The Edmonton Elks have made no changes to their roster ahead of Friday’s clash with the Montreal Alouettes, providing continuity ahead of this season’s most anticipated revenge game.
Quarterback Cody Fajardo will be returning to Montreal for the first time since he was traded away this offseason. The man he was swapped for, McLeod Bethel-Thompson, will also be starting for the Alouettes, despite both players being acquired as backups.
Fajardo became expendable after a hamstring injury last season allowed youngster Davis Alexander to prove he was ready to be a franchise pivot. Ironically, Alexander is now out for the second time with a hamstring issue, while his predecessor has leapfrogged Tre Ford as the starter in Edmonton.
The 33-year-old spent two seasons with the Alouettes following his departure from Saskatchewan, leading the team to an unlikely Grey Cup victory in 2023. Fajardo was named the MVP of that game and followed it up by helping the team to the best regular-season record in the CFL in 2024. All told, he posted a 16-12-1 record at the helm for Montreal, throwing for 6,967 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions.
In two games since taking over with the Elks, Fajardo has completed 55-of-69 passes (79.7 percent) for 710 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. However, he has yet to record a victory.
Remaining on the one-game injured list for the Elks this week are Canadian safety Royce Metchie (ankle) and Global linebacker Eteva Mauga-Clements (knee). Players on the six-game injured list include Canadian tight end Skyler Griffith, Canadian receiver Zach Mathis, Canadian defensive lineman Noah Curtis, American defensive lineman Tomari Fox, American linebacker Nick Anderson, American defensive back Devodric Bynum, and Canadian linebackers Michael Brodrique and Olivier Muembi.
The Edmonton Elks (1-6) will visit the Montreal Alouettes (5-3) on Friday, August 8, with kickoff slated for 7:30 p.m. EDT. The Elks are coming off a 28-24 loss to Hamilton, while the Alouettes were blown out by the Roughriders by a score of 34-6.
The weather forecast in Montreal calls for a high of 28 degrees with a 30 percent chance of showers. The game will be broadcast on TSN and RDS in Canada and CFL+ internationally. Radio listeners can tune in on 880 CHED in Edmonton and TSN 690 in Montreal.
Graphic courtesy: Edmonton Elks
