1996-1997 USFL Offseason Update

Welcome to the USFL Offseason. A lot has happened in the short weeks since Houston won its third league title. We have seen the NFL-USFL transfer window open and close, USFL Free Agency begin, a major retirement announced, and the Denver Gold have completely revamped their identity. So, a lot to discussion. Let’s get right to it.

KELLY GOES OUT ON TOP

While not a huge surprise, we are sure that there are many in Houston who were saddened by the announcement that Jim Kelly would be stepping away from the game after 13 seasons at the helm of the Gamblers. Kelly helped usher in an unprecedented decade of success for the Houston Gamblers, a run that included three league titles, six trips to the Summer Bowl, and 10 playoff appearances. Signed when Houston was just a fledgling expansion club in a fledgling league that was on the brink of either greatness or disaster, the young QB from the U. of Miami quickly became one of the league’s brightest stars.

In his first year with Houston, Kelly threw for over 4,400 yards and 33 touchdowns, leading the “Run & Shoot” offense of coach Jack Pardee and coordinator Mouse Davis. Over the course of the next 13 seasons he would amass 53,073 yards passing, 412 touchdowns, a lifetime completion percentage of 63.3% and a lifetime QB rating of 101.8. He leaves the league holding career records for Pass Attempts (6164), Pass Completions (3,904), Yards, ands Touchdowns. His 412 TD passes completely eclipses 2nd place (Reggie Collier with 257) and his 53,073 yards blows way past Collier again (38,764). Whether running the multiple receiver sets of the Run & Shoot, or a more traditional 3-receiver offense under Coach Ray Willsey, Kelly has been nearly unstoppable.

Kelly leaves the game at the top of his form, setting a league record this year for yards in a season with 5,417, and tying the league record with 47 touchdowns. He won the Summer Bowl MVP for the third time in 3 victories, to go along with being a 3-time league MVP (87, 95 and 96), 10 time All-USFL quarterback, and 70-time player of the game honoree.

Kelly came to Houston initially as a strategy to avoid having to play in cold, windy Buffalo, the NFL city that drafted him. He quickly became a favorite around town, making appearances all over the city and helping to enshrine Gambler Nation as one of the league’s most fervent fan bases. He is widely known in the community for his outreach and for the charity which honors his son, Hunter. The league will surely miss this bright star as it moves forward, and for the Gamblers the process of reimagining themselves for the first time in over a decade now begins in earnest.

The Gamblers have yet to make a move to bring in new talent at the position and have expressed confidence in long-time backup Chuck Hartlieb, but we are skeptical that Hartlieb is the long term plan in Houston. It would not surprise us, however, if the Gamblers go with Hartlieb in 1997 as a bridge QB, because when we look at the 1998 crop of QB's we see two potential superstars in Tennessee's Peyton Manning and Washington State's Ryan Leaf. And if that were not enough, both the Stallion's Brett Favre and the NFL Patriots' Drew Bledsoe have contracts expiring in 1998.

NFL NAMES MAKE THE JUMP TO SPRING

As we see each year, the pool of NFL players who remains unsigned into late July, hoping to use the USFL as either a negotiating tool or an escape plan from a bad NFL situation stays pretty steady. While the USFL tends to pick up more NFL defectors in January than in August, there are always a few noteworthy names that head into the spring league rather than rejoin their NFL squads. This year’s small crop has some value, though we did not see any big name Quarterbacks or ball carriers make the leap. Here are our Top 10 NFL signees in the initial transfer window, not in ranked order:

1. Pete Metzelaars, TE (ARZ): The 13-year veteran of 2 Buffalo Bill titles in the NFL comes to the Arizona Wranglers to end his career. He will likely be a mentor to some of the younger receivers in Tempe, and a reliable target. With Terry Orr just as old as Metzelaars, Arizona may have to get an AARP membership for their 2-TE formation.

