TORONTO -- Zach Collaros wont have to wait until the start of CFL free agency to find out how much hell be worth on the open market. The Toronto Argonauts released the backup quarterback Wednesday, more than two weeks before Collaros was scheduled to become a free agent. Instead of having to wait until Feb. 15 to begin weighing outside offers, Collaros is free to start testing the waters immediately and sign with the team of his choice. The move wasnt a total surprise. Last week, Argos GM Jim Barker suggested Collaros would test CFL free agency rather than re-sign with Toronto prior to the deadline. Barker said he tried re-signing Collaros and remains very interested in having Collaros back with the club. But by releasing him now Barker hopes to gain clarity on Collaros situation by Feb. 15 rather than having to deal with that uncertainty once free agency begins. "Whats difficult is when you have a player who isnt sure how much he might be able to get on the open market," Barker said. "Thats more difficult than dealing with having other teams talk to him. "This has nothing to do with our relationship with Zach, we have a great relationship. He can now go and do the things he has to do to see where things are at and it will give us a little more clarity." Collaros, 25, was solid last season, posting a 5-2 record as the starter while incumbent Ricky Ray was injured. Collaros also started Torontos 23-20 regular-season finale loss to Montreal -- Ray didnt dress because the Argos had already clinched first in the East Division -- but was one of three quarterbacks to play that day. The second-year player was especially sharp in a 38-21 win over B.C. on July 30, finishing 21-of-25 passing for 253 yards and three TDs. On Sept. 21, he completed 25-of-36 attempts for 330 yards and four touchdowns in a 33-27 victory over Calgary. The six-foot-two, 216-pound Collaros finished the season completing 190-of-287 passes (66.2 per cent) for 2,316 yards with 14 TDs and six interceptions. He also ran 59 times for 246 yards and five touchdowns and will attract attention on the open market. One team in need of a starting quarterback is Winnipeg, which had three different starters en route to posting a league-worst 3-15 record. This off-season, the Blue Bombers also hired former Argos special-teams co-ordinator Mike OShea as their new head coach. The expansion Ottawa Redblacks, who begin play this season, will also look at Collaros but the expectation is GM Marcel Desjardins will do that with most available free agents. The franchise selected Calgarys Kevin Glenn and B.C.s Thomas DeMarco in last months CFL expansion draft and also has Matt Faulkner, who played collegiately at San Jose State, on the roster. Collaros availability could also make things interesting in Hamilton. Veteran Henry Burris guided the Tiger-Cats to a Grey Cup appearance last November but the 38-year-old is slated to become a free agent next month. If Burris doesnt return to Hamilton, that would leave the defending East Division champion with youngsters Dan LeFevour and Jeremiah Massoli along with former NFLers Brian Brohm and Stephen McGee under contract. Both the Bombers and Ti-Cats have been in contact with Collaross agent on Wednesday. Barker was also clear he still wants to re-sign Collaros. "Weve been trying to sign him and obviously he wants to go to free agency, which is totally his right," Barker said. "Were not going to pull out." If Collaros moves on, Barker feels Toronto will remain strong at quarterback in 2014. The Argos carried five passers last season -- Ray, Collaros, sophomore Trevor Harris and newcomers Josh Portis and Mitchell Gale. All but Portis saw playing time in 2013. "People forget Zach got the start (when Ray was hurt) but it was neck-and-neck with him and Trevor," Barker said. "Zach made the most of it and kudos to him for doing that. "Trevor Harris has been with us now for a couple of years, hes got a tremendous upside and both Mitchell Gale and Josh Portis have a year in the system, they understand the reads, they understand what it takes to be a quarterback in this offence. I think theres going to be great competition to be our No. 2 and No. 3 should Zach choose to go somewhere else." With files from TSN.ca Isaiah Rider Jersey . - Quarterback Brady Quinn says he has been released by the Miami Dolphins. Jamal Crawford Jersey . - Carter Verhaeghe scored the winner with 41 seconds to go as the Niagara IceDogs edged the North Bay Battalion 3-2 to even their first-round series at a game apiece in Ontario Hockey League playoff action on Sunday. https://www.cheaptimberwolves.com/. Both moves were announced Tuesday. The Titans had waived Matthews on Saturday when they promoted wide receiver Michael Preston from the practice squad. Kelan Martin Jersey . Among the teams moves was trading one of the teams two third round picks, no. 83 overall, to the Chicago Blackhawks for Brandon