Argofans

https://www.cfl.ca/2024/12/17/als-send- ... -thompson/

Wild. Big implications all around.

Having anointed younger returnees, both teams had to move on from last year's starter. And both teams need an experienced backup. So the deal makes quite a bit of sense.

The two guys each have some leverage here: MBT could simply wait to become a free agent in Feb, and CF could force himself into free agency a month early since Edm is clearly not going to pay his off-season bonus. Mtl's a good situation for MBT: Alexander plays a similar style, and while promising, he's very inexperienced and might not be ready for prime time. Somewhat the same situation for Fajardo altho Ford has played a lot more already.

In the end, I think both guys -- if they choose to play in 2025 -- will be with the team that acquired them in this deal.

This is, oddly, shaping up as the year of an arms race for backup QBs. Every team has its starter, and almost every team needs an experienced backup. The only teams that won't be shopping aggressively for a backup, IMO, are Hamilton (Powell and Tagavailoa), Ott (Crum and Adam) and maybe Calgary (Walker). So now we wait to see who lands where among MBT, Fajardo, Arbuckle, Dukes, Maier, Shiltz and Masoli.

This is excellent news for the Argonauts and the rest of the Eastern Division.

Both teams want a back-up QB behind young starters they believe (but are not sure) are the future.

The Als were not going to be able to keep Fajardo given how Maciocia handed the keys to Alexander (potential big mistake iMO), and Fajardo is younger than MBT, has more CFL experience, has much superior mobility, and is one year off winning a GC where he was the MOP.

IF MBT is good with being a back-up and mentor to Alexander, then the Als did pretty well I guess in this deal, but Fajardo has way more value IMO and the EE win this deal easily.