TORONTO – Mario Anderson Jr. won’t be helping the Saskatchewan Roughriders defend their Grey Cup title.
The American running back was among 19 players released by Saskatchewan on Saturday as CFL teams made their final cuts ahead of the start of the 2026 regular season.
The five-foot-eight, 205-pound Anderson appeared in nine regular-season games with Saskatchewan last year. He ran for 134 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries (5.6-yard average) while adding four catches for 13 yards.
But Anderson finished his rookie CFL season on the one-game injured list for Saskatchewan’s 25-17 Grey Cup victory over the Montreal Alouettes.
He appeared in both of Saskatchewan’s pre-season games this spring when he ran 10 times for 65 yards while adding three catches for 18 yards.
CFL teams must get their active rosters down to 44 or 45 players, with a minimum of 21 being Canadian.
A maximum of 19 players, excluding quarterbacks, can be American with a minimum of one player from outside North America (global).
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Also released were defensive linemen Sundiata Anderson, Chico Bennett Jr. and Davin Vann, offensive lineman Spencer Brown and Connor Klassen, defensive backs James Burgess Jr., Benny Sapp III, Trae Tomlinson and Steven Weston Jr., receivers Javian Hester, Abdul Janneh Jr., Siaosi Mariner, Shemar McBean and Juwann Winfree, long snapper Reed Hughes and linebackers Vi Jones, kicker Jonathan Kim and punter Jesse Mirco,
Canadian defensive lineman Benoit Marion was placed on the one-game injured list while offensive lineman Darius Bell and receiver Dylan Djete, also both Canadian, went on the six-game injured list.
Saskatchewan also placed 13 players on the practice roster, including global Tyron Vrede, who signed with the ‘Riders in February following five seasons with the Ottawa Redblacks.
The Riders begin their Grey Cup defence June 13 hosting the B.C. Lions.
The Montreal Alouettes also released 19 players, including quarterbacks James Morgan and Canadian Arnaud Desjardins.
Morgan appeared in 10 games last season with the CFL club, completing 55-of-93 passes for 547 yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions. The six-foot-four, 229-pound quarterback from Green Bay, Wisc., also ran six times for 17 yards.
The six-foot-15, 215-pound Arnaud played collegiately at Laval and signed with Montreal on May 18. The Montreal native was the RSEQ’s most valuable player in 2024 and 2025.
Also released by Montreal were defensive backs Cyrus McGarrell, Thakarius Keyes, Cale Sanders Jr. and Faion Hicks, linebackers Desmond Igbinosun and Trey Jones III, long snapper Lucus Spencer, offensive linemen Jakai Moore. R.J. Perry and Brandon Sneh, defensive linemen Damonte Smith, Malick Sylla, and Bryce Ganious and receivers Deemer Blankumsee, Tsion Nunnelly, Terique Owens, and Dalton Stroman.
The Alouettes also placed 13 players on their practice roster. Montreal kicks off the ’26 season Thursday on the road against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2026.
© 2026 The Canadian Press