Bollig, a six-foot-two, 223-pound left-winger who had seven goals, seven assists, and 92 penalty minutes in 82 games last season. Randy Foye Jersey . Altidore strained his left hamstring in the Americans opener against Ghana on June 16 and didnt play in their next two games. "We dont know how much because we need to see how hes going, but hes available," U.MONACO -- Canadas Milos Raonic opened his clay-court season with a second-round victory over Taiwans Yen Lu-Hsun at the Monte Carlos Masters on Wednesday. The No. 8 seed from Thornhill, Ont., rebounded nicely after dropping a first-set tiebreaker in the 6-7 (4), 6-2, 6-1 victory. "I did a lot of things well today," Raonic said. "I had the discipline I needed when things were not going so well. "I played a clean match, on a lot of his service games I was creating opportunities for myself." Raonic, who had a first-round bye, fired 19 aces and completed the win in just under two hours in cool, windy conditions. He had three set point opportunities in the opening set but couldnt convert. "Even losing the first set, I still had chances in his service games," he said. "During the rest of the match on every game on his serve I was at least getting close. "I felt at ease despite the situation after the end of the first set." The Canadian rallied in the second set with an early break to lead for 2-0, eventually taking a 5-2 lead and serving it out to pull even. He ran away with the third set for the win. Raonic will next play No. 11 Tommy Robredo of Spain, who earned a 4-6, 6-0, 6-1 win over Julien Benneteau of France. "My goal is to do as well as I can this clay season and better than I did last year," said Raonic. "My main focus will be on the tournaments in Madrid and Paris." Also Wednesday, Roger Federer was happier than eight-time champion Rafael Nadal after their straight-sets wins to reach the third round. Federer took just 52 minutes to beat veteran Radek Stepanek 6-1, 6-2, while Nadal overcame a rusty start to put away Teymuraz Gabashvili 6-4, 6-1. The top-seeded Nadal, who lost the title to Novak Djokovic last year, dropped his opening service game and trailed 3-1 in the first set. But from 4-4, the Spaniard reeled off six straight games, then the Russian qualifier broke his serve again. "I think I started little bit slow," Nadal said. "But he was playing very, very aggressive, hitting very strong, with no mistakes." Nadals body language suggested he was far from happy with his performance. At times he looked glum-faced, other times annoyed with his shots.dddddddddddd His serve was vulnerable, too, as he conceded four break-point chances -- including in consecutive service games during the second set. He clinched victory with a crisp forehand winner. "I felt comfortable in the second set," Nadal said. "I think I was playing better. " Federer, returning to the tournament for the first time since 2011, was far more ruthless as he raced to 5-0 in 17 minutes. He improved his record against the 35-year-old Stepanek to 14-2. The Czech has not beaten Federer in six years. "A bit surprised how well it went. On clay, when you have the upper hand from the baseline, its kind of hard to get out of it," Federer said. "Thats kind of how it was for Radek. I had a good start to both sets, I was solid on my own service games. It was clearly a good match to start my clay-court campaign." The fourth-seeded Federer next plays another Czech, Lukas Rosol, who beat Frenchman Michael Llodra 6-4, 6-4, while Nadal plays Italian Andreas Seppi, who won 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-4 against Spaniard Pablo Andujar. Federer has never won Monte Carlo, losing in three straight finals to Nadal from 2006-08. They cant meet again until the final. Australian Open champion Stanislas Wawrinka, seeded third, was slightly faster than Federer, needing only 46 minutes to thrash Marin Cilic of Croatia 6-0, 6-2. "I expected a more difficult first round against him. I felt good on the court," Wawrinka said. "I know that if I feel good physically, then I am able to put a lot of pressure on my opponent." No. 10 Fabio Fognini of Italy, No. 11 Tommy Robredo, No. 12 Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria and No. 15 Nicolas Almagro -- both Spanish -- also advanced to the third round. Raonic rallied to beat Lu Yen-Hsun of Taiwan 6-7 (4), 6-2, 6-1; Fognini downed Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain 7-6 (6), 6-4; Robredo won 4-6, 6-0, 6-1 against Julien Benneteau of France; Dimitrov downed Spaniard Albert Ramos 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 and Almagro beat Nicolas Mahut, 7-6 (3), 6-3. Grand Prix Hassan II winner Guillermo Garcia-Lopez beat No. 17 Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-1, 7-5, and Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta next faces defending champion Novak Djokovic after winning 6-3, 7-6 (6) against Gael Monfils. ' ' '