Roughriders sign former NFL 1st-round pick Paxton Lynch

The Saskatchewan Roughriders signed quarterback Paxton Lynch, a former first-round NFL draft pick, the team announced Monday.

Lynch spent his first two professional seasons with the Denver Broncos, who drafted him 26th overall in 2016. The Broncos cut him in 2018 after a pair of unproductive campaigns, and Lynch fell out of the league before resurfacing with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019. Pittsburgh released the 27-year-old one year later before he could appear in a game.

Known for his large stature and strong arm, the 6-foot-7 Lynch will join a Roughriders quarterbacks room featuring 4,300-yard passer Cody Fajardo, among others.

Lynch enjoyed a standout college career at Memphis, where he started 38 games and threw for 8,863 yards and 59 touchdowns. He threw four touchdowns and four interceptions in five NFL appearances.