Brandon Bridge has had quite a week.
On Monday, the 25-year-old product of Mississauga, Ont., met with CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie to discuss potential changes to the national-international ratio that would benefit teams that want to start Canadian-born quarterbacks.
On Tuesday, Bridge — hopeful of catching the eyes of NFL player-personnel types — worked out for representatives of the New York Giants.
Then on Wednesday, Bridge signed a one-year contract extension with the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders. He was slated to become a free agent Feb. 13.
“I wanted to be somewhere where somebody actually wanted me,” Bridge said during a media conference at Mosaic Stadium. “In free agency, some teams may want you and some teams may not. Saskatchewan really showed their love and their dedication to trying to get me back throughout the year.
“(Head coach-GM) Chris Jones and I spoke on numerous occasions on how much he wanted me here and how they wanted to move forward. That was a big part of it, having that type of love.”
Bridge began his CFL career in 2015 with the Montreal Alouettes, who selected the former University of South Alabama quarterback in the fourth round (31st overall) of the 2015 CFL draft. Shortly after being released by Montreal in August of 2016, he signed with Saskatchewan.
The 6-foot-5, 235-pounder dressed for 12 games and appeared in three as a backup in 2016, but his role expanded greatly in 2017. He dressed for all 18 regular-season games and appeared in 12, setting career highs in pass completions (92), pass attempts (138), passing yards (1,236), touchdown passes (10), carries (20) and rushing yards (127).
On Sept. 15, with Kevin Glenn out with a hand injury, Bridge started for the Roughriders in their game against the host Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He went 21-for-31 passing for 231 yards with three touchdowns in Saskatchewan’s 27-19 victory.
Bridge was the first Canadian QB to start a game for Saskatchewan since Eric Guthrie on Nov. 6, 1977, and the first Canadian pivot to start and win a CFL game since the Calgary Stampeders’ Greg Vavra on Oct. 14, 1985.
Bridge also came off the bench in the East Division final in Toronto and completed 11 of 21 pass attempts for 141 yards and one touchdown in the Roughriders’ 25-21 loss to the Argos.
His scoring pass to Duron Carter in that game was the first TD pass by a Canadian quarterback in a CFL post-season contest since the Ottawa Rough Riders’ Russ Jackson threw one in the 1969 Grey Cup game.
Bridge joins Glenn, Vernon Adams Jr., Marquise Williams and David Watford in the Roughriders’ quarterback stable for 2018.
Jeremy O’Day — Saskatchewan’s assistant vice-president of football operations and administration — said Bridge made great strides in 2017 thanks to more playing time, but he’ll have to prove that he consistently can play at a high level if he’s to start in 2018.
That said, O’Day noted that Bridge’s extension doesn’t mean the Roughriders will stop looking for a starting quarterback this off-season.
There are a couple of CFL quarterbacks who can become free agents in February, while others may be available on the trade market.
“I would say that our philosophy moving forward is we’re going to explore all avenues to make the team better, so it doesn’t necessarily close the door to any options that are out there,” O’Day said. “We’ll take those as they come. If they present themselves or if we’re able to start those discussions with other teams, those are things that we’ll decide as the off-season goes.”
Bridge’s status as a Canadian quarterback could come in handy if the CFL and its players’ association agree to change the ratio. Currently, teams don’t derive any benefit from starting a Canuck behind centre — and that’s something Bridge wants to change.
His desire to do so led to his 30-minute meeting with Ambrosie.
“Rome wasn’t built in a day, but I felt that we made a couple of strides and laid down a couple of bricks to where we want to go,” Bridge said. “I really want to lay down that first brick for the younger generation so that they don’t have to jump the same barriers that I had to.
“That’s my main thing. Hopefully at some point in time, if it’s earlier or later down the road, the rule changes and gives these kids a fair opportunity.”
Bridge also wouldn’t mind blazing a trail for Canadian quarterbacks into the NFL. Hence Tuesday’s workout with the Giants.
He threw for team officials, who subsequently told him they want to see what he can do with a full year as a starter under his belt — if that happens, of course.
Bridge went to the session with the blessing of Jones, who told the quarterback the contract extension that the two sides had negotiated would still be on the table if Bridge didn’t get a deal from the Giants.
“(The workout) is just an opportunity,” Bridge said. “As a kid, you always want to be the best. The NFL is the best and the highest level, so I want to challenge myself.”
• Back in Saskatchewan, Bridge likely will be working with a new quarterbacks coach.
Last Thursday, Jarious Jackson — who had been the Roughriders’ QBs coach for the past two seasons — was named the B.C. Lions’ offensive co-ordinator and quarterbacks coach. According to O’Day, Jones is in the process of finding a replacement for Jackson.
“Those discussions are ongoing with different coaches as we speak,” O’Day said. “It wasn’t a surprise to us that Jarious was going to get an opportunity (in B.C.), so Chris has been pretty prepared for that.”
