Saskatchewan Roughriders

The Saskatchewan Roughriders bolstered one of their glaring weaknesses last week by swinging a trade with the Edmonton Eskimos sending defensive back Ladarius Key to the Eskimos in exchange for kick and punt returner Tristan Jackson.

In his time with the Eskimos, Jackson had 109 kick returns for 2361 yards and a touchdown and 178 punt returns for 1700 yards and three touchdowns. In 2010, Jackson was on the nine game injured list for the Eskimos and when he came back, had 18 kick returns for 355 yards and 27 punt returns for 170 yards.

Keys may have gone in the odd game for the Riders as an extra defensive back, but spent most of his time on the practice roster. This pairs up Jackson with the return of Dominque Dorsey, but I wouldn't expect both to be strting the season with the Riders.

The Riders may also be looking at Kai Ellis, a defensive end released by the Eskimos and perhaps even Mo Lloyd, former Rider linebacker again released by the Eskimos. Ellis has age working against him, but not size, and may help provide a consistent pass rush, but Lloyd, despite being a former Rider, may be more of a stretch. Barrin Simpson is the incumbent middle linebacker and Mike McCullough has stepped in ably, and Jerrell Freeman returns and provides a lot of flexability. Whether Lloyd can take a pay cut to come here, and where he would fit in, would be tougher to work out than with Ellis.