Photo credit: Facebook Saskatchewan Roughriders
The first domino fell last week for player’s resigning with the Green and White, and that was Grey Cup M-V-P quarterback Trevor Harris. Another important piece from this year’s Grey Cup winning squad will be back next season as the Roughriders have signed the league’s most outstanding offensive linesmen Jermarcus Hardrick to a one-year contract extension. Hardrick appeared in 17 regular season contests, sitting out the last game while also appearing in both playoff games as a key component for the Riders offence. Hardrick was also named an all C-F-L for the third time in his career. Following is the news release from the Roughriders…
DATE: December 9, 2025
RELEASE TIME: IMMEDIATELY
RELEASE: SR25-149
CFL’S MOST OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE LINEMAN JERMARCUS HARDRICK INKS EXTENSION
The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed offensive lineman Jermarcus Hardrick to a one-year contract extension.
Hardrick (6’4-315) returns to the Riders after a sensational season that saw him named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman and win his third Grey Cup Championship.
During the 112th Grey Cup, Hardrick provided exceptional protection for Grey Cup MVP Trevor Harris, who went 23-for-27 for 302 yards, setting a Grey Cup record for completion percentage (85.2%). The Roughriders did not allow a sack in that game. Hardrick also paved the way for A.J. Ouellette, who rushed 17 times for 83 yards and one touchdown and caught one pass for 32 yards in the championship game.
Hardrick also played a key role in the Western Final. He was part of an offensive line that did not allow a sack while clearing the way for a 117-yard rushing performance by Ouellette.
A cornerstone of the Roughriders’ offensive line and an unquestioned leader in the locker room, Hardrick started 17 regular-season games. He sat out one game after the Roughriders clinched first place in the West Division. He played 976 offensive snaps during the regular season — including 100 per cent of the snaps for which he was available. Overall, he was part of 91.9% of the team’s total offensive snaps.
Hardrick’s performance anchored a dominant run game that saw Ouellette rush for 1,222 yards (second-best in the league) and eight touchdowns during the regular season. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), the Mississippi-born Hardrick led all CFL players with an 85.5 run-blocking grade and recorded 46 positively graded run-blocking plays, the most among offensive tackles.
In pass protection, Hardrick was equally formidable. He allowed just 17 total pressures on 579 pass-blocking snaps. The percentage of 2.9 per cent was second-best among CFL tackles. He led all offensive linemen by allowing only six quarterback hurries, earned a 98.4% pass-blocking efficiency rating, and was flagged for only two penalties all season.
Hardrick’s excellence was consistently recognized throughout the year. He was the Roughriders’ top-rated offensive lineman in all seven games that earned the unit top billing on the CFL Honour Roll. He was also PFF’s highest-graded offensive lineman for both June and October. He capped the season by being named PFF’s First Team Right Tackle, awarded to the top-graded player at the position league-wide.
“Yoshi” joined the Roughriders as a free agent in 2024 after a stellar 2023 season with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers that saw him named to the All-CFL team for the second time and become the West Division nominee for Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman. He was a member of the Blue Bombers from 2016 to 2023.
Counting time spent with Winnipeg, Hardrick is a four-time divisional All-CFL pick (2017, 2021, 2023, 2025), a three-time All-CFL choice (2021, 2023, 2025) and a three-time Grey Cup champion (2019, 2021, 2025).
Prior to landing with the Blue Bombers, the former University of Nebraska Cornhuskers standout played in 12 games with the B.C. Lions in 2014 and eight games with the Riders in 2015.
He signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent following the 2012 NFL Draft and played in three pre-season games. He also spent time on the New Orleans Saints’ practice roster in 2012. He was with the Arena Football League’s Utah Blaze in 2013 before making his CFL debut the following year.
