Canadian QB Tre Ford released by Edmonton Elks prior to CFL offseason roster bonus

Photo courtesy: Dustin Bowdige/B.C. Lions

The Edmonton Elks have released Canadian quarterback Tre Ford prior to a $110,000 offseason roster bonus, which was due on Sunday, February 1.

Including Ford’s $110,000 active roster bonus, he was scheduled to earn $327,000 in hard money for the CFL 2026 season. There was an additional $70,000 in playtime incentives, plus $6,000 in all-star and award bonuses, along with $14,500 in statistical markers available, putting his maximum possible earnings at $417,500.

That contract has been torn up, and the 2021 Hec Crighton Trophy winner has become a free agent.

General manager Ed Hervey touted Ford as the Green and Gold’s starting QB entering the 2025 season and gave him a contract to match. However, the 27-year-old was benched following a 1-4 start as Cody Fajardo took over at the game’s most important position. The Niagara Falls, Ont. native did not take another snap after Week 6. Fajardo produced a 6-7 win-loss record to end the campaign, impressing head coach Mark Kilam and Hervey enough to extend his contract for the 2026 season.

After being selected in the first round, eighth overall during the 2022 CFL Draft, Ford completed 67 percent of his passes for 4,651 yards with 29 touchdowns versus 19 interceptions in 60 CFL games. He’s rushed 124 times for 1,129 yards, 9.1 per carry, and scored four majors on the ground. The six-foot, 190-pound QB has a 10-13 win-loss record in 23 career CFL starts.

The Edmonton Elks finished fifth in the West Division standings in 2025 with a 7-11 record, missing the playoffs for the fifth straight season. Cody Fajardo started the team’s final 13 regular-season games and went 6-7, throwing for 3,408 yards, 14 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Tre Ford started the first five, going 1-4, and threw for 984 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions.

The Elks ranked ninth in net offence, ninth in net defence, and fifth with a turnover differential of plus-four. The club’s leading rusher was Justin Rankin with 1,013 yards, the leading receiver was Kaion Julien-Grant with 820 yards, and the leading tackler was Joel Dublanko with 80 tackles. Edmonton finished seventh in attendance with average crowds of 19,050, which was a 7.1 percent decrease from the previous year.