Replacing veteran pivot Trevor Harris would disrupt his CFL team
Hooray for Shea Patterson!
It was a decent showing by Patterson. He completed 17 of 25 passes for 261 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. His third-quarter TD came on a well-executed, play-action pass to Clint Ratkovich, Saskatchewan’s little-used fullback who also doubles as the backup to starting tailback A.J. Ouellette.
Patterson’s mobility adds another dimension to Saskatchewan’s offence, particularly since Harris hasn’t carried the ball once this season after missing most of last season following surgery on his other knee.
Harris knows that. His teammates know that. Patterson knows that. The new coaches spent all offseason espousing the importance of retaining Harris, with his leadership abilities, veteran presence and strong arm. So that’s what they did.
Patterson showed in training camp he deserved to move into the backup role after being the third- or fourth-stringer last season. Patterson’s passing accuracy improved, so did his work ethic and game knowledge. His place on the depth chart was well-deserved and well-accepted.
It’s funny listening to outside arguments stating Patterson should displace Harris, who is 3-0 this year and was 3-1 as a starter last season. Harris began this campaign as the CFL’s top passer. Then he got hurt. That doesn’t mean Harris should lose his job. Veterans rarely lose their jobs because of injuries; things like that don’t sit well in the locker room.
If Patterson played like the second coming of Doug Flutie, perhaps the Riders could consider anointing him the starter. But he hasn’t played like a superstar. He has played well, is cutting down on mistakes and isn’t losing games for the Roughriders. He’s doing what’s expected and he’s getting better, but he’s not quite ready.
The Roughriders wisely chose to place Harris on the six-game injury list. Head coach Corey Mace said they didn’t want to rush Harris back into action and that the team was excited to see what Patterson could accomplish.
Wise words. Wise actions. It allowed Patterson some breathing room, without having to worry about his status as the Roughriders journeyed through July’s gauntlet of games against top opponents — Toronto, B.C., Winnipeg and Montreal.
Fajardo won a Grey Cup last season with Montreal, but a different leg injury suffered during the Alouettes’ last game could keep him sidelined for Thursday’s game against the visiting Roughriders. That would mean two of the league’s top teams would be starting backup quarterbacks — Patterson and Caleb Evans — for the showdown.
Harris is expected to miss at least one more game. Wearing a knee brace, he has been throwing on the sidelines during Riders practices. He may miss three more games. Whatever. When he’s healthy, he’s going back behind centre.
Teams with quarterback controversies typically don’t perform well. This isn’t a controversy.
There’s no real reason to dislodge Harris, at least not during this season. Let him show everyone how far he can lead the Roughriders into the 2024 postseason. That’s why he’s here. Harris is 38. Some great quarterbacks, like Damon Allen and Tom Brady, played into their 40s.
Patterson is 27. He’s taking advantage of his opportunity; if he continues to improve he may show himself to potentially become the “quarterback of the future.” He’s not there yet. Any change can be made after this season, when the best decisions are made because all the evidence is available.
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