As of August 9, 48 players from the XFL have been signed by NFL teams, and 46 are still on rosters or reserve lists. Many of those players will be making their debut with their new teams this weekend as the majority of teams kick off their preseason slate of games. Below are the players, their NFL jersey number (in case you’re interested in checking out the games to monitor the progress of XFL alumni), their XFL team, and where they stand according to each team’s unofficial depth chart, put out this week.
A similar list of current NFL players from the 2020 XFL season can be found here.
Buffalo: Buffalo lists three starting receivers, and WR Marcell Ateman (#15 – Battlehawks) finds himself third in line at one of them, behind starter Gabriel Davis and rookie Justin Shorter. Ateman is ahead of former Colts draft pick Dezmon Patmon and rookie free agent Tyrell Shavers. Buffalo is deep at receiver and Ateman was thought to be a longshot, and while he still may be, his placement here indicates he does have a chance.
Miami: LB Mike Rose (#59 – Battlehawks) is entrenched as one of the two third-team inside linebackers on Miami’s initial depth chart. There doesn’t appear to be a lot of upward mobility for him, as he’s behind Channing Tindall, a third-round pick from 2022. He’s really battling the backups at the other ILB position, Mitchell Agude and Garrett Nelson, for what could be the final roster spot there – and that’s if Miami keeps five.
In Miami’s defensive backfield, S Bryce Thompson (#42 – Sea Dragons) has his work cut out for him as well. It’s a crowded position for Miami and Thompson is listed fourth – and last – at one of two safety spots. Thompson may be able to jump Trill Williams ahead of him, though it will be tougher unseating DeShon Elliott as the immediate backup.
New York Jets: Two former XFL players were signed since New York’s first preseason game last week, and thus are not included in the depth chart currently posted. DT Bruce Hector (#69 – Renegades) likely takes the place of Isaiah Mack, who was recently released. That probably puts him behind Marquiss Spencer and Tanzel Smart at one of the defensive tackle positions.
Another player just signed was XFL Defensive Player of the Year, DE Pita Taumoepenu (#97 – Vipers). He’ll fit in as an EDGE player in New York’s 4-3 alignment, likely starting off at the back of the pack. If he brings the same pass-rush juice he brought to Vegas in 2023, Taumoepenu could climb the depth chart quickly.
Cincinnati: Starting QB Joe Burrow suffered a strained calf early in camp, necessitating the signing of another quarterback. QB Reid Sinnett (#7 – Brahmas) beat out Arlington Renegade Drew Plitt in a tryout, earning a contract. He’s very clearly the fourth QB when Burrow returns to health, behind Trevor Siemian and Jake Browning. In fact, it would not be surprising if Sinnett gets released when Burrow returns to practice. He should get a few preseason reps under his belt before then, however.
Cleveland: Cleveland played the Jets in the Hall-of-Fame game last week, and they too added an XFL duo since then. They’ve updated their depth chart for their second game. OT Derrick Kelly (#60 – Brahmas) is listed as third-team right tackle. Fourth-round giant Dawand Jones is ahead of him, and Kelly isn’t going to win a spot over Jones. He’s really probably battling two backups at left tackle, James Hudson and Tyrone Wheatley Jr., to be the fourth tackle.
The defensive front of the Browns is so loaded that DE Chuck Wiley (#59 – Roughnecks) doesn’t even make the four-deep. A backup for the Roughnecks in 2023, Wiley is expected to fill in practice reps for Isaiah McGuire and Alex Wright, both of whom were injured in last Thursday’s game. Wiley has a limited amount of time to prove he deserves to stick around once they get healthy.
Pittsburgh: It’s been an up-and-down camp for WR Hakeem Butler (#21 – Battlehawks), who struggled with drops last week to the point that he was called out by head coach Mike Tomlin during practice. Right now, Butler appears to be getting the benefit of the doubt by being placed on the second-team at one of three WR spots. It’s one of the highest rankings in which XFL players appear on initial depth charts. It guarantees Butler nothing as he’ll still have to show consistency in the preseason to lock up a job.
Vegas’s backup, RB John Lovett (#33 – Vipers) is listed on the sixth-team, behind Greg Bell (or with him on the fifth team, depending on how you interpret the depth chart). It would likely take injuries for Lovett to crack the team given Pittsburgh’s top three at the position are pretty much set. As with many players this preseason, Lovett could be looking to put solid play on tape for other teams more needy at the position.
Rarely are their legitimate long snapper battles in training camp anymore, but the Steelers have one with LS Rex Sunahara (#49 – Brahmas) challenging Christian Kuntz for the job. Sunahara is listed as the backup, though that’s usually the case for the new signee. To this untrained observer, this race is a coin-flip.