2. Lake Dawson, WR (ATL): The third round pick from Notre Dame leaves the Kansas City Chiefs after only 2 seasons, opting out of his rookie contract. Dawson is a solid route runner and has good quickness off the ball, something Atlanta could use to add some spice to a pretty tame Fire offense.

3. Kimo Von Oelhoffen, DT, (BIR): Another younger player opting out after his rookie contract expired, Von Oelhoffen is a “motor” guy who Birmingham hopes can shore up the run defense on a team that desperately needs to keep teams from shortening games on them.

4. Jimmie Johnson, TE (DEN): The 6 year vet with 3 clubs in the NFL comes to Denver to help back up Keith Jackson at the TE position. Unlikely to get a starting nod over Jackson, JJ will be able to see a lot of action as Denver runs quite a bit of two tight end looks. A solid receiver and an improving blocker, expect Johnson to line up mostly on running downs or as a play action option.

5. Brian Stablein, WR (JAX): After bouncing from Denver to Cincy, to Indy, this quintessential possession receiver finds his way to the USFL and the Bulls. Jacksonville has some talent at WR, including young Terrell Owens, but Stablein will provide that needed set of sure hands on third down.

6. Larry Centers, FB (MEM): A decent blocker but an outstanding receiver out of the backfield, Centers leaves the Arizona Cardinals after 5 seasons to join the Showboats. Don’t expect a lot of I-formation in Memphis, but Centers could easily be the 3rd down back the Boats need to spread the defense a bit.

7. Mike Prior, SS (MGN): Michigan loves the savvy vets, as they add yet another 30-year old to their secondary to join Chris Snyder and Garland Rivers. Prior is a fierce hitter and is good in coverage as well. After 10 years in the NFL, we are not sure how much tread is left on the tires, but the Panthers will find a role for a player with this much experience.

8. Jason Sehorn, DB (NJ): The Generals love to pick the pockets of their NYC rivals in the NFL, and the way they wooed Sehorn away from the Giants is a thing of beauty. Sehorn, who came on as a corner last fall for NY will likely play a combo of corner and safety for the Generals. He is fast, which the Generals’ D needs, and he has a knack for finding the ball when the team needs it. Giants fans will not be happy about this move, but maybe it will turn more of them into Generals’ supporters as well.

9. Troy Brown, WR (PHI): The Stars needed both a slot receiver and a return man and in 3-year vet Troy Brown of the Patriots, they think they have found both. Brown is speedy, quick, and makes good cuts. Perhaps more dangerous in the return game than as a polished receiver, he will have time before the season to work with Chuck Long and the Stars’ mentor/receiver Cris Carter to get ready to be productive for his new club.

10. Jeff Uhlenake, C (POR): After making a name for himself as a tenacious run blocker and stalwart pass protector in both Miami and New Orleans, Uhlenake looks to be a big piece of the puzzle for a Portland offensive line that needs some muscle and some attitude. Robert Drummond will love running behind this big roadgrater of a center.

USFL FREE AGENTS

Of course, with the NFL-USFL transfer window, there are also some losses the other way. This year the biggest names headed to the senior league include QB Doug Nussmeier, HBs Reggie Brooks and Jamie Morris, wideout Scott Schwedes, corner Derrick Burroughs, LB Jason Gilden, and DTs Kevin Fagan and Esera Tuaola. There was a brief scare in which Troy Aikman’s agent was in talks with the Dallas Cowboys, but a generous new contract from Tampa Bay, as well as the resigning of security blanket, TE Ben Coates, brought Aikman back to the fold.

A few other major free agents opted to stick with their original clubs, including CB Derrick Cudrup in Memphis (Key with Burroughs’ departure), CB Troy Vincent in St. Louis, DE Joey Bosa of Texas, and SS Louis Oliver in Washington. But, as we see every offseason, several key players with open contracts did make the jump. Here are just a few of the bigger Free Agent signings we have seen this Fall:

1. Arizona, one of the offseason’s most aggressive clubs to date, signed a key player in the Baltimore Blitz defense, inking DE Charles Buchanon to a 3 year deal to play for the Wranglers.

