Fajardo ready to go against Argos, but Riders won’t have Edem and Gainey

Cody Fajardo is set to play against the Toronto Argonauts.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders starting quarterback had been in concussion protocol all week, but when the depth chart came out Thursday, his name was at the top of it.

“I feel good. I thought during the week, I progressed nicely and didn’t have any major setbacks. I had no problems sleeping or remembering plays,” Fajardo said Thursday.

“I feel if I’m healthy enough and ready and willing to play that I should be out on the field and hopefully helping our team winning a football game.”

Head coach Craig Dickenson believes Fajardo will be given a full green light to go, saying he has 100 per cent confidence the 29-year-old QB is ready to play.

“I think he’s going to have a good game and I think he is ready to roll,” Dickenson said. “He’s passed all of the necessary steps that you need to in the concussion protocol and from visiting with him and asking how he feels and visiting with our medical people, we feel he is 100 per cent ready to roll.”

The Riders (3-2) take on the CFL’s East Division-leading Argonauts (3-2) on Friday. Kickoff for the game at Mosaic Stadium is set for 7:45 p.m.

Fajardo was knocked out of last week’s game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers after hitting his head on the turf while getting sacked.

“Usually that’s what you see with most concussions — you see guys whose heads kind of whip back and you hit a solid object in the ground,” Fajardo said.

“Sometimes when you hit a guy, there’s a bit more bend to it but when you hit the ground, it’s a solid surface and it’s that whiplash that you get. I remember everything that happened. I remember the exact play and how I got hit.”

The Riders lost that game 33-9.

Fajardo has completed 109 of 151 pass attempts in 2021 for 1,153 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions. He has also rushed 29 times for 197 yards and two touchdowns.

He said the biggest difference for him this week is he took limited reps in practice.

“When you get every single rep, you feel more and more comfortable with things. There were plays that I didn’t get to rep just because I was in concussion protocol and I was limited throughout the week,” Fajardo said. “There are some plays that I’ll be running on Friday for the first time but I feel like we have a great game plan going in.”

Fajardo and the Riders’ offence will try to get back on track against the Argos. After scoring a TD on their first three drives of the season, the Riders have found the end zone only four times over their past 65 drives.

But in order to do that, the Riders will need to overcome a few familiar faces. Both Argos defensive end Charleston Hughes and linebacker Cam Judge wore green and white in 2019.

“You want to play a lot better against a team you were formerly on. There’s a little more to it because you want to show the front office what you missed on,” Fajardo said. “I think the atmosphere is going to be incredible.”

Fajardo wasn’t the only veteran whose status was in doubt for the game.

Defensive back Loucheiz Purifoy (ribs) will play but defensive back Ed Gainey (toe) will not. Christian Campbell will start at field corner, with Nick Marshall again filling Gainey’s spot.

Safety Mike Edem (wrist) and tackle Garrett Marino (knee) have both landed on the six-game injured list. Elie Bouka will slot in at safety while defensive tackle Anthony Lanier will play for Marino.

After an eight-tackle performance against the Bombers, Godfrey Onyeka will start as the team’s strong-side linebacker.

Notes: Defensive end A.C. Leonard has been suspended an additional game by the CFL for verbally abusing and behaving inappropriately towards a testing officer. Leonard missed the game in Winnipeg while serving the first of a two-game suspension for failing to provide a urine sample. He’ll now also miss Saskatchewan’s game Sept. 24 against the host B.C. Lions … The Riders have signed wide receiver Rashard Davis. The 5-foot-9, 175-pounder comes to the CFL after four seasons in the NFL, where he had stops with the Philadelphia Eagles, Oakland Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs and Tennessee Titans. The 25-year-old played college football at James Madison University.