2018-2019 USFL Offseason Report

October 2, 2018

Welcome back USFL Fans. After the thrilling 2018 Summer Bowl victory by the Houston Gamblers, we took our usual August hiatus, but we are back and better than ever with a new format for our offseason USFL Coverage. We will still be publishing 2 offseason reports and then a 2-part Season preview, starting right now with our Fall USFL Offseason Report, but we are moving our 2nd report until just days before the USFL Draft to give you full pre-draft coverage. Our 2019 Season Preview will come out one week before the 2019 season kicks off on Friday, March 22 and it will include all the signings, NFL transfers, and camp outlooks for all 28 USFL clubs. So, a shift in timing, but still all the offseason moves, deals, and news to prepare you for the 36th season of USFL action.

In this, our first report of the offseason, we will look at the final tally of retirements, talk about the coaching hires to date, run through the first 10 weeks of free agency, including our big story on QB movement, then take a look at trades this offseason, including a second huge story as Calais Campbell finds a new home, talk about the big hit the league took during the NFL-USFL Transfer Window and review our Top 25 Free Agents, updating the list with new additions as many names came off the original list over the first months of free agency. All of this ahead of our December Draft Preview edition available December 28.

We start with the players, many of them All-USFL talents, who made their announcements this fall that they will not be returning to the USFL or to pro football in 2019. Some were well-anticipated, others very much a surprise, and, in nearly every case, their announcements mean adjustments to each club’s offseason plans. We start with the QBs, and will work through the positions, looking at the departures and the impact on the league and their clubs.

Quarterbacks: Drew Brees (NOR), Eli Manning (LV), Matt Leinart (DEN), David Garrard (WSH), Troy Smith (OHI)

While only the Troy Smith announcement was a surprise, the other four retirements are the ones that are likely to have the biggest impact on their teams. Denver had anticipated the move and is ready to make the transition to Josh Allen after he spent his first year in the league learning at the feet of Matt Leinart. Washington and Las Vegas have made their moves to bring in a new starter via Free Agency (see that report below), leaving New Orleans as the lone team to yet reveal their path forward.

Running Backs: Frank Gore (ARZ), Adrian Peterson (CHA), Lamar Miller (SD), and Javon Ringer (ORL)

Gore and Peterson both leave huge holes to fill for their clubs, both in on-field performance and locker room leadership. Charlotte has taken a step towards refocusing their run game (again, see our Free Agent news), while Arizona will likely be looking for a power runner to pair with Ka’Deem Carey in a two-back system.

Receivers: Larry Fitzgerald (ARZ), Mario Manningham (OHI), Harry Douglas (BAL), Reggie Brown (DAL), Erik Decker (STL), TE Owen Daniels (SD), TE Delanie Walker (DEN), TE Brent Celek (LA).

Another huge leadership departure from the Wranglers, though they acted quickly in free agency to bring in a quality option for David Carr. Ohio is still in the market for a receiver to place opposite speedster Eric Weems, while most of the other teams on the list have options already in house, but could look to sign depth at either WR or TE.

Offensive Line: T Zach Strief (ATL, OT Matt Light (OAK), OT Max Starks (ATL), OT Erik Pears (LA), OG Carl Nicks (TBY), C Nick Hardwick (JAX)

Atlanta is clearly making their tackle position a priority in the offseason after losing two of 4 on their active roster. Oakland will likely move D. J. Fluker from the RT to LT position, or may draft for a true LT. The Express have already made a move, bringing in former Thunder tackle Rees Odhiambo.

Defensive Line: DE Kamerion Wemberley (OHI), DE Chris Kelsay (ATL), DT Atiyyah Ellison (WSH).

Again, it is Atlanta in the most desperate situation, with Kelsay a surprise retirement. Look for them to use some T-Draft of early round Open Draft selections on this vital position. Ohio could be looking at Ohio State prospect Nick Bosa as well, with Wemberley stepping away.

Linebacker: Jerod Mayo (CHA), Paul Posluszny (PIT), Jason Taylor (BAL), Lance Briggs (POR), Shantee Orr (SD), Brady Poppinga (NJ)

Poz chooses retirement over free agency, while Taylor, Briggs, and Orr join Mayo as somewhat anticipated retirements. The Maulers have already made a huge signing to fill Poz’s spot (see Free Agency below), and New Jersey is feeling good about signing Chicago’s Akeem Ayers to replace Poppinga. While Baltimore has signed Jarvis Jones away from Memphis, he is unlikely to take on the pass rush role that Jason Taylor held. And with so many linebackers snatched up by the NFL (again, see below), the market is a bit tight right now, so expect the draft to see the position as one of great interest.

