Edmonton Elks add NFL QB Matthew Caldwell to negotiation list

Texas Athletics

The Edmonton Elks have added American quarterback Matthew Caldwell to their negotiation list. The move was registered by the CFL over the weekend.

The 23-year-old signed with the Los Angeles Rams after going unselected in the 2026 NFL Draft. According to Spotrac, his three-year contract included $6,000 in guaranteed money.

Caldwell finished his collegiate career at the University of Texas, where he completed 72.7 percent of his passes for 85 yards and one touchdown over six games. He didn’t make any starts.

The six-foot-three, 213-pound passer made six starts at Troy University in 2024, posting a 3-3 record. Caldwell completed 63.2 percent of his passes for 1,608 yards, 13 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He also rushed for 47 yards and five scores.

Caldwell spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons at Gardner-Webb University, an NCAA FCS program located in Boiling Springs, N.C. He went 2-4 as a starter, completing 62.3 percent of his passes for 1,083 yards, six touchdowns, and six interceptions.

The native of Auburn, Ala. began his collegiate career at Jacksonville State University, where he completed 47.0 percent of his passes for 136 yards and one interception.

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.

In a corresponding move, the Elks dropped the rights to Michael Pratt.

The Edmonton Elks (3-0) will visit the B.C. Lions (0-3) at the Apple Bowl in Kelowna on Saturday, July 4 with kickoff scheduled for 7:00 p.m. EDT. The Elks are coming off a 23-18 come-from-behind win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, while the Lions lost the first of two games in the Okanagan against the Calgary Stampeders.

The weather forecast in Kelowna calls for a high of 26 degrees and a mix of sun and cloud. The game will be broadcast on TSN in Canada and CFL+ internationally. Radio listeners can tune in on 880 CHED in Edmonton or 730 CKNW (English) or Sher-E-Punjab Radio AM 600 (Punjabi) in B.C.