Jamie Nye: Trevor Harris deserves another year with the Riders, if he wants it

While the sports world in Canada spins around the question of whether Connor McDavid will sign an extension for the Edmonton Oilers, shouldn’t Saskatchewan be thinking the same thing around the most important player for the Roughriders?

Trevor Harris has taken the Riders to a 10-2 start this season, and by beating the Bombers in Winnipeg over the weekend has just pulled off a victory Saskatchewan hasn’t been able to achieve in its past nine tries.

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But when I bring up the fact Harris is not signed for next season, it seems like most of Rider Nation is surprised.

Harris signed up to play in Saskatchewan three years ago, and many – including myself – thought it was a great decision, bringing in a capable, veteran quarterback while the team continued its quest to find younger talent for the future of the franchise.

But at this point, I don’t see a “future of the franchise” waiting in the wings.

Harris’ longevity was questioned early, after a freak and devastating knee injury in 2023. Then came another injury in 2024 and, once again, we debated at length if it was time for the team to move on. Even as recently as this off-season, we debated trading Harris for Vernon Adams Jr., signing Nick Arbuckle, bringing back Cody Fajardo or signing Cameron Dukes.

Harris, however, showed with a 7-4 record that he was the best option for the Riders, as long as he was willing to continue his career.

And now here we are in 2025, with the Roughriders at 10-2 for just the third time in the team’s history and leading the race for first in the division.

Harris is putting together a season that should have him in the conversation for CFL’s Most Outstanding Player Award, so why am I pondering the future of the quarterback position in Saskatchewan in the middle of September?

It actually started with Harris himself – unbeknownst to him, of course. All he was doing was answering a question with his usual candour.

Talking about the crowds and the atmosphere at the Labour Day Classic, Harris admitted that he takes a little bit extra time to appreciate these types of games, saying that it’s games like the annual rivalry matchup that he’ll miss the most after his career is over.

The way he said it made me wonder what lies ahead for this team in three or four months.

Is Harris willing to return in 2026?

If so, it should be a no-brainer for the organization to make sure they have a commitment from him on paper.

Father Time is undefeated and Harris can’t wind back the clock, but has he hit his best-before date? You tell me. Does leading the league in passer efficiency while also on pace for 30 touchdowns and what could be close to a 5,000-yard passing season say his time is up?

No, it doesn’t.

Harris, certainly, can give us all the same cliches that McDavid has given, saying he wants to do what’s best for his family and take time, but that decision is definitely going to weigh a lot heavier on Harris, who is contemplating ending his career, than it should for McDavid, who is just deciding how many tens of millions he’ll make in the years ahead.

The urgency is high for Oilers fans, but shouldn’t there be the same sense of urgency for the Roughriders to lock something up with Harris and guarantee his return for 2026?

Harris might have come in as a bridge to a younger, franchise quarterback, much like what B.C. has with Nathan Rourke or Montreal with Davis Alexander, but where are the Roughriders on that path over the bridge? Frankly, I don’t think they’re close to crossing to the other side.

Corey Mace and Jeremy O’Day have a good thing going here. You’d hate to have that derailed by not having a capable guy under centre.

Harris said at the end of the 2024 season that he doesn’t want to stand in the way of the Roughriders if they feel it’s time to move on, because he has too much respect for this organization. That’s the type of person you want leading your team for as long as he’s willing to do it.

But with his comments at the Labour Day Classic, it is entirely possible that Harris wants to bide his time and see how this season ends before making a decision.

He did, after all watch Henry Burris walk off into his CFL sunset with a Grey Cup win, and that same storyline could very well be an option for Harris.

But if he’s willing to listen to an offer now, or during the upcoming bye week, I would have no issue with the team bringing back a 40-year-old quarterback in 2026.

He deserves both the attention and the extension.