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Each year as we discover the lost wonders of the CFL’s negotiation list reveal, it feels like a treasure hunt.
Many of your favourite American players once graced these lists. They’re often shrouded in mystery, always full of talent and never easy to decipher or even keep up to date as teams plot, plan and swap out names consistently especially around this time of year thanks to the overwhelming number of transactions processed on both sides of the border.
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As always, this negotiation list real highlights mostly quarterbacks, as is the rule in most of professional football. There are great players up and down the list, but the passers have particularly interesting background stories, each with a unique journey and reasoning for being on this list.
Here are my nine most interesting names from each of the nine CFL clubs.
BC LIONS | LIBERTY QB | KAIDON SALTER
The Liberty Flames have become somewhat of a destination school for cunning dual threat passers as of late. After Hugh Freeze and Kent Austin left for Auburn, former Coastal Carolina head coach and offensive mastermind Jamey Chadwell came to Lynchburg and the offensive numbers from his days with the Chanticleers have continued to pile up further north.
The beneficiary of that currently is Salter who just last season went 13-0 with 2,750 yards and a 31:5 touchdown to interception ratio while rushing for over 1,000 yards. Sign me up.
EDMONTON ELKS | UTAH QB | CAMERON RISING
Utah Athletics
Rising began his journey in 2018 with the Texas Longhorns, sat out 2019 to transfer West and joined the Utes before waiting and growing his game for a couple seasons. The payoff was a 2022 season with nearly 3,000 yards and a 25:7 touchdown to interception ratio on route to a Pac-12 (RIP) championship MVP.
All stats aside, Rising has played in two Rose Bowls and knows his way around some very big moments. With Edmonton loaded at quarterback between McLeod Bethel-Thompson and Tre Ford currently, I doubt Edmonton is the final destination, but who knows!
CALGARY STAMPEDERS | BYU REC | SAMSON NACUA
Well, his brother Puka is currently a Pro Bowl receiver for the Los Angeles Rams so who can blame Calgary for taking a shot on the Nacua bloodlines?!
Samson actually has three brothers who have all played football, so there is no questioning what his professional intentions and motivations are. Undrafted in 2022 after his final season with the cougars in 2022, Nacua is on the hunt for his next opportunity and Calgary would be a tremendous landing spot.
SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS | TEXAS A&M QB | KELLEN MOND
At six-foot-three and 222 pounds and with plenty of mobility, Mond would likely enter the CFL as a situational quarterback but I believe he would upgrade that status quickly. At just 25 years old, he has plenty of growth possible and after having bounced through four NFL organizations, he might be ready for a different path to football fulfillment.
WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS | CHATTANOOGA QB | CHASE ARTOPEOEUS
Photo: Chattanooga Athletics
Winnipeg’s negotiation list lacks the splashy names and familial affiliations, but it’s full of really good players. Artopeoeus is right up there with the best as he currently calls Chattanooga home following four seasons with the UCLA Bruins and starting his career under head coach Chip Kelly.
A 4.0 GPA student, Chase has proven his ability to adapt quickly to a new offence, as a red shirt junior in 2023 he ranked top-20 nationally in yards per completion (14.29), yards per attempt (8.97), pass efficiency rating (155.5), and pass yards per game (242.9).
HAMILTON TIGER-CATS | KANSAS STATE QB | ADRIAN MARTINEZ
College football is always a funny place, but never more funny than through the pandemic where a player like Adrian Martinez just seems to play forever and ever, and ever.
From four seasons at Nebraska to finishing with Kansas State then bouncing around the States, Martinez is very much in search of a landing spot and Hamilton could fit after Taylor Powell assumes the lead role when Bo Levi Mitchell is done.
TORONTO ARGONAUTS | TCU QB | MAX DUGGAN
One look at Duggan’s record and you get it.
Davey O’Brien Award (2022)
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award (2022)
Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award (2022)
Bob Bowlsby Award (2023)
Big 12 Athlete of the Year (2023)
Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year (2022)
Second-team All-American (2022)
First-team All-Big 12 (2022)
The dude is a warrior who knows how to make plays when it matters most, if the NFL won’t accept him for the player he is, I believe the CFL would with open arms. BMO Field would love his traits and his arm could quickly grow into one of the more threatening in the CFL with the right coaching.
OTTAWA REDBLACKS | TEXAS REC | TARIK BLACK
Photo: U-M Athletics
My lone receiver of this negotiation list crop, Black is a six-foot-three, 217-pound terror for corners who knows how to high point and setup coverage with the best of them.
If he could learn the CFL game, his frame is so enticing especially alongside Nick Mardner or Dominique Rhymes in Ottawa to offset the size disadvantage of Justin Hardy and Bralon Addison.
MONTREAL ALOUETTES | MIAMI OF OHIO QB | BRETT GABBERT
Photo: Miami Athletics
I have to admit, this one is strictly off last name. I know Brett Gabbert has a strong arm and has been a mainstay of the Redhawks program over the last five years, but I always wanted his brother Blaine to come North after a tremendous career at Missou.
It might be a different brother, but if Gabbert possesses any of the quick release and free wheeling his brother did he could be a great developmental fit for the Alouettes!