By Canadian Press

Montreal Alouettes sign veteran quarterback Fajardo in free agency

Feb 14, 2023 | 1:25 PM

MONTREAL — Cody Fajardo has a new CFL home.

The veteran quarterback signed a two-year deal with the Montreal Alouettes on Tuesday, the first day of CFL free agency.

The move wasn’t a surprise as former Alouettes quarterback Trevor Harris agreed to a deal last week with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Fajardo’s former team.

Fajardo, 30, spent the past three seasons with Saskatchewan, leading the Riders to the West Division final in 2019 and ’21. Montreal also secured him a reliable receiver as a CFL source said the Alouettes also signed veteran Greg Ellingson to a one-year deal Tuesday.

Fajardo threw for 3,360 yards last season in 17 regular-season games, which he played with a persistent knee ailment. Fajardo had 16 touchdown strikes but also threw a career-high 13 interceptions.

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Fajardo also ran for 357 yards and eight TDs in 2022. The Riders allowed a CFL-high 77 sacks last season.

Ellingson, 34, had 38 catches for 598 yards and three TDs in eight regular-season games last year with Winnipeg. The six-foot-three, 211-pound American has cracked the 1,000-yard plateau five times during his nine-year CFL tenure.

Ellingson has 587 catches for 8,550 yards and 45 TDs in 125 career regular-season games with Hamilton, Ottawa, Edmonton and Winnipeg.

Montreal also shored up its Canadian content, signing long-snapper Louis-Philippe Bourassa, offensive lineman Justin Lawrence and fullback James Tuck.

The six-foot-two. 232-pound Bourassa, of Shawinigan, Que., spent the last five seasons with Ottawa. The 31-year-old appeared in 75 career regular-season contests with the Redblacks and won a Vanier Cup title at Montreal with Alouettes GM Danny Maciocia as head coach.

The six-foot-one, 310-pound Lawrence was a Grey Cup champion last season with the Toronto Argonauts. The 26-year-old Edmonton native started 17-of-18 regular-season contests in 2022 .

Tuck, 32, of Aurora, Ont., returns to Montreal, where he spent his first three CFL seasons (2014-16). The six-foot, 230-pound fullback has registered 53 special-teams tackles in 87 career regular-season contests while adding seven receptions for 83 yards.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 14, 2023.

The Canadian Press