Weston Dressler returns to Saskatchewan, which could boost the Riders’ air attack

NFL cuts can produce a midseason free-agent frenzy in the CFL, and the Saskatchewan Roughriders appear to have walked away with the biggest prize. When receiver Weston Dressler was cut by the Kansas City Chiefs Monday and passed through NFL waivers Tuesday, plenty of teams north of the border looked to in bring in the two-time CFL all-star, with Ottawa, Winnipeg and Saskatchewan in particular showing interest. In the end, though, it seems Dressler has elected to head back to Saskatchewan, where he spent all of his six CFL seasons to date from 2008-2013. Gary Lawless of The Winnipeg Free Press/TSN Radio 1290 reported on Twitter late Wednesday that Dressler had agreed to a deal in principle with the Roughriders:

Sportsnet's Arash Madani then added that Dressler has agreed to only a one-year deal, worth around $200,000, but that the team will be looking to lock him up long-term before he could hit free agency next February:

Madani wrote in a Sportsnet.ca piece that the Calgary Stampeders also got into the bidding for Dressler, and that Ottawa offered more money (reportedly $250,000 annually, according to Tim Baines of The Ottawa Sun) and a longer term. However, Dressler elected to return to a city he's familiar with, and one where he's already a star; $200,000 isn't chump change either, as that will make him one of the league's highest-paid players. It's notable that local businesses were offering free food in order to try and get him on side. Saskatchewan's offer was likely lower thanks to the Riders having limited cap room, but that didn't wind up mattering for Dressler in the end.

The short-term deal could make sense for Dressler, too. A one-year deal could let him hit free agency in February, and that could let him explore NFL options again. It's worth noting that the minimum salary in that league is currently $420,000, over double of what he'll make this year even with a big contract. Alternatively, free agency could also let Dressler cash in on the CFL market if he has a good finish to this season. At 29, he should have plenty of good years left, and the interest in him this time around suggests several teams will be lining up to bid if the Roughriders aren't able to sign him to an extension.

How will Dressler do in Regina? Well, returning from the NFL to the CFL can be an adjustment; he's spent most of this offseason training to play 11-man, four-down football on smaller fields, so coming back to the Canadian game may not be easy. It's worth noting that Saskatchewan brought back Andy Fantuz from the NFL with similar hype midway through 2011, but Fantuz seemed a little slow to readjust, and only recorded 175 receiving yards that season. That doesn't mean Dressler will necessarily follow that pattern, but he might not instantly regain Canadian stardom.

If Dressler does become a CFL star again, the Roughriders will certainly be able to use him, though. Their passing offence has struggled this season, and their current leading receiver is Rob Bagg with 414 yards (tied for seventh in the league); no one else has over 300 yards. If Dressler can regain the form that saw him named a league all-star the last two seasons, this could look like a very shrewd move indeed. It might even be one that leaves the rest of the CFL cursing the Riders for swooping in and stealing him back.