Since Tre Ford began his CFL career, it has been hard to tell which has more twists and turns: his highlight reel scrambles or his treatment at the hands of the Edmonton Elks.
The Canadian quarterback was yo-yoed up and down the depth chart during the team’s previous regime, never finding solid footing as the franchise guy. That is set to change according to new general manager Ed Hervey, who inked Ford to a three-year contract extension on Friday that will make him the team’s unquestioned Day 1 starter next season.
“Absolutely. That was part of this to ensure for him that the position, the opportunity is there for him,” Hervey told 880 CHED‘s Inside Sports when asked if Ford would enter training camp as the starter.
“Whatever happened or whatever he’s gone through, we’re wiping the slate clean from those days and just really want him to focus on what’s ahead of him, what’s ahead of us, and what’s ahead of this franchise as far as the direction that we’re headed.”
Ford was selected by the Elks with the eighth overall pick in the first round of the 2022 CFL Draft, making him the highest-drafted quarterback since 1980. It appeared to be a ringing endorsement from then-head coach and general manager Chris Jones that the organization had big plans for the reigning Hec Crighton Trophy winner. That theory was boosted when he supplanted Nick Arbuckle as the team’s starter in just the fourth game of the year, notching his first win as a rookie.
However, the native of Niagara Falls, Ont. was struck down with a shoulder injury in his second career start, beginning a rollercoaster ride up and down the roster. When he returned from injury, Taylor Cornelius had seized control of the top job and was handed a long-term extension to be the face of the franchise. While that would prove to be an ill-advised decision from the Elks, Ford began his second season as the fourth quarterback and didn’t dress to start the year, with Jones openly criticizing his performance in training camp. The team exhausted all other options amidst an 0-8 start before offensive coordinator Stephen McAdoo was demoted and Ford was re-installed as starter, going on to generate all four of the team’s wins despite begrudging support.
Jones initially named Ford as his starting quarterback for the 2024 season before changing course and signing veteran McLeod Bethel Thompson to a lucrative contract, citing the third-year pro’s need to develop as a leader. The head coach was fired amidst another 0-7 start to the year and interim bench boss Jarious Jackson again turned to Ford to earn the team’s first win. After getting the Green and Gold back on track, he once again missed games due to injury and split time with Bethel-Thompson down the stretch.
The chaotic nature of his three years in Edmonton undoubtedly eroded Ford’s trust in the organization. After taking control of the front office last month, Hervey moved swiftly to rebuild bridges with the young quarterback and sign him to a long-term extension months before free agency.
“Obviously, his experience is well documented. I don’t want to go backwards and make a story of the past, but I’m also talking about the changes that have been made and our opportunity to build trust together,” the GM explained.
“I’ve made it clear to him. I said ‘Call other players.’ I’m very matter-of-fact in the things that I do and I don’t have a whole lot of time to give them misleading stories or promise one thing and do another. The success of our football team rests on the trust that we build with each other, rests on the trust that we build with the coaching staff and our ops and within this organization. Those are the changes that we feel are going to allow us to be successful.”
Under the terms of his new deal, Ford can earn up to $367,000 next season if all incentives and bonuses are hit. That number rises to $425,500 in 2026 and $446,000 in 2027, with the potential to make over $1.2 million over the course of the contract. While that doesn’t reset the quarterback market, it is a substantial investment consistent with what other entry-level starters have received.
“Obviously, Tre Ford and his representation, Fred Weinrauch, were very cooperative in the process. It really just took some time to hammer out structure, hammer out a little bit of the understanding of both sides, and really just try to paint a picture of what our vision is and how the financial outlook of building a team around Tre would look like,” Hervey said.
“You’ve got to give Tre Ford and his representation credit for seeing the big picture. That’s important for us to have gotten the deal done as soon as we were able to.”
Hervey hopes that financial commitment, as well as efforts to build the relationship with Ford in the off-season, will show the 26-year-old that the team is no longer looking to bail at the earliest opportunity.
“Our opportunity and responsibility is to not only build trust with one another but also to help build confidence in Tre Ford and allow him to recognize that the support is there. He’s going to get his opportunities to not only get through the growing pains but do it in an environment where he can feel comfortable expressing himself and talking and he’s going to be coached,” Hervey stressed. “That was what, for myself, was very important in trying to explain to him that things are going to be different for him and just to trust our process. If he does that, I think that he can recognize and hopefully, over time, see that things are looking up for him and his career.”
Ford currently has just 18 career starts under his belt, having gone 9-9 in those games. The six-foot-one, 195-pound dual-threat QB has completed 67 percent of his passes for 3,667 yards, 24 touchdowns and 16 interceptions while rushing 108 times for 977 yards and three majors.
Hervey believes that his young charge is “underrated” as a passer but knows he has room still to grow, particularly when it comes to remaining patient in the pocket. That can only come with reps and experience — two things that were often pulled away from him by the old coaching staff.
“Having an offence that he has confidence in, having a coordinator that has confidence in him, those things are going to help a lot of the areas where there was uncertainty and he sometimes felt the need to leave the pocket beforehand. I think that trust within the pocket, trust within the protection and repping stuff enough times to where he feels very comfortable with the offence is the final part when we’re talking about his skillset and what he needs to work on,” Hervey said.
“There’s time to develop and in the right environment, those things can and will happen. We believe that we’re about to surround him with the kind of coaches that can bring that level out of him.”
New head coach Mark Kilam has reportedly hired former B.C. Lions’ offensive coordinator Jordan Maksymic to handle the Elks’ attack. The 37-year-old has previously gotten career years out of Nathan Rourke and Vernon Adams Jr. — two quarterbacks who were previously known for over-relying on their legs.
That bodes well for Ford, though the biggest change will be the security of his status in the organization. Hervey insists that the quarterback’s days of looking over his shoulder are over, which should have a positive impact on his production.
“With respect to his time here, when he walks into the building, my hope is that he’s able to feel a difference in what he’s gone through to what he’s going to be going through.”
