One current Pittsburgh Steelers’ player and a slew of former ones make up a long list of names on the Canadian Football League’s (CFL) exclusive negotiation list. Released today, Steelers’ rookie offensive tackle Gareth Warren is part of the Edmonton Elks negotiation list.
To be very clear, this doesn’t change Warren’s place on the Steelers’ roster. At all. Warren remains under contract with Pittsburgh and will soon travel to Latrobe with the rest of the team for training camp. The CFL negotiation list only gives Elks first dibs should Warren ever attempt to play in the Canadian league.
Signed following rookie minicamp from Lindenwood, Warren will compete for one of the final offensive line spots on the Steelers’ 53-man roster. While his odds are long, Pittsburgh lacks sturdy tackle depth. With an impressive summer showing, that could create a path for Warren to stick.
The Steelers’ starting tackles are locked in, Broderick Jones on the left and Troy Fautanu on the right, but spots behind are up-for-grabs. Veteran Calvin Anderson figures to be the swing tackle but a potential fourth spot is wide open. Warren will compete with Dylan Cook and whoever else sees time at tackle. It could be fellow UDFA Aiden Williams, the versatile Nick Broeker, or someone else.
The most notable former Steeler on the CFL’s list is WR Chase Claypool, whose rights are held by the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Traded by Pittsburgh to Chicago mid-way through the 2022 season, Claypool was out of the league last season following a failed summer stint in Buffalo. Still just 26 years old (he turns 27 Tuesday), Claypool burst on-scene as a high-impact rookie. But immaturity and inconsistent downfield ball skills quickly ended a promising career. Despite the Bears sending a second-round pick to Pittsburgh, Claypool caught just 18 passes across ten games with the Bears, who traded him to the Miami Dolphins in 2023.
Other ex-Steelers on the list include RB Anthony McFarland Jr., CB Desmond King, QB/WR John Rhys Plumlee, EDGE Quincy Roche, DL Carlos Davis, and others. The biggest headline name across the NFL is Cleveland Browns QB Shedeur Sanders, whose CFL rights are controlled by the Toronto Argonauts.
CFL teams can hold negotiating rights with up to 45 players. Players can be added or subtracted at any time.
The CFL’s regular season is underway and runs through late October. The championship game, the Grey Cup, will be held November 16.
