If the Riders had even considered replacing their QB they would have made a legitimate offer for Vernon Adams Jr.
If the Roughriders had even considered replacing Harris, an oft-injured veteran of 12 CFL seasons who will turn 39 before training camp, they should have made a legitimate offer for Adams. They didn’t. And that’s inexcusable because Adams is coming off a strong season, despite starting only eight games he tossed 16 touchdown passes and ran for three majors.
The Lions were looking to deal 31-year-old Adams this offseason because they’re committed to promising Canadian quarterback Nathan Rourke, who rejoined B.C. after several NFL tryouts this past season and signed a long, expensive contract with his former team. Adams could have also rejoined a familiar team — he dressed for 11 games as Saskatchewan’s short-yardage quarterback in 2017.
Lions general manager Ryan Rigmaiden said he spoke to every CFL team before dealing Adams to the Calgary Stampeders, with some extra urgency because the QB was due a substantial contract bonus in January. Calgary made the best offer and acquired Adams along with two draft picks for a package of three Stampeders draft picks.
Talk about a bargain-basement price for a starting quarterback! Essentially Adams switched teams for a second-round draft choice. Evidently there wasn’t much of a market.
Rigmaiden said the four East teams were “very, very set” at quarterback while “a handful of teams reached out to kick the tires.”
So the Roughriders, one of five teams in the West, kicked Adams’ tires before turning away from a younger quarterback who could have served the franchise for another six or seven seasons, rather than the year or two they may get out of Harris.
With the latter two on expiring contracts, Montreal anointed Alexander their new starter when they re-signed him and, in Edmonton, it’s looking unlikely new Elks general manager Ed Hervey and his hand-picked head coach, Mark Kilam, are going to let Ford get away. There’s really no place else for Ford to go anyway, now that the other eight CFL franchises have their starting quarterbacks under contract.
Adams threw for 317 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions while Harris’ 279 passing yards included one touchdown and zero interceptions. O’Day and Mace heartily praised Harris in postseason gatherings with the media, raving about his attitude, and it seemed obvious about then the Roughriders were going to keep him. It’s just weird that they didn’t even seriously look anywhere else.
The list of potential acquisitions remains plentiful, but none are better than Harris. They include Jake Maier of the Calgary Stampeders, Jeremiah Masoli of the Ottawa Redblacks and Cameron Dukes of the Toronto Argonauts. Through trades or free agency perhaps the Riders can put in place a decent backup — someone like Dukes, an intriguing prospect — if they would only make an offer.
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