Could Shedeur Sanders Sign with CFL?

In the event Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders does not make it in the NFL this season, he might have a future north of the border. 

The Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts have added Sanders to their negotiation list on Monday.

By taking this action, they own the first rights to Sanders should he opt to play in Canada. This is likely in play only assuming things do not work out first in the NFL.

Sanders was expected by many to be taken on the first night of the NFL Draft. However, he did not hear his name called on the first night, the second night or almost half of day three. He waited 144 picks before being selected by the Browns.

The Browns also selected quarterback Dillon Gabriel from Oregon in the third round. The chances of both of them making the team remain slim. If Sanders does get cut, he now has another option.

Sanders has not expressed any interest in going to Canada. However, former Browns first-round selection Johnny Manziel played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats after two dismal seasons in the NFL. Manziel was taken in the 2014 NFL Draft.

Cleveland picked Sanders when he was too inexpensive to pass up. They got a player who was originally projected as a top talent, late in the draft. They got Sanders off the bargain rack.

 "Once it got to a point where it felt like it was a pretty steep discount, we just felt like, especially relative to the alternative ways that we could use this selection, this made the most sense," Browns general manager Andrew Berry said. 

Sanders could end up making the team in Cleveland. There is also the possibility he could be cut in the preseason and looking for another team or another league come August.

The Browns already have veterans Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and Deshaun Watson under contract for 2025. Watson is expected to miss most of the 2025 season with a ruptured Achilles tendon he suffered last season.

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski believes the quarterbacks will be able to be evaluated fairly, despite the fact there only so many plays in practice.

"Obviously you may not divide [the practice reps] '25, 25, 25,' but we feel really confident that we'll have a plan that is fair to each player and fair to the team as well," Stefanski said.