Shedeur Sanders’ draft weekend slide made all the headlines — and apparently, it opened some international doors, too. On April 28, the Toronto Argonauts added the former Colorado star to their CFL negotiation list, a move that grants the team exclusive rights to sign Sanders if he ever chooses to leave the NFL behind.
While the idea of Sanders heading north may seem far-fetched, the Argonauts’ maneuver reflects growing interest in the quarterback, whose stock fell from first-round projections to a surprising fifth-round selection by the Cleveland Browns.
Toronto Takes a Swing — But Shedeur Sanders’ Focus Remains on Cleveland
According to TSN’s Dave Naylor, Toronto wasted no time securing Sanders’ CFL rights after his draft-day fall. While Sanders has given no indication he’s interested in the Canadian game (and likely never will — especially if Deion Sanders has any say in it), the Argonauts are hoping he’ll consider alternatives — especially given Cleveland’s current five-quarterback logjam and the uncertain path to playing time.
𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧: The Toronto Argonauts of the CFL have added Shedeur Sanders to their negotiation list, per @TSNDaveNaylor
The #Browns drafted Sanders, but in the event that Sanders decided to pursue an opportunity to play in the CFL, the Argonauts have the first chance to acquire… pic.twitter.com/BFYLbQNRRI
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball)
The Browns selected Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel in the third round. That leaves Sanders battling with veterans Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and the rookie Gabriel for the right to start while Deshaun Watson recovers from Achilles surgery.
Though there’s a realistic chance Sanders could start in Cleveland this year, the crowded depth chart isn’t ideal for a player once seen as a franchise-level talent. During the draft, there were even whispers that the UFL might try to lure Sanders with a record-breaking offer, using him as a marquee name to boost the league’s profile. But based on everything Sanders has said and done since being drafted, there’s no sign he’s looking beyond the NFL — at least not yet.
Still, the CFL has seen this movie before. The Browns’ former first-round pick Johnny Manziel famously ended up in Canada after flaming out in the NFL. Toronto’s move may ultimately go nowhere, but it plants a seed — and offers a backup plan — should Sanders’ NFL experience mirror that of others who took a similar path.
For now, though, the Browns appear to be his focus. And Sanders has made it clear he’s ready to prove he belongs.
Ex-NFL Coach Provides Insight Into Sanders’ Slide
Sanders’ unexpected slide became the story of the draft, and it even transcended sports. Sanders’ attitude and approach to the pre-draft process were often cited as reasons for his fall. However, more details about why he slipped are starting to surface, with NFL coaches who spoke to Bruce Feldman of The Athletic citing a combination of technical concerns and “shocking” intel that was floating around league circles.
While NFL fans and nearly every analyst were stunned by Sanders’ freefall, one former NFL quarterbacks coach told Feldman that it wasn’t a stunner to those in league circles.
“It was not surprising that Sanders waited as long as he did in the draft,” he said, suggesting that teams saw more red flags than the public realized.
Among the technical concerns, an NFL offensive coordinator cited mechanical flaws that hurt Sanders’ evaluation: “Shedeur has some leaks in his throwing motion. But I do like the kid. I think he’s smart. He’s tough. I hate the system he played in. He got sacked 94 times in the last two years. I get it (he had a terrible O-line), but I don’t. Get the ball out!”
The coach added that while Sanders flashed toughness and intelligence, he struggled to show NFL-caliber arm strength or mobility.
“He doesn’t have an exceptional arm or running ability. He’s streaky,” the OC noted.
A second offensive coordinator echoed similar concerns, focusing on the absence of elite physical tools.
“He’s really developmental. He’s a good QB. He’s tough as hell. He’s not overly mobile,” he said.
That profile — a quarterback without a standout trait — often leads to a backup-grade evaluation. An NFL wide receivers coach was even more blunt: “He’s got a skill set, but no dominant trait. He’s a backup at this point, and those guys have to be wired for humble support of the starter.”
But it wasn’t just Sanders’ on-field play that attracted concern. According to one coach, the real damage came from off-field perceptions — and this is where the shocking intel comes in.
“The intel I got was shocking: ‘This guy has no awareness about how he’s coming across,’ or the type of leverage he has or doesn’t have,” the coach said.
Questions about Sanders’ self-awareness, attitude, and maturity reportedly made teams nervous about handing Sanders the keys to a franchise right away. Some executives also described him as “arrogant,” “entitled, and “brash.”
It will be months before we find out if the Browns were right and the other 31 NFL teams weren’t.