Secondary: CB Cortland Finnegan (PHI), CB Chris Spencer (NOR), FS Will Allen (BIR), SS Troy Polamalu (ARZ), SS Bob Sanders (CHI), SS Patrick Chung (JAX)

Arizona got the trifecta that no one wanted, losing Gore, Polamalu, and Fitzgerald within 10 days of their Summer Bowl appearance. Chicago will also be in the safety market while Birmingham jumped on former Outlaw Tashaun Gipson within 3 days of the start of free agency to fill their gap at the position. So far that is the only signing clearly tied to these retirements.

Special Teams: K Mike Nugent (PHI), K Dan Carpenter (POR), P Mat McBriar (OAK0, P Reggie Hodges (CHI)

No signings yet, which is no surprise as kickers and punters tend to be post-draft signings or even NFL imports. There are several potential candidates in the draft as well, including Utah kicker Matt Gay and a solid crop of 4-5 late round punters to consider.

As much as we want to jump right in on the Free Agent market and the NFL transfer window, we need to start with the men in the big office, the new head coaches across the USFL. We have had two more hires in the past 10 weeks, joining new LA head coach Marvin Lewis, to bring the number of open vacancies down from 5 to 2. Here are the reports on all 4 positions which were vacant at the time of our last report, with 2 still open and potentially playing the slow, waiting game as the NFL season plays out.

Snowbird? Trestman from Toronto to Tampa Bay

The Bandits have found their man, and he may actually qualify as a Snowbird, leaving the cold and ice of Canada for the sun and shore of the Gulf Coast. In Mid-August, the Bandits announced Mark Trestman, former head coach of the Toronto Argonauts, as their new team leader. Trestman, after rising up through the offensive coaching ranks of the NFL, found success in his first head coaching position, leading the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL. Trestman struggled in his return to the NFL, lasting only 2 seasons in Chicago, where, to be fair, good quarterbacking is about as common as a sunny 75-degree day in January. 

CFL to NFL to CFL to USFL for Mark Trestman

Trestman returned to the CFL, where he led the Toronto Argonauts to a Grey Cup in 2017, but matters with the team were largely unsettled as the club prepared for 2018. Trestman remained with the club through a tough start to the 2018 season but resigned from the team when the Bandits made their offer. For those wondering how a mid-season “poaching” is even possible, it should be noted that, unlike the USFL deal with the NFL, there is no negotiation window between the USFL and CFL. The lack of an interleague agreement makes this kind of mid-season move possible, still frowned on, but possible. Trestman turned over the reins of the Argonauts to his DC, Mike Archer mid-week, upon notifying the Argos that he was leaving to join the USFL.

The new HC joins the Bandits as their 3rd coach since 2010, following a 2-year stint for June Jones. His mission, to return the Bandits to what most Tampa Bay fans believe is their legacy, exciting offensive football, “Bandit Ball” in the Spurrier era, and a rightful place atop the Southern Division. Tampa Bay finished 3-13 this year and will have the 2nd pick in the upcoming draft, with defense being the primary area of need.

Stoops Signs On, Set to Lead Outlaws

“Give them what they want” appears to be the mantra in Oklahoma, where the Outlaws signed former OU head coach Bob Stoops to take the reins of the franchise. Stoops, who left the Sooners in 2016, after 18 seasons at the helm of the Big 12 powerhouse.

A "No Brainer" for Outlaw Ownership

Stoops's debut with the Outlaws will be his first pro football position, having risen up the ranks in the college game. Certainly, from a win-loss standpoint Stoops is more than qualified, having racked up a 190-48 record at Oklahoma, including 9 major bowl victories (2 Sugar, 1 each in the Orange, Rose, Cotton and Fiesta).

Stoops now takes on a new challenge, leading a veteran pro club, but comes in with a settled QB position, and a squad that was in the playoff hunt up until the season finale in 2018. Among his primary tasks this offseason will be reviving the run game with Marshawn Lynch, finding quality targets for Joe Flacco, and adding more talent to a defense that finished 23rd in yards allowed and recorded only 25 sacks in 2018.

Renegades & Stallions Playing the Waiting game

Two positions left, and it seems that both Orlando and Birmingham may play the somewhat risky game of waiting out the 2019 NFL season to find their new coaches. This means that the GM’s will be running the entire offseason up through the draft, giving their new coach a largely set roster when they enter the team facilities. Both clubs are considered rebuilding projects, though both also have a solidly entrenched starting QB and some significant talent around them. Orlando will, of course, still be dealing with the departure of DE Calais Campbell, but all indications are that they plan to select and woo University of Miami prospect Montez Sweat as a potential T-Draft selection.

As for Birmingham, questions remain as to whether they will pursue Alabama halfback Josh Jacobs in the T-Draft or focus on their struggling defense, which finished 25th in pass defense and 21st in overall defense. Early on there were USFL names associated with both clubs, including Arizona OC Zack Taylor in Orlando and Oakland DC Reggie Herring for Birmingham, but it appears that neither hit the right notes in interviews and both