The B.C. Lions will be without starting quarterback Travis Lulay for at least another two weeks.
The CFL club announced Monday that Lulay will be sidelined with an injury to his throwing shoulder that has forced him to miss the Lions' last two games.
That means backup Thomas DeMarco, who has led B.C. to consecutive road wins in Lulay's absence, will play Friday night when the Lions (9-4) host the Saskatchewan Roughriders (8-5) in a key West Division contest.
"It's a gradual process," Lulay said of his recovery. "Obviously disappointed I can't be playing yet but Tom has shown the team is in good hands.
"He's played well the last couple weeks but as a competitor you want to be out there with your guys."
Lulay suffered a partially dislocated right shoulder in B.C.'s 36-14 win over the Montreal Alouettes on Sept. 15. The team says he will be re-evaluated in two weeks.
"We're optimistic with where (the injury) is at now," Lulay said. "We've made some progress, especially in the last week, so (I'm) hoping that the recovery continues to go well."
Lulay hurt the same shoulder in 2012 and missed the final five games of the regular season. He also required surgery for a torn labrum suffered while playing in NFL Europe back in 2007.
"The swelling and inflammation stuff needs to go down and that's kind of where we're at," said Lulay, who hopes to resume throwing later this week or early next week. "We're getting to the tail end of that where I'm getting my range of motion back. Now it's a buildup to the strengthening and the throwing again."
In addition to this weekend's game versus Saskatchewan, Lulay will miss B.C.'s showdown with the Calgary Stampeders (10-3) at McMahon Stadium on Oct. 11.
"If I'm healthy enough to play, I'll try to play," he said. "That's what we're looking at. It's just about giving myself an opportunity to recover."
B.C. has won three straight games and cemented a playoff spot with its 53-17 victory Friday night over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.