Tiger-Cats take risk at quarterback to clear cap room

HAMILTON — The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are taking a novel approach to helping address their injury woes at receiver.

The CFL club is now dressing just two quarterbacks for its games. Hamilton had starter Jeremiah Masoli and backup Dane Evans in uniform for its 35-32 overtime loss to B.C. last weekend and the two will suit up Saturday when the Ticats host the Lions at Tim Hortons Field.

Under CFL rules, teams are permitted to dress three quarterbacks per game.

Bryant Moniz is Hamilton’s third quarterback, but he’s been moved to the practice roster. Practice-roster players earn a minimum of $750 a week plus housing or housing allowance, which is significantly less than what the No. 3 quarterback would make on the active roster, thus creating space under the salary cap, which is $5.2 million in 2018.

The expectation is the Ticats will go with two quarterbacks for the remainder of the season.

Hamilton head coach June Jones said Friday the club hopes to use that money to sign another receiver with veterans Shamawd Chambers (knee), Chris Williams (torn Achilles) and Jalen Saunders (knee) all sidelined with season-ending injuries.

“It’s a club decision,” he said. “We’re trying to have some money to sign some receivers, in particular.

“You’re trying every which way you can to get that done.”

The move isn’t unprecedented as the majority of NFL teams are going with just two active quarterbacks. But in the CFL, teams can’t dress two quarterbacks and use the third roster spot for another player.

So by going with just two quarterbacks, Hamilton is playing games a man short.

Masoli, 30, has been durable this season for Hamilton, having started all 13 of the team’s regular-season contests. The 24year-old Evans, in his first full CFL season, has thrown just three passes — completing all of them for 52 yards — and run for three yards with the Ticats this year.

Should both Masoli and Evans be hurt in the same game, Jones said veteran receiver Luke Tasker would line up under centre. Also, rookie Ticats receiver-kick returner Bralon Addison played quarterback in high school.