The Saskatchewan Roughriders have released 10 player names from the team's winter negotiation list.
As part of the Canadian Football League’s mandate, twice per season, franchises are required to reveal players on their exclusive negotiation list. Current CFL players such as Shemar Bridges, Tevin Jones, Javon Leake, Kalil Pimpleton, Taulia Tagovailoa, P.J. Walker, Tim White, and Ontaria Wilson have been included on released negotiation lists in the past.
The Riders unveiled three quarterbacks, including Auburn standout Payton Thorne, two offensive linemen, one running back, one receiver, one defensive lineman, one linebacker and one defensive back.
Thorne is a 23-year-old pivot who plays for Auburn University after spending 2019 to 2022 with the Michigan State Spartans. In two seasons with the Tigers, Thorne has started 22 games with a 10-12 record in those starts. He has completed over 61 percent of his passes for 4,468 yards with 37 interceptions and 19 interceptions. The fleet-footed quarterback has also run the ball 246 times for 798 yards and five touchdowns.
Quarterback John Paddock is a 24-year-old from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Following a standout high school career, Paddock played four years at Ball State. Following his fourth season, he transferred to the University of Illinois as a walk-on. In April 2024, Paddock was signed as an undrafted free agent with the Atlanta Falcons and attended training camp but he was released before the start of the regular season.
Quarterback Will Rogers is a senior at Washington State. Before joining the Huskies this season, Rogers played four years with the Mississippi State Bulldogs, where he left the program leading the school in passing yards, completions and touchdowns.
27-year-old Lewis Kidd is a six-foot-six, 330-pound offensive lineman. In his senior season at Montana State, Kidd was named a consensus FCS All-American. After going unselected in the 2022 NFL Draft, Kidd was signed by New Orleans and made the Saints final roster out of training camp. After being released prior to the 2023 season, Kidd spent time with Indianapolis and San Francisco before being waived at the start of the 2024 season.
Offensive lineman Austen Pleasants was a 20-game starter at Ohio. The six-foot-seven, 330-pound lineman went unselected in the 2020 NFL Draft. However, he was signed by Jacksonville spending the 2020 season and parts of the 2021 campaign on the practice roster before being released. Pleasants most recently was with the Chicago Bears until December.
24-year-old running back Jarod David 'Snoop' Conner was a fifth-round selection by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2022 out of Ole Miss. In his rookie season with the Jags, he appeared in eight games, carrying the ball 12 times for 42 yards and one touchdown. Conner spent the 2023 season on Jacksonville’s practice roster. In January 2024, Dallas signed him to a reserve/future contract, but he was released before the season. At Ole Miss, the five-foot-10, 220-pound running back appeared in 35 games between 2019 and 2021, amassing 1,580 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns.
27-year-old receiver, Tyrie Cleveland was selected out of Florida in 2020 in the seventh round during the NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. Cleveland played in 23 games from 2020 to 2022, targeted 17 times with eight receptions for 91 yards. Following his time in Denver, Cleveland spent 2022 with the Philadelphia Eagles and 2023 with the Indianapolis Colts. In the NCAA, Cleveland played four seasons at Florida, registering 79 receptions for 1,271 yards and eight touchdowns.
Defensive lineman Thomas Rush is in his senior year with the Minnesota Golden Gophers. In 55 games, he has 86 combined tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks and one fumble recovery.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed 24-year-old linebacker Kalen Deloach after not being selected in the 2024 NFL draft. The 2023 first-team All-ACC linebacker played three seasons at Florida State from 2019-2023. In his four seasons with the Seminoles, Deloach played in 41 games and recorded 144 tackles and three sacks.
Michael Ojemudia is a 27-year-old defensive back who was selected with Denver's third round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft after declaring following his senior season at Iowa. Ojemudia would crack the Broncos roster as a rookie, appearing in 16 games, recording 62 combined tackles, six passes defended, and four forced fumbles. After battling injuries and competition to keep his spot in the Denver secondary, Ojemudia was waived by the Broncos in December 2022. Following his release, he signed contracts with Chicago, the Los Angeles Rams, and Arizona but would not start again in the NFL.
