cfldb

Frequently Asked Questions about Rosters

The FAQ was recently reorganized with the addition of the Rosters topic and the shuffling of some questions. If you can't find your question on this page, please check the Rosters page.

1. Where can I get CFL rosters, injured lists, reserve lists and practice rosters? Where can I get a CFL team's negotiation list?#

   The CFL's 46-man active rosters (which include 4-man reserve lists), injured lists and practice rosters can be found by team on the CFL.ca team roster page. CFL team websites are also good sources of this information. CFL players by name and position are also available. While missing some information (such as designating 42-man active roster and 4-man reserve list membership and 9-game injured list added date), these rosters are more actively updated and accurate than what was available in the past.

   The CFL's negotiation lists are not public. From time to time media reports will name additions and deletions to negotiations lists, but complete lists are held private among the CFL head office and member clubs.

2. How does the Canadian Amateur draft work? Who is eligible for the Canadian Draft? What is the CFL Supplemental Draft? How do I become eligible for the CFL amateur draft?#

   The CFL Canadian Amateur draft is a six-round entry draft for non-imports into the CFL. The draft is held in early May each year. Draft selection order is determined by the finish order (waiver priority order) of the previous year and draft selections are allowed to be traded among teams. Currently, with eight teams and in a normal year, 48 players are selected in the draft. The full rules of the amateur and supplemental drafts are found in Section 6 of the CFL By-laws.

   To be eligible for the Canadian draft, a player must be a non-import with at least one year of university football and in their fourth year of university or have turned 25-years old in the year prior to the draft. Prospective draftees must submit paperwork to the league showing they meet the criteria for non-import status. Players who meet this criteria must pass through one Canadian Amateur draft or supplemental draft before they can be signed as a free agent as a non-drafted player. Players who do not play university football are not eligible for the draft but can be signed as free agents and will be considered non-import players with the requisite documentation.

   For players who do not submit the necessary paperwork indicating non-import status prior to the deadline to be eligible for the Canadian Amateur draft, a supplemental draft can be held. Multiple supplemental drafts can be held in a single year, arranged after proper paperwork is received and verified for each player. Players who do submit the necessary paperwork after 60 days of the draft being held do not go into a supplemental draft but become eligible for the next year's amateur draft.

   The supplemental draft provides teams an opportunity to select a player in the draft in exchange for forfeiting a pick in the next year's amateur draft. The selection order is done in reverse waiver priority order. Teams selecting a player must indicate a round from next year's amateur draft they will forfeit for this pick. Teams with a higher priority can then select the same player by matching or beating the round bid. For example, the Grey Cup champion may bid a third-round pick, all other teams could beat this pick by also bidding a third-round pick. The team with the highest bid gets the player and forfeits the pick bid from next year's amateur draft.

   While a complicated process, the CFL is not alone in the use of a supplemental draft.

   University players should ensure they have filed their non-import status paperwork with the league in time to be verified by the league prior to the deadline, which is normally three weeks before the draft is held, to ensure they are considered eligible for the CFL Amateur Draft.

   Thanks to Winnipeg Blue Bomber fans who asked the question, researched it, had the tenacity to step through the misinformation on this subject and provided the sources for the answer.

3. What is a practice roster? What did the CFL practice roster replace? How large are CFL practice rosters? When do CFL practice rosters expand? What are the rules around claiming a player off another team's practice roster?#

   Practice rosters provide CFL teams with additional reserve players to practice with the club but do not dress for games. The practice roster provides players familiar with a team's system that can be added to the regular roster in case of injury. Practice roster players do not sign standard CFL player contracts, instead they agree to a practice roster agreement.

   Prior to the introduction of practice rosters in 1987, the CFL employed 21-day tryouts. This allowed teams to add players who could practice with the club for 21-days. They could not participate in games during this period without being added to the active roster. At the end of the 21 days, if the team did not add the player to the active roster, the player had to clear waivers before he could be signed to another 21-day tryout, if we recall correctly.

   Canadian Football League teams are allowed to carry a practice roster of seven (7) players. During a 30-day period starting 30 days after the NFL cut-down day, teams may expand their practice rosters to 12 players. NFL cut-down day is late August/early September, meaning CFL practice rosters expand to 12 players from late September/early October for 30 days. Prior and following this 30-day period practice rosters are limited to seven players.

   Practice roster contracts allow a player to be signed by another club to a regular player contract, meaning the player must take an active (46-man) roster spot (sign a standard player contract). The club that currently holds the practice roster contract has the same option to sign the player to a standard player contract (and place the player on a 46-man roster spot) to avoid losing the player. Players under practice roster contracts are not allowed to sign a practice roster agreement with another team until they are released from the contract or the contract expires.

4. What is the CFL's designated import rule? When did the CFL first restrict the number of imports on a team? How has the designated import rule changed?#

   The current designated import rule requires three designated import players to only enter the game on special teams or to replace another import on offence or defence. This rule is specified in Article 23 of the CBA with the CFLPA as an amendment of the CFL By-laws and by Rule 4, Section 5, Article 6 of the Official CFL Rulebook.