CB Luq Barcoo (#35 – Brahmas) is listed as fourth-string RCB for Pittsburgh heading into its first preseason game. Barcoo trails Chris Wilcox, a 2021 seventh-round draft pick of the Buccaneers, for third-string. His impressive XFL 2023 performance could attract other suitors elsewhere in the NFL should he fail to make the Steelers’ 53-man roster.
Jacksonville: One of three NFL Draft-eligible players to compete in the XFL in 2023, LB Willie Taylor III (#53 – Renegades) is the only one to have landed an NFL opportunity this summer. In Jacksonville’s 3-4 defense, Taylor is listed as fourth-string at the SAM (strong-side) spot. Of note, he’s behind another rookie free-agent, DJ Coleman. That doesn’t bode well for his chances of making the team or even the practice squad.
Tennessee: One of the standout tight ends of XFL 2023, TE Alize Mack (#87 – Brahmas) has climbed to second on the depth chart at one of two TE spots. He’s behind Trevon Wesco as what would be the “F” tight end. Mack appears in good position to make the squad, but he’ll have to fend off youngsters Kevin Rader and Thomas Odukoya to seal the deal.
Denver: The Broncos are carrying just three quarterbacks in camp right now, so QB Ben DiNucci (#6 – Sea Dragons) has a path to make the team as the number three. Jarrett Stidham is ahead of him and the two-year, $10 million contract Stidham signed with Denver in the off-season indicates he’s likely to stay ahead of DiNucci. It’s now a matter of whether or not head coach Sean Payton wants to carry a third QB on the 53-man roster.
There’s a long way for WR Michael Bandy (#46 – Roughnecks) to go in order to earn a roster spot with the Broncos. He’s the fourth backup to starter Courtland Sutton, putting him fifth in line for reps. He’s only ahead of Nick Williams, who was signed a little over a week ago. Denver doesn’t have a ton of depth at receiver so Bandy could conceivably pass those in front of him like Lil’Jordan Humphrey and Marquez Callaway.
Los Angeles Chargers: WR Darrius Shepherd (#20 – Battlehawks) earned an NFL contract seemingly as much for his special teams work as his receiving. In fact, Shepherd’s best chance to make the Chargers may be as a returner. He’s listed as the primary backup at both kick and punt returner. The bad news is Derius Davis is the starter and he’s a fourth-round rookie; he would have to lay a major egg to not win the job. At receiver, Shepherd shares third-team duties with Davis behind Mike Williams. Working against Shepherd is the fact that he’s been injured and missed several practices of late.
New York Giants: The Giants run a 3-4 defense and DT Kevin Atkins (#76 – Battlehawks) is listed as nose tackle. He’s listed on the fourth team, behind third-stringer Jordon Riley, who was a seventh-round draft pick this year. Atkins has a chance to beat him out, but will it be enough to make the 53-man roster?
At the other defensive tackle position, DT Kobe Smith (#72 – Brahmas) is even further behind than Atkins: He’s fifth on the depth chart there. Brandin Bryant and Ryder Anderson are directly ahead of him. Smith will have to take full advantage of the snaps he gets in preseason games to get the attention of the coaching staff.
Rookie Deonte Banks mans the right cornerback spot on New York’s depth chart. He’s backed up by Armani Oruwariye and CB Darren Evans (#35 – Renegades). Evans picked off a pass and had five tackles for Arlington in 2023, adding an additional eight tackles in playoff action. He’ll try to carry that postseason momentum into the summer as he battles for a job with the Giants.
Philadelphia: WR Charleston Rambo (#43 – Guardians) was competing at the back-end of the receiver rotation when he was felled by an injury that landed him on injured reserve. The injury was not disclosed so it’s unclear if it’ll keep him out for the entire season.
XFL Vegas Vipers tight end Brandon Dillon.
Washington: Somewhat of a S/LB hybrid, S Ferrod Gardner (#50 – Defenders) is listed on Washington’s roster as a safety, but appears at linebacker on the depth chart. The Commanders present a 4-2-5 defense so there is only one OLB position. That is where Gardner resides, as the fourth and last OLB. It’s a roster spot that could come down to special teams play if Gardner wants to pick off De’Jon Harris, who currently sits ahead of him, for a role on the team.
Despite playing tackle for St. Louis in 2023, OT Jaryd Jones-Smith (#60 – Battlehawks) may find that his path to making the Commanders is at guard. He’s listed as third-team left guard, behind Chris Paul and ahead of Mason Brooks. Paul was a seventh-round pick of Washington last year and saw action in just one game, so he’s by no means guaranteed a roster spot.
