A roll stand has a frame in which upper and lower working rolls are journaled for rotation about respective parallel upper and lower working-roll axes and defining a workpiece nip. Respective upper and lower backup-roll guide elements vertically flank the working rolls and are each at least partially vertically displaceable relative to the frame. Respective upper and lower backup-roll journal blocks are axially displaceable but vertically fixed relative to the guide elements and define parallel upper and lower inner axes flanking the working axes. Respective inner backup rolls are journaled in the blocks for rotation about the inner axes and bear radially toward the nip on the working rolls. The inner backup rolls are therefore axially displaceable in the guide elements. A pair of outer backup rolls are journaled in the frame for rotation about outer axes coplanar with the respective inner axes and bear radially toward the nip on the inner backup rolls. Respective vertically effective actuators exert a force at least generally parallel to the planes between each journal block and the frame to bend the inner backup rolls and for displacing the force axially relative to the journal blocks.