Saskatchewan Roughriders’ general manager Jeremy O’Day explains how difficult it was to let go of veteran Canadian football placekicker Brett Lauther

Saskatchewan Roughriders general manager Jeremy O’Day admitted it was a tough call to part ways with longtime Canadian kicker Brett Lauther.

“Very difficult,” O’Day said. “He’s been a very good player for us for a number of years. Beyond being a strong football player, he’s outstanding in the community and in the locker room. These are not snap decisions. We evaluate everything carefully as an organization.”

The 35-year-old was released ahead of an offseason roster bonus in early February. Lauther departs ranked third in franchise history with 1,110 points, trailing only Dave Ridgway and Paul McCallum. He was perfect on 10 career game-winning field goal attempts with Saskatchewan, tied for second-most in team history.

Over his time in Regina, Lauther converted 295 of 360 field goal attempts — an 81.9 percent success rate, the best in franchise history among kickers with at least 100 attempts. His 59-yard field goal against Hamilton last season stands as the third-longest in club history.

However, 2025 proved inconsistent. Lauther made 39 of 54 field goals (72.2 percent), his lowest mark in eight seasons with the Riders, and posted the league’s lowest convert rate at 91.2 percent.

“Brett’s a pro and a class act,” O’Day said. “He made a lot of big kicks for us. When players have a down year, people forget what they’ve done. We gave him chances to work through it, but ultimately we chose a different direction.”

Saskatchewan currently has American kickers Michael Hughes and Jonathan Kim under contract. Hughes, who appeared late last season, may have an inside track after going two-for-two on field goals and converts in his appearance, along with a 90-yard kickoff rouge.

“It’ll be an open competition,” O’Day noted. “We feel good about the two kickers we have.”

The Riders are coming off a strong 2025 campaign, finishing 12-6 to top the West Division before capturing the Grey Cup. Trevor Harris led the offence, while A.J. Ouellette, KeeSean Johnson, and A.J. Allen were key contributors in a balanced, championship-winning season.