Free Agency: A case-by-case look at the remaining FA Quarterbacks

The Free Agency opens for business on the 11th of February, and there are a lot of quarterbacks still on the market. Here, we take a case-by-case look at each quarterback – what they bring to the table, who they might work best with and who might sign them.

Jonathan Jennings – Ottawa REDBLACKS

Following the mass release of Ottawa players on January 23rd, former Ottawa starter Jonathan Jennings has hit the open market. Jennings had a reasonably quiet 2019, throwing for 1154 yards, with 3 TDs and 7 interceptions, and was unable to secure a single win for his team. As such, he’s definitely not a top QB in the Free Agency, but some argue that his poor performance last year was due to the lack of a strong team – after all, his 2019 numbers are a steep dropoff from the stats he put up over 4 seasons with the BC Lions. Don’t expect him to be snapped up quickly, but his experience will mean he’ll find a good home. A return to BC to join his former fellow Ottawa QB Will Arndt might be the best option for Jennings.

James Franklin – Toronto Argonauts

Another QB that faced a lot of struggles in 2019, Franklin only managed to put up 822 yards over 4 starts for the Argos, and also experienced a steep dropoff from 2018, where both he and McLeod Bethel-Thompson threw for over 2000 yards. While Franklin may not be the best QB in the league, he still has a good arm and seems to work well for the Argos. Franklin’s problem in 2019 was the lack of starts due to MBT’s stellar performance,  so keeping him around may not be a bad thing. However, if Toronto wants to get serious on offence, signing a stronger secondary would probably be a good idea.

McLeod Bethel-Thompson – Toronto Argonauts

In a year defined by struggle and hardship, McLeod Bethel-Thompson was the rock that held the Argos together. Leading the league in passing TDs and throwing for 4,024 yards in 2019, there’s no question that Toronto will want to keep Bethel-Thompson around for the future as they look to rebuild their team. Whether this happens as a solo effort, or alongside a new addition to the team remains to be seen.

Dakota Prukop – Toronto Argonauts

Although he only played 3 games for the Argos in 2019, rookie QB Dakota Prukop shows promise for the future, and the Argos will likely hold onto him to train him up as a backup, or maybe even for short yardage. Prukop threw for 284 yards, with 3 TDs and 2 interceptions – not huge yardage, but definitely productive enough to make the cut and remain with the Argos. Prukop has given the Argos no reason to release him, but with fellow rookie QB Michael O’Connor currently under contract, the Argos may have to make a decision on who to invest in for the future.

Matt Nichols – Winnipeg Blue Bombers

In one of the most controversial moves of this offseason, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers re-signed Zach Collaros and released Matt Nichols onto the market. Before going out with a Week 10 injury, Nichols led the CFL’s most powerful offence, throwing for 1,936 and 15 touchdowns. His release comes as a surprise to many, as Nichols was responsible for bringing the Blue Bombers up from the bottom of the league to the Grey Cup. Looking forward, Nichols has seen interest from the Ottawa Redblacks and Toronto Argonauts, and his signing to either team would complement the skills of QBs Nick Arbuckle and McLeod Bethel-Thompson.

Logan Kilgore – Edmonton Eskimos

Eskimos secondary Logan Kilgore will likely stick in Edmonton following a breakout season, where he found himself starting for the Esks after starter Trevor Harris went out due to an injury. Kilgore threw for 1,199 yards with a 65.5% completion rate – not league-leading numbers, but there’s no doubt that Kilgore is the steady backup Edmonton needs to support the star power of Trevor Harris.

…and the rest – Chris Streveler, Brandon Bridge and Montell Cozart

The last three QB Free Agents will likely have not much of an impact on 2020. Winnipeg QB Chris Streveler has already worked out with several NFL teams and will likely head south of the border for the 2020 season. Meanwhile, Calgary’s Montell Cozart and BC’s Brando Bridge will likely remain on their team’s development program, with Cozart potentially becoming the secondary to Bo Levi Mitchell following the departure of Nick Arbuckle to Ottawa.