The BC Lions announced on Thursday they have acquired American quarterback Dane Evans in a trade with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. In exchange, the Ticats will receive a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2024 CFL Draft.
“We are thrilled to add someone of Dane’s calibre to our quarterback room. You can never have enough proven veterans at QB,” said co-GM/head coach Rick Campbell.
“Vernon Adams Jr. is our guy and our starter. Led by VA, the QB room will be a major key to our success.”
Evans, 29, moves West after suiting up in 63 games in Steel Town from 2018-22 while completing 698 of 1,019 pass attempts for 8,807 yards and 45 touchdowns. On the ground, Evans has added 511 yards and ten majors on 125 total carriers.
Thrust into the starting role after an injury to Jeremiah Masoli in July 2019, Evans posted a 9-2 record as the Tiger-Cats finished a league-best 15-3 before appearing in the 107th Grey Cup against Winnipeg. Evans finished that season with 3,746 passing yards and was third in the CFL with 21 touchdown strikes.
The Texas-raised Pivot went on to dress in 11 regular season games in 2021, going 89/132 for 1,060 yards and seven touchdown strikes. Evans again relieved Masoli in the Eastern Final win at Toronto and would start behind centre in the 108th Grey Cup against Winnipeg, going 4/9 for 24 yards before leaving with an injury.
In his first full season as the starter in 2022, Evans finished fourth in the CFL with 3,883 passing yards while leading Hamilton to an appearance in the Eastern Semi-Final at Montreal.
Prior to moving north, Evans attended training camp with the Philadelphia Eagles after signing as a non-drafted free agent in 2017.
In five seasons at Tulsa (2012-16), Evans was 904/1,577 for 11,680 yards, 84 touchdowns and 47 interceptions in 46 career games with the Golden Hurricanes. Evans finished his time at Tulsa as the program’s all-time leading passer.