Shedeur Sanders lands on CFL negotiation list: Will it affect his NFL future?
ByTuhin Das Mahapatra
Published on: Jul 05, 2025 10:53 AM IST
Shedeur Sanders, recently drafted by the Browns, is now on the Toronto Argonauts' negotiation list.
Shedeur Sanders has barely had time to unpack his bags in Cleveland, and already, another team is eyeing his future. The Toronto Argonauts, reigning Grey Cup champions, recently placed the rookie quarterback on their 45-man negotiation list, per Newsweek.
Shedeur Sanders, rookie QB for the Browns, has been added to the Toronto Argonauts' negotiation list. (Photo by Jason Miller / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)(Getty Images via AFP)
Shedeur Sanders, rookie QB for the Browns, has been added to the Toronto Argonauts' negotiation list. (Photo by Jason Miller / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)(Getty Images via AFP)
Sanders, who just fell to the fifth round in the 2025 NFL Draft, after being passed over by multiple teams, was scooped up by the Browns. “It’s time to take advantage of the opportunity—gotta go in there with a different mindset; and lead the program in whatever role I gotta be in until it’s my time,” Sanders said after being drafted, per ESPN.
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Coming off a monster season at Colorado, where he threw for over 4,100 yards, 37 touchdowns, and completed 74% of his passes, Deion Sanders' son was viewed by many as one of the most polished passers in college football. But despite the production, his draft stock fell, partly due to concerns about his pocket timing and whispers about a speeding ticket that reportedly raised character questions in some war rooms.
Why the CFL is watching Shedeur Sanders closely
Enter the Argonauts, who added Sanders to their Canadian Football League (CFL) negotiation list, which gives them exclusive rights to sign him if he ever expresses interest in heading north. It's a routine manoeuvre in the Canadian league, but it actually proves how valuable Sanders’ potential is even outside the NFL. Toronto has used this tactic before with former NFL talents like Ricky Williams, Chad Kelly, and Johnny Manziel.
For now, Shedeur signed a four-year rookie deal worth $4.65 million, including a $447,000 signing bonus. The CFL’s minimum rookie salary—around $70,000 CAD doesn’t even come close.
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Quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt has been pushing Sanders hard, especially on footwork and blitz recognition. Sanders will go toe-to-toe in training camp with other backups for the coveted QB2 spot behind Watson. If he makes the 53-man roster, the Argonauts’ claim is just a footnote. But if he ends up on the practice squad or faces roster cuts, the CFL window opens, and Toronto would have a 10-day exclusive period to try to woo him.
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