Franklin trade complicates the Roughriders’ plans at QB

So much for the Franklin-Roosevelt pass-catch combo.

A wrinkled wordsmith’s dream scenario of James Franklin throwing passes to Naaman Roosevelt for the Saskatchewan Roughriders all but disappeared Monday when a major CFL trade was consummated.

The Edmonton Eskimos sent the rights to Franklin, who is eligible to become a free agent on Feb. 13, and a third-round draft pick in 2018 to the Toronto Argonauts for Canadian offensive lineman Mason Woods.

Now, there is always the possibility Franklin won’t reach contract terms with Toronto. Perhaps he will not be crazy about spending another season as an understudy if 38-year-old Ricky Ray, who piloted Toronto to the 2017 Grey Cup title, opts against retirement.

The likelihood, however, is that Franklin will sign with Toronto. Deals such as Monday’s are seldom made without some assurance that a pending free agent is amenable to joining the team.

At times, it had been virtually conceded — at least by the punditry — that Franklin would eventually land in Regina.

After all, Franklin entered the CFL in 2015, the same year Chris Jones coached the Eskimos to a Grey Cup. Jones was promptly wooed away from Edmonton by the Roughriders, after which Franklin spent two more seasons backing up superstar Mike Reilly.

Franklin, 26, is overdue for meaningful playing time after throwing only 176 passes — completing 116, for 1,449 yards with 12 touchdowns and only one interception — over his first three seasons of pro football.

Saskatchewan seemed to be the perfect fit, considering Jones’s presence and the fact the Roughriders clearly require an uncontested No. 1 quarterback.

The Roughriders’ quarterbacking formula worked surprisingly well in 2017 after marquee pivot Darian Durant was traded to the Montreal Alouettes. Kevin Glenn, 38, and Brandon Bridge, 25, combined to throw a leaguehigh 35 touchdown passes.

However, flaws in the system were evident in the East Division final, in which Toronto defeated the visiting Roughriders 25-21.

Jones did not demonstrate abundant confidence in either quarterback, going from Glenn to Bridge to Glenn to Bridge. Glenn was lifted for good in the second quarter after throwing his third interception of the game.

The propensity of Jones to remove Glenn in favour of Bridge pretty much signals the senior pivot will not be the No. 1 quarterback next season.

But even while habitually pulling Glenn, Jones never reached the point where he was comfortable starting the Canadian-born Bridge — a pending free agent.

Bridge still needs to refine his game but, honestly, is there a better candidate now that Franklin is likely out of the equation?

Trevor Harris, who can also become a free agent in February, threw 30 touchdown passes for the Ottawa Redblacks this season. He is likely to want big dollars, which could upset the Riders’ salary structure. Zach Collaros, who has become a spare part with the Hamilton TigerCats, is another possibility, but there are questions as to whether he can still be a top-tier passer.

All things considered, the best option — albeit not a surefire one — is to re-sign Bridge and hope the sky is the limit for Air Canada.