Toronto Argonauts: Chad Kelly signing an intriguing addition to quarterback room

Chad Kelly will resume his football career in the CFL with the Toronto Argonauts and it’s an interesting addition to the team’s quarterback depth.

It continues to be another big off-season for the Toronto Argonauts who continue to remake the roster on both sides of the ball after agreeing to a deal with quarterback Chad Kelly.

Kelly’s negotiating rights were acquired in the deal that sent Nick Arbuckle to the Edmonton Elks last October. The former seventh-round pick of the Denver Broncos has bounced around with a couple of NFL teams but will now make the move to the CFL.

The nephew of Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly has been waiting for an opportunity to show that he is still capable of playing at a high level. Now he joins an Argos team that currently has McLeod Bethel-Thompson as the starter, Antonio Pipkin as the backup along with Cole McDonald, and Austin Simmons.

Of course, it’s not a slam dunk Kelly makes it through training camp as he will have to adapt to playing in the CFL. If you watch Kelly’s highlights there is no doubting his abilities as a mobile quarterback with a strong arm but he has to be humble at the same time.

Kelly has had issues off the field that almost derailed his football career but he was able to get his life back on track and thrive with Ole Miss where he became the first quarterback to beat Alabama, LSU and Auburn in the same season.

Too often players believe they can achieve instant success in the CFL just because they did well in other leagues, just ask Johnny Manziel how that worked out. Of course, Kelly will be coming to an Argos team that will embrace his energetic personality and if he were to stick with the team, it would be a big win for the league.

Toronto Argonauts, Chad Kelly will get the benefit of pre-season games returning

Fortunately for the Argos, having pre-season games provides them with a chance to evaluate their quarterbacks in a way they haven’t been able to for years.

With the team making the financial commitment to Bethel-Thompson as their starter, they really need to see what they have beyond him as options. Pipkin obviously has the advantage with CFL experience under his belt but there is an opportunity for another quarterback to make his case to be in the mix for playing time.

We have seen how important it is to have multiple quarterbacks you can rely on in case of injury or poor play. The Argos tried that method last season with the duo of Bethel-Thompson and Arbuckle but had to offload salary to avoid going over the salary cap.

What do you think about the team signing Kelly? Do you think he can have success in the CFL? Let us know in the comments below.