Edmonton Elks add Marist QB Sonny Mannino to negotiation list

Photo courtesy: Stockton Photo/Marist Athletics

The Edmonton Elks have added American quarterback Sonny Mannino to their exclusive negotiation list.

The six-foot-five, 245-pound passer is entering his redshirt senior season at Marist University, where he has appeared in 27 career games and been the starter for the bulk of the past two seasons. Mannino has completed 335-of-603 passes (56 percent) for 3,606 yards, 25 touchdowns, and nine interceptions, while rushing 220 times for 706 yards and 11 majors. He has twice been named an All-Pioneer Football League honourable mention.

CFL teams can claim the rights to up to 45 players via the negotiation list on a first-come, first-served basis, provided that they are not eligible for the Canadian or Global Drafts, and have never played in the league before. These players can be added, traded, or removed from the list at any time.

Being added to a negotiation list does not mean that the player has expressed interest in the CFL, and some are unaware that their rights have even been claimed. Players can only force their removal from the list if the team does not provide them with a minimum contract offer at their request.

The Edmonton Elks opened training camp on May 10 and played their first preseason game on Saturday, May 23, a 34-16 win over the B.C. Lions. Their second preseason game against the Calgary Stampeders is slated for Friday, May 29. Final roster cuts are due on Saturday, May 30, after which the team will play its first regular-season game against the Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday, June 6.

Calgary recently selected Rutgers linebacker Dariel Djabome with their first-round pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, adding a key piece to pair with fellow Canadian linebacker Joel Dublanko. The team’s other major offseason additions include receiver Austin Mack, offensive lineman Coulter Woodmansey, and defensive lineman Malik Carney.

In 2025, the Elks finished fifth in the West Division standings with a 7-11 record, missing the playoffs for the fifth straight season.