O’Day, Riders restructure Trevor Harris’ contract

Jeremy O’Day continues to shape how the 2024 Saskatchewan Roughriders will look – and he got some help when it comes to helping bring the vision to reality.

While the Riders’ general manager wouldn’t go into financial details Tuesday, he did confirm quarterback Trevor Harris had restructured his CFL contract.

“Trevor has been great to work with. He’s a team guy and there were discussions that we have had with Trevor and he was willing to help the team out,” O’Day said from CFL winter meetings in Nashville, Tenn. “He’s just a team guy.”

Harris, a 37-year-old quarterback, is entering the final year of his deal with Saskatchewan and 3DownNation reported the CFL veteran was expected to make $525,000 in 2024.

Harris only appeared in five games for the Riders in 2023, throwing for 1,274 yards, with six touchdowns and four interceptions. He was injured July 15 in a 33-31 loss to the Calgary Stampeders, suffering a tibial plateau fracture in his knee.

“We signed him to a two-year contract (in 2023) because of the value he brings at the position. It’s important you have a quarterback who can be successful in our league and they are a big part of the success of teams,” O’Day said.

“With Trevor’s history of success and his experience in our league and his leadership skills, we wanted him back (in 2024), just as we did last year.”

O’Day also said Harris has let the team know he will be good to go for the upcoming season.

“We feel that he is going to be, as he always is, very serious about his preparation for the season and we feel like he is going to be good to go once training camp starts,” O’Day said. “He feels like he is at that point now and we still have a number of months before our season starts.

“We feel good about Trevor coming back into camp and being healthy and ready to roll.”

While Harris is the starter for the Riders, who will back him up remains up in the air. Both Jake Dolegala and Mason Fine started games in Harris’ absence but are without contract extensions.

“(Talks for far are) just early discussions that usually happen after the season,” O’Day said. “As far as anything in the last few weeks, we haven’t (had any).

“We are still in the evaluation phase as to who we think would be the best candidate for the offence we are going to run and how does (offensive co-ordinator Marc Mueller) feel about the guys we have in-house who are pending free agents versus other guys who could be free agents.

“We are going through that right now and whether that be one of our guys or a guy that’s a pending free agent, that’s to be determined.”

The list of quarterbacks who could become free agents Feb. 13 includes Dru Brown, who was Zach Collaros’ backup with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

When it comes to other possible re-signings, O’Day said the Riders are continuing to work through getting those done and have nothing to announce at this time.

“Just like many other years, there’s lots of free agents and lots of moving parts,” he said. “With a new staff and a new head coach, some of those evaluations are even still going on now on evaluating those positions and how they fit in with the philosophy. How we are going to set up the team is something we are still going through right now.

“As always, it will get ironed out with time and (we’re) just going through the process much like other teams.”

On Monday, new head coach Corey Mace said he wants to sign people who want to be in Regina with the expectations the Riders have. O’Day said the Queen City is somewhere players want to be.

“I think there’s some natural excitement with Corey joining our team. When you factor in the new head coach and his successes that he has had and his excitement and energy that he is bringing, overall it has been very positive,” O’Day said.

“There’s always the business aspect of it that sometimes gets in the way, but there’s some momentum and definitely some buzz to the Roughriders among the players and the coaching staff.”