Bo won’t know Saskatchewan: Mitchell signs with Hamilton

There won’t be any Bo in Saskatchewan during the 2023 CFL season.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats announced Tuesday they had signed quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell to a three-year contract, dashing the hopes of Saskatchewan Roughriders fans who hoped their squad may be able to sign Mitchell in free agency.

Cody Fajardo, who started the majority of games for the Roughriders last season, already has said he will test the free-agent market when it opens Feb. 14. Fajardo was relegated to a backup role behind Mason Fine in Saskatchewan’s final two regular-season games.

With Fajardo’s future in green and white unclear, many thought the Roughriders would take a run at Mitchell, who lost his starting job to Jake Maier nine games into the Calgary Stampeders’ 2022 campaign.

The Stampeders traded Mitchell’s rights to Hamilton on Nov. 14, giving the Tiger-Cats exclusive negotiating rights with the 32-year-old quarterback. At the time, Mitchell said he still planned to enter free agency — but that didn’t happen.

“I am excited and honoured for the opportunity to help deliver a championship to the incredible fans in Hamilton,” Mitchell said in a media release on the Tiger-Cats’ website.

“This is an excellent organization that goes above and beyond to ensure that everyone has what they need to be successful and I have the utmost faith in Coach O (Orlondo Steinauer), his staff and all the elite players on the roster.

“I look forward to earning my place in the locker room and being a part of something that I believe can be very special. I can’t wait to get to work.”

Mitchell completed 2,496 of 3,866 pass attempts for 32,541 yards with 188 touchdowns and 89 interceptions in 165 games with Calgary. Last season, he was 160-for-261 passing for 2,101 yards with nine TDs and six picks before being supplanted by Maier.

With Mitchell signing, the trade between Calgary and Hamilton is now complete. The Tiger-Cats receive Mitchell, Calgary’s first-round pick in 2023 (sixth overall) and the Stamps’ third-round pick in 2024. Calgary gets Hamilton’s first-round pick in 2023 (fourth overall), a third-round pick in 2023, a sixth-rounder in 2023, and a second-rounder in 2024.

Mitchell’s arrival in Hamilton could mean the Tiger-Cats move on from Dane Evans, who was their starter last season. He could be another option for the Roughriders.

So could CFL veteran Trevor Harris, who has yet to sign an extension with the Montreal Alouettes and therefore could be on his way to free agency.