Saskatchewan Roughriders legend Darian Durant has high hopes for free agent NFL quarterback Trey Lance if he ever decides to play in the CFL.
"I think the CFL game is tailor-made for him," Durant told The SportsCage. "It's gonna take a lot of convincing for him to come up because of the money that he's made. If he really wants to play and still be a star because he's so young, I think the CFL will be the way to go."
The San Francisco 49ers took Lance in the first round, third overall coming out of North Dakota State University in the 2021 NFL Draft. Lance was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in 2023. He's made approximately $34 million USD while playing in the NFL. The six-foot-four, 226-pound QB suited up in 12 NFL games, throwing for 1,063 yards with five touchdowns and four interceptions.
"I honestly think that he would be a better CFL quarterback than an NFL quarterback. I think that the system he played in college, it was a wide open four-five receiver system, same thing that you're going to do in the CFL," Durant explained.
"He struggles with these tight window throws with the tight coverage of these NFL defensive backs. He needs to be on a bigger field where he can run around and use his athleticism a little bit as well as be able to have these bigger windows. Watching him play in college, you can see the struggles in the NFL because no one's willing to really give him a shot at any significant playing time."
According to 3DownNation insider Justin Dunk, the Green and White recently added Lance to their negotiation list, which gives them exclusive rights to negotiate a contract. CFL teams can add up to 45 players to their negotiation list. Lance's father, Carlton, played in the CFL for the Riders in 1993 and suited up for 13 games.
Another player on the Riders' negotiation list is free agent NFL receiver Chase Claypool from Abbotsford B.C. According to 3DowNation insider Justin Dunk, the Riders have communicated with the athletic pass catcher.
"I think he needs to weigh every opportunity he can down south to see if that can work out for him. It depends on his mindset where he is with furthering his career. If I'm the Riders, I'm definitely watching every single move and seeing what's happening because if he has any gas left in the tank, he could definitely help the team," Durant said.
"Is he in NFL shape? Is he big and bulky? The last time he weighed I think I saw he was about 235 pounds or something like that. You can't be that big and be a productive receiver in the CFL. It depends on what type of shape he's in."
Claypool was selected in the second round by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2020 NFL Draft. He played for the Steelers until 2022 when he was traded to the Chicago Bears. He would play with the Bears through 2023 and later be traded to the Miami Dolphins. He signed with the Buffalo Bills in 2024 as a free agent. Later on the Bills would release Claypool with an injury settlement on August 15 last year. Throughout Claypool's career, he's made over eight million USD while playing in the NFL. In 58 games, he's recorded 2,261 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns.
