Time for Burris to join Argos

Normally, I make predictions on the Canadian Football League weekly games, but this time I am going to make a prediction about a player, specifically Calgary quarterback Henry Burris.

Don't be surprised if he is playing for Toronto next year.

It is something I have been telling some media colleagues for some time, and is not solely based on the Stampeders' decision to start Drew Tate over Burris this Friday at home against Saskatchewan.

The move by the Stamps comes in the wake of a 31-29 loss to Toronto last week in which Burris was awful. He finished with a minus 3.6 QB rating. He has routinely gone over a rating of 100, which is considered quite good. He has a career average rating of 92.4. Four times in his previous 11 full seasons in the CFL, he has eclipsed 100.

This season he had a three-game stretch when he had an average rating of 121, throwing for seven touchdown passes and had no interceptions. Inexplicably, he has had only seven touchdown passes and seven interceptions in his last seven games. He has also had eight fumbles. He had only four fumbles in his first eight games this season.

At one time the Stamps were eyeing first place in the West, but have a record of 2-5 since Labour Day, which is when Burris' production started to plummet. B.C, which has won its last eight, and Edmonton who have won its last two and started Calgary's Labour Day swoon, are tied for first at 9-6. Edmonton is next at 8-7.

Tate pulled the team back from a 28-9 halftime deficit and had it in front late in the fourth quarter, completing 19 of 28 passes, including two for touchdowns, for 263 yards. He also ran eight times for 45 yards. The Stamps squandered the lead with some dumb penalties that gave the hapless Argos a chance to win the game, which they did on a game-ending field goal.

Burris's season to forget is stunning when you consider in 2010 he was voted the CFL's Most Outstanding Player. In 2008, Burris and the Stampeders' organization felt slighted that he wasn't named the MOP, but he led his team to the Grey Cup championship that year and was voted the game's Most Valuable Player. In the end he proved his critics wrong.

But Burris has since become the target among Stamps' fans for the team's underachievement, notably in the playoffs. Burris's play is referred to as either Good Hank or Bad Hank, depending on his performance.

Now Bad Hank has been given the yank after 69 games as a starter. Stamps' head coach and chief decision maker, John Hufnagel, decided to hitch the team's horse to Tate, who has looked strong in relief of Burris in recent games.

"When given opportunities to play, Drew has been productive," Hufnagel told the media on Monday reading from a prepared statement. "And I believe he'll give us an excellent chance of success on Friday. By no means have I given up on Henry. But I want him to have this time to regroup, rest physically, emotionally... we need him to catch his breath and seeing the game from a different perspective will help."

Burris took the decision understandably hard but with professionalism.

"You're never happy about it," he said. "You get pissed off about it. Huff understands, he played quarterback and he knew how I felt about it. But, hey, like I said, the only thing I can do is make sure I'm ready to go and that's what I'm going to do. It is what it is. I know Drew's going to go out there and do a good job, so I'm going to support him. But it's a decision my head coach made and I support him and I'm behind him 100 per cent and always support this team 100 per cent."

He has another year left on his contract which pays him between $350,000-$400,000 a year.

Now consider the Toronto situation. The Argos, last in the East with a 4-11 record, are still uncertain at quarterback because Steven Jyles, acquired in an off-season trade, has been average at best since replacing Cleo Lemon six games ago. You can talk all you want about Jyles missing training camp, overcoming shoulder surgery, learning the offence and playing with a lousy receiving corps. He's had plenty of time to prove himself, and he's made errors similar to Lemon, in particular holding on to the ball too long at times and taking losses. Yes, he can run better than Lemon, but his passing numbers are terrible. He had a 5.7 QB rating against Calgary and threw four interceptions. He's thrown nine as the Argos' starter and had only three touchdown passes.

To put it into perspective, Lemon, who was released by the Argos after a year and a half of disappointment, has much better numbers this year than Jyles - a 91.8 QB rating and almost twice as many touchdown passes as interceptions. Jyles was supposed to be the answer, but it hasn't been the case.

The Argos are heading into what may be the most critical year next season in franchise history. The team will play host to the 100th edition of the Grey Cup. The whole season will be a celebration of the Grey Cup, its history and the CFL game. The Argos simply can't afford to be bad. They will need to address the quarterback situation first and foremost.

Burris quite likely will be an option. It would mean taking on his huge salary and acquiring him at a low point in his career. But a change in scenery may do Burris good. Look what happened to Damon Allen in 2003.

The Lions didn't want him anymore after seven seasons because his play had dwindled, the fans were unhappy with him and the team had signed a younger free-agent quarterback, Dave Dickenson, with proven CFL experience. Allen responded to his new scenery by leading the team to a Grey Cup victory in 2004 and awarded MVP honours in the game. The next season he was voted the CFL's MOP for the first time in his career. He had played 21 years in the CFL, often underappreciated and criticized in B.C., but this was his defining moment.

The Argos have routinely done a lousy history of developing quarterbacks and have signed or traded for ones who have played well elsewhere: Matt Dunigan, 1990; Doug Flutie, 1996; Damon Allen, 2003, Kerry Joseph, 2008.

Burris is a likeable guy and has charm. But he also has ability. He may be what the Argos will need next year.

Current Argo general manager/head coach Jim Barker, who may be doing one or both jobs next year or possibly none at all, has a background with Burris from his time with the Stamps' organization. Barker's skill is on the offensive side of the ball. He took over the co-ordination last week in the win over Calgary because it simply needed his expertise, and the Argos featured some new looks.

However the whole Argo football operations situation is constructed next year, the offence has to be addressed. It has been a problem that has reared its ugly head too often with Toronto.

It says here that Burris could help the Argos next year if his time in Calgary has come to an end. Stamps fans will be all too happy to see him go.

But Argo fans would welcome him with open arms. They have had to put up with some pathetic quarterbacking in recent years. Smilin' Hank would surely bring a smile to their faces.

Perry Lefko keeps you connected to all the news in the CFL on Sportsnet.ca.