Riders sign Larry Dean to one-year extension

CFL.ca Staff

REGINA — The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed American linebacker Larry Dean to a one-year contract extension. He was due to become a free agent on Feb. 14.

Dean is the 25th-ranked player in CFL.ca’s top 30 pending free agents list.

The six-foot, 226-pound tackle machine returns to the Green and White after a dominant comeback season that saw him start all 18 regular season games. He finished second in the CFL with 108 total tackles (101 defensive tackles and seven on special teams) and added four tackles for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles, two interceptions and three pass knockdowns. His 122 defensive plays were the second highest total in the league.

Larry Dean bounced back from injury to record 101 tackles in 2022 for the Roughriders (Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca)

Dean initially signed with the Roughriders in 2021 but missed the entire year due to a pre-season Achilles injury. He remained in Saskatchewan throughout the season to support his teammates and to rehabilitate his injury. He returned in triumphant form in Week 1 of the 2022 season, logging eight tackles, one sack and one forced fumble in his first game action since the 2019 Eastern Final when he was a member of the Edmonton Elks.

Prior to coming to the Riders, Dean spent his first three years in the CFL (2016-2018) with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He spent the 2019 season with the Edmonton Elks.

Dean has played in 90 CFL games over a career that has spanned six seasons and earned 446 defensive tackles, 15 special teams tackles, 17 tackles for loss, nine sacks, five interceptions, 19 pass knockdowns, seven forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries and a defensive touchdown. He’s also played in five playoff games.

Dean is a three-time divisional all-star (2017-2019), was the East Division’s nominee for Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 2018 and was Edmonton’s nominee for Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 2019.

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