   Prior to the formation of the CFL, Canadian Rugby Unions restricted the number of imports on a team to five starting in 1936. In addition, players were required to reside in Canada for one year to participate in the Grey Cup. While the rule is sometimes described as being developed to protect Canadian jobs, it was in fact implemented to develop the sport in Canada since there were no football "jobs" to have in Canada.

   By 1968 roster sizes were set at 31 players—17 non-imports, 13 imports and one designated import. The designated import was introduced that year and was allowed to replace another import in the game, but the man he replaced would not be allowed to return to the game. In 1970 the CFL amended the rule to allow designated imports who were quarterbacks to enter and leave the game freely in substitution of the quarterback. This change allowed CFL teams to carry dedicated backup quarterbacks. Previously, a team's backup quarterback was another positional player, normally a defensive back.

   The number of imports was increased to 15 and the roster size to 33 in 1972. It was later increased to 34 players, 19 non-imports and 15 imports and continued the designated import rule. In 1979, Jamie Bone, a Canadian College quarterback out of the University of Western Ontario successfully won a Ontario Human Rights Commission hearing. The judge ruled that Bone had been discriminated against on the basis of his nationality by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and awarded him $10,000 and a 30-day tryout which he declined. The judge did not strike down the designated import rule however, and it lived on.

   In 1986 the old designated import rule was eliminated by the league and game rosters were set at 35 (19 non-imports, 13 imports and three quarterbacks). In 1987 a quarterback position was dropped reducing the roster to 34.

   The designated import rule known today was introduced in 1988. Roster sizes were set at 20 non-imports, 14 imports and 2 quarterbacks. One import was a designated import and was restricted to participating in special team plays. 1990 saw rosters expand to 37 players consisting of 20 non-imports, 14 imports and three quarterbacks. In 2002 rosters were increased to 40 players, 19 non-imports, 18 imports and 3 quarterbacks with two designated imports. The designated import rule had been adjusted, allowing unlimited special teams play, but also providing for a designated import to replace another import player on offence or defence. In this way, starting positions for non-imports were protected since no more than 16 imports plus the quarterback could hold the 24 offensive or defensive starting positions.

   In 2006 rosters increased again to 42 players, 20 non-imports, 19 imports and 3 quarterbacks. The number of designated imports increased to three, meaning a minimum of seven non-import starting positions were required. It should be noted that teams have started more than the minimum of non-imports required, indicating greater Canadian talent than is often recognized.

   Sources:

   The Man Who Would Be Quarterback

   CFL Facts, Figures and Records, 2009 Edition

5. How many players are on the field in the CFL? How big are the rosters in the CFL? How many players are in the CFL? How many Canadian players dress for a CFL game? How many Canadian players in the CFL? What is the training camp roster size in the CFL?#

   There are 12 players on the field per side and teams dress a 42-man roster along with a four player reserve list.

   Using the 46-man roster times the current eight teams in 2010, there are 368 players in the CFL. If practice rosters and injury lists are counted, there are over 400 players employed in the CFL.

   Each team's roster must include at least 19 non-import players (essentially Canadians). Non-imports are defined as a person who has resided in Canada an aggregate of at least seven (7) of their first fifteen (15) years or a person who is a Canadian citizen and was physically resident in Canada for an aggregate period of five (5) years prior to the age of 18 years. This equates to a minimum of 152 Canadian (or non-imports) players on CFL rosters.

   Teams are limited to 75 players under contract during the off-season. Training camp roster sizes are set at 68 players plus any non-counting players (current year's draft picks, two additional non-counter players, previous year draft picks which have never attended a professional training camp and any junior player). Non-counter players are defined as:

   1. Players who have graduated from junior football and are within the club's territorial rights.
   2. A current year draft eligible player who was undrafted.
   3. A player who had been eligible for the preceding year's draft or one who may have been treated as a non-counter in the previous year's camp, provided that he has not participated in a CFL regular season or post-season game.

   Roster cut-down to the standard 46-man roster is usually slated for seven days before the first regular season game each year.

6. What are the rules for CFL off-season workouts? Are CFL off-season workouts mandatory?#

   Voluntary Off-season Workouts were introduced with the 2010 CBA. The rules governing these workouts are:

   • The workouts are completely voluntary and no player can be compelled to attend.
   • Veteran players must be given 30 days written notice of the date, times, place and practice schedule for off-season workouts.
   • Off-season workouts may only take place between Feb. 1 and April 30 each year.
   • The workouts and meetings may be no longer than 3 days in length.
   • Practice and meetings must be one continuous period and not longer than 4.5 hours on any day.
   • Practices shall be helmets and sweats only. Full equipment and contact drills are not allowed.
   • Clubs must provide all veteran players in attendance all meals, accommodation and travel expense.
   • Each veteran player will be entitled to a per diem of $115 per day, including travel days.

   Complete information on Voluntary Off-Season Workouts can be found in Section 6.04 of the CBA.

Submit a Question

Didn't find the question/answer you were looking for? Submit a question (and optionally a corresponding answer) below that you would like to see added to the FAQ on this site. Submissions will be reviewed and evaluated for inclusion in our Frequently Asked Questions list. Questions are not published immediately. Please include an email address (will not be published) if you would like notification of updates or for a direct response in case the question is deemed too specific for the FAQ. For specific questions not suitable for the FAQ, please see the contact page.