Peter Godber feels there is unfinished business in Saskatchewan and he wants to be back with the Green and White.
"I would 100 percent love to be back here, love the coaching staff, the guys on the team, and the community. You want to win for this fan base so badly because they care so much. No matter where you go, if you're at a grocery store or at a dog park or going to these schools, you see how much everyone cares," Godber said.
"We had a school where every single kid wore a green Saskatchewan Roughriders shirt, every kid in the whole school, 300 or 400 kids. It was unbelievable, you don't get that anywhere else in Canada, so you definitely want to pay those fans back."
Free agency can be stressful for some players, but by this time in his professional football career, Godber knows it is part of the deal.
“It's part of the business. Playing in the CFL is a childhood dream come true, and part of what comes with it is uncertainty," Godber said.
"You have so much uncertainty, you love football, and that's what comes with it, so you have to accept that."
This year, the Riders' offensive linemen improved by only giving up 35 sacks, which ranked fourth in the league even when the group had a lot of injuries. Compare that to 2023 when Saskatchewan gave up 54 and in 2022 the total was 77.
"Credit coach [Edwin] Harrison and the older guys in the room, Logan, Jamarcus, Ryan, Philip and credit to the younger guys as well for stepping up and caring," Godber said. "We had a room full of guys who really cared and showed chemistry with all the different lineups."
Godber already knows what he wants to do this CFL off-season in Riderville.
"CFL free agency is in mid-February. No matter what happens, I want to be involved in the community," Godber said. "Until then, going to the schools and I feel like the things we do in the community make a huge impact. We get to talk about mental wellness and we also get to talk about Rider reading, which encourages kids to read."
The six-foot-three, 304-pound offensive lineman has spent two years with the Riders. He signed with Saskatchewan as a free agent in the 2023 off-season. In his first year with the Riders, Godber played 15 games in the regular season, the following year he suited up for the Green and White 12 times in the regular season and two games in the playoffs. Prior to that, Godber spent the first four years with the B.C. Lions from 2018-2022.
The free agency communication period in the CFL opens on February 2, 2025 at 11 a.m. and concludes on February 9, 2025 at the same time. Players can officially sign with teams on February 11, 2025 at 11 a.m.
