MATT NICHOLS SIGNS WITH ARGOS
Matt Nichols (15) and Andrew Harris (33) of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers during the game against the BC Lions at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, BC., on Friday, July 21, 2017. (Photo: Johany Jutras)
Matt Nichols wasn’t out of work long.
According to a CFL source, the veteran quarterback signed a three-year deal with the Toronto Argonauts on Thursday. The move comes after Nichols was released by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Jan. 28.
Nichols becomes the third quarterback on the Argos’ roster. Sophomore Canadian Michael O’Conner was already under contract for the 2020 season while veteran McLeod Bethel-Thompson _ who started 13 games for Toronto last season _ signed a one-year contract extension this week.
Bethel-Thompson was scheduled to become a free agent Wednesday.
The six-foot-two, 211-pound Nichols spent five seasons with Winnipeg, going 40-24 as a starter. He led the Bombers to a 6-2 record before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in a 32-16 home win over B.C. on Aug. 15.
Nichols finished 171-of-240 passing (71.25 per cent) for 1,936 yards with 15 TDs and five interceptions last season. He didn’t have a 300-yard performance in 2019 prior to his injury.
Nichols became expendable after the Grey Cup-champion Blue Bombers signed quarterback Zach Collaros to a two-year contract extension. Winnipeg acquired Collaros from Toronto on Oct. 9 prior to the CFL trade deadline.
Collaros became the starter late last season, going 4-0 and leading the Bombers past Hamilton 33-12 for their first Grey Cup title since 1990.
Collaros, 31, started 2019 as Saskatchewan’s starter before suffering a concussion in its regular-season opener. With the emergence of Cody Fajardo, the Riders dealt Collaros to Toronto in July.
He never played a down with Toronto before heading to Winnipeg.
Over his four starts with Winnipeg, Collaros finished 67-of-97 passing (69.1 per cent) for 851 yards with four TDs and just one interception. He also didn’t record a 300-yard passing game.
Three quarterbacks started games last season for Toronto. Bethel-Thompson had the most (4-9 record) with Franklin (0-4) and Dakota Prukop (0-1) being the others.
Despite his record, Bethel-Thompson led the CFL in TD passes (26) and 300-yard games (nine) and was third in yards (4,024). He also boasted a 68 per cent completion average with 13 interceptions in 493 pass attempts.
Bethel-Thompson started eight games for Toronto in 2018. He compiled a 2-6 record while completing 198-of-303 passes (65.3 per cent) for 2,193 yards (two 300-yard performances) with nine TDs and 10 interceptions.
The expectation is Nichols, a native of Redding, Calif., and Bethel-Thompson, who hails from San Francisco, will compete for Toronto’s starting job at training camp.
Nichols, 32, is entering his ninth CFL season. He began his career in Canada with Edmonton (2012, 2014-15) before signing as a free agent with Winnipeg.
Nichols has completed 1,582-of-2,373 career passes (66.7 per cent) for 18,363 yards with 108 TDs and 60 interceptions. His best season was in 2017 with Winnipeg when he established personal bests in pass attempts (579), completions (411), yards (4,472), TDs (28) and interceptions (eight).
(Canadian Press/Photo: BlueBombers.com)
Hardly a surprise. All the other starting positions were taken. I think he & MBT are a good pair. Other than Hamilton, who has a better backup?
Is Brandon Bridge applying for the backup qb job in Saskatchewan? That team in dire need of an experienced backup, Fajardo way too reckless in his play to endure a 18 game season without injury. Teams nowadays need experience at the position if they don’t want to miss a beat. Hamilton Tiger Cats have the best 1 – 2 punch, they won’t skip a beat while staying consistent at the top of the CFL standings while continually vying for the CFL Championship on a yearly basis and winning it all.
It’s to wonder, pause for thought. Roughriders of Saskatchewan need to go after Dane Evan’s in a trade with Hamilton Tiger Cats. He’s a pure passer with high end dividend with long term returns into the team whereas the current Rider qb still not proven. Cody Fajardo game a short yardage game and that will soon play out, literally play out exhausted. Soon the boo birds of Riderville will run out
another qb out of town, sorry Cody. Go get Dane, it makes perfect professional sports sense, I know what I speak.
I don’t think you run the reigning Western MOP out of town. If you do that you might as well send O’Day with him. Could be the most popular Rider right now. As far as Dane Evans is concerned, why would Hamilton trade him when he is on a cheap deal right now & good insurance for Masoli? If there is uncertainty about Fajardo after one year as a starter, how is that different from Evans?
That’s a lot of money for a guy who didn’t have a lot of options for a starting position – $350K in hard money & up to $560K in incentives. I wonder what they paid McBeth.