Four Roughriders suffer Achilles injuries ahead of training camp

The Saskatchewan Roughriders have been dealt major injury blows just days before the team is scheduled to open training camp.

#Riders GM O’Day confirms the following:
Larry Dean, Freddie Bishop, Nelson Lokombo, Jonathan Femi-Cole ALL suffered Achilles injuries, believed to be long term.
Today was 3rd (& last) day of permissible workouts @CFLonTSN @TSN_Sports @SportsCentre https://t.co/GAJjRKVdlg

— Farhan Lalji (@FarhanLaljiTSN) July 8, 2021

On Thursday, Roughriders vice president of football operations Jeremy O'Day said American linebacker Larry Dean, American defensive lineman Freddie Bishop, national defensive back Nelson Lokombo and national running back Jonathan Femi-Cole have all suffered Achilles injuries that are expected to keep them all out long term. 

Dean and Bishop each have four years of previous CFL experience, while Lokombo and Femi-Cole are rookies, having been selected by the Roughriders in the 2021 and 2020 CFL Drafts, respectively. 

Thursday marked the final day that teams were permitted have players work out ahead of the start of training camp. The Roughriders coaching staff did not participate in Thursday’s workouts.

The Roughriders, and the rest of the teams in the CFL open training camp on July 10, with the regular season scheduled to kick off on Aug. 5.