The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed American defensive lineman Marcus Haynes.
The six-foot-four, 240-pound edge rusher attended Old Dominion University, where he appeared in 49 games from 2017 to 2022. Over the course of his career with the Monarchs, Haynes amassed 102 total tackles, 22 tackles for a loss, 15 sacks, five pass deflections, four forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.
The native of Bowie, Md., went unselected in the 2023 NFL Draft but signed with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent and initially made the team’s practice roster. He later spent time with the Houston Texans, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Cleveland Browns.
In 2025, Haynes joined the UFL’s San Antonio Brahmas, registering seven tackles, two tackles for loss, and one sack in two games. He was then signed by the Indianapolis Colts, attending training camp with the team. In seven total NFL preseason games in his career, the 27-year-old has notched nine tackles and a sack.
Marcus is the older brother of Christian Haynes, a former third-round NFL Draft pick and current offensive lineman for the Seattle Seahawks.
The Roughriders finished first in the West Division standings in 2025 with a 12-6 record, finishing first in the West Division for the first time since 2019. The team went on to defeat the Montreal Alouettes in the 112th Grey Cup in Winnipeg, marking the team’s first championship in 12 years. Trevor Harris went 11-5 as a starter, throwing for 4,549 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
The Roughriders ranked second in net offence, second in net defence, and tied for third with a turnover differential of plus-eight. The team’s leading rusher was A.J. Ouellette with 1,222 yards, the leading receiver was KeeSean Johnson with 1,159 yards, and the leading tackler was A.J. Allen with 91 tackles. Saskatchewan finished second in attendance with average crowds of 28,427, which was a 2.7 percent increase from the previous year.
