Veteran Canadian Football League kicker Brett Lauther has secured a new professional home with the Ottawa Redblacks, marking a significant transition after his recent departure from the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The 35-year-old specialist officially signed with Ottawa on Friday, just one day after the Redblacks released their own longtime kicker Lewis Ward, creating an immediate vacancy at the position.
From Saskatchewan to Ottawa: A Career Shift
Lauther's move comes after eight seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, where he established himself as a reliable special teams contributor. The Nova Scotia native was released by Saskatchewan earlier this off-season, right before he was due to receive an off-season roster bonus. This decision followed what statistical analysis reveals was his most challenging professional year in 2025, during which he converted just 72.2 percent of his field goal attempts.
A Journey Through the CFL
Lauther's professional journey began with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2013, where he first broke into the league. After several years of moving between teams, he finally secured Saskatchewan's primary kicking role in 2018. Over the subsequent seven seasons, Lauther appeared in 114 games for the Roughriders, culminating in a Grey Cup championship victory this past season.
Despite this championship success, his statistical performance showed concerning trends. His 2025 field goal percentage of 72.2 percent represented a career low, dropping below his previous worst mark of 78 percent recorded in 2019. In an exclusive March interview with the Regina Leader-Post, Lauther expressed his determination to continue his kicking career and his hope to find a new CFL team opportunity.
Ottawa's Kicking Transition
The Redblacks' decision to part ways with Lewis Ward created the opening that Lauther now fills. Ward had served as Ottawa's kicker since 2018 but experienced his own statistical decline last season, making just 76.1 percent of his field goal attempts. This represented a significant drop from his exceptional 2018 rookie season, when he converted 98.1 percent of attempts and earned both the CFL's Most Outstanding Special Teams Player and Most Outstanding Rookie awards.
The 33-year-old Ward's previous career low before 2025 was 83.3 percent in 2021, indicating that both Ottawa and Saskatchewan were dealing with veteran kickers experiencing performance challenges.
Saskatchewan's Replacement Strategy
Meanwhile, the Saskatchewan Roughriders have moved forward with their own kicking transition plan. On the same Friday that Lauther signed with Ottawa, Saskatchewan announced the signing of Global kicker Alex Hale, a 27-year-old Australian who previously played collegiate football at Oklahoma State University from 2018-2023.
Hale's professional journey included a stint with the NFL's Green Bay Packers in 2024 before his release a year later. Saskatchewan now has multiple kickers competing for the starting position, including American specialists Michael Hughes and Jonathan Kim. The Roughriders' kicking competition is expected to be determined during training camp, with the team scheduled to begin on-field preparations in Saskatoon on May 10.
Looking Ahead to the 2026 Season
This series of kicking changes highlights the fluid nature of special teams positions in professional football. Both Ottawa and Saskatchewan are banking on fresh starts for their kicking games as they prepare for the upcoming CFL season. For Lauther, the move to Ottawa represents an opportunity to revitalize his career after statistical struggles, while for the Redblacks, it provides an experienced veteran to stabilize their special teams unit following Ward's departure.
The CFL's kicking carousel continues to turn as teams optimize their rosters for competitive success, with veteran experience and statistical performance serving as key factors in these personnel decisions.
