The Toronto Argonauts announced the signing of a two-year contract with quarterback James Franklin on Friday morning.

The Argonauts acquired Franklin, who was set to become a free agent next month, in December for offensive lineman Mason Woods.

"James is an outstanding young man and a great leader," Argonauts general manager Jim Popp said in  release. "We welcome him to the mix of talented quarterbacks we have on our roster and look forward to watching him compete.

"Completing the trade for James in December allowed us to negotiate with him exclusively. When you trade for a player with an expiring contract, there is always an element of risk involved and that risk paid off.”

Franklin has dressed for 52 games for the Eskimos over the past three seasons. He has completed 116 of 176 passes for 1,449 yards with 12 touchdowns and one interception over his CFL career. He has also rushed for 145 yards and a touchdown on 18 career carries.

When Franklin was acquired, Argos general manager Jim Popp told Naylor the trade had nothing to do with the status of quarterback Ricky Ray, who is considering retirement this off-season.

Franklin completed 13 of 19 passes last season for 142 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. In three CFL seasons, he was completed 116 of 176 passes for 1,449 yards with 12 touchdowns to one interception.