TE Brandon Dillon (#46 – Vipers) caught just eight passes for Vegas in 2023. He did start seven of the 10 games in which he played, earning him a contract with the Commanders. Dillon is on the fourth team, ahead of Curtis Hodges. He’s behind Cole Turner. Some teams do keep four tight ends, but Washington employs a fullback, and when arranging the 53-man roster, that usually comes out of the tight end budget. Nevertheless, Dillon is in the hunt.
Detroit: At this point, you can throw out the depth chart when it comes to Detroit’s kicker battle. K Parker Romo (#24 – Brahmas) and his competition, Riley Patterson, are said to be neck-and-neck by those who cover the Lions on a daily basis. Patterson is listed as first-team, with Romo as second-team kicker. More than any other battle posted here, this one will come down to how they perform in the three exhibition games.
Green Bay: It was going to be an uphill battle for P Daniel Whelan (#41 – Defenders) to knock off Pat O’Donnell for Green Bay’s punting job – uphill, but not impossible. Right now, O’Donnell is listed ahead of Whelan, but that’s not a surprise at this point. Like most special teams’ positional battles, this is likely to be decided during game action this summer.
XFL DC Defenders #81 Josh Malone and #11 Lucky Jackson celebrate.
Minnesota: As DC’s passing game came alive during the final stretch of the regular season, so too did WR Lucky Jackson (# 15- Defenders). Jackson was able to secure a training camp spot in Minnesota, where he stands fifth on the depth chart at one receiver position. Unlike some teams, the Vikings only listed two starting receiver spots on their depth chart. Jackson will have to leap-frog Blake Proehl and hold off newcomers N’Keal Harry and Jacob Copeland, who are listed behind him, in order to make the squad.
A late arrival to camp, RB Abram Smith (#41 – Defenders) has a lot of ground to make up and little time to do it. He’ll have to impress in preseason games, where he figures to get quite a few carries. Smith is last on the depth chart, fifth, at RB. The Vikings carry a FB so they may only take three RBs into the regular season, making Smith’s odds of landing on the roster a little more difficult. He has DeWayne McBride and Ty Chandler ahead of him.
G Jack Snyder (#68 – Roughnecks) is third on the team’s depth chart at left guard, behind starter Ezra Cleveland and backup Josh Sokol. Sokol’s ability to play center could be a factor if a spot were to come down to him and Snyder. In reality, Snyder could be battling other interior linemen for a practice squad role.
Atlanta: Several bottom-of-the-roster Falcons suffered serious injuries recently. Among them was WR Chris Blair (#17 – Defenders), one of four players the team placed on injured reserve last week. If the team liked what it saw from Blair early in camp, they could decide to keep him on IR all year and bring him back in 2024. Otherwise, he’s a candidate to be released with an injury settlement some time in the future, which would make him a free agent.
Predominantly a right tackle in Seattle, where he took over the starting job in week six, OT Barry Wesley (#69 – Sea Dragons) is listed as a left tackle with the Falcons. He’s at third-string behind Josh Miles. Miles has spent the last two seasons on injured reserve, so he has to prove he can stay healthy. There’s room for Wesley to crack the roster here.
S Lukas Denis (#41 – Battlehawks) is listed as third-team free safety, with rookie free agent Cliff Chattman behind him. Denis is behind Micah Abernathy. A key cog in St. Louis’s secondary in 2023, Denis would likely be welcomed back by Anthony Becht’s squad if he doesn’t make the roster or practice squad in Atlanta.
At 280 pounds, it’s a little odd to see LB LaCale London (#63 – Battlehawks) listed as a linebacker on the team’s roster. In reality, he’s a defensive lineman, which is where he finds himself on the depth chart. He’s at the fourth-team behind starter Grady Jarrett, himself a defensive tackle. He and fellow fourth-teamer Albert Huggins both recently received first-team reps at practice and London is listed as someone “to keep an eye on.”
Though he can play center, C Michal Menet (#65 – Sea Dragons) is listed as fourth-team left guard for Atlanta. His ability to play center will be an advantage either in Atlanta or elsewhere. Given the depth at center versus guard, Menet may have a better shot at center, if he’s given the opportunity there.
Like his fellow XFL alum London, DT Caeveon Patton (#64 – Guardians) is also a fourth-team DL, but behind Calais Campbell at the other end spot. With Joe Gaziano and Zach Harrison ahead of him, Patton is likely playing to try to impress another team; Atlanta’s depth here will be difficult to penetrate.
