The Saskatchewan Roughriders will feature two of the most dominating pass rushers in the Canadian Football League next season.

After the team traded for four-time all-star Charleston Hughes on Friday, the Riders announced on Sunday that they have inked defensive lineman Willie Jefferson to a contract extension.

“Willie is an important part of our team culture and has developed into a leader on and off the field,” stated Chris Jones, Riders Vice-President of Football Operations, General Manager and Head Coach, in a media release. “He is a versatile player with a rare combination of size and speed. At 27 years old he has lots of good football ahead of him.”      

Jefferson’s first full season with the Riders in 2017 saw him start all 18 regular season games. He registered a career-high 45 defensive tackles and eight sacks. He also led the league with 37 quarterback pressures.

Jefferson picked up CFL and West Division All-Star honours for his efforts.

He was eligible to become a free agent next week.

The Riders also announced on Saturday that they have released international defensive back Kacy Rodgers II so that he can pursue an NFL opportunity. Rodgers played in 25 regular season games over two seasons with the Riders. He had 74 defensive tackles, one sack and one interception.