SURREY, B.C. — The B.C. Lions have locked up quarterback Jonathon Jennings through the 2018 season.
The CFL club announced the contract extension on Thursday, avoiding what could have been an awkward situation when training camp gets under way later this month.
Jennings rocketed up the depth chart to the No. 1 job last season after veterans Travis Lulay and John Beck went down injured.
The 23-year-old out of Saginaw Valley State finished with a 3-3 record in six regular-season starts, completing 66 per cent of his passes for 2,004 yards with 15 touchdowns against 10 interceptions before getting injured in the Lions' playoff loss to the Calgary Stampeders.
But Jennings still had two years left on his rookie contract heading into the 2016 campaign, a deal that would have paid him a fraction of what starting quarterbacks make in the CFL.
"The commitment that the B.C. Lions have made to Jonathon with this extension allows him to come to training camp and focus on football," Lions head coach and general manager Wally Buono said in a statement. "We owe it to our fans to put an exciting product on the field and having Jonathon sign an extension assures that moving forward."
Lulay remains on the roster along with fellow quarterbacks Greg McGhee, who dressed for 10 games last season, and Keith Price, who was signed in the off-season from the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
