This isn’t a great time to be a free-agent running back in the CFL. At the same time, if you were someone looking for a rusher with some pedigree, you could take your pick of a few big names.

Wes Cates is the latest rusher to start looking for a job. Saskatchewan Roughriders GM Brendan Taman met the media in Regina Friday morning and said Cates won’t be offered a contract and will hit the market Feb. 16.

The tough thing is he joins Joffrey Reynolds and Avon Cobourne on the import free-agent running back group. Who, other than the Riders, doesn’t have an established running back at this point?

Here are the projected starters and backups in each CFL city:
B.C. — Andrew Harris (Tim Brown)
Calgary — Jon Cornish (LaMarcus Coker)
Edmonton — Jerome Messam (Hugh Charles, Calvin McCarty)
Saskatchewan — Brandon West (open)
Winnipeg — Fred Reid (Chris Garrett, Carl Volny)
Hamilton — Martell Mallett (Terry Grant)
Toronto — Cory Boyd (Chad Kackert)
Montreal — Brandon Whitaker (Emmanuel Marc)

Tough to see where Cates fits, or Reynolds and Cobourne for that matter. The Riders signed a trio of running backs Friday, inking Kory Sheets (Purdue), Demetrius Crawford (Montana State), and Louis Rankin (Washington).

Cates, 32, who is second on the Riders’ career rushing list behind the mighty George Reed, might not have an chance to prove he can still play.

“I’m not here to say Wes Cates isn’t a good player anymore but we’ve decided to make a change,” Taman said. “We’re the only West team that plays an American back right now so it’s not a great time to be on the market.

“Wes is still a good football player and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him get a chance somewhere.”

The Riders also released centre Marc Parenteau, who had trouble snapping the ball last season, and receiver James Robinson.

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Cohon gets three-year extension
The business of the CFL is thriving, so it’s no surprise the league is keeping its commissioner a few more years.

Mark Cohon signed a three-year extension to remain in the job through the 2014 season. Cohon, who took the job in 2007, has guided the league through its best period when the business side hasn’t had any problems.

“Our Board of Governors is unanimously pleased to have Mark at the helm at a time of positive growth and enormous potential for our league,” said John Butler, chairman of the CFL’s Board of Governors. “We have come a long way together and all want our forward momentum to continue and accelerate.”

Cohon is the 12th commissioner in league history and once he finishes this contract, he will have the second-longest tenure tied with Sydney Halter (1958-66) behind Jake Gaudaur (1968-84).

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Olafioye returns to Lions
Jovan Olafioye was this close to his dream, and now it’s gone. The B.C. Lions are happy to have him back.

On Thursday, the St. Louis Rams voided Olafioye’s two-year contract he just signed due to something they didn’t like in the medical exam. Olafioye, who signed under the NFL option-year agreement, returns to the Lions for a third season.

The right tackle was the West Division’s nominee for most outstanding lineman, and this is a good new for a team that has already lost middle linebacker Solomon Elimimian to the NFL.

“While this news was unexpected, I am very happy to be returning to my family at the BC Lions,” Olafioye said in a statement.

— Buz