2. The Wranglers also tried to upgrade their offense, a much needed move, and simply outbid St. Louis for the services of former golden-domer, wideout Rocket Ismail. Expect the Rocket to be the deep threat for whoever plays QB in Arizona (Seriously, it’s Jake Plummer, right?)

3. Atlanta looked for immediate upgrades at two key positions, signing free safety Charles Mincy away from Denver and then hoping to boost their run game by signing bruising fullback Zach Crockett from the Dragons.

4. Orlando also wanted a piece of that Blitz defense and got their man in LB Duane Bickett. The rangy defender will be in Orlando for at least 3 years after signing with the Renegades.

5. But if you are looking for a big defender to move teams, look no further than Michael Dean Perry, who heads from Denver to Jacksonville to clog the middle for the Bulls.

6. On the offensive side, other than Rocket Ismail, the biggest relocation has to be the move by slot receiver extraordinaire Ricky Proehl from Houston to division rival Chicago. That is a twofer, you weaken your top rival for the division and you get a guy who is not afraid to run across the middle.

7. Lineman was also a big position in free agency this year and it looks like Philadelphia struck gold by stealing stud tackle Emory Yates from the Stallions. The big road grater on the right side will certainly help Charlie Garner and the Stars run game.

8. Another big blocker headed to a new team is Eric Andolsek, who will trade blocking for Jack Trudeau in Portland for protecting Jeff Garcia or Brent Pease in LA. Trey Auzene, the athletic tackle is also changing zip codes, moving from Texas to New Orleans. What is it with intra-divisional moves this year?

9. Finally, if you are looking for a low key signing that could have a big impact next year, keep an eye on Scott Zolak, heading from the bench in Chicago to the bench in Orlando. I know, does not sound like much, but what the Renegades get in Zolak is a player who can come in on a moment’s notice and mop up, take over, or save a game if Mitchell, who is not exactly good at evading hits, goes down. We all know how huge backup QB play can be in this league and Zolak is well-positioned behind Mitchell in Orlando.

So who has not signed yet? A few pretty big names, mostly on defense. At the top of that list is LB Chris Spielman of New Jersey. Very little chance the Generals resign their leading tackler, but who will woo him over to their squad? Early money has him headed either to Houston or out to Oakland, who are desperate to sign backers after the retirement or departure of 3 of their 4 starters. Others to keep an eye on include LB Ricky Shaw of Michigan, SS LeRoy Butler of the Gamblers, LB Donta Jones in Washington, DT Jerry Wahler from the Breakers, and DE George Hinkle of the Bulls. On offense there are a few linemen of note out there, but the skill positions don’t offer much support for clubs looking to upgrade. Looks like some of the USFL’s offensively-challenged clubs will have to look to the College Draft to fill needs.

Speaking of the College Draft, we are still a couple of months away, but the hype is already beginning. While we will have to wait until January to see who goes where, it is never too early to prognosticate and dream of perfect matchups. Here, for your enjoyment are our picks for the best potential marriages between USFL club and college talent:

1. QB Jake Plummer to Arizona: You knew we would start here. With the #1 pick in the draft it is all but assumed that the Wranglers will try to sign Plummer as soon as NCAA rules will allow. They are not going to wait for Draft Day. If they can get his name on a contract after Bowl Season ends, they will do it. It is such a perfect match, a flamboyant gunslinger of a QB who already plays at Sun Devil Stadium, staying in town to continue thrilling the fans in the desert.

2. LB Peter Boulware to the Oakland Invaders. Oakland needs linebackers worse than any club in the league and this Ohio State product is a beast. He may be a tough sign, as he seems to have his sights set on the NFL, but Boulware would be an instant starter for the Invaders.

3. HB Corey Dillon to Seattle. Another home town hero with a perfect placement. The Dragons desperately need to upgrade at the HB position. Dereck Loville is fine as a scatback but the combo of him and Roosevelt Potts is not producing regular results for the Dragons. A solid bruiser of a back like Dillon, from the U-Dub, seems a no-brainer for Seattle.

