‘He’s got a live arm’: Green Bay Packers head coach impressed with London QB Taylor Elgersma

National team quarterback Taylor Elgersma of Laurier (18) runs through drills during practice for the Senior Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, in Mobile, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

After day one of his NFL rookie mini-camp, Taylor Elgersma is receiving strong compliments from Green Bay Packers head coach Matt Lafleur.

“Watching him throw just an hour ago or whatever it was, he’s got a live arm, so there’s a lot to like about him,” Lafleur told media after day one of the two-day workouts.

After describing going undrafted as “tough,” Elgersma had 14 offers to attend rookie camps as an undrafted free agent. He narrowed his options down to two with Green Bay this weekend, and potentially the Bills next week if he doesn’t’ earn a contract from the Packers.

“Opportunity, the [quarterback] room that they have and a chance to go earn that contract,” Elgersma described to CTV News why he and his agent chose Green Bay. “We felt like from the front office, they’re going to give me a look.”

The Packers were familiar with Elgersma’s work, having watched him at the Senior Bowl, and also at his pro day in March. They also brought him in for a top 30 visit last month.

“We did a workout with our tryout guy and he’s got a very live arm and you can see that on tape,” said Lafleur. “He played at the Senior Bowl and (Jason) Vrable got to see him there. I watched the stuff from the Senior Bowl and then obviously talked to Vrable about that. We had him in on a 30 visit, so we got an opportunity to sit down with him, another guy that loves football.”

Lafleur isn’t the only football executive who is impressed with the London, Ont. quarterback. This week, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers chose Elgersma with the 18th pick in the CFL Draft.

“Taylor’s a good player,” said Kyle Walters, the Bombers general manager and St. Thomas, Ont. native.

“Whether he’s Canadian or American, he’s a good quarterback. With that extra pick at the end of the second round, we knew pretty certainly he wasn’t going to be there at our next pick. And we liked him a lot. And he’s going to come in and compete as a quarterback and learn from some veteran guys around here and we’re really looking forward to seeing him.”

Winnipeg is option number three for Elgersma, who is hoping to score a contract with the Packers after this weekend. Should that not happen, he’ll come home for a couple of days, then head to Buffalo for the Bills’ rookie mini-camp Friday-Sunday. If he doesn’t get signed, he’ll go to Winnipeg.

“I think I have a really good fit with Winnipeg,” said Elgersma. “They have a great culture there and a winning front office, winning coaches and winning football. I like the quarterback room specifically, so I think it’s a really good fit.”

He said there has been some positives and negatives to not hearing his name called.

“It was disappointing, but I took that night to kind of be upset about [it] and realized I have a great opportunity with two organizations to help me develop and to go win a contract,” said Elgersma. “It’s a little bit unique with some of these teams not being able to see me as much as they’re seeing some of the other prospects in this draft. Hopefully I head down to these spots, and they get to see me play a lot with their guys, and then I can earn that contract.”

Elgersma has proven he can play with his experience at the Senior Bowl and an impressive season in USports football where he won the Hec Crighton Trophy as the top player.

However, it’s a big jump to the professional level.

“Just coming from where he’s coming from to this level, I think there’s going to be a big learning curve,” said Lafleur. “But if there’s anybody that will attack it, head on, Taylor will. That was so evident when he was here on the 30 visit. I know he’s been working really hard at it, so I think even just talking [with] (Jason) Vrable, the strides he’s probably made from the Senior Bowl to now has been significant.”

Knowing he needs time to develop, Elgersma has told CTV News that he’s been looking for an organization with an established quarterback room. The Packers have Jordan Love, Malik Willis, and Sean Clifford.

The Buffalo Bills have Josh Allen, Mitch Trubisky, as well as Shane Buechele and Mike White.