Former Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt is still searching for an NFL home after being waived by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with an injury designation on Aug. 12.
After a back injury kept him out of competing against quarterback Kyle Trask for a roster spot, Pratt was let go for the Buccaneers to make space on their 91-man training camp roster.
If he is unable to find a spot on a practice squad this season, could Pratt look to follow the path of a former teammate?
On Tuesday, the CFL team, Edmonton Elks, added Pratt to their negotiation list. There’s a chance he also has an additional teammate there, as defensive lineman Patrick Jenkins was added to the list in August.
The Elks are where former Green Wave linebacker Nick Anderson rejuvenated his playing career and earned CFL Rookie of the Year honors for his incredible debut season.
It was a tough choice for Anderson after being released by the New Orleans Saints, but he’s found his way in the CFL for Edmonton.
Pratt may look to do the same – if not this season, then perhaps next.
When Anderson was cut by the Saints, he didn’t look towards the CFL until he was urged by Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall to keep playing after standing in as the team’s linebacker coach in the 2023 Military Bowl loss.
The 2025 CFL season began on June 5, and the league championship is scheduled for Nov. 16.
The way the CFL negotiation list works is that it’s a team-specific roster where they can select up to 45 players who are either still in college, currently in the NFL, or are unsigned. That team then holds exclusive rights to that player should they decide to join the league.
Should Pratt elect to take the CFL path, he would join Anderson with the Elks.
Pratt initially found his way to the NFL as a seventh-round draft pick by the Green Bay Packers. He was waived and then signed with Tampa Bay to join their practice squad for the 2024 season.
Pratt was undoubtedly one of the most accomplished and important quarterbacks in program history. The four-year starter holds the school records for career passing yards (9,611) and passing touchdowns (90). He also has the sixth-most rushing touchdowns in Tulane history with 28.
He’s most remembered for the final drive in the 2022 Cotton Bowl that capped off a historical comeback and led to the greatest single-season turnaround in college football history.