REGINA — Receiver Shamawd Chambers, who was the top Canadian in the 2015 Grey Cup game, was among four veteran players released Friday by the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Also let go were quarterback Mitchell Gale and running back Curtis Steele, both Americans, and Canadian defensive lineman Dylan Ainsworth. All four players were scheduled to become free agents next month.
Chambers, a native of Markham, Ont., joined the Riders as a free agent last year and started six of the 14 games he played. Chambers had 25 catches for 269 yards and one touchdown.
He was taken in the first round, sixth overall, by Edmonton in the 2012 CFL draft. He was named the outstanding Canadian in the Eskimos’ 26-20 Grey Cup win over Ottawa in 2015.
Saskatchewan acquired Gale in a deal with Toronto last July, He started three of the 15 games he appeared in, completing 79-of-137 passes for 950 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions.
Earlier this week, the Riders signed veteran quarterback Kevin Glenn.
Steele joined the Riders as a free agent prior to last season and started all seven games he played in. Steele ran for 314 yards on 54 carries while adding 16 catches for 138 yards.
Saskatchewan selected Ainsworth in the second round, 11th overall, from the Univesity of Western Ontario in the 2014 CFL draft. The 24-year-old native of Delta, B.C., re-signed with the Riders as a free agent prior to the 2016 campaign but missed the entire season after suffering an injury in training camp.
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