Arbuckle expected to start for Argonauts in season opener; McManis practicing
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Nick Arbuckle led the first-team offence in practice for the Toronto Argonauts again on Tuesday, indicating he is likely to start the season opener on Friday against the Montreal Alouettes.
As TSN's Matthew Scianitti reports, Arbuckle led the first-team offence while Chad Kelly, who is recovering from a broken tibia and fibula in the East Final a year ago, led the second-team offence.
Argonauts head coach Ryan Dinwiddie revealed last week that Kelly had been cleared for practice following a devastating leg injury suffered in the playoffs last fall.
Kelly incurred the injury in the third quarter of last year's East Final against the Alouettes when defensive end Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund landed on his right leg. Kelly was taken off on a stretcher and revealed later that night on social media he suffered fractures to his tibia and fibula, forcing him to undergo surgery. Kelly, who won the CFL's Most Outstanding Player in 2023, was driven from Montreal to Toronto after the surgery.
The 31-year-old Buffalo native, who has been held off his feet recently with an ingrown toenail, threw for 2,451 yards alongside 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions over nine games with the Argonauts in 2024, his third season with the franchise.
Kelly missed the first nine games of last season due to a suspension handed out by the CFL following an investigation regarding allegations made by the team's former strength and conditioning coach.
Arbuckle, who was named Grey Cup MVP in Kelly's absence as the Argonauts defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in last year's title game, re-signed with the team in the off-season as Kelly's timeline for recovery remained unclear.
Wynton McManis, a two-time East All-Star with the Argonauts (2022 and 2023) and three-time Grey Cup champion (2019, 2022 and 2024), appears to be set to start in the season opener.
He is recovering from a minor injury suffered in training camp.