The Toronto Argonauts are shopping Canadian quarterback Brandon Bridge on the trade market, per sources.
Bridge was signed by the double blue in February. He played in two pre-season games with Toronto completing 13-of-20 passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns against one interception. The six-foot-five, 235-pound QB looked sharp in Jacques Chapdelaine’s offence.
The Mississauga native was originally drafted by current Argos and former Alouettes general manager Jim Popp while he was in Montreal. Bridge was selected in the fourth round, 31st overall in the 2015 CFL draft.
Bridge spent his last two seasons in Saskatchewan after signing with the Riders in August 2016. Last year Bridge played in eight games, completing 82-of-131 passes for 804 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions. He also rushed 25 times for 110 yards. Saskatchewan didn’t offer Bridge a contract prior to free agency in February.
The South Alabama product has shown intriguing potential, especially in 2017. Bridge started in Week 13 for the Riders in Hamilton and guided the team to a victory with 231 passing yards and three touchdowns. Two weeks later, he came off the bench to lead a comeback win against Toronto, finishing 20-of-28 for 292 yards and two touchdowns.
Overall that season, Bridge passed for 1,236 yards with a 66.6 completion percentage (92-of-138) and 10 touchdowns to just four interceptions while adding 20 carries for 127 yards and one rushing touchdown during the 2017 season. He sparked the Riders offence in the East Final, completing 11-of-21 passes for 141 yards and one touchdown in the team’s defeat. The TD toss was the first by a Canadian in a post-season game since Russ Jackson in the 1969 Grey Cup.
Bridge worked out for the New York Giants in December 2017. The 27-year-old received an invite to Dallas Cowboys rookie mini-camp after going unselected in the 2015 NFL draft, but was not offered a contract.
The Argos have James Franklin, McLeod Bethel-Thompson, Michael O’Connor, Dakota Prukop and Bridge currently on the roster at the pivot position.
Bridge has all the athletic traits to succeed at the pro level and there are some teams with needs at the quarterback position around the league who have checked in on the asking price.
