Don’t start buying up that Toronto Argonauts memorabilia just yet, Mountaineer fans.
Two days ago, Sportsnet.ca reported that former West Virginia quarterback Pat White was on the negotiation list with the Argonauts, a member of the Canadian Football League, after fellow CFL member, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, dropped White from their own negotiation list last week.
Now we know why.
A Winnipeg executive close to the situation said that White was simply asking for more money than the franchise was willing to give him, especially for someone with as little pro experience as White. Additionally, there were reportedly doubts from the Winnipeg camp that White was even going to play football again.
“Winnipeg only has a $4.25 million salary cap,” said Ed Tait of the Winnipeg Free Press. “What White was asking for was way above the norm.”
The amount White requested could not be confirmed and e-mails sent to the office of White’s agent were not immediately returned.
However, just because Toronto added White to their negotiation list doesn’t mean they plan on signing him. In the CFL, negotiation lists act as means to hold a player’s CFL rights, and can have as many as 35 players on them. The lists don’t guarantee contracts, but do prevent players from developing them with other CFL teams.
Multiple sources did confirm that a CFL free agent camp in Orlando would be held in the near future, but that White was not expected to attend.
After graduating from WVU, White signed a 4-year contract with the Miami Dolphins in 2009 worth $4.5 million with $2.4 million in guaranteed money. He was cut before the 2010 season and had a brief stint with the Kansas City Royals franchise before leaving the team earlier this year.
White has recently been seen around Milan Puskar Stadium during spring practice.