Edmonton Elks’ interim general manager Geroy Simon believes Canadian quarterback Tre Ford has the upside to lead a team to a CFL championship.
Simon was the assistant general manager when the Elks selected Ford in the first round, eighth overall during the 2022 CFL Draft. The 26-year-old has spent three seasons in Edmonton, playing out his rookie contract. He’s a pending free agent in February.
“Tre is definitely a player that we’d like to have. He’s young, he’s talented — at some point he can be a Grey Cup-winning quarterback,” Simon said.
“Tre did a good job when he got the opportunity, but he still has got a ways to go.”
The six-foot-one, 195-pound QB has dressed for 38 games in his three-year CFL career, starting 18 and posting a 9-9 win-loss record. Ford has completed 67 percent of his passes for 3,667 yards with 24 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. The speedy signal-caller has rushed 108 times for 977 yards (9.0 YPC) with three majors.
“It’s not my call. Gotta see how the cards fall. Talk to my agent, see what everybody is saying and go from there,” Ford said as it pertains to re-signing with the Elks.
Fellow Canadian QB Nathan Rourke has dressed for 27 games in his three-year CFL career, starting 20 and posting a 12-8 win-loss record. Rourke has completed 65 percent of his passes for 5,884 yards with 32 touchdowns and 24 interceptions. The dual-threat pivot has rushed 81 times for 628 yards (7.8 YPC) with 17 majors.
The 26-year-old Rourke signed a lucrative three-year contract with the B.C. Lions after returning north of the border from the NFL. That agreement includes $749,200 in hard money in 2025 and $809,000 in hard money in 2026. There are $6,000 in award incentives available in both seasons, taking his earning potential to $755,200 and $815,000 in each respective year.
Ford has had NFL interest in the past but not enough to sign a contract. Instead, the University of Waterloo graduate shared starting duties with McLeod Bethel-Thompson in 2024. The Niagara Falls, Ont. native started five games and produced a 4-1 record. Bethel-Thompson went 0-7 to begin the year and finished 3-10. Both quarterbacks have expiring contracts in February.
Whether it’s Simon and Jarious Jackson or newcomers in those roles, Edmonton has a major decision to make at the most important position in football. Quarterbacks such as Davis Alexander, Trevor Harris, Shea Patterson, and Jake Maier are scheduled to become free agents, while Vernon Adams Jr. could be available on the trade market.
“We have to look at all the quarterbacks across the league that are going to be free agents and make a decision,” Simon said.
