Elks send quarterback Trevor Harris to Montreal for defensive end
The Edmonton Elks traded veteran quarterback Trevor Harris to the Montreal Alouettes in a one-for-one exchange.
Announced Sunday, the Elks will receive defensive end Antonio Simmons in return.
Simmons is playing his second season in the Canadian Football League (CFL) after signing with Montreal in 2019. During his time with the Alouettes, Simmons registered five sacks, 52 tackles, and one forced fumble.
The Jacksonville, Fla., native played four years at Georgia Tech, collecting seven quarterback sacks and 86 tackles, including 16 tackles for loss. In 2018 he spent time in the National Football League with both the Denver Broncos and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Harris appeared in 19 games with Edmonton, including six this season. He has played 139 games in the CFL and is currently 24th in all-time passing yards for the league with 23,750.
This season he has completed 135 passes out of 192 attempts, including only nine of 22 during the match with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Oct. 8.
Elks head coach Jaime Elizondo benched Harris for Friday’s rematch against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and tapped rookie backup Taylor Cornelius to start.
The Elks have lost five games in a row this season and sit dead last in the league’s standings at 2-7.
'WE WANT TO WIN RIGHT NOW'
Brock Sunderland, general manager and vice president football operations, said the trade happened because the Elks decided to stick with Cornelius as their lead quarterback.
“We felt it was in the best interest of the organization and for Trevor Harris to make this move,” Sunderland said. “We wish nothing but the best for him, on and off the field.
“We feel we needed better play at the quarterback position,” he added, saying Harris’ style of play was not consistent. “We feel the combination of Taylor and Dakota (Prukop) give us that best option at this time.”
The other factor that led to Sunday’s trade was that Montreal had a need for a quarterback, Sunderland said.
“Montreal lost Vernon Adams. We felt like we could get a little bit of value in making this move.”
Sunderland added that Friday’s game against Winnipeg showed the potential that Cornelius has as a young quarterback.
“We played very well. I think with Taylor as a starting quarterback, we went toe to toe with the best team in the league and had every opportunity to win that game.
“We want to win right now,” he said, “and moving to Taylor gives us, in our opinion, gives us that best opportunity.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'The lost season': Winter comes to a close as Canada's warmest on record
The warmest winter on record could have far-reaching effects on everything from wildfire season to erosion, climatologists say, while offering a preview of what the season could resemble in the not-so-distant future unless steps are taken to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
NEW High thoughts: The habits of Canadian cannabis users are revealed in a new StatCan report
Statistics Canada has conducted a series of surveys to measure the impacts of legalized cannabis since the Cannabis Act took effect in 2018. The latest one, the 2023 National Cannabis Survey, sheds light on users' preferences and habits last year.
Freddie Mercury's home is on the market for first time since 1980 minus his 'exquisite clutter'
Freddie Mercury's sanctuary in London, where he lived the last decade of his life, is on sale for the first time in nearly half a century -- minus his "exquisite clutter."
NEW Where to watch the state funeral for former prime minister Brian Mulroney
A state funeral for former prime minister Brian Mulroney will be held in Montreal on March 23. CTV News will have live special coverage of his funeral service.
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.