Photo: Reuben Polansky/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

Being a pending free agent in the CFL can put players through various emotions as the contract process plays out.

Uncertainty can creep into a players’ mind until pen is put to paper. Kian Schaffer-Baker did not want his thoughts to drift off into what might happen if he did not re-sign with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

“It’s a tough process, but you have to learn to keep faith and control the things that you can control. You can sit down there and worry about all the different outcomes, but that doesn’t define who you are,” Schaffer-Baker said.

“The main thing was keeping my head focused, working, every single day getting one percent better and I knew an opportunity would come from it. There’s only one place I wanted to be, and that was in Saskatchewan. Everything worked out. It’s become home ever since the first day I got here.”

The six-foot-four, 195-pound target was originally selected in the fourth round, 30th overall during the 2020 CFL Draft out of the University of Guelph. He recorded 15 receptions for 177 yards over five regular-season games last year. The Mississauga, Ont. native added three catchers for 56 yards with one touchdown in the West Final and three grabs for 27 yards in the 112th Grey Cup win.

“That’s been the dream from the first day you walk in here. It was a long time since we got one — 12 years — it’s been a long wait. It’s something the whole province deserves, all of Saskatchewan,” Schaffer-Baker said.

“Going out there, proving to them, proving to ourselves that we’re the best… I believe it’s still our time and we’re going to keep rolling. You always have to prove yourself each and every single day. You have to redefine yourself over the course of life every day.”

Schaffer-Baker suffered a foot injury in Week 1 last season, which caused him to miss 13 games. The 27-year-old, who earned $190,000 in hard money in 2025, rehabbed and returned to the Green and White’s lineup in Week 18. He helped the Riders secure first place in the West Division and provided an ultra-athletic target during the team’s run to a CFL championship.

“The pain that you go through ultimately turns into power. That pain it turned into passion and glory at the end,” Schaffer-Baker said.

Many key pending free agents have been re-signed by Saskatchewan general manager Jeremy O’Day so far this offseason. Trevor Harris, Tommy Stevens, Jack Coan, Jermarcus Hardrick, Samuel Emilus, Caleb Sanders, Tevaughn Campbell, and Jaxon Ford among others have been retained as the Roughriders take aim at running it back in 2026.

“I talked to Trevor yesterday, and the first thing we talked about is running it back. Two days ago I talked to C.J. Avery, we talked about running it back. Last week, I was talking to Rolan Milligan Jr. about running it back. That’s what our mindset is always going to be. We’re not living on the high of winning last year, we’re focused on what’s next ahead of us,” Schaffer-Baker said.

“There’s no limit to what we can do. It’s stupid that we got a bye in Week 1. We gotta hold all those emotions, the cheers and the celebrations — I know it’s all going to be worth it when we see that banner dropped. Every single day when I walk into the stadium, I pictured a championship banner. Last year it was 2025, the year before that was 2024 — after we see that one drop, all I’m going to see is 2026.”

Schaffer-Baker does not believe winning the 2025 Grey Cup will be brought up with his teammates in the building too much more because the team focuses on going 1-0 each week. Last year, according to No. 89, the Riders did not talk about the Grey Cup. He hopes that same mindset and process can lead Saskatchewan to a repeat in 2026.