4. CB Shawn Springs in Ohio. We do love the local kids staying in town and Ohio needs to add some speed to their secondary. Springs is about as fast as a corner can get. He may be a bit rough around the edges, but he will not be intimidated by the leap from the Big 10 to the USFL.

5. OT Walter Jones to Michigan. The Panthers need to do more for that line, either to protect Flutie (who is good at scrambling but should not have to do it so much) or to spring Tyrone Wheatley. Jones is a potential first day starter at left tackle, a technically sound and ridiculously strong lineman with good feet.

6. HB Tiki Barber or CB Ronde Barber to Atlanta. UVa is in Atlanta’s “half-price” list for the cap, so maybe a two-for-one with these twins from the Wahoos. We all know Atlanta wants a halfback, and we don’t see Warrick Dunn as the type of 3-down back they need. If they can woo both players at once, the odds of signing either (or both) could be quite positive. And just think of the doublemint commercials they could do!!!

7. QB Danny Wuerfel to Jacksonville. The FSU product is not expected to be a 1st round pick in either league and would need time to mature, well, sitting behind Chris Chandler in Jacksonville seems a good spot to do that. With only Browning Nagle sitting behind Chandler, a young kid with Florida ties seems a good fit for a 2-3 year project.

8. HB Antowain Smith to the LA Express. With Marcus Allen retiring, and a line that still does not look fast enough to run a lot of pulling plays, LA needs a big back, not a scatback. That is why we reject Warrick Dunn again and go for a bigger, brawnier runner. They could look at Sedrick Shaw here, but if they can get Smith, he might be the best plug & play option.

9. LB Mike Vrabel to New Jersey. We assume Chris Spielman will be out of the Meadowlands by the time the draft comes, and that leaves a huge hole in the Generals’ defense. Vrabel is not the fastest player in the world, but he plays smart, takes good angles, and can deliver a hit. New Jersey will need those skills if they want to build a defense to take on the Blitz in the division.

10. OK, two picks from the later rounds, since not every quality player comes out of the big schools or starts out as a bluechipper. Our two sneaky picks that would be good choices for USFL clubs are, first, CB Al Harris out of Texas A&M Kingsville, and let’s keep him local by sending him to San Antonio and the Outlaws. He is not a tall corner, but he can leap, and that can end a height disparity really quickly. Second, we love the smarts of Louisiana-Lafayette QB Jake Delhomme. A likely late round pick, in the right system, one that focuses on smart play more than arm strength, Delhomme could develop into a quality starter. We are looking at clubs like Chicago, Philadelphia, or Portland, where Delhomme could sit and learn for a couple of years and then assume the mantle.

DENVER STRIKES GOLD!

OK, before we go, we have one more piece of news. After much delay and a good amount of speculation, the Denver Gold have unveiled their new Nike-designed look. It all starts with a new primary logo. The golden starburst is nice, and will remain as a secondary image, but it does not really speak to the Mountain West. The new logo depicts a bold capital “D” just as the old Broncos logo used to, but along with the two-tone golden D we also see a pick-axe, directly linking the team name to the history of the region.

The team shifts its colors slightly to pull off this logo, now pairing black with both a light and a more color-rich golden tone for bevel effects. The new colors are also on display on the uniform, where Nike uses sublimation to allow for transformation from one shade of gold to another. This is most noticeable on the helmet stripe, which shifts from darker to lighter gold then back to dark again at the base of the helmet. A similar shift in tone happens on the pant stripes as well. Denver will continue to wear black helmets, and a black jersey with gold highlights, but now has three pairs of pants to choose from, a white pair with black-gold-black stripes, a gold set with a wide black stripe, and a solid black set with a tone-shifting thin gold stripe. It is a look that includes elements of past designs, but adds something new, such as the shift from sleeve stripes to tapered shoulder stripes. Not a revolution, this uniform and logo are an evolution for the Gold.