Former Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Paxton Lynch has been signed by the XFL’s Orlando Guardians.
The six-foot-seven, 244-pound passer spent the entire 2021 regular season on Saskatchewan’s active roster or one-game injured list, allowing him to collect his full salary while adjusting to the three-down game. However, the 28-year-old did not dress for a game as Cody Fajardo, Isaac Harker, and Mason Fine were the three quarterbacks used by the Riders on game-day rosters during that regular season.
Lynch’s contract originally ran through the end of the 2022 season, but he was placed on the team’s suspended list ahead of the playoffs due to a vaccination issue and remained there throughout the opening months of the offseason. He was later released to pursue a USFL opportunity with the Michigan Panthers.
The Memphis product was drafted in the 12th round of the inaugural USFL and played in six games in the league’s first season, making three starts for the Panthers. He completed 54-of-83 passes (65.1 percent) for 550 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions while rushing 20 times for 74 yards and two scores.
Lynch was placed on the inactive list in May after suffering a season-ending leg injury. He now jumps from one upstart spring league to another, joining the XFL ahead of its first season.
After being selected No. 26 overall by the Denver Broncos in the 2016 NFL Draft, Lynch earned more than $8.8 million in the NFL. He suited up in five games during two seasons in Denver, posting a 1-3 win-loss record while completing 61.7 percent of his passes for 792 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions.
Lynch hasn’t played in an NFL game since the 2017 season. He was a member of the Seattle Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers in recent years but was among the final training camp cuts in 2019 and 2020, respectively.
