TORONTO — There is little doubt that the position with the most change this off-season has been the quarterback position. A house-cleaning of sorts began in mid-February and the Argos have been stockpiling potential starting pivots ever since.
With a total of five on the roster heading into rookie camp, the search for the next leader of the Argos offence will undoubtedly be the most highly contested and most intriguing battle as training camp rolls on.
The most seasoned pivot entering camp is QB Cleo Lemon with seven years of NFL experience under his belt including a style of game that could prove invaluable in CFL. Although the athletic QB has proven that he can escape a collapsing pocket with relative ease, it seems that Lemon’s biggest strength could be his ability to read opposing defences.
“Cleo is a mobile quarterback with experience as a starter in the NFL. He is smart, accurate and has a reputation as a solid decision-maker,” said Head Coach Jim Barker upon Lemon’s signing.
In Gibran Hamdan, the Argos have a veteran QB that, like Lemon, is new to the CFL. A proven winner in NFL Europa, the former NFLE MVP (2006) comes to Toronto with a strong arm and a willingness to learn.
“I understand that it is a different game. Although I think I’m up for the challenge, it will be a challenge to assimilate to the skills and traits necessary to succeed,” the coy pivot told The Canadian Press shortly after signing. “It lends itself to a little bit more artistic qualities, if you will, with the motioning and the creative things you can do. I think the wider field will play into my strengths, but it’s something I’m going to have to get accustomed to and work on.”
Hamdan’s approach will be similar to another pivot, Ken Dorsey, who takes his first crack at the CFL game after being signed last Wednesday. A college superstar at the University of Miami, the 29-year-old QB led the Hurricanes to back-to-back BCS National Championship appearances before spending time in the NFL, most recently with the Cleveland Browns.
Oddly enough, the player with the most appropriate experience is probably Dalton Bell. The West Texas A&M product has already been to a CFL camp and survived final cuts last season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Last season he dressed for all 18 regular season games plus the playoffs and Grey Cup behind Steven Jyles and Darian Durant. This will undoubtedly be his best shot at trying to win a starting spot on a CFL roster.
Perhaps the unofficial underdog that everyone seems to be rooting for is Danny Brannagan. The former Queen’s University standout is a rare commodity in Canadian football circles. He is the first non-import quarterback to come out of the CIS and have a legitimate shot at making an impact on a club in far too long.
Barker, however, has made it very clear that Brannagan is by no means an experiment or a publicity stunt, stating that his nationality is of no significance as it relates to his role or chances with Toronto.
“We brought Danny in as a quarterback, not as a Canadian quarterback,” Barker confirmed via teleconference last Wednesday.
That being said, there is no doubt that should Brannagan take the reins behind centre, the storyline among fans and media would be as large as any in camp.
The highly-contested QB position will likely be the primary storyline throughout the entire training camp from Day 1 until the Argos open the season on July 1.
Jonathan Rubinoff
Argonauts.ca
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