QB Trevor Harris says he’s ready to take on any role with Alouettes

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At the end of his Edmonton career, quarterback Trevor Harris wasn’t playing.

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And there’s no guarantee the veteran, acquired by the Alouettes in a trade last Sunday for defensive end Antonio Simmons, is any closer to hitting the field with Montreal.

Harris, who is in quarantine at a Montreal hotel but will be eligible to dress next week, said he is ready to accept whatever role he is assigned in his new organization.

“My contract says I play for the Montreal Alouettes. That’s what I’m going to do, ”Harris said during a video conference Tuesday. “Whatever role they put me in, they’ll get 100 percent of me. If that’s playing, you’ll get the best of it. If it’s a backup … I’ll be here, doing the best I can and using the experience I’ve gained throughout my years.

“I know who I am and what I have to offer. I’m going to be a professional and introduce myself, give it my all. “

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Harris, 35, said he is in the prime of his career, both mentally and physically. He said he has another five years during which he can play “Level 1” football and is disappointed that the Elks did not stay committed to him, calling themselves a “franchise quarterback.”

Harris threw for 398 yards and four touchdowns against Calgary on Sept. 6, only to suffer a neck injury in the following week’s rematch, forcing him to miss two games. When he returned Oct. 8 against Winnipeg, he completed just nine of 22 passes for 87 yards during a 30-3 loss.

Harris wasn’t even dressed for the rematch against the Blue Bombers last Friday, and said he anticipated something would happen before the league’s October 27 trade deadline.

“Every team has a direction they want to go in, so you hire a head coach and a general manager,” he said. “They went the opposite route. I did not agree with them not playing with me. I trust who I am and the skills I have. It does not mean that my opinion is correct. I respect his decision “.

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Matt Shiltz, who replaced an injured Vernon Adams Jr., threw for 281 yards and a touchdown in last Saturday’s win at Ottawa. And Shiltz will remain the starter for Montreal on Friday night when the Als entertain the Toronto Argonauts. That was never going to change, despite Harris’s condition.

What remains to be determined is how long Montreal will remain patient with the four-year veteran in case his game begins to suffer. While Shiltz has appeared in 48 career games, this week’s contest will mark only his fourth start. On the other hand, Als’ coaching staff gave Adams a lot of rope this season despite inconsistent performances and a penchant for throwing interceptions.

However, something in this equation finally has to give.

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Harris, as the Montreal Gazette reported after the trade, will earn $ 550,000 next season. That includes a $ 300,000 signing bonus due in February. But Adams is owed a $ 190,000 bond in January. At least one of them is likely not to be with the team next season.

Harris repeatedly stated how excited he is to be with the Als. He said Montreal has the mark of a “championship-caliber” team, adding that they clearly play tough for head coach Khari Jones.

The nine-year veteran said he was close to signing with the Als as a free agent in 2016 after four seasons with Toronto, when Montreal was clearly in the market for a legitimate quarterback. Instead, the 6-foot-3, 212-pound man signed with Ottawa.

Harris says it won’t take long for him to learn the Als playbook and get familiar with Jones’ terminology. He also spends the week studying the movie of his games, learning more about the receivers he will be working with.

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This season it was speculated that Harris had not been vaccinated against COVID-19. While he said he had a medical exemption, Harris also said that he recently returned to the US to do what was “required to be available to play” in any game.

Meanwhile, wide receiver Jake Wieneke and defensive end David Ménard were named two of the CFL’s best players of the week. Wieneke caught seven passes for 114 yards and a touchdown against Ottawa, while Ménard had two sacks from quarterback and forced a fumble.

Running back William Stanback, who missed the game with food poisoning, practiced this week.

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