Former CFL quarterback Chris Streveler has made the Arizona Cardinals’ 53-man active roster.
Head coach Kliff Kingsbury and general manager Steve Keim are high on Streveler’s athleticism and versatility. Arizona is carrying three quarterbacks on the roster to start the 2020 season — former first overall pick Kyler Murray, journeyman Brett Hundley, and Streveler.
The 25-year-old Streveler threw for 2,698 yards in two seasons with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers along with 19 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. He rushed for 1,167 yards and 22 touchdowns averaging 5.7 yards per carry.
Streveler was especially effective for Winnipeg during the 2019 Grey Cup run in the post-season. He rushed for 82 yards and a touchdown in the West Semi-Final in Calgary and threw a touchdown pass to Andrew Harris in the Grey Cup.
The University of South Dakota product has drawn comparisons to New Orleans Saints’ quarterback Taysom Hill as an explosive athlete who can attack defences with his arm and legs. He runs a 4.45-second 40-yard dash, posted a 38.5-inch vertical, and fired off a 10-foot, five-inch broad jump at six-foot-two, 209 pounds.
Each of those three testing results would have been top among all quarterbacks who attended the 2018 NFL Combine. They are elite numbers for any position, much less the quarterback spot.
Every NFL franchise had a representative at Streveler’s pro day in March 2018 and he worked out privately for the Chicago Bears, but went unselected in the 2018 NFL Draft. He turned down NFL rookie mini-camp invitations to sign with Winnipeg.
Streveler was a captain in college who led the Coyotes to the FCS playoffs for the first time in program history as a senior. He completed 65.7 per cent of his passes for 4,134 yards, 32 touchdowns against eight interceptions while rushing for 720 yards and 11 touchdowns on 168 carries (4.3 yards-per-carry-average) during 13 games in his senior season for South Dakota.
Streveler earns a roster spot on a Cardinals team that employs a creative offensive coach in Kingsbury.
