal. Alongside the releases, the Riders moved several players to injured lists: Canadian defensive lineman Benoit Marion to the one-game injured list, and Canadians Darius Bell and Dylan Djete to the six-game injured list. The club also populated its practice roster with 13 players, including global signing Tyron Vrede, who joined Saskatchewan after five seasons with Ottawa.
Roster rules and implications
The CFL requires active rosters to be reduced to 44 or 45 players with a minimum of 21 Canadians. Teams may carry a maximum of 19 American players, and at least one player must be a global (a player from outside North America). Those constraints shaped many of Saskatchewan’s choices as the club balanced national ratio, special teams coverage and depth across offensive and defensive units.
Montreal and Winnipeg among other clubs making notable cuts
The Montreal Alouettes also pared their roster by 19 players. Among the departures were quarterbacks James Morgan and Canadian Arnaud Desjardins. Morgan appeared in 10 games for Montreal last season, completing 55 of 93 passes for 547 yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions; he also recorded six rushes for 17 yards. Desjardins, who played his university ball at Laval and signed with Montreal on May 18, was the RSEQ’s most valuable player in both 2026 and 2026.
Montreal followed Saskatchewan’s lead by assigning 13 players to its practice roster. The Alouettes open their 2026 regular-season schedule on the road against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, a matchup that will test their quarterback depth and new roster alignments.
In Winnipeg, receiver Jackson Tachinski — a former Manitoba quarterback attempting the transition to professional receiver — was among 25 players released by the Blue Bombers. Tachinski, listed at six-foot-four and 215 pounds, had joined Winnipeg after an earlier release from Edmonton.
Surprising veteran moves in Winnipeg
Perhaps the most unexpected Blue Bombers transaction was the release of American offensive lineman Kendall Randolph. Randolph started all 18 regular-season games last year for Winnipeg and had been a regular in the lineup over two seasons, starting 23 of 24 games during his tenure. The six-foot-five, 306-pound lineman is an Alabama product who was part of the Crimson Tide team that defeated Ohio State 52-24 in the ’21 American college championship game.
What these cuts mean for opening-week rosters
With teams finalizing personnel, coaches must now prepare for opener matchups with new rotations and contingency plans. Saskatchewan begins its Grey Cup title defence on June 13 hosting the B.C. Lions, and the timing of injured-list designations — particularly the six-game placements — affects short-term availability and special-teams composition.
Practice roster signings and global additions like Tyron Vrede offer clubs flexibility during the season, but they also underscore the ongoing churn in CFL rosters as teams seek the best combination of national talent, American imports and global players under league ratio rules. Fans can expect further movement as injuries, performance and tactical needs prompt additional transactions once the regular season begins.
These roster cutdowns reset expectations across the league and highlight the narrow margins separating players fighting to earn roster spots in the CFL. The changes will be reflected immediately in depth charts and in the planning of coaches preparing for Week 1 of the 2026 campaign.
