Welcome to another edition of the Roughriders Mailbag, where we answer questions readers have about the Saskatchewan Roughriders as the Green and White prepare to kick off the 2026 CFL season.
With the CFL regular season underway this weekend, the Roughriders are spectators in Week 1 before beginning their campaign on June 13 against the B.C. Lions. After final roster cuts were made last weekend, we finally got clarification on all the positional battles we were watching in training camp, which is where plenty of our questions stem from in this month's mailbag.
If you would like to submit a question for the next Roughriders Mailbag, email your inquiry to SaskatchewanRoughriders@Postmedia.com.
Specialist Selections: Kicker and Punter Decisions
One reader, Don, asked: "My impression was that the Riders chose the second-best kicker and punter coming out of camp … Do you agree or were there extenuating circumstances?"
At the beginning of training camp, Michael Hughes was considered the top candidate to win Saskatchewan's vacant kicking job, given his time with the team last season. However, the Roughriders released Hughes before pre-season games even began, leaving American kicker Jonathan Kim and Global kicker Alex Hale to battle for the job. In the end, Saskatchewan chose Hale over Kim.
Was this a ratio-related move? Possibly. The Roughriders would have had to release another American player had they kept Kim. Teams can only dress 19 American players (excluding quarterbacks and one designated American) while needing at least one Global. Teams must dress 44 players each week and can choose to dress an extra National or Global player for a maximum of 45. The Roughriders are taking advantage of this by having both their kicker and punter as Globals.
Maybe the difference between the two kickers wasn't worth the ratio-changing decision. It would be hard to justify keeping one American defensive end off the active roster because a kicker was slightly better.
Pre-Season Performance Comparison
In two pre-season games, Kim made all five field goal attempts from 51, 45, 40, 35, and 33 yards, while Hale made only one of three attempts, missing from 56 and 57 yards and hitting from 28 yards. On kickoffs, Hale averaged 68 yards per kick on four attempts, while Kim averaged 64.5 yards on four attempts.
Hale played at Oklahoma State University and had a stint with the Green Bay Packers before joining Saskatchewan. Despite his pre-season stats not being superior, he is clearly a capable kicker benefiting from the ratio.
At punter, the decision to go with Oscar Chapman over Jesse Mirco—both Globals—was likely based on pre-season stats. Mirco averaged 47.4 yards per punt on 28 attempts last season for the Roughriders and averaged 44 yards on five pre-season punts (77, 51, 38, 38, and 16 yards). Chapman, who played college football at Auburn, averaged 50 yards per punt on five pre-season attempts (73, 53, 44, 41, and 39 yards).
Impact Rookies and Roster Holes
Other reader questions touched on which rookies might make an immediate impact and what roster holes remain. The Roughriders have several young players who stood out in camp, including defensive backs and receivers, but the team still has questions on the offensive line and at linebacker depth. The coaching staff seems confident in the current roster, but injuries could expose weaknesses early in the season.
Stay tuned for more analysis as the season unfolds, and send your questions for the next mailbag.
