A CFL team owns Shedeur Sanders' negotiation rights. Here's what that means

Shedeur Sanders is preparing for his rookie season with the Cleveland Browns after being selected in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Sanders joined a crowded Browns quarterback room that was already comprised of 40-year-old veteran Joe Flacco, 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett and third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel. The four men are expected to battle both to be Cleveland’s starting quarterback while also jockeying for position on the depth chart as whole.

While much of the focus surrounding Sanders is about his first season in Cleveland, the Browns aren’t the only professional football team that owns his rights. The Toronto Argonauts – a long-time member of the CFL – have Sanders on their negotiation list, meaning they are the only team that can sign the former Colorado quarterback should he ever want to play in the league.

Here’s what to know about the CFL’s negotiation list and why Sanders is one of many young, NFL quarterbacks on it.

Which CFL team owns rights to Shedeur Sanders?

The Toronto Argonauts currently own the exclusive CFL negotiation rights to Sanders. Should the current Browns quarterback ever want to play in Canada, he would have to negotiate a contract with Toronto to make that happen.

It isn’t clear how long the Argonauts have owned Sanders’ rights, as CFL teams are allowed to add college players to their negotiation lists. The league made the full negotiation lists public for the first time on Wednesday, July 2.

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What is the CFL’s negotiation list?

Each of the CFL’s nine teams maintains a negotiation list of “up to 45 players who are currently either unsigned or are playing in the NFL, in another professional league, or in college,” according to the CFL’s official website.

Teams hold the exclusive CFL negotiating rights to the players included on their lists. Players can be added or removed from the list at any time, and teams are also allowed to trade the rights to players on their negotiation lists to other clubs within the league.

Is Shedeur Sanders going to the CFL?

Just because Sanders is included on one of the CFL’s negotiation lists does not mean he is going to play in the league. It simply means the Argonauts will retain his CFL rights if he ever does decide to play north of the border.

But if Sanders accomplishes his goal and carves out a long-term NFL career, he will not join the Canadian league.

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Other QBs on CFL’s negotiation list

Sanders is far from the only NFL quarterback on a CFL team’s negotiation list. Many of the league’s clubs stockpile the rights to high-end college quarterbacks and back-end NFL roster candidates in the hopes one will eventually decide to join their teams.

Sanders is among the most notable, with Saskatchewan Roughriders stash Trey Lance – the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft – also being among the best-know candidates on the combined lists.

Below is a look at the quarterbacks on the CFL’s negotiation list for all nine teams, along with their alma maters or the most recent college program for which they played.

BC Lions

Beau Brungard, Youngstown State

Ben DiNucci, James Madison

Cole Gonzales, Western Carolina

Mikey Keene, Fresno State

Gevani McCoy, Oregon State

John Mateer, Washington State

Chris Oladokun, South Dakota State

Tommy Rittenhouse, Illinois State

Demond Williams Jr., Washington

Calgary Stampeders

Garrett Greene, West Virginia

Jake Haener, Fresno State

Tommy Mellott, Montana State

Edmonton Elks

Malik Cunningham, Louisville

Devon Dampier, New Mexico

Jalen Raynor, Arkansas State

Collin Schlee, Kent State

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Thomas Castellanos, Boston College

Adrian Martinez, Kansas State

Austin Reed, Western Kentucky

Montreal Alouettes

Brett Gabbert, Miami (OH)

Derek Robertson, Monmouth

Lindsey Scott, Incarnate Word

Ottawa Redblacks

Zach Annexstad, Illinois State

Zach Calzada, Incarnate Word

Matt Morrissey, Eastern Kentucky

Reese Poffenbarger, Albany

Nick Vattiato, Middle Tennessee State

Kekoa Visperas, Eastern Washington

Hajj-Malik Williams, UNLV

Saskatchewan Roughriders

Alonza Barnett III, James Madison

Andrew Edwards, Henderson State

Trey Lance, North Dakota State

Jordan McCloud, James Madison

Alex McGough, Florida International

Maverick McIvor, Abilene Christian

Zach Zebrowski, Central Missouri

Toronto Argonauts

Kyron Drones, Virginia Tech

Jarrett Guarantano, Washington State

Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

Matthew Sluka, James Madison

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Mark Gronowski, South Dakota State

Haynes King, Georgia Tech

To see the full negotiation lists for every team, click here.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why Shedeur Sanders’ CFL negotiating rights belong to Argonauts

A CFL team owns Shedeur Sanders’ negotiation rights. Here’s what that means

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