Defensive end James Vaughters has signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders during 2026 CFL Free Agency. (Image Credit: Candice Ward/CFL.ca)

By Britton Gray, CKOM News Staff

RIDERS NOW

Riders sign James Vaughters as CFL Free Agency opens

Feb 10, 2026 | 3:09 PM

Players from around the CFL can now make deals official on Tuesday.

CFL Free Agency officially opened on Tuesday at 11 a.m., which allowed players to officially sign with other league teams.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders had a few players hit free agency, despite signing back a good number of them.

Saskatchewan’s big move to start things is signing defensive end James Vaughters.

The 32-year-old will enter his sixth CFL season, spending four years with the Calgary Stampeders and last season in Winnipeg with the Blue Bombers. He won a Grey Cup with the Stamps in 2018.

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He was in the NFL from 2019 until he rejoined the CFL in 2023.

Vaughters has 27 sacks in his CFL career and provides a veteran presence as the team appears set to lose one of the top pass-rushers in the CFL

Last season, he had 36 defensive tackles, including four tackles for loss, six sacks, one knockdown and two fumble recoveries — one of which he returned for a touchdown in Week 8 against Toronto.

C.J. Reavis to Ottawa

One of the biggest names reported to leave the Riders became official on Tuesday.

Linebacker C.J. Reavis was announced as the latest player to join the Ottawa Redblacks. Reavis is a back-to-back all CFLer who showed off his versatility this season, playing both linebacker and safety.

Reavis had 61 tackles, two sacks and an interception with the Riders last season.

It was also reported during the communication window a number of Riders were set to join Ottawa including linebacker A.J. Allen, quarterback Jake Maier and defensive end Habakkuk Baldonado.

Tommy Nield to Winnipeg

One of the first signings made official on CFL Free Agency day was Tommy Nield signing with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Nield joined the Riders in 2025 and the Canadian receiver became a key part of the offence late in the season for the team.

The Guelph product had 535 yards and five touchdowns during the regular-season. He became the hero of the West Final as his late touchdown helped punch the Riders ticket to the Grey Cup.

The first signings announced by the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Tuesday were three players making their way north for the first time.

CFL Free Agency officially opened on Tuesday at 11 a.m., which allowed players to officially sign with other league teams.

But the first names announced by the Riders were a pair of receivers with NFL experience as well as a running back who spent last season with the Toronto Argonauts.

Mario Alford signs in Hamilton

With the Riders signing returner James Letcher Jr. last week, it became clear the team was moving on from returner Mario Alford.

Alford rewrote the Riders’ history books as the team’s returner since joining the team in 2022. He has a franchise record of nine kick return touchdowns in green and white.

He was named the league’s most outstanding special teams player in 2022.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats announced they have signed the talented returner.

Riders add three Americans

The first names announced by the Riders were a pair of receivers with NFL experience as well as a running back who spent last season with the Toronto Argonauts.

The Riders announced they signed American receivers Freddie Swain and Juwann Winfree as well as American rusher Peny Boone.

Swain was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the sixth round (214th overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft. Over two seasons (2020-21) with Seattle, he caught 38 passes for 502 yards and six touchdowns in 33 games.

In his second NFL season, he caught 25 passes for 343 yards and four TDs. The Florida product played in four games split between the Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos. He also spent time with the Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles in 2023 before signing with the Chicago Bears in 2024.

Winfree was selected by the Broncos in the sixth round (187th overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft. Winfree appeared in three games in his rookie season, before joining the Green Bay Packers from 2020-22 and the Indianapolis Colts in 2023-24. He also spent time with the Houston Texans in 2025.

Boone spent a portion of the 2025 season on the Argonauts’ practice roster. The Michigan product played his final collegiate season at the University of Central Florida, appearing in seven games and recording 208 rushing yards and two touchdowns for the Knights.