LA Wildcats quarterback Josh Johnson at NY Guardians 29 Feb 2020 – Credit Adam McCullough
Though the XFL and USFL no longer exist as separate entities, players who have suited up for those leagues continue to kick around the fringes of the NFL. As of Tuesday evening, seven XFL and seven USFL vets are on NFL 53-man rosters; nine from the XFL are on practice squads, while four count themselves as USFL alumni.
The only XFL player out of the 2023 class to have made an opening day roster for an NFL team last year, P Daniel Whelan (Defenders) had a strong preseason to solidify his role as the punter for the Green Bay Packers. A statistical jump will be expected out of him in his second year.
Continuing with the special teams theme, LS Nick Moore (Tampa Bay Vipers) and LS Christian Kuntz (Renegades) are back for their third and fourth year respectively snapping for division rivals Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers. Moore is returning from a torn Achilles tendon that kept him sidelined all of last year.
OT Storm Norton (Wildcats) performed admirably as the swing tackle for Atlanta in 2023. He signed a one-year deal in the off-season to return for his second year with the Falcons. The Los Angeles Chargers, dissatisfied with their backup options to starter Justin Herbert at quarterback, acquired QB Taylor Heinicke (Battlehawks) at the close of the preseason. It was no secret that Atlanta had him on the market, having spent a first-round pick on Michael Penix, Jr. to back up starter Kirk Cousins.
Los Angeles did keep QB Easton Stick on the roster, so Heinicke may first have to beat him out to earn the backup role to Herbert. The roster spot of S Elijah Campbell (Defenders) was thought to be in jeopardy when Miami spent a sixth round draft pick on Patrick McMorris out of Cal. Campbell survived when McMorris ended up getting placed on injured reserve. He’ll continue to back up at safety and play an important role on special teams.
Defying all expectations, QB Josh Johnson (Wildcats) continues to hang on and has even improved his standing this year compared to years previous: He’s now the direct backup to Lamar Jackson in Baltimore. The team’s previous second-stringer, Tyler Huntley, was recently signed to the practice squad as the emergency QB. Huntley, a former Pro Bowler, has performed well in the past so Johnson will need to stay sharp to keep his spot.
On the USFL side, K Brandon Aubrey (Stallions) was one of the best stories in the NFL last year and will look to replicate that performance. If he does, he may have a big payday awaiting him in the off-season. His teammate, WR Kavontae Turpin (Generals), will have to adjust to the new kickoff return rules that may limit his explosiveness. On the flip side, it’ll give him more opportunities for returns. Dallas will also continue to look for creative ways to get him involved on offense.
One of four safeties kept by Atlanta, S Micah Abernathy (Gamblers), who also played for the Dallas Renegades in 2020, will back up Jessie Bates III and likely play on special teams on Sundays. Abernathy began last year on the team’s practice squad before being promoted for good in mid-October. Despite playing in just one of three preseason games, DE LaBryan Ray (Stars) still found a way onto Carolina’s roster. The Panthers kept just five linemen, so Ray will probably be active on gamedays as the lone backup at end.
DT Khalil Davis (Stallions) has become a rotational backup on the interior for Houston’s four-man front. He’s probably going to be the first sub off the bench at that position. He played well during the preseason this year. Another defensive lineman, DE Jeremiah Pharms, Jr. (Maulers), has been off-and-on the practice squad of the New England Patriots the last two years. This time, he makes the 53-man out of camp. He has the chance to earn significant playing time this year on a team that is re-tooling for the future.
LS Mitchell Fraboni (Maulers) had no trouble retaining the long snapping job in Denver this summer. He’s as automatic as they come. G Michael Dunn (Dragons) was poised to return to his role as the sixth man on Cleveland’s offensive line. Instead, he’ll sit out at least the first four games of the year after being placed on the reserve/non-football illness list last week.
In his second year signed to the practice squad of the Denver Broncos, WR Michael Bandy (Roughnecks) will have new quarterbacks throwing to him this year. He’s one of three receivers Denver kept there. Also on Denver’s practice squad is longtime Los Angeles Charger TE Donald Parham (Renegades). Parham didn’t impress LA’s new coaching staff enough to be kept for a fifth season. He’ll try to earn a promotion to the active roster at some point once he gets acclimated to the playbook. A change of scenery may be what Parham needs to unlock his potential.
Thought to have a real chance at making the 53-man roster out of training camp, WR Chris Blair (Defenders) instead lands on Atlanta’s practice squad. Blair’s standout work in the three preseason games makes it probable he’d be the first receiver called up for a gameday activation if someone at that position is needed. The Falcons, who has several spring football players on their training camp roster, also kept DT LaCale London (Battlehawks) around. Like Blair, London is also in his second season in Atlanta. He earned valuable snaps late last year, but it wasn’t enough for him to make the active roster.
Other big bodies on practice squads including New York Jets DT Bruce Hector (Renegades) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers DT CJ Brewer (Roughnecks). Both come from XFL 2023 and both are in their second tours of duty on their teams’ practice squads. Three undrafted free agents made the Jets roster, as Hector could not beat them out. Brewer is the only interior defensive linemen on Tampa’s practice squad.
There were two XFL defensive linemen playing this summer with the New Orleans Saints, but only DE Niko Lalos (Sea Dragons) was invited to join the practice squad. Lalos, a pass rush specialist, spent time in New Orleans in 2022 prior to his stint with the Sea Dragons, then re-upped with them following the 2023 XFL season.
Unfortunately for WR Lucky Jackson (Defenders), two of his main competitors for a roster spot, Trishton Jackson and Trent Sherfield, both outperformed him in the preseason. They earned spots on the 53-man, while Lucky had to settle for the practice squad once again. If you followed my weekly preseason game performance recaps, you probably noticed that incumbent LS Scott Daly (New York Guardians) was having his job threatened by a rookie UDFA. Daly lost that battle but ended up finding refuge on the practice squad of the Chicago Bears. Chicago LS Patrick Scales is facing back surgery, so Daly will be activated and will snap for as long as Scales is out.
In Indianapolis, WR DJ Montgomery (Panthers) was retained for the team’s practice squad. He’s now in his second season with the Colts after earning a lot of snaps in the preseason this August. CB Josh Butler (Panthers) was probably one of the last cuts in Dallas. Not only did Butler play in the USFL but he also plied his trade in The Spring League even before that.
DT Domenique Davis (Gamblers) was sidelined for much of the preseason due to injury. He’s another player who has been playing the roster yo-yo game for the last three years. He beat out former Birmingham Stallion Carlos Davis, also a DT with the Bengals in training camp, for a place on the practice squad. The University of Iowa is known for producing skilled defensive backs like CB Matt Hankins (Stallions). He’s now being coached by Jim Harbaugh, the former head man at Iowa’s Big Ten rival, Michigan.
