Restructured deal works for Collaros, Roughriders
Both sides benefit from new contract that could turn out to be a bargain for the team
In recent days, several exasperated readers have contacted this grizzled gargoyle of the media and wondered why, oh why, the Saskatchewan Roughriders lavished $400,000-plus on Zach Collaros.
My automatic response? Why wouldn’t they?
Despite being benched and eventually traded by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the 29-year-old quarterback had considerable leverage while his contract — which was to expire after the 2018 CFL season — was being restructured.
Had the Roughriders not presented Collaros with an enticing offer, he easily could have balked. And then what?
The Green and White would have faced two options. They could take a big gulp and adhere to the terms of the existing contract that would pay him $530,000, including a $200,000 roster bonus due Feb. 1. Or, they could cut him.
Suppose the Roughriders had played hardball, leading to the second option. Then what?
You can bet that at least one other CFL team — likely the quarterback-starved Montreal Alouettes — would have been interested. The likelihood is that the Alouettes would have paid Collaros as much, if not more, than Saskatchewan forked over in order to address a cavernous void at football’s most crucial position.
Recognizing this, Roughriders head coach/general manager Chris Jones and his colleagues had to perform a balancing act.
They couldn’t afford to absorb the contract terms they inherited, nor could they undercut Collaros by tendering an offer that would be deemed insufficient, or worse, insulting.
Such a response by Collaros would have left the Roughriders with absolutely nothing to show for the virtual first-round draft pick — the opening pick of the second round (10th overall) — that Tiger-Cats GM Eric Tillman acquired in the Jan. 3 deal.
And, had Collaros chosen to walk, the Roughriders would have been facing an all-out quarterback crisis.
After all, Kevin Glenn — who started 19 of 20 meaningful games last season — was released one day after Collaros was shipped to Saskatchewan.
Brandon Bridge, who signed a one-year contract extension in December, is a quarterback of considerable promise, but limited experience. He’s started a not-so-grand total of three CFL games since entering the league in 2015.
It was obvious during last season’s East Division final that the status quo wouldn’t suffice. Jones made three quarterback changes — going from Glenn to Bridge to Glenn to Bridge — in the first half against the host Toronto Argonauts, who won 25-21. The head coach’s actions spoke volumes.
Jones needed little provocation to replace Glenn with Bridge as the 2017 season progressed. Yet, not once did the Roughriders’ bench boss opt to start Bridge when Glenn was available.
With that in mind, could the Riders afford to anoint Bridge as the starter and pin all their hopes on him? In time, that scenario could materialize. But now?
Alternatively, Jones sought to erase many of the question marks that had hovered over the quarterback situation and, by extension, the entire franchise.
The Roughriders ended up signing Collaros to a one-year deal for a reported $430,000 — $225,000 of which will be paid in bonus money.
Just like that, Saskatchewan reduced its cap hit by $100,000 while also tailoring the contract in a manner that was palatable for Collaros.
The bonus money is a crucial component of the contractual contortions. The upfront dough is taxed at a considerably lower rate than the base salary, meaning that Collaros’ take-home pay won’t be much different than it was last season.
So now the Roughriders are the proud owners of a happy, motivated quarterback who has started in one Grey Cup game (2014) and been touted as a leading candidate for the league’s most outstanding player award (2015).
Collaros has struggled to regain his MOP-calibre form since suffering a season-ending knee injury in September 2015. However, the circumstances in Saskatchewan could be conducive to a renaissance.
The risk-averse scheme of Roughriders offensive co-ordinator Stephen McAdoo is quarterback-friendly. Glenn and Bridge, for example, combined to throw a league high 35 touchdown passes in 2017.
McAdoo and Jones fancy a tailback who can also chip in as a pass protector. The Tiger-Cats, by contrast, favoured empty formations that didn’t augment the pass protection (such as it was) with a running back and/or tight end.
With no off-the-field concerns on his shoulders, Collaros could be well-positioned for a redemptive season. And if it turns out that way, the $430,000 expenditure will be a bargain.