Jim Popp was out of options. Jeremy O’Day needed to create some of his own. And a trade was born.

Alouettes GM Popp sent his 2016 fifth-round pick to the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Wednesday in exchange for veteran quarterback Kevin Glenn. Montreal will now to wring out as much remaining life from Glenn’s 36-year-old arm as possible in a bid to reach the postseason.

The Als sit fourth in the East Division with a 5-9 mark and four games remaining on their schedule. They could still catch third spot in the East and earn a playoff berth that way, or they could crossover to the West. Accomplishing either feat requires wins and it had become increasingly apparent during a three-game losing streak the Als wouldn’t get it done with their in-house quarterbacks.

Riders GM O’Day had Glenn in his back pocket, and with Saskatchewan already eliminated from the playoffs and the club’s focus now on developing youth, the veteran quarterback became expendable.

O’Day still has the interim tag on his title in Regina. He’s developed and shared his plan for the Riders future to president Craig Reynolds. Now he has to show he has the ability to execute. The Riders need to improve their Canadian talent and getting additional draft picks is the best place to start.

O’Day had a limited market for Glenn. The emergence of Jeff Matthews in Hamilton took the Tiger-Cats out of the picture, leaving only the Alouettes. A fifth-round pick isn’t a lot, but it’s something for nothing as Glenn is set to be a free agent in the off-season.

O'Day wasn't finished sending Messam and the fifth-round selection in the 2016 CFL Draft acquired in the Glenn deal to the Calgary Stampeders in exchange for national kicker Tyler Crapigna, a third-round selection in the 2016 CFL Draft, and the rights to a negotiation list player.

Messam provides the Stampers with insurance due to Jon Cornish having what the Stamps are calling a sore neck.

The Alouettes also moved national linebacker Mike Edem to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in exchange for a sixth round pick.

So what can Glenn do for the Alouettes in four weeks? Can he be ready to start this weekend against the Tiger-Cats?

Glenn told me on Labour Day weekend, when the debate in Winnipeg was over whether Matt Nicholls could learn enough of the Bombers offence to start only days after being traded from the Edmonton Eskimos, that he could learn another CFL team’s offence in a day - maybe two.

Glenn has played games for six of the league’s nine franchises. He can read a CFL defence as well as any quarterback in the league. He immediately makes the Alouettes dangerous.

This may seem like a Hail Mary from Popp, but sometimes those passes are completed. The Alouettes have a more than capable defence, a sound running game and veteran receivers such as Nik Lewis and S.J. Green. They also have an elite special teams threat in Stefan Logan.

Glenn just might prove to be the final ingredient needed to make this team pop.

This is Glenn’s 15th season in the CFL and in 248 career games he’s passed for 45,510 yards, completing 3,455 of his 5,542 attempted passes, including 248 for touchdowns.

Twice Glenn has led teams to the Grey Cup. In 2007, he got the Bombers to the East Final and was on his way to securing the win and a trip to the title game when he broke his arm. He also led the Calgary Stampeders to the final in 2012. Both times, Glenn’s teams lost.

Will Glenn lead the Alouettes to the Grey Cup? That’s a longshot, for sure. But Montreal just got a lot better and every team in the CFL has taken notice. No one should be surprised if this deal leads to a resurgence in Montreal. The Alouettes just got dangerous.