McPherson Looking To Spread his Wings

Will McPherson finally get to start in 2012?

Here are my CFL thoughts on reports that Alouettes quarterback Adrian McPherson has received permission to seek out a trade with another CFL team. Quite frankly, I do not blame the backup pivot in his pursuit to become a starting quarterback.

McPherson has patiently waited for the last few years, holding off the likes of Chris Leak, Tyler Palko and Ricky Santos, to be the heir apparent to Anthony Calvillo’s throne.

After each practice, as the media congregation would patiently wait for Calvillo to conduct his Q&A, there went McPherson, politely saying hello to everyone he walked by before leaving the complex.

One had to ponder what was going through his mind? Yes, in the last few years, he was getting a “Harvard” education in learning from three professors in Marc Trestman, Scott Milanovich, and Calvillo. He was just like a teenager hoping to get the keys for the very first time from dad (Trestman) to drive the family car. But, was Trestman willing to give him the Ferrari?

We saw glimpses of McPherson driving for a couple blocks when he would come on for short yardage situations, and the occasional spot duty. But did it enable Trestman to firmly believe that he is the man to carry the torch from Calvillo?

Throughout the season, even right up to the last media session, McPherson had said all the correct answers about the team, Calvillo, and his role.

However, in the weeks after the season, I was informed from a source close to the team that McPherson was potentially looking for a bigger task on this squad. Let’s not forget, Calvillo did mention in the very same media session he was open to the idea of McPherson having more of a role in 2012.

Can you blame him for wanting to be more involved? Absolutely not, because football is one sport where there is a small window of opportunity to maximize your dollar value. In this case, he might have felt that the clock is ticking on his ability to get a long-term deal that would allow him to be a starter, and get fairly compensated as the number one guy on the roster.

If you survey the quarterback situation across the CFL, there is one potential landing spot in Hamilton. Already, Toronto has pulled the trigger to acquire Ricky Ray from Edmonton. Let's not forget about Henry Burris who is all but done with Calgary. So where does McPherson rank with Burris who is a former Grey Cup winner?

For McPherson’s sake, he has to understand that whoever he seeks a trade with, Alouettes general manager, Jim Popp will demand a boatload of compensation for him. Is there any team willing to give that up to an unproven, but yet great potential in this quarterback?

As much as I don’t fault him in wanting a chance to be a starter, there isn’t much leverage he has in his pursuit. Popp knows that, therefore, he has the pull in dictating where his backup pivot will end up.

By all means, McPherson has demonstrated being a team player. But if McPherson is willing to wait another 12-months, he could potentially see the greatest CFL quarterback retire into the sunset. Finally, he would be given the keys to the Ferrari that he has dreamt about driving for the last three years.


You can follow me on Twitter @MoeKhan19.