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“We’ll let camp dictate how it plays out,” said Redblacks GM Marcel Desjardins. “May it be the best man so to speak. I don’t want to disrespect Danny or Will (Arndt) — I think they’re both guys with a lot of potential — but I think it would take a lot for them to become the No. 2, let alone the No. 1. Anything’s possible. I’m not going to say it’s not a possibility, but I’d say it’s not a likely scenario.”

The big-armed Collins came to the Redblacks in 2017 and has been a sponge for information, hoping it prepares him for a shot to be a starter.

“I approach it like if I do my job, do the things I’m supposed to, the coaches will notice and the people above will notice it,” he said. “My job is only my job and their job is their job. I can only do the best I can with my reps, coaches have to be able to notice that and put the best guys on the field.

“This is pro football —every person who’s playing quarterback for us right now could potentially be our starter. Everybody is good enough. I put full faith on my teammates to be able to come out and perform. I’m trying to perform at my highest capability and come out here and be the guy.”

Adapting this mentality has, he believes, helped shape and prepare him to leap ahead and be a player that can lead his team to victories. He’s no longer going to rely just on his ability to heave the ball long. He’s added more weapons to his quarterback toolbox.

“Coming out of college, I had a gunslinger attitude, throw the ball all over the field,” said Collins. “A guy comes open late, I’m the guy who’s going to get it there. I’ve taken a step back from that and learned from guys who have made their mark on the league. This off-season, I did a ton of film watching — I saw what guys from Edmonton were doing, what guys from Calgary were doing and I obviously watched Trevor (who signed with Edmonton as a free agent) these past couple of years. They take the easy stuff on first down and put the defence in a bind. My game has evolved to getting five or six yards on first down, then make second down the defence’s problem, not the offence’s.