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
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Courteney Cox says her partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in therapy
Courteney Cox's longtime partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in a therapy session.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.