RIDERS TO ADD JOSEPH

Saskatchewan Roughriders GM Brendan Taman told reporters Tuesday that Joseph is poised to rejoin the club sometime this week.

“That probably could happen here pretty quick,” he said.

Joseph was with Saskatchewan in 2006-’07 and led the club to a Grey Cup victory in 2007, when he was also named the CFL’s outstanding player. He went on to play for both the Toronto Argonauts and Edmonton Eskimos before retiring last January after 11 seasons in the league.

Joseph, 41, was a training camp coaching intern with the NFL’s New Orleans Saints this season.

“Anytime you deal with coaches, especially, you want experience,” Taman said. “You want to maintain the chance to win games and if you don’t have an experienced quarterback you’re a little bit in trouble when it comes to that.

“I think (Joseph) does have experience and I think he can bring a lot of good stuff to our locker-room.”

Taman said Tino Sunseri will likely start at quarterback Monday when the Riders visit the Montreal Alouettes.

Regular starter Darian Durant underwent surgery last month to repair a torn tendon in his right elbow. The expectation was that he’d be out for the rest of the regular season but Taman said the club remains hopeful it will have Durant in the lineup for its regular-season finale Nov. 8 against the Edmonton Eskimos.

“I think if everything goes well, there’s a chance for that, for sure,” Taman said. “But injuries are tough to predict sometimes.

“You just never know what can happen but I’m still fairly optimistic and still planning that he will be ready for that game.”

Durant was hurt in Saskatchewan’s 30-24 road win over Winnipeg on Sept. 7. Since then, the Riders (9-5) have dropped two straight and three of their last four games but remain tied for second place in the West Division with Edmonton.

Saskatchewan has scored 69 points in its last four contests but 35 came in an overtime win over Ottawa. The Riders lost 24-0 to Edmonton on Sept. 26, their first shutout loss since 2006.

Sunseri was 16 of 19 passing for 289 yards and a touchdown in Saskatchewan’s 31-24 loss to Calgary last weekend. Taman expressed confidence Sunseri has the ability to play well enough to be Saskatchewan’s starter during Durant’s absence, but made it clear Joseph will get a shot.

“Kerry isn’t coming in here just to be a guy that stands there and holds a clipboard,” Taman said. “He’s here for a reason so he’ll get thrown into the mix and see how he does.”

Joseph, who made his CFL debut with Ottawa in 2003, spent the last three years with the Eskimos before retiring.