'We want to win now': New Eskimos quarterback Trevor Harris is ready to go

New Edmonton Eskimos quarterback Trevor Harris stepped into the team's locker room for the first time Thursday. Like many of the greats that came before him, Harris says he wants to win — and he wants to do it right now.

"We want to win now and we want to bring a Grey Cup back to this city immediately. And that's something I want to be a part of because that's where I'm at in my career, I'm not in a position to waste years," said Harris who is no stranger to winning at the CFL level, having won Grey Cups with the Argonauts and the Redblacks.

Harris was signed by general manager Brock Sunderland Tuesday after the former face of the franchise, Mike Reilly, headed west to join the B.C. Lions.

'Raising the bar together'

There are plenty of familiarities for the Esks' new quarterback.

Harris came into the league in 2012, playing three seasons with the Toronto Argonauts. During that time, his quarterback coach was Jason Maas, the current head coach of the Eskimos. The pair expect to pick up where they left off.

"From my time with him in Toronto for three years is awesome to me because he was my first ever coach in the CFL, in terms of quarterback coach," Harris said. "You know, I've watched his career progress and he's watched mine, and we've kept in touch just slightly seeing each other through games."

"I look forward to joining him and just raising the bar together," added Harris.

For Maas, the acquisition of Harris took the sting out of losing a franchise player in Mike Reilly.

'Franchise quarterback'

"As an offensive-minded coach, you're excited to get a franchise quarterback in this building and a guy of his calibre of player and character," said Maas. "Ultimately that's what you win championships with are great people."

For the team's general manager, convincing Harris and several of his former Ottawa Redblacks teammates to make Edmonton home was a finely tuned plan.

Sunderland says anyone questioning if Harris can carry the load here in Edmonton, can take a quick look at his track record.

Harris played 17 games for Ottawa last year, passing for 5116 yards and 22 touchdowns.

"The reality is this, there was two quarterbacks in the Grey Cup this past season, and he's one of them," said Sunderland.

"I think it's time that we shed the theory that he's replacing people. He led a franchise to a Grey Cup, so for me enough talk about who he's replacing.

"Trevor is Trevor and I think when he leaves people need to start talking about replacing him at this point."

Esks fans will get the chance to see how their team's new quarterback measures up against the former one when the Eskimos host the B.C. Lions at The Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium.