A.J. Ouellette has been a key figure on the Saskatchewan Roughriders with a knack for stepping up during the playoffs, and someone who’s made an impact in the community.
That’s often the type of person teams want to keep around.
There are plenty of reasons for the Riders to pump the brakes on retaining the veteran running back, though.
Ouellette is now 31, which isn’t young at such a gruelling position. He was limited to just eight games in the regular season thanks to two stints on the injured list with ankle and knee ailments. He wasn’t exactly in top form upon return to the lineup late in the season, either, with 77 yards rushing representing his most productive outing.
Ouellette is also a pending free agent. In the cut-throat world of pro football, should the Riders simply move on from Ouellette as their primary back and give the job to someone else?
It’s all well and good to think that if the answer is yes. But the Riders, who finished seventh in the CFL with 1,596 rushing yards in the regular season, must find a suitable replacement for Ouellette if he isn’t re-signed.
The following are some of the most notable candidates who could fit the bill.
In-house options
Quali Conley
There’s already some proof of concept with Conley, who was the main fill-in for Ouellette when he was sidelined this season.
The 24-year-old had 396 yards on 79 carries and scored a touchdown in nine games. He had some flashy moments, too, like this reverse hurdle.
https://x.com/CFL/status/2083993689769095509
Though Conley is a free agent because he ended the season on the practice roster, he’d be on a rookie contract if the Riders sign him to a new deal.
Deon Jackson
Much of what was mentioned about Quali Conley can be said about Jackson.
The Riders saw Jackson in the flesh in a CFL game, the regular season finale against the Edmonton Elks on Oct. 24. He showed some promise by rushing for 44 yards on nine carries, including a long of 23 yards.
The 27-year-old also has some NFL playing experience on his resume, including a standout performance a few years ago.
Yes, there’d need to be a leap of faith on the Riders’ part to make Jackson their primary back. That Jackson can command only a rookie contract, like Conley, could make it a worthwhile undertaking for them.
Like Conley, Jackson is a pending free agent after concluding the campaign on the practice roster.
Thomas Bertrand-Hudon
Bertrand-Hudon has been a useful player for the Riders in his four seasons with the team and is coming off his most productive campaign with 203 yards rushing.
Given that he’s Canadian and often served as the lead blocker for record-breaking, short-yardage specialist Tommy Stevens, there’s certainly a place for the 30-year-old in the Saskatchewan offence. It makes sense for the Riders to try to re-sign the pending free agent.
There’s a case to be made that Bertrand-Hudon deserves more touches given his continuous upward trajectory and that he picked up a respectable 5.8 yards per carry. But making him the No. 1 running back is another level. The Riders would need added depth if they went down that road.
Trade candidates
Zander Horvath or James Butler
This option largely depends on what the B.C. Lions opt to do since both Horvath and Butler are under contract for another season.
Logic dictates they’ll likely keep Horvath, who led the CFL with 18 touchdowns this season, finished fifth with 894 yards on the ground and was fourth with 183 carries. It’s hard to ditch that type of production, especially since Horvath is only 27.
That could make Butler expendable, especially if the Lions want to allocate more cap space to other areas of the roster.
Butler had his role reduced this season thanks to Horvath’s emergence. The 31-year-old picked up 539 rushing yards on 107 carries in 16 games after recording 1,213 yards on 229 attempts in 17 contests last season.
The Riders might even be able to pursuit Butler without giving up an asset if the Lions opt to release him.
Travis Theis or Shomari Lawrence
The backfield for the Montreal Alouettes draws some similarities to the situation in B.C.
The Alouettes have two capable running backs under contract for next season, so teams like the Riders can inquire to see if they’re willing to trade one.
The difference with the Als compared to the Lions is the No. 2 guy in their equation right now, Lawrence, is in his rookie CFL campaign and is only 24. He was solid in 10 games with 364 yards rushing on 58 attempts.
Montreal needed his production with Theis and Stevie Scott III both spending time on the six-game injured list.
Theis, who was also Lawrence’s teammate at the University of South Dakota, was limited to just 12 games but was impressive when he did play. The 25-year-old was sixth in the CFL with 831 yards in his second season north of the border, while finding the end zone seven times.
Of course, Montreal could always just keep both, especially since they have another running back set to hit the open market.
The pending free agent market
Stevie Scott III
The Montreal depth chart at running back looks crowded with Scott, Travis Theis, and Shomari Lawrence. The simplest solution to that problem for the Alouettes is to just let Scott walk.
Scott endured multiple hamstring injuries during the 2026 season, so it might be buyer beware for the Riders or any other team pursuing his services. Still, in just six games, he matched his 418 rushing yards from 2025 on 74 carries – 12 fewer that a year ago.
Scott is only 26, so there should have plenty of tread left on the tires if the hamstring problems are a thing of the past.
Jevon Leake
Leake’s impact with the Edmonton Elks has diminished annually over his three seasons with the team.
He went from 661 yards rushing on 102 carries in 15 games in 2024 to 215 yards on 57 carries in 18 games last season to the same 215-yard total on 37 carries but in just 12 contests this season.
Justin Rankin and ShunDerrick Powell are both under contract with the Elks for 2027. One was second in the CFL with 1,170 yards on the ground and the other is just 24.
There probably doesn’t enough room at the inn in Edmonton for the 28-year-old Leake.
