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Overall, whether backing up or subbing in for Mike Reilly, the 2017 CFL most outstanding player, he had 12 touchdowns against only a single pick in 12 appearances overall. Franklin would later sign a two-year extension with Toronto, even with his status still up in the air owing to Ricky Ray’s lack of a decision on whether he would return or not. Head coach Marc Trestman has said Ray will be the starter this season, his final one, as long as he is able to suit up.

When Franklin indicates that Ray’s return is not in any way a negative, you believe him.

“Obviously everyone the goal is to work to be a starter, but, my parents thankfully raised me to have a lot of patience and showed me that patience brings a lot of good things, as long as you (stay) patient,” Franklin said.

“If you’re impatient, then that’s when the ego starts talking, that’s when you start to get cocky and over-confident and so just being patient and being OK with whenever I committed to Toronto and signed in my head and talking with my wife it was, ‘OK, I need to be OK with being a backup for another year,’ because he had not made his decision yet,’” Franklin explained.

“When it happened, I was fully expecting him to come back and that’s how I was trying to prepare so it wasn’t a surprise or anything. Now I’m just being patient and trying (to learn) what I can and when I get my opportunity, whether it’s this year, or next year, or whenever, I just try to make the most of it.”

Early on in camp, the quarterback partnership has worked well.