The B.C. Lions have added American quarterback Dequan Finn to their negotiation list.
Finn spent last season at Miami University in Ohio, starting eight games for the Redhawks. He completed 106-of-181 passes (58.6 percent) for 1,451 yards, nine touchdowns, and six interceptions, while rushing 89 times for 395 yards and four majors.
The 24-year-old sparked controversy when he chose to leave Miami in November with several games remaining on the schedule. Head coach Chuck Martin stated he left to begin preparations for the NFL Draft. At the time, the Redhawks were tied for second place in the Mid-American Conference and had a chance at a conference championship.
Finn transferred from Baylor University, where he played three games and made two starts. He applied for a medical hardship waiver to get a seventh season of collegiate eligibility.
The six-foot-two, 206-pound pivot spent his first five seasons at the University of Toledo, dressing for 45 games and making 32 starts. In 2022, he was named second-team All-MAC, before earning a first-team selection and conference Most Valuable Player honours in 2023.
In his college career, the Detroit, Mich., native completed 59.7 percent of his passes for 8,841 yards, 75 touchdowns, and 31 interceptions while rushing for 2,302 yards and 31 majors. He went 28-14 in 42 games as a starter.
Finn is eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft and recently took part in the American Bowl all-star game. According to Pro Football Network’s consensus big board, he is not in the top 25 prospects at the QB position.
CFL teams can claim the rights to up to 45 players via the negotiation list on a first-come, first-served basis, provided that they are not eligible for the Canadian or Global Drafts, and have never played in the league before. These players can be added, traded, or removed from the list at any time.
Being added to a negotiation list does not mean that the player has expressed interest in the CFL, and some are unaware that their rights have even been claimed. Players can only force their removal from the list if the team does not provide them with a minimum contract offer at their request.
The B.C. Lions signed defensive lineman Casey Sayles and linebacker Darnell Sankey after they were released by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Montreal Alouettes, respectively, though the team was relatively inactive in free agency. The team’s major departure was All-CFL offensive lineman Jarell Broxton, who signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
The Lions hold the seventh overall pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28, at 7:00 p.m. EDT. All CFL training camps are scheduled to open on May 10. B.C. will play its first preseason game against the Edmonton Elks on Saturday, May 23, and its first regular-season game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday, June 13.
In 2025, B.C. finished second in the West Division standings with an 11-7 record. They beat the Calgary Stampeders in the West Semi-Final but lost the West Final to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Franchise quarterback Nathan Rourke threw for 5,290 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions to be named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player.
