The Roughriders secure a deal with former Alouettes receiver Wieneke

The rebuild of the Saskatchewan Roughriders is quickly taking shape.

A CFL source said the drivers on Tuesday agreed a one-year contract with Montreal Alouettes wide receiver Jake Wieneke. Wieneke was due to become a free agent next Tuesday, but upcoming free agents have been able to speak to teams since Sunday, per the league’s negotiation window.

The source added the move comes a day after the Riders reached an agreement with Montreal quarterback Trevor Harris, who was also set to become a CFL free agent next week. The source spoke on condition of anonymity as deals struck during the window will not be officially announced until free agency begins next Tuesday.

The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Wieneke, who is reportedly very good friends with Harris, has spent the last three seasons with Montreal. In 48 regular-season games, the 28-year-old native of Maple Grove, Minn. had 142 catches for 2,056 yards with 21 touchdowns.

Harris, 36, completed 71.6 percent of his passes for 4,157 yards last season. The 6-foot-3, 212-pound Harris is entering his 12th CFL season, but the Riders would be his fifth team in another league.

On Tuesday night, the Riders signed veteran linebacker Larry Dean to a one-year contract extension. Dean, 34, finished second in the CFL with 108 total tackles (101 defense, seven special teams) with three sacks, two forced fumbles and two interceptions last season.

Dean was eligible to become a CFL free agent next week.

Saskatchewan (6-12) finished fourth in the West Division standings last season and missed the CFL playoffs. And while Harris and Wienke are expected to help in 2022 on an offense that was second to bottom in offensive points (19.8 per game), there remains the question of improving an offensive line that allowed 77 sacks in the league last year.

On Monday, the Riders re-signed defenseman Anthony Lanier II, who was set to work as a free agent, to a one-year contract. Financial details were not disclosed, but a CFL source said the contract had a guaranteed value of $250,000 and included a $100,000 signing bonus and a $10,000 camp-reporting and passing bonus an investigation.

Lanier, 29, has spent the last two seasons with Saskatchewan. The 6-foot-6, 285-pound Lanier appeared in 11 regular-season games in 2022, recording 19 tackles, eight sacks and two forced fumbles.

Another CFL source said Tuesday that American linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox has agreed to a two-year deal with the Ottawa Redblacks. The six-foot-tall, 233-pound Santos-Knox had a career-best 105 tackles with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last season.

The source later added that the Ticats lost receiver Steven Dunbar Jr. to the Edmonton Elks. Dunbar had 72 catches for 1,000 yards and six TDs last season.

Ottawa also signed defenseman Praise Martin-Oguike to a one-year contract extension. The 6-foot-1, 258-pound American had 12 tackles, three sacks and one forced fumble in nine regular-season games last year.

Martin-Oguike joined the Redblacks in 2021 after stints with the Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals and the XFL’s Seattle Dragons.

American receiver Kenny Lawler has reportedly agreed to a two-year deal with Winnipeg. Lawler earned $305,000 with Edmonton last season and registered 58 catches for 894 yards and five TDs before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery.

The 6-foot-3, 197-pound Lawler helped Winnipeg win Gray Cup titles in 2019-21, recording 107 catches for 1,651 yards and 10 TDs in 29 regular-season games during that span.

With the window opening last Sunday, players have until noon ET this Sunday to take advantage of offers from other clubs. These proposals—including base salary and incentives—must be registered with the league and the CFL Players’ Association. All submitted entries are considered binding.

When the window closes, teams will have 48 hours to negotiate solely with their own potential free agents. The CFL provides clubs with registered offers made to these players.

Teams then have until February 14 at 10:00 a.m. ET to submit an offer to their own players, a copy of which must be given to both the league and the CFLPA.

At the end of the 48 hours, the player will have two hours (10:00-12:00 ET) on February 14th to select an offer made to them. If he accepts one, the selected team must inform the CFL.

Should the player decline all offers, they will enter the free hand on February 14th at 12:01pm ET. All previous offers are no longer available.

The Free Agency Window was introduced in 2020 to curb manipulation and also allow upcoming free agents to explore all of their options and gauge their worth before the start of the free agent period.

Source: www.theglobeandmail.com