Unlike most teams, Atlanta lists just two starting receivers on offense. WR Matthew Sexton (#5 – Vipers) is sixth-team at one of those two spots meaning overall, he’s the 11th receiver out of 12. Granted, he’s a recent signing so he may need time to get acclimated, but it’s going to be a tall order for him to advance. He’s already begun to field punts for the team, and anything extra he can do will be a positive.
Carolina: One of the fastest players in the XFL in 2023, WR Gary Jennings (#86 – Battlehawks) will use that speed to try to impress the coaches in Carolina. He’s on the fourth team at one of the three receiver positions the Panthers list on their depth chart. He’ll try to beat out 2022 practice squadder Derek Wright to advance to the third team. If he can do that, he’ll give himself a shot.
DE Antwuan Jackson (#69 – Sea Dragons) finds himself behind Shy Tuttle and Henry Anderson at one DE spot in Carolina’s 3-4. The Panthers are in a bit of a rebuild with a new head coach. If ever there was a time for someone like Jackson to make their move to get noticed, now would be that time.
In 2020, it was Tyree Jackson moving from QB to TE. In 2023, it’s LB Jordan Thomas (#48 – Guardians) moving from TE to LB. It’s a lot to ask for a guy to make this switch at the highest level of professional football. Thomas is on the fourth team behind Brian Burns, Yetur Gross-Matos, and DJ Johnson. There’s a lot of pass rush skill there, which hopefully will rub off on Thomas. If Carolina likes his progress, they can always stash him on the practice squad for continued development.
Houston Roughnecks receivers Cedric Byrd and Jontre Kirklin.
New Orleans: One site that covers the Saints believes that the newly-signed WR Jontre Kirklin (#85 – Roughnecks) has a real path to earning a roster spot. Ultimately, like most deep backups, it could come down to special teams play. Kirklin is currently the last receiver in line, behind veterans like Keke Coutee and Lynn Bowden, Jr. Regardless of whether he makes the team, it’s good to see him recovered from the injury that cost him the second half of the XFL season.
The Saints used the XFL almost like NFL teams used NFL Europe back in the day: DE Niko Lalos (#54 – Sea Dragons) ended the 2022 season on their practice squad but was not signed to a futures contract. He showed out for the Sea Dragons, then re-signed with New Orleans in May. That knowledge and experience in the system has him on the third team at one DE spot, ahead of Kyle Phillips. The Saints usually keep five ends (they’ve kept five the last five years) and unfortunately for Lalos, he looks like number six.
Joining Lalos along the defensive line is DT Jack Heflin (#95 – Roughnecks). He is on the third team at one tackle spot, with Prince Emili as the third tackle at the other. Emili was a San Antonio Brahma draft pick in 2022, though he signed with the Saints on the same day he was drafted and has been with the team ever since. Like Lalos, Heflin seems locked-out of this group, too, as he’s positioned behind a first round pick this year in Bryan Bresee. Tough competition.
Tampa Bay: Two second-year players are fighting for third-team DE in Tampa’s 3-4 base defense. DT CJ Brewer (#62 – Roughnecks) is right now listed on the fourth-team at that position, behind Mike Greene, a rookie free-agent from 2022. With starter Calijah Kancey nursing an injury, Brewer may get a few more looks than he’d otherwise receive.
Arizona: Joining the Defenders during the season, WR Brandon Smith (#89 – Defenders) developed into a key reserve for the championship runners-up. His performance helped earn him another NFL shot, this time with the Cardinals. Arizona lists three starting receivers, and Smith is on the fourth-team at one of the spots. Interestingly, the player ahead of him is Davion Davis, who was cut by the Houston Roughnecks in March and later latched on with the USFL.
Seattle: Despite earning a roster spot in Seattle after trying out at rookie minicamp in May, DT Austin Faoliu (#64 – Sea Dragons) landed on the Physically Unable to Perform List to start training camp. That means he has yet to practice with the team this summer. As soon as he is cleared for participation, he can be activated from the list. As someone who entered camp squarely on the bubble, each day that passes in which he is not activated makes it that much harder for him to make an impression on the coaching staff.
After helping to anchor one of the best offensive lines in the XFL, OT Liam Ryan (#66 – Defenders) recently re-upped with Seattle after initially signing as an undrafted free agent in 2022. Even though he arrived as training camp was under way, Ryan knows the system from last year, which should help make his transition back onto the team relatively seamless. Ryan enters the offensive line competition at right guard, where he is third on the depth chart. Greg Eiland is listed as second-string, and it’s not out of the question that Ryan eventually usurps him for that spot. Whether or not that’s enough to make the team as a backup interior linemen remains to be seen.
