Henry Burris has led the Redblacks to the Grey Cup for a second straight season but, as it stands now, he will not be the team’s highest-paid quarterback in 2017.
Trevor Harris is set to make $400,000 next season: $285,000 base salary, $15,000 housing and he’s due a $100,000 roster bonus on Feb. 1.
Conversely, Hank’s current pact has him making $200,000 in base salary and a possible $80,000 in playtime bonuses next year. Despite the 41-year-old’s age, he continues to win the battle against father time, for now.
Regardless of what happens in the Grey Cup game on Sunday, it could be tough to sell Burris on being a backup based on the current quarterbacks’ salary structure. That said, deals can be reworked.
The numbers have salary cap implications as well: $600,000 in “guaranteed” money for a quarterback tandem is on the high-end for CFL teams. Calgary was within that range in 2016 with Hamilton, Toronto and Saskatchewan paying their top two signal-callers more than $515,000.
After Ottawa managed to sign Harris on the first day of free agency in February, it seemed like 2016 would be Burris’ final year in the nation’s capital, with general manager Marcel Desjardins saying, “We wanted to secure a starting quarterback for 2017.” But Burris restructured his 2016 contract, and later made it known that a year was added to the deal.
Burris took less money to make it work for the red and black: Hank made $200,000 plus playtime bonuses in 2016 with Harris at $250,000 with similar playtime dividends.
Head coach Rick Campbell said Ottawa feels that they can win with both Burris and Harris at Wednesday’s coaches’ press conference.
“I said that actually from the very beginning of training camp that we were fortunate enough to have two guys that we think we can win with either one, and our players feel that way too,” Campbell said
Burris started seven games completing 68.2 percent of his passes for 2,419 yards with 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions for a 98.0 QB efficiency rating while going 4-3 and guiding the offence through a snowstorm to a 35-23 victory in the Eastern Final. He added 88 yards (4.2 YPC) and four touchdowns on the ground.
Harris started 10 contests completing 73.3 percent of his throws for 3,301 yards with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions, which equaled a 116.0 QB efficiency rating and a 4-5-1 record. The 30-year-old picked up 126 rushing yards (4.2 YPC) and two touchdowns.
If the 41-year-old Burris wants to be a starter elsewhere, there will certainly be interest from other CFL teams. Toronto inquired about Burris’ services before the Argos made the trade with Winnipeg for Drew Willy in September.
While the Grey Cup game is Sunday, watching what Ottawa does with Burris and Harris going forward should be just as entertaining.
