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It is customary in football following the week’s first day of practice for a head coach to name his starter. But Corey Chamblin wouldn’t tip his hand after the Argos practised at Lamport Stadium on Tuesday.

And no one could blame him.

It’s not as if he’s playing mind games with the Lions, who have an incumbent under centre in Mike Reilly.

The Leos are experiencing their share of misfortune this season under a rookie head coach, but the plight of the Argos and their future at quarterback is much more of an unknown.

Both Franklin and Bethel-Thompson are free agents.

Zach Collaros is also a free agent.

Collaros took reps Tuesday and Chamblin didn’t exactly close the door on him being dressed for the first time since he lined up for the Riders in the season opener, on an ill-fated night in Hamilton when he left three plays into the game with a head injury.

Not all of the Argos’ problems can be traced to the quarterback, but the team has not had a consistent arm since Ray.

Even when Bethel-Thompson was putting up impressive numbers, there were too few wins and at times too few touchdowns.

It remains to be seen whether the Argos will even turn to Collaros.

What must be emphasized is how anything and everything should be on the table with the CFL trade deadline coming next Wednesday.

Franklin didn’t do anything last Friday to convince any team looking for a quarterback that he’s worth giving up a draft pick or even an active roster body.

There’s nothing more for Bethel-Thompson to prove, either, an NFL-calibre arm who has issues in reading the field.

The wild card would be Collaros, given the amount of time he has missed and his injury history.

Third-year Argos pivot Dakota Prukop replaced an ineffective Bethel-Thompson in an away loss to Edmonton in late July, but Prukop threw two interceptions before the Argos went back to Bethel-Thompson.

Canadian rookie Michael O’Connor has never taken a snap in a regular-season game.