'Football's my life,' Davis Alexander says as he prepares for first camp as Alouettes' starting QB

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Nothing much has changed physically this off-season for Davis Alexander, who has been working out diligently for almost three months.

But mentally, Alexander is about to enter uncharted territory, knowing he’ll be the Alouettes’ undisputed starting quarterback when he arrives for training camp in less than six weeks. The team begins workouts May 11 in St-Jérôme.

“I think a lot of the guys on the team respect me,” Alexander told The Gazette recently from his winter home in Scottsdale, Ariz. “I’ll continue that and make sure people know nothing has changed about me — whether I’m the starter, third string or on the practice roster. This is me, Davis Alexander. Football and career, that’s my life. I don’t know if that’s a sad thing to say or not, but this truly is something that means the world to me. I hope everybody on the team sees that.”

The Als signed Alexander, 26, to a three-year contract extension on Nov. 27, less than three weeks after losing the East Division final at home to the Toronto Argonauts with Cody Fajardo as their starter. Fajardo led Montreal to a Grey Cup victory in 2023 and was named the game’s most valuable player.

But Fajardo, 33, sustained some injuries last season, prompting the Als to decide Alexander — who could have become a free agent in February — had more upside. Montreal traded Fajardo to the Edmonton Elks on Dec. 17 for quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson.

“Mentally, there’s little things I hope to do and accomplish,” Alexander said. “I want to make sure everybody’s in a great mindset and everybody feels welcomed, as ready to go for the season as possible. There are little things I’m trying to figure out to see if I can help the team any way possible — despite my play on the field, obviously.”

That play helped convince general manager Danny Maciocia and head coach Jason Maas that Alexander could become their franchise quarterback.

All he did was win, completing 105 of 151 passes (69.5 per cent) for 1,347 yards and six touchdowns while being intercepted twice. He also gained 166 yards on 24 carries (6.9-yard average) while scoring three touchdowns. Alexander played seven games, including four as the starter. He went undefeated in those starts and rallied the Als in the second half to a comeback victory against Saskatchewan on July 25. In many respects, that served as Alexander’s coming-out party. He’s entering his fourth season.

“I would have told you I was ready (to become the starter) a year ago, or two or three years ago, even though I wasn’t,” he said. “I feel like I’m ready for it, obviously. I’m sure there will be (adversity) over an 18-game season, but I’m always going to keep my composure, keep my cool. I don’t care about (stats) as long as we win.

“I’m not going to say I was the No. 1 leader on the team last year, but I do feel a lot of guys … know how much this means to me. Whether I was playing or not, I tried to make sure my voice was heard and was leading by my work ethic.”

Alexander is one of four quarterbacks under contract and will be backed up by Bethel-Thompson. The team re-signed Caleb Evans for short-yardage plays and also has James Morgan, a 2020 fourth-round New York Jets draft choice.

While Alexander and Fajardo were said to be close, Alexander has had limited contact with Bethel-Thompson. Time will determine how that dynamic works, but Alexander believes there won’t be any issues.

“I’m excited to work with him,” Alexander said. “We have similar arm strength. Obviously he’s a seasoned vet and a heck of a player. It’s only going to be beneficial. From my understanding, he’s a good guy. In my eyes it’s only going to go well. Obviously Cody and I were really good friends. So far I’ve gotten along with every quarterback I’ve been with, especially the vets.”

While Alexander is a dual threat on the field, his carefree and risky style led to him taking some vicious hits last season. Maas will want Alexander to continue playing on the edge while becoming more judicious when scrambling for extra yards.

“I’ll do whatever it takes to win,” Alexander said. “I was asked to take care of some of the hits I took last year a bit. I’m sure it was a bit of a joke — but there’s some truth in every joke.”