The Saskatchewan Roughriders re-signed defensive back Godfrey Onyeka to a one-year contract extension on Tuesday. In addition, the Roughriders are set to sign linebacker Jameer Thurman to a one-year contract according to 3DownNation’s Justin Dunk.
Godfrey Onyeka is six foot two and weighs 200 pounds. The 29-year-old from Brampton, Ontario, made one tackle on special teams in four games for the Roughriders in 2023. He missed part of the regular season with a suffered a torn pectoral muscle. In 2022, Onyeka made two tackles and two tackles on special teams in two games.
The Roughriders signed Onyeka as a free agent in 2021. Before Saskatchewan, the Edmonton Eskimos drafted Onyeka in the second round (10th pick) in the 2018 CFL Draft. He played two seasons in Edmonton with 18 tackles in 27 games.
Collegiately, Onyeka played four seasons at Wilfrid Laurier University (2014-17) with 186 tackles (161 solo, 53 assists), 6.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, ten interceptions for 90 yards, one touchdown, one pass breakup, six forced fumbles, and four fumble recoveries in 42 games for the Golden Hawks. He was a three-time U Sports First Team All-Canadian and a member of the 2016 Yates Cup championship team.
Jameer Thurman is six foot and weighs 227 pounds. The 29-year-old from Chicago, Illinois, made 98 tackles, five sacks, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles in 18 games for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2023. The Ticats signed Thurman as a free agent on February 15, 2023.
Before Hamilton, Thurman played two seasons with the Calgary Stampeders making 134 tackles, 29 tackles, three sacks, three interceptions, and three forced fumbles in 35 games. Next, Thurman spent time with the Chicago Bears and the D.C. Defenders (XFL) before returning to Calgary in 2021. Thurman played an additional two seasons in Calgary making 135 tackles, two tackles on special teams, three sacks, three interceptions, and five forced fumbles in 29 games.
Collegiately, Thurman played four seasons at Indiana State (2013-16) with 340 tackles (172 solo, 168 assists), 28 tackles for loss, seven sacks, five interceptions for 70 yards, one touchdown, 14 pass breakups, seven forced fumbles, and five fumble recoveries in 48 games for the Sycamores.
