The Montreal Alouettes have agreed to terms with quarterback Cody Fajardo, according to reports from TSN’s Farhan Lalji.
The deal is expected to be a two-year contract through the 2024 season, pending clarity on Montreal’s ownership situation. The team is believed to be in the process of being sold by the estate of the late Sid Spiegel.
The six-foot-two, 223-pound passer spent the past three seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, throwing for 10,632 yards with 48 touchdowns and 32 interceptions as a member of the team. He also rushed 266 times for 1,436 yards and 22 scores.
The 30-year-old signed his first CFL contract with the Toronto Argonauts in 2015 following a brief stint with the Oakland Raiders. He spent three seasons with the team in a depth role before leaving as a free agent to serve as a backup with the B.C. Lions in 2018.
Fajardo was benched by the Riders late last season while the team was still mathematically eligible to earn a postseason berth. He never ruled out a return to Saskatchewan, though the Riders recently agreed to terms on a contract with veteran quarterback Trevor Harris.
Jason Maas is now the head coach in Montreal after being fired as Saskatchewan’s offensive coordinator following the 2022 season. He and Fajardo will be reunited in La Belle Province where the team is looking to replace a number of key free agents that are expected to sign with other clubs amid Montreal’s uncertain ownership situation.
Pending free agents from around the league are currently permitted to negotiate contracts as part of the CFL’s “legal tampering” period that opened this past weekend. The window will close on Sunday, Feb. 12 before free agency officially gets underway on Tuesday, Feb. 14 at noon eastern time.
