The first day of the CFL’s legal tampering period before the start of free agency next week has brought mixed results for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. On the first day that 2026 pending free agents could accept offers from other teams, the Tiger-Cats had three players reach agreements with other CFL teams, including backup quarterback Taylor Powell and offensive lineman Brendan Bordner. However, the Tiger-Cats made a few moves of their own, with the biggest of those moves being the addition of National quarterback Tre Ford.

Justin Dunk of 3 Down Nation was the first to report that the Hamilton Tiger-Cats officially signed former Edmonton Elks quarterback Tre Ford.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats officially signed Tre Ford due to the Elks releasing Ford at the end of January to avoid paying a roster bonus. Coming to Hamilton is a homecoming for the Niagara Falls, Ontario native, who played U Sports football at the University of Waterloo before starting his CFL career. Ford’s role with the Tiger-Cats will be to provide quality depth at quarterback behind starting quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell.

Ford started his CFL career playing for the Edmonton Elks from 2022 until 2025. During his time with the Elks, Ford played in 60 games and completed 67.2% of his passes for 4,651 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions. In addition, Ford used his elite athleticism to pick up yards in the running game, including 1,129 rushing yards and 4 rushing touchdowns.

While playing for Edmonton, Ford demonstrated elite speed and agility for a quarterback, using those talents to extend plays and complete passes while throwing off-script. During his time with the Elks, Ford has played outstanding football when allowed to show his creativity and make plays outside the rigid confines of an offensive game plan. Of course, Ford has also faced criticism for his consistency and decision-making, and he has been criticized for taking too many sacks while looking for a play outside the structure of the offensive plan.

Tiger-Cats Reach Agreement with former Winnipeg OL Eric Lofton

In addition to signing Ford, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats also reached an agreement with former Winnipeg Blue Bombers offensive lineman Eric Lofton. Lofton has bounced around the CFL during his career, but he has spent most of his time with the Blue Bombers. Previously, Lofton has contributed as a left tackle, right tackle, right guard, and left guard during his career, and at 6’4″, 300 pounds, would make an outstanding bookend with the Tiger-Cats offensive tackle Quinton Barrow.

3 Down Nation first reported the agreement between Eric Lofton and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and the deal will not be official until the first official day of the CFL free agency period.

Eric Lofton has played in the CFL for the last eight seasons, but due to spending much of that time on practice squads, the 32-year-old lineman has not suffered the wear and tear of a full-time starter. During his CFL career, Lofton has played for the Ottawa Redblacks, Edmonton Elks, Saskatchewan Roughriders, and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Lofton’s most successful seasons were 2023, when Lofton started 14 games for the Roughriders, and in 2024 Lofton was a full-time starter for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, including the playoffs and Grey Cup championship game.

While the 2023 and 2024 seasons allowed Lofton to show the CFL a glimpse of what he could be on the offensive line, he has generally spent most of his career as a support player along the offensive line. The limiting factor for Lofton has been his history of injury, including the 2025 season, when he spent most of it on the 6-Game Injured List for the Blue Bombers. In addition, Lofton has been criticized for his performance under pressure. While Lofton is not a slam-dunk addition for the Tiger-Cats roster, he could work himself into a position where he can contribute to the team every week.

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