Toronto Argonauts add third-round NFL draft pick Hendon Hooker to negotiation list

Photo: Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions

The Toronto Argonauts have added American quarterback Hendon Hooker to their negotiation list.

The 27-year-old was a third-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. He saw action in three regular-season games in 2024, completing six-of-nine pass attempts for 62 yards. Hooker also rushed the ball five times for two yards.

The six-foot-three, 221-pound passer was waived by the Lions near the end of training camp earlier this year and joined the practice roster with the Carolina Panthers two days later. He remained with the Panthers until his release on Tuesday.

The native of Greensboro, N.C. was a collegiate standout at the University of Tennessee where he completed 68.8 percent of his passes for 6,080 yards, 58 touchdowns, and five interceptions over two seasons. He was named first-team All-SEC and the SEC Offensive Player of the Year in 2022.

Hooker started his collegiate career at Virginia Tech where he completed 63.1 percent of his passes for 2,894 yards, 22 touchdowns, and seven interceptions over three seasons.

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 Toronto Argonauts finished third in the East Division standings in 2025 with a 5-13 record, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2019. Franchise quarterback Chad Kelly was unable to play all season due to a fractured leg he suffered in the East Final the previous year, giving way to Nick Arbuckle, who threw for 4,370 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions to be named the team’s candidate for Most Outstanding Player.

The Argonauts ranked seventh in net offence, sixth in net defence, and seventh with a turnover differential of minus-eight. The club’s leading rusher was Spencer Brown with 314 yards, leading receiver was Dejon Brissett with 907 yards, and leading tackler was Cameron Judge with 79 tackles. Toronto ranked ninth in attendance with average crowds of 15,109, which was a 0.1 percent decrease from the previous year.