For the second successive season, the Saskatchewan Roughriders boast 11 sacks after five games.

This year’s sack total is especially noteworthy when you consider that three key defensive linemen with the 2025 Grey Cup champions — Micah Johnson, Malik Carney and Habakkuk Baldonado — are no longer part of a formidable front four with Saskatchewan.

Johnson still influences the equation, though, as the Roughriders’ Defensive Line Coach. He works closely with a unit that has produced 10 of the team’s 11 sacks. Middle linebacker Jameer Thurman is the Roughriders’ only non-defensive lineman with a sack so far this season.

Last year at this juncture, linebackers (Thurman included) accounted for four of the first 11 sacks.

With the defensive linemen handling a greater proportion of the sacks, it is clear that the Roughriders have weathered Johnson’s retirement as a player and the departures of Carney (now of the Edmonton Elks) and Baldonado (Ottawa REDBLACKS).

“The first thing is that Micah is doing a great job,” fourth-year Roughriders defensive tackle Caleb Sanders stated. “He’s coaching his butt off and doing all the right things. Obviously, he’s a guy who has played in the league for a long time and he has a lot of knowledge to spread.

“On top of that, we’ve got guys who can just make plays, across the board. It doesn’t matter whether it’s at D-end or D-tackle. We’ve got good guys who can make plays and we’ve got good depth and, at the end of the day, that helps us win games.”

Sanders, for example, forced a turnover on downs with a sack during the Roughriders’ 38-7 home-field victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on July 12.

Defensive end James Vaughters, whose four sacks put him in a five-way tie for the league lead, felled the Hamilton passer on two occasions.

Mike Rose is the other Roughrider with multiple sacks (two) this season. Sanders, Thurman, Desmond Evans, Jaylen Pate and Ali Saad have the other sacks for Saskatchewan entering Thursday’s game against Edmonton (7 p.m., Mosaic Stadium).

“I’ve just been looking at everybody’s attributes, seeing what they do well, and trying to continue to bring to light what they do well,” Coach Johnson said. “A win is a win, right? And you can win multiple ways.

“For me, it’s never about trying to take things away from guys. It’s like, ‘Let’s see what you’re good at. Let’s see what you’re comfortable doing. Let’s figure out how we can make that better — make that more effective.’

“Everybody does it. We have a lot of different body types in our room and I enjoy that. We’ve got Desmond Evans, who’s 6-7 and 260, and then we’ve got Liam Hoskins (6-2, 240) to go right along with that. Totally different skill sets.

“You’ve got Mike Rose with how he rushes. Caleb with how he rushes, is different. That aspect of it has been fun for me.”

The front line has helped the Roughriders’ defence allow the fewest yards of net offence (354.2 per game) in the CFL this season.

The 11 sacks put the Roughriders in a tie with Edmonton and the Calgary Stampeders for third in the league. Hamilton and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers lead the way with 12.

Hamilton, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Calgary have all played six games — one more than Saskatchewan.

“Sack numbers aren’t the be-all and end-all,” Head Coach Corey Mace said, “but certainly, we’ll take it.”

EXTRA POINT: Defensive halfback Rolan Milligan Jr., an All-CFL selection in each of the past two seasons, is listed as questionable for Thursday’s game. He was placed on the six-game injury list after hurting a shoulder in the regular-season opener. This week, Milligan Jr. was a full participant in both practices. Three players are listed as available on Tuesday’s injury report: Running back Thomas Bertrand-Hudon (head), receiver Jaylen Johnson (shoulder) and defensive lineman Benoit Marion (shoulder).