With three games remaining in the regular season, Arlington currently sits a half-game up on San Antonio for the final playoff spot in the XFL South…In week six, Brian Folkerts started at LG for Jake Stetz again with Stetz still injured. Stetz was active for week seven, but it was the same starters as week six. Stetz eventually checked in at RG, moving Folkerts to center…While Kyle Sloter started the game against San Antonio, Drew Plitt made his first appearance on the third drive. The two alternated the rest of the game…Monday’s release of Sloter was a surprise to many. Head Coach Bob Stoops said this week that “we just talked it through as a staff and felt this was the best direction to go“…With Sloter’s release, Kevin Andreson moved up to second on the depth chart against Seattle. Newly-acquired Luis Perez was inactive. Anderson played one snap when Plitt was shaken up on a hit…
LB Ryan Mueller was traded to Vegas for Perez. Mueller had been listed as third-string at OLB on Arlington’s depth chart…The team also added CB Javaris Davis to the roster this week. Davis started and played 11 snaps in week one for Orlando, then was placed on injured reserve. He was released a few weeks ago…WR Victor Bolden, who was recently signed and was an All-USFL player in 2022, played just 10 offensive snaps in his first game as a Renegade. Expect his role to increase as he learns the playbook…His snap increases could mirror WR JaVonta Payton’s. Payton arrived in a three-team trade prior to week four. Payton’s offensive playing time has increase each week, from eight, to 18, and 26 snaps against San Antonio…Dallas Cowboys OL Alec Lindstrom was on the sideline as a guest for the Renegades visiting some old teammates in Arlington as they faced Seattle Friday night…
DC Defenders
DC will be looking to break the XFL record of most wins to start a season. In 2001, the Orlando Rage started 6-0 before dropping game seven to the Los Angeles Xtreme…The team controls its own destiny as they have a two-game lead over St. Louis and one-and-a-half game lead over Seattle for first place in the XFL North…Against Houston, the Defenders OTs were once again flipped from the depth chart, with D’Marcus Hayes at LT and Kyle Murphy at RT. They’re still listed opposite of that heading into week seven as well…DC will be without WR Jaquez Ezzard this week, as he is battling a hamstring issue. Not only is he one of their starting receivers, but he also returns kicks and punts. Jazz Ferguson should replace him in the starting lineup on offense, with KJ Sails taking his place on returns…
DC will have a watch party at Brother Jimmy’s for their Saturday night contest against Orlando…Head Coach Reggie Barlow received some social media pub this week, first from Senior Bowl Executive Director Jim Nagy, who wrote on Twitter that while XFL players will get a look from NFL teams after the season, so should Barlow as a potential coach. Barlow also wore a beer snake shirt in the post-game presser on Monday night.
Houston Roughnecks
Houston has a one-and-a-half game lead over Arlington in the XFL South, as they sit comfortably in first place heading into week seven…QB Brandon Silvers was a late add to the team’s injury report. He did not practice due to an arm injury on Friday and is now listed as “questionable” for this week…In Monday night’s game against DC, John Yarbrough got his second start of the season, at left guard, while usual LG Jack Snyder moved over to left tackle with Sage Doxtater once again inactive. Backup LT James Moore, who started previously in place of Doxtater, subbed in at RT…The updated depth chart now has Yarbrough listed as the starting LG, with Snyder backing up Doxtater at LT. James Moore was also moved from backup LT to backup RT, and Ryan Pope moved from backup LT to third-string RT…
Also new on the week seven depth chart: Jack Heflin is listed as starting nose tackle over Glen Logan, who moves to a backup role…Houston continued to reshape their WR room by releasing WR Aaron Nelson and signing WR Michael Bandy. Bandy played 10 games with the LA Chargers in 2022, but was not tendered as an exclusive rights free agent. He has experience playing for Houston offensive coordinator AJ Smith and with QB Brandon Silvers in The Spring League in 2021. Nelson played in just one game this season…
They also released WR Nick Holley, a fan favorite from the 2020 team. Holley had played in every game this season, but his snap counts had dwindled over the last three weeks…Just before their tango with DC on Monday, the Roughnecks re-signed DT Scean Mustin and released LB Aaron Donkor. Mustin has been with the team in camp. Donkor was signed at the end of February having spent 2022 on the practice squad of the Seattle Seahawks. DT Josh Avery was also released from the team’s reserve list.
Orlando Guardians
Despite being 0-6, Orlando is in a weak XFL South division. They would have to win out, but they’re not mathematically out of playoff contention yet…Last Saturday, Abdul Beecham started at RT over TJ Storment against the Sea Dragons; Fred Lauina was at RG over David Moore; and Jordan Ighofose was at LG…Moore was placed on injured reserve this week. Beecham is listed as the starter at RG on the team’s week seven depth chart. Ighofose has officially taken over starting LG duties…Storment, still listed as the starter at RT, did take some snaps there against Seattle…New long snapper Cameron Kaye’s first snap to punter Mac Brown was high, but he settled in nicely after that and all his other snaps were on-point…
TE Jaylen Smith was injured against the Sea Dragons and did not return, though he doesn’t appear on this week’s injury report. Nevertheless, the Guardians added TE Jordan Thomas this week. Thomas played in two games for St. Louis this year before being released on March 14…Orlando also signed WR KD Cannon, who was released by DC last week. Cannon was placed on IR in early February by the Defenders. He replaces WR Lance Lenoir, who was sent to injured reserve. Dan Williams takes over the starting role in Lenoir’s stead.
