All nine CFL teams unveil 10 players from their respective negotiation lists

TORONTO — He's currently a senior at Purdue but quarterback Hudson Card now has a second option at a pro football career.

Card was one of 10 negotiation-list players revealed Wednesday by the Edmonton Elks. All nine CFL teams unveiled players Wednesday in the first of two revelations this year.

Card, a six-foot-three, 210-pound Texan, is in his second season at Purdue after starting his collegiate career at Texas. He completed 24-of-25 passes for 273 yards and four TDs in the Boilermakers' season-opening 49-0 victory over Indiana State on Aug. 31.

The Boilermakers (1-0) face No. 18 Notre Dame (1-1) on Saturday.

Card completed 215-of-365 passes (58.9 per cent) for 2,387 yards with 15 TDs and eight interceptions last season, starting all 11 games he appeared in. He missed another due to injury.

Card also ran 93 times for 203 yards and five TDs. He finished the season ranked third in the Big Ten in passing yards per game (217) and completions per game (19.6).

Card began his college tenure at Texas in 2020. During the '22 season, he started three of the nine games he appeared in, completing 75-of-108 passes (69.4 per cent) for 928 yards with six TDs and an interception while rushing 17 times for 46 yards.

CFL teams can have up to 45 players on their negotiation list which gives them exclusive negotiating rights to those individuals should they decide to play in Canada.

Players can be added, or removed, at a team’s discretion on a first-come, first-serve basis. Clubs own exclusive rights to those players so long as they’re on a negotiation list.

Negotiation-list players are often a crapshoot for CFL teams as many never set foot in Canada. But the lists can bear fruit as Hamilton rookie quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa -- the younger brother of Miami Dolphins star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa -- signed with the Ticats after being placed on their negotiation list.

And in 2018, Hamilton signed Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel after placing him on its negotiation list.

Some others include: quarterbacks Dustin Crum (Ottawa) and Chris Streveler (Winnipeg) and receivers Tim White (Hamilton) and Kalil Pimpleton (Ottawa).

Predictably, quarterbacks led the way Wednesday with 33 being revealed. Every CFL team had at least two quarterbacks listed, with B.C. (seven) and Edmonton (six) having the most.

The next reveal comes in December.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.

The Canadian Press