TORONTO – The Toronto Argonauts’ muddled quarterback spot is about to become little clearer.
NFL free agency is slated to begin at 12:01 a.m. ET on Friday, which is when the Argos could begin working out quarterbacks south of the border. And a CFL source requesting anonymity says a player of particular interest to Toronto is Gibran Hamdan, the Buffalo Bills’ third-string quarterback.
The six-foot-four, 220-pound Hamdan is among the NFL’s free agents, allowing him to sign with the team of his choice, north or south of the border. But the source said Hamdan is interested in coming to Toronto because it gives him the best chance to play immediately.
The Argos have had an interest in Hamdan since after the 2008 season and he reportedly met with former coach Bart Andrus in Toronto, before he was fired in December. Hamdan played for Andrus with NFL Europe’s Amsterdam Admirals in 2006.
The source adds Jim Barker, the Argos new head coach, is also high on Hamdan.
Hamdan, 29, has bounced around in the NFL since being selected in the seventh round of the 2003 draft by Washington. Since then, he’s been with six teams, including the Seattle Seahawks twice.
In that span, he’s appeared in just one regular-season game, that being in 2003 with Washington when he completed 1-of-2 passes for seven yards.
Hamdan appeared in four exhibition games last season with Buffalo, completing 32-of-48 passes (66.7 per cent) for 427 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.
Hamdan did play three seasons in NFL Europe (2004-’06). In 2006 with Amsterdam he was the league’s offensive MVP after completing 102-of-162 passes (63 per cent) for 1,629 yards and 12 TDs with only three interceptions.
According to the source, the Argos are keen to get a look at Hamdan and work him out before signing him to a contract. That’s because if Hamdan signed a CFL contract immediately, he’d be unable to work out with Toronto until the start of training camp, as per the league’s collective bargaining agreement with the CFL Players’ Association.
The Argos currently don’t have any quarterbacks under contract after releasing incumbent Kerry Joseph, backup Cody Pickett and youngster Stephen Reaves this off-season.
Hamdan had two stints with the Bills last year, making the club to start the season before being released Nov. 19, 2009 in favour of Brian Brohm, who was signed off Green Bay’s practice roster. But Hamdan re-signed with Buffalo on Dec. 22 after injuries to Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick.
But the Argos won’t simply hand Hamdan the starting job as they’re expected to bring a number of quarterbacks to camp to compete for the No. 1 spot.
There are some potential quarterback options for Toronto in the CFL.
The most attractive would seem to be Adrian McPherson, the Montreal Alouettes’ backup. He wants to be a starter but is unlikely to get that chance playing behind durable veteran Anthony Calvillo, the CFL’s outstanding player the last two years.
However, Calvillo is 37-years-old and that factor alone would suggest Jim Popp, Montreal’s shrewd GM, is much more likely to keep McPherson as insurance now and pencil him in as Calvillo’s successor down the road, rather than trade the strong-armed quarterback to a division rival.
The B.C. Lions are expected to release veteran quarterback Buck Pierce soon. However, the Argos are said to have no interest in Pierce, who has suffered numerous concussions and injuries over his CFL career.
A more viable option might be Toronto making a pitch to Calgary for backup Barrick Nealy, a player Barker would know very well from his days as the Stampeders senior vice-president of football operations and director of player personnel.
