The Toronto Argonauts have signed former USFL and XFL quarterback Bryan Scott. Toronto is no stranger to signing players from recent spring pro football leagues. The Boatmen have over a dozen players/ coaches combined on their roster who have been a part of the XFL and USFL.
Coincidentally, The other QB on the Argos roster behind Chad Kelly is USFL 2022 first-round draft choice of the New Jersey Generals, Ben Holmes.
TSN’s Dave Naylor reports that the Boatmen are in talks with former Iowa QB and Minnesota Vikings draft pick Nate Stanley. An Argos’ addition of Stanley to accompany Kelly, Holmes, and Scott would make for an intriguing room of mostly inexperienced American CFL signal-callers.
Ironically enough, the Scott signing comes after the one true veteran CFL pivot in Toronto, McLeod Bethel-Thompson, departed south to join the USFL’s New Orleans Breakers.
Hearing the @TorontoArgos have signed QB Bryan Scott, whom they pursued a year ago but went to @usfl. They are also in talks with former Iowa QB Nate Stanley whose @CFL rights they own. Stanley was a 7th-round pick of @Vikings but did not play an @NFL game. #CFL#Argos
Bryan Scott is a division III standout from Occidental. During his tenure in college, Scott set nine school records and three Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference records: career passing yards (9073), completions (763), and total offense (9475). He was named first-team all-conference quarterback, Occidental’s team MVP, and Occidental’s team captain in the 2016 season.
In Scott’s final season with Occidental, he passed for over 3000 yards in nine games with 27 touchdowns. The 6’2, 220lb California native became the all-time passing yardage leader for Occidental College and the SCIAC, with 9073 yards, 77 touchdowns, and 22 interceptions in 33 career games.
Bryan Scott // Aaron Rodgers // Russell Wilson
Nicknamed “The Aaron Rodgers of Division 3,” the motions & movements are very similar.
Overlooked during the NFL draft process, Scott briefly signed with the B.C. Lions before being let go shortly after. He would then participate and play in The Spring League in the U.S. before returning to a CFL roster with Edmonton. But that stay wouldn’t last long either due to the cancellation of the 2020 CFL season.
Bryan Scott’s second stint with TSL in 2020 led to a championship and league MVP performance; interestingly enough, McLeod Bethel-Thompson also played in the Spring League that same year.
The starring turn for Scott with the Generals opened the door for NFL workouts. But ultimately led him into a starting role with former Argos coach Bart Andrus’s Philadelphia Stars.
After the second week of USFL 2022 play, Bryan Scott led the league in passing yards (474), touchdowns (four), and completion percentage (70.8%). However, ankle and knee injuries cut his season with the Stars short.
Scott would pursue the XFL after his turn in the USFL.
Bryan Scott worked out with XFL Director of QB Development Jordan Palmer, along with other prospective league quarterbacks, months before his USFL contract officially expired on 12/31/22. Scott was then officially assigned to XFL 2023’s Vegas Vipers in the new year.
But after a few weeks in training camp with Vegas. Bryan Scott’s run in the XFL would come to an abrupt end as Vegas signed Baltimore Ravens practice squad quarterback Brett Hundley. Scott was released on January 30th.
The Argos will give Bryan Scott a chance to compete for a backup spot in the CFL. Chad Kelly is firmly entrenched as the team’s starter. But beyond him, unless Toronto adds a proven CFL veteran to their QB room, the backup spot is wide open.
I have to say that I thi k it will be a battle to for QB job. It would seem the Argos have a good amount of confidence in Chad Kelly, but his history has shown more questions than answers. That stated I feel Chad Kelly has more confidence and gumption to hold the job and compete at the highest levels of the CFL and maybe further. The concerns are a small book of work and questions of maturity. The one thing I can say about Bryan Scott’s track record is that he is always prepared. The one question everyone has of Kelly. One thing it would seem is that the Argos have some talent for sure.
Ken Granito
March 2, 2023 at 6:27 pm
I have to say that I thi k it will be a battle to for QB job. It would seem the Argos have a good amount of confidence in Chad Kelly, but his history has shown more questions than answers. That stated I feel Chad Kelly has more confidence and gumption to hold the job and compete at the highest levels of the CFL and maybe further. The concerns are a small book of work and questions of maturity. The one thing I can say about Bryan Scott’s track record is that he is always prepared. The one question everyone has of Kelly. One thing it would seem is that the Argos have some talent for sure.