Harris Heads to Hogtown

Photo: Courtesy CFL

The Toronto Argonauts have agreed to terms with three-time Grey Cup Champion, Canadian RB Andrew Harris.

There are few running backs in CFL history with a better resume. He’s a five-time CFL All-Star, he’s been named the league’s Most Outstanding Canadian Player, the Grey Cup’s Most Valuable Canadian, and the Grey Cup MVP. He has also led the league in rushing three times and he has the most career rushing yards by a Canadian.

In a running back room with AJ Ouellette, D.J. Foster, and Cameron Scarlett, Harris is clearly the starter. Resume aside, he’s the most suited to being the team’s bell cow back and he’s the best in pass protection.

What’s interesting to consider is how the team will account for his status as a Canadian. In Winnipeg, they made RB a Canadian position, with Brady Oliviera serving as Harris’ backup, and Johnny Augustine rounding out the group. The Argonauts don’t have another Canadian running back… yet. Is there something in the works? Do they have their eyes on a Canadian ball-carrier in the draft like Sashatchewan’s Adam Machart? Or do they look towards their Canadian fullbacks, most of whom served as their USPORTS team’s primary ball-carrier? But then what do you do with the previously mentioned American backs?

The signing of Harris isn’t one without concerns. Historically, few teams have struck gold signing 34-year-old running backs, no matter how good they once were, and Harris is coming off a year which saw him miss the final seven games of the regular season due to injury. But this is a front office that hasn’t missed much since they took over near the end of 2019, so you have to give them the benefit of the doubt.