Arash Madani is placing the blame not on the players but on those making the personnel decisions for the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ early playoff exit.
“They just never pivoted, adjusted to when things started to come apart,” Madani said Tuesday on the SportsCage. “They were so hellbent on 2026 being a repeat of 2025 with the people they had in 2025. It was a poor job of evaluating what was in the building. They overvalued the idea that if (Kian) Schaffer-Baker returns, and if Tevaughn Campbell returns, if (Sam) Emilus returns, and on and on and on, when A.J. (Ouellette) comes back, the band’s back together and we will just be right back into 2025 mode.
“It was a failure of evaluation. It was a failure of understanding what the roster was, how good they are now. The shame is: What a waste. With some upgrades, the Riders win that game on Saturday.”
Madani never said general manager Jeremy O’Day and coach Corey Mace’s names, but they’re the ones at the top of the hierarchy when it comes to roster construction and player deployment, respectively.
Much was right with the Riders when they started the season 6-2 and were competing with the Edmonton Elks for top spot in the West Division.
But then the injuries, as Madani mentioned, began to pile up and the Riders won two of their next eight games to put even a playoff spot in jeopardy.
The only acquisition made at the trade deadline was bringing back kicker Brett Lauther. Madani simply doesn’t understand that logic.
“There were opportunities this season to address and enhance (the roster), and they didn’t,” he said. “And I just don’t understand why, especially when you have a 40-year-old quarterback who still threw for over 5,000 yards.”
That guy, of course, is Trevor Harris.
Madani discussed his uncertain future with the Riders, first by saying, “He has earned the right to take the time to decide what he wants to do.”
Madani added that Harris can’t rush his decision because he’s got to be all in as the quarterback and face of the franchise.
And then there’s the salary on a new contract if he opts to return. Chad Kelly reset the quarterback marketplace with the megadeal he signed before the playoffs. He’ll start earning more than $1 million per season on a five-year deal that begins in 2027.
Harris won’t be at that level, especially give his age, but that’s about all we know, Madani said.
“Chad Kelly was all about the money. Whether Trevor comes back – decides if he wants to play football or not – will not be contingent upon every last cent,” Madani said. “If he feels he’s a tier-one quarterback, he wants to be paid like a tier-one quarterback. That could be in the $650,000-$700,000 range. The question then becomes: Will Jeremy O’Day be willing to go to that $650,000 or $700,000 level?
“That’s a really interesting question because there’s no precedent for it one way or another. We don’t know philosophically if O’Day believes that, in a salary cap existence – we all know the cap’s going up – if that’s the way to do it. At some point, the body gives out. The arm gives out. I’m not suggesting it will. Harris just threw for over 5,000 yards. He’s in a year-to-year situation. Age 41, that’s a glaring number. He takes great care of himself.
“I just wonder if he’s going to be paid as a top-three guy, top-four guy, are the Riders going to do it? That’s going to be a fascinating thing to follow if Trevor says, ‘I’m coming back to play.’”
Watch the full segment below.
