Sayles was released by the B.C. Lions following training camp and signed by the Roughriders just days after
Marcus Sayles has had this game marked on his calendar.
“I’m excited just to be able to go against them,” Sayles said after practice this week at Mosaic Stadium. “They’ve got some great players; a lot of them are still my boys I talk to here and there.
“It’s going to be a good game of two good teams battling for the West and we’re going to see who comes out on top.”
Both teams enter the game on four-game win streaks as the Roughriders have won their first four games to begin the 2024 season, while the Lions are 4-1.
And while Sayles is motivated to help team pick up a victory to remain atop the CFL’s West Division, he admits there’s a little extra at stake this week against his former team.
“Of course,” said Sayles, 29. “Just the competitive nature in me.
“I love going against great competition, especially that team because I just left from there.”
The familiarity with the Lions has also come in handy during film study this week. Sayles said there have been certain things he’s been able to point out to his fellow defensive backs during meetings that will better prepare them to face an explosive B.C. offence, led by quarterback Vernon Adams Jr.
“A lot of the things I have seen here and there,” said Sayles. “The guys want to ask questions; they just want to know what are some tendencies that I have may have seen or what are some running styles or what’s something that I can look out for.
“At the end of the day, we’re still going to focus on what we’ve got to do and focus on our defence, but at the same time, if I can give my two cents, it’ll help the film (study).”
Prior to his time with the Lions, Sayles had stints in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams in 2017, before first coming to the CFL in 2018 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
He spent two seasons in Winnipeg, earning West Division all-star honours in 2019 while also helping the Bombers win the Grey Cup, before heading back to the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings in 2020.
Sayles then returned to the CFL with the B.C. Lions in 2021 and spent the last three seasons in Vancouver before being cut following training camp this year.
“It caught me off guard,” said Sayles, who was named a CFL all-star in 2022. “I just didn’t see it coming.
“I’ve been cut multiple time throughout my professional football journey but at the same time, I’m still here and I’m still blessed to play and hopefully I can just keep continuing to give what I can give.”
“I still feel like I have a lot to give to this game and unfortunately I wasn’t part of what (the Lions) were trying to build but Sask. was able to pick me up and I’m ready to go here,” said Sayles.
So far, Roughriders head coach Corey Mace is happy with the progression Sayles has made since Saskatchewan signed him.
But he also isn’t surprised.
“To see what he was able to do so fast and what we asked him to do so fast to where he’s at current day, again, extremely happy with the way he’s prepped himself, but we knew coming in that he’s a pro,” said Mace.
“In this situation, it was our gain.”
Injury report
After being limited on Day 1 of practice this week, defensive back Rolan Milligan Jr. (shoulder), defensive end Bryan Cox Jr. (back), linebacker Adam Auclair (shoulder) and running back Thomas Bertrand-Hudon (head) are all available for Saturday’s game.
Defensive end Malik Carney (knee) is questionable for the game after practising one in limited fashion this week.
Defensive lineman Nicholas Dheilly (shoulder) and fullback Bruno LaBelle (Ieg) have been ruled out. They will join defensive linemen Charbel Dabire (knee) and Christian Albright (knee) on the injured list.
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