Evaluating Montreal-Edmonton QB Swap

Starting with Montreal, the Alouettes knew they had to make a move to trade Fajardo when it became clear that Davis Alexander was going to be the starter moving forward. The focus became finding a suitable veteran backup quarterback.

“McLeod is a veteran in the CFL, and he could be a great backup for our team,” Danny Maciocia, Montreal Alouettes general manager, said in his statement on Tuesday. “I thank Cody for his two years in Montreal; he has been a true leader both in the locker room and on the field. I wish him the best of luck in Edmonton.”

Bethel-Thompson is an established starter in the CFL, throwing for 13,261 passing yards and 70 touchdowns in 74 games. He has played for the Toronto Argonauts and the Elks, winning two Grey Cups with the Argos in 2017 and 2022.

Alexander seemed to be the plan as the new starter for the Alouettes after exploding onto the scene last year in relief of the injured Fajardo and the inconsistent play of Caleb Evans. Last season, Alexander finished with 1,347 yards with six touchdown passes, two interceptions and three rushing scores.

Edmonton is going through a similar transition as Tre Ford got a contract extension like Alexander and will be the starting quarterback for the Elks in 2025. Fajardo is being brought in to push Ford as his backup and help him learn the ropes as a full-time starter.

“We believe in the importance of depth at the quarterback position and having two dependable options behind center in the Canadian Football League,” Elks VP of Football Operations & General Manager Ed Hervey said in a statement Tuesday. “Cody is an accomplished CFL quarterback who will bring valuable experience to our locker room and organization.”

“We believe Cody can help this team and push Tre Ford to be the most successful quarterback he can be.”

Fajardo has been the starter in Montreal over the last two seasons and helped guide the team to a 2023 Grey Cup win. He completed 72% of his passes for 6,967 yards, 31 touchdowns and 19 interceptions as an Alouette.

Bethel-Thompson and Fajardo unfortunately appear to be in the twilights of their careers after helping shape the CFL over the last 10 years. They will help usher in a new generation of quarterbacks in Alexander and Ford.