After 10 days away from it, the Saskatchewan Roughriders returned to making free agent signing news Monday.

The Green and White inked import running back Rodney Smith. A Minnesota grad, Smith played seven games with Carolina in the 2020 N-F-L season before the Georgia product spent the 2021 season on the practice rosters of the Panthers, Tennessee and Detroit. Following is the news release from the Riders…..

DATE:                       March 13, 2023

RELEASE TIME:      IMMEDIATELY

RELEASE:                SR23-035

RIDERS ADD FORMER GOLDEN GOPHER RODNEY SMITH

The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed American running back Rodney Smith.

Smith (5’11-210) initially signed with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent following the 2020 NFL Draft and played seven games that season, recording 41 carries for 156 yards and one touchdown. He also added nine receptions for 59 yards and one additional major. The Georgia native split the 2021 season on the practice squads of the Panthers, Tennessee Titans, and Detroit Lions.

Smith played five collegiate seasons (2015-19) at the University of Minnesota. In 52 games, the 27-year-old registered 879 carries for 4,125 yards and 29 touchdowns on the ground while logging 65 catches for 521 yards through the air. He contributed on special teams, returning 30 kicks for 798 yards and two touchdowns.

The former Gopher left Minnesota ranked second all-time in school history with 4,125 rushing yards, sixth all-time with 29 rushing touchdowns, second all-time in yards from scrimmage with 4,646, and first all-time with 5,444 all-purpose yards. Smith earned All-Big Ten Second-Team honours in 2019 and Third-Team honours in 2016, while earning the Golden Gophers Team MVP awards in both 2016 and 2017.