San Antonio Brahmas
The Brahmas will need some help to sneak into the playoffs, as they’re a half-game behind Arlington for the last spot with four games remaining. Arlington’s loss to Seattle on Friday night helped…The hits kept coming for a battered and bruised Brahmas team last Sunday. Starting LG Maea Teuhema was hurt on first drive. Malcolm Bunche replaced him. Bunche struggled in 44 snaps, earning a paltry 35.3 game grade from Pro Football Focus…QB Kurt Benkert, with only one practice under his belt before the game, entered for the first time on the third offensive drive for San Antonio after Jawon Pass started the contest. Benkert reappeared in the game a couple more times thereafter…
Teuhema is one of two offensive linemen out this weekend along with OT Norman Price. Also listed as out: WR Calvin Turner, for the second game in a row after being activated from IR. On Friday, he was placed back on IR…QB Jack Coan got in a full practice on Thursday and is listed as “questionable.” Expect him to start if healthy…Benkert is listed as the immediate backup to Coan on the depth chart, as Jawon Pass moves back to third-string…
DT Kobe Smith went on IR this week. His spot on the depth chart will be taken by Shakir Soto. His spot on the roster will be taken by OT Dwayne Wallace, who was claimed off waivers from DC. Wallace had been on IR but now appears to be healthy and the Brahmas will take all the healthy bodies they can get along the offensive line…The Brahmas’ Flight by Yuengling Tour takes fans to Anchor Bar in San Antonio for this week’s game. It’s the last away game for San Antonio this season as they close things out with three home games in a row.
Seattle Sea Dragons
Seattle is currently in second place in the XFL North, a half-game ahead of St. Louis, though the Battlehawks currently own the tiebreaker if it comes to that…Barry Wesley started at LT for the injured Liam Jimmons against Orlando and did the same against Arlington…Josh Seltzner, Paul Grattan, and Tejan Koroma all subbed in along the OL, with Seltzner, a natural guard, playing both LT and RT against Orlando. The same grouping played together again versus Arlington…LB Emmanuel Smith was helped off the field against Orlando and eventually carted into the locker room. He was subsequently placed on IR this week…Four starters were inactive versus Orlando: LB Jordan Evans, RB Morgan Ellison, Jimmons, and CB Linden Stephens…
Seven players were listed as “questionable” on the injury report heading into week seven…Josh Gordon is back listed as a starting WR on this week’s depth chart…With Smith going on IR, Clarence Hicks slid into his starting ILB spot. The team also signed veteran LB Tyrell Adams to give them depth at the second level of defense. Adams spent part of 2022 on the practice squad of the Indianapolis Colts. He saw time on defense against the Renegades and notched five tackles…DT PJ Hall was released from IR. Hall played significant snaps in the first three weeks before landing on injured reserve…TJ Hammonds got the first carry for Seattle against Arlington, over Darius Bradwell, though Bradwell was listed as the starter on the depth chart. Sea Dragons leading rusher Morgan Ellison was inactive, entering the game “questionable” with an injury.
St. Louis Battlehawks
St. Louis finds themselves two games back of DC in the XFL North, a half-game behind Seattle as of Saturday morning…Nickel back Nate Meadors replaced Ben DeLuca at safety against Vegas in week six with DeLuca landing on IR last week…Tim Harris got first work of the year at CB for injured Mike Hampton after being on IR early in the season…RB Brian Hill injured his left ankle in the first quarter but returned…QB AJ McCarron had 19 straight completions at one point vs. Vegas…The St. Louis defense has forced multiple turnovers in every game this season…St. Louis had four sacks against Vegas after coming into the game with five all season…
The Battlehawks got a dangerous weapon back in WR Marcell Ateman, who missed the last three games with an injury. Ateman is listed as the backup to WR Hakeem Butler on this week’s depth chart. He was a first round pick, second overall, in the Skill Position Phase of the XFL Draft in November…DE Elorm Lumor, and DT Tani Tupou are listed as “out” for this week, challenging the D-Line depth for the team…Like San Antonio, this is also the final away game of the regular season for the Battlehawks. They close out the final three games all at the Dome at America’s Center. St. Louis has advertised several watch parties for their last game away from home this week.
Vegas Vipers
Jalan McClendon has moved to the top of the QB depth chart, ahead of Brett Hundley. He’s expected to start against San Antonio. Hundley does not appear on the team’s injury report…At 1-5, Vegas is all but out of playoff contention. They would basically have to run the table and have St. Louis and Seattle both lose out. That would be tough as St. Louis and Seattle play each other in week nine…Vegas is the first team to finish up their five-game home schedule coming up in week seven…Hundley replaced Luis Perez in the third quarter against St. Louis, once the Vipers were down 23-0. It came after Perez’s second interception…S Maurice Smith made his season debut for Vegas. He was activated off IR but inactive the previous week…
Vegas lists three players as “questionable” for their upcoming game against San Antonio, including three wide receivers. On Thursday, they signed WR Saeed Blacknall, who was released in final cuts for the Vipers in February…OLB Ryan Mueller was acquired from Arlington for QB Luis Perez this week. He slots in behind weakside linebacker Vic Beasley on the depth chart. Mueller played with Vegas defensive coordinator Cris Dishman for the New York Guardians in the XFL in 2020…Vegas also placed RB DeAndre Torrey on IR this week. Brian Burt moves up to third-string RB…
CB Nijuel Hill was released. Hill played in all six games as a backup with one start and had performed well per PFF until last week, which was easily his worst game of the year. To replace him on the roster, the team signed CB Jamar Summers, another former 2020 Guardian. Summers had an interception and 16 tackles in the previous version of the XFL. He played for Houston in the USFL last year…Jamil Demby is now listed as the starting left tackle over Larry Williams. Williams has started all six games this year…Vegas held a virtual autograph session for fans on Friday.
