Als’ Durant agrees to three-year contract

The Montreal Alouettes signed veteran quarterback Darian Durant to a three-year contract Thursday.

Montreal acquired Durant’s rights from the Saskatchewan Roughriders last week. He was scheduled to become a free agent Feb. 14.

Durant spent 11 seasons with Saskatchewan and led the franchise to a Grey Cup title in 2013. The former University of North Carolina star also took the Riders to the Canadian Football League title game in 2009 and 2010, losing both times to the Alouettes.

“We are extremely happy to have reached an agreement with Darian and we are looking forward to see him lead our offence out on the field,” Montreal general manager Kavis Reed said in a statement. “The negotiations came to this rapid conclusion because both parties were anxious to get a deal done and start working together to bring a championship to the city of Montreal.”

Durant, 34, has appeared in 155 career CFL games and thrown for 28,136 yards with 149 TD strikes. He has also rushed for 2,888 yards on 369 carries (7.8-yard average) with 21 touchdowns.

Last year, the native of Florence, S.C., completed 290-of-431 passes (69.4 per cent) for 3,468 yards with 14 TDs. He added 274 yards rushing on 51 carries (5.3-yard average) with five touchdowns.

Montreal is banking on Durant to provide stability to a position that’s seen a succession of players come and go the last three seasons. The Alouettes would also like him to help develop Vernon Adams, who took over as the starter late in the his rookie campaign and helped the club finish with three straight wins.

Durant has a 58-54-1 record in 113 career regular-season starts and is 5-1 as a starter in playoff games.