The Toronto Argonauts (3-3) have announced that they will be starting McLeod Bethel-Thompson at Quarterback this Friday night at BMO Field. Starter Nick Arbuckle will sit out the Argos week eight clash with divisional rival Montreal due to a hamstring injury that he suffered in the third quarter of last week’s 30-16 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

The Argonauts have decided to proceed with caution with Nick Arbuckle and have opted to deactivate him for Friday’s contest with the Alouettes. Antonio Pipkin will back up MBT against Montreal. The Boatmen released the team’s depth chart for this week’s game, listing all the changes to their lineup.

Nick Arbuckle had practiced all week in a limited fashion. But with McLeod Bethel-Thompson getting the majority of the first-team reps at quarterback in practice. The Argos training and coaching staff felt that it was in Arbuckle and the team’s best interest to have him rest his hamstring.

Toronto is off in Week 9 and will return in Week 10 on Wednesday, October 6th, to face the Ottawa Redblacks at home. Giving Arbuckle plenty of time to recover. Nick Arbuckle has been placed on Toronto’s 1-game injured list.

A hamstring injury caused Nick Arbuckle to miss the majority of training camp. As a result, McLeod Bethel-Thompson started the Argos’ first two games of the season on the road in Calgary and Winnipeg. The Boatmen split their first two games with MBT as the starter.

In week 1, McLeod Bethel-Thompson led the Argos’ to a come from behind 23-20 victory against the Stamps. In the game, Bethel-Thompson went 26/37, throwing for 354 yards and 2 touchdowns with 0 interceptions.

The following week, Thompson didn’t fare as well in the team’s 20-7 loss to the Bombers. MBT was pulled in the second half for Arbuckle after going 10/20 for only 70 yards. Bethel-Thompson’s most recent action came in the Labour Day Classic, as he came on in relief of Arbuckle in the second half of Toronto’s 32-19 loss to Hamilton. Thompson went 8/12 for 111 yards and a touchdown in that game.

The injury to Nick Arbuckle’s hamstring is slightly different than the one he sustained in training camp. It’s the same leg but in a separate area. Nick Arbuckle played through the injury last week and was able to finish the game. The fear with any tweak of a hamstring is the possibility of it being torn during game action, which could cost a player their season, or at the bare minimum, having to miss an extended period of time.

With the Argonauts in the playoff hunt in the East and approaching the midway point of the season. Toronto doesn’t want to lose one of its most important players on their roster during a crucial stretch run. McLeod Bethel-Thompson was brought back to the Boatmen as an insurance policy. The Argos are cashing it in again on Friday night.