It had been six months since the Toronto Argonauts acquired James Franklin in a trade, and it had been about three weeks since the head coach said it was “disrespectful” to even consider him eligible for the job of starting quarterback. So where did he fit?
Fifteen minutes after appearing in his final pre-season audition on Thursday night, Franklin still did not know for sure. He was going to have to wait a little while longer to see how — or if — he was going to fit into the depth chart beneath incumbent Ricky Ray.
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“Obviously, the goal is to be the (number) one,” he said with a smile. “But that’s definitely not happening. And whatever they decide after that you just have to be good with, and be respectful and make sure you’re not trying to be selfish and make it about you.”
Franklin played the first half of a plodding exhibition with the Ottawa Redblacks in front of 3,921 fans in Guelph, Ont., working through a conservative game plan set out by coach Marc Trestman. The team wanted to evaluate the running backs and the line as much as they did the quarterback, so Franklin did not have much room to be creative.
He completed nine of 14 attempts for 72 yards and a touchdown, while narrowly escaping disaster on two passes that could easily have been intercepted. (McLeod Bethel-Thompson, his primary rival for the backup job, was intercepted twice during his appearance in the second half. The Argos went on to lose 32-17, for whatever that is worth.)
“It’s not like I’m pouting, or it’s not like I need to get my way,” said Franklin. “If they think I should be the two or the three, then that’s something I have to trust in them, that they’re making the right decision.”
The Argos traded an offensive line prospect (Mason Woods) to Edmonton for Franklin in December, a move made before Ray had declared his full intention to return this year. Franklin, Bethel-Thompson and Dakota Prukop are in the mix to serve as backups.
“We’re not going to let one three-hour period make a decision for us,” said Trestman. “It’s part of that decision, certainly, but it’s not all of it.”
Here is what Franklin did on Thursday:
Drive No. 1 – Down 3-0 early in the first quarter
With the setting sun and a gentle breeze at his back, Franklin trotted into the huddle with stellar field position. He dumped his first snap quickly to the right, and fullback Simon Gingras-Gagnon rumbled violently along the right sideline for a first down.
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It set the tone for the drive, which featured short, high-percentage passes. After back-to-back handoffs he passed again, lobbing the ball over an onrushing defender to connect with Bralon Addison for a 10-yard gain deep into Ottawa territory. The Redblacks sent pressure on the next snap, and Franklin was trapped, throwing incomplete as he took the hit.
On second and goal from the Ottawa four, Franklin attempted his deepest pass of the drive, throwing a corner fade in the end zone for Jonathan Epps. The trajectory was fine — Epps made the catch — but the distance was off, because he made the catch just beyond the touchline.
Toronto went for it on third down. Franklin fired through a forest of arms and Redblacks defenders for a redemptive connection with Epps. It was a four-yard touchdown pass to cap a seven-play drive.
Drive No. 2 — Down 9-6 in the first quarter
After a run that got the Argos to midfield on first down, Franklin threw to what appeared to be the hot route, connecting with Rodney Smith on a four-yard completion in traffic. His next attempt was not his best. Ottawa defensive end Avery Ellis got into the backfield and Franklin seemed to panic.
He threw it under pressure into the raised hands of defensive tackle Mike Wakefield. It fell incomplete, but with softer hands, Wakefield might have rumbled the interception in for a touchdown, even with his 268-pound frame.
Drive No. 3 — Down 9-7, late in the first quarter
Toronto seemed content to work through the conservative sections of its playbook, giving opportunities for the running backs to audition, as well as Franklin. The 26-year-old quarterback lobbed another mid-range pass over a wall of Ottawa defenders on second down for seven yards, which the receiver turned into another seven yards with his legs.
On second and nine, from the Ottawa half of midfield, Franklin attempted his boldest pass of the night, looking for Addison down a seam. Franklin threw it behind his receiver, but Addison adjusted to make the catch in traffic. The 17-yard completion would stand as the quarterback’s longest of the night.
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Franklin showed patience in the pocket six snaps later, facing a third-and-four inside the red zone. He waited for his receiver and fired to Epps for five yards and the first down. And then he made a mistake, evading pressure in the pocket and rolling into the open field, only to have the ball slip in his hand.
It wobbled in the air for what felt like an hour. It fell incomplete at the Ottawa goal line but, like the pass a bit earlier, it could easily have been intercepted.
Drive No. 4 — Down 15-10 in the second quarter
On first and 10 from the Toronto 45, Franklin did well to handle a low snap and look downfield. He threw high to Smith, who stretched to make the seven-yard catch, but he lost his handle on the ball as he returned to earth. Ottawa recovered the fumble.
Drive No. 5 — Down 15-10 late in the second quarter
After a three-yard run from Brandon Burks, Franklin dropped back to pass on second and seven from the Toronto 29-yard line. The Redblacks pass rush overwhelmed the Argos line, and Franklin absorbed the sack.
6. Down 22-10 with 13.3 seconds left in the first half
Even with time winding down in the half, the Argos called for a run on first down. Franklin was lined up in the shotgun to pass on second down, but the snap was low. It slapped off his hand and fell down to the turf. Rather than pick it up and risk a pass, Franklin fell on the ball, ending both the first half and his final audition of the pre-season.
(Photo: John E. Sokolowski, Getty Images)