The Calgary Stampeders have added quarterback Ben Finley to their negotiation list.
The 24-year-old recently completed his redshirt senior season at Akron University, where he threw for 5079 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions over two seasons under centre. He also rushed for 182 yards and two scores.
The six-foot-three, 210-pound passer started his collegiate career at North Carolina State University, where he spent three seasons. He saw limited action with the Wolfpack, throwing for 912 yards, four touchdowns, and five interceptions, going 1-1 as a starter.
The native of Phoenix, Ariz. transferred to the University of California in 2023 where he made two starts, going 0-2. He threw for 572 yards, three touchdowns, and four interceptions with the Golden Bears.
Finley is the younger brother of Ryan Finley, who was a fourth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. He threw for 638 yards, three touchdowns, and four interceptions over three NFL seasons with the Bengals and Houston Texans.
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 Calgary Stampeders finished third in the West Division standings in 2025 with an 11-7 record but lost the West Semi-Final to the B.C. Lions. Vernon Adams Jr. threw for 4,247 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions over 17 regular-season starts, posting a 11-6 record as the team’s starting quarterback.
The Stampeders ranked fourth in net offence, seventh in net defence, and second with a turnover differential of plus-nine. Dedrick Mills won the CFL’s rushing title with 1,409 yards, while the team’s leading receiver was Dominique Rhymes with 886 yards, and leading tackler was Jacob Roberts with 102 tackles. Calgary finished fifth in attendance with average crowds of 22,295, which was a 3.5 percent increase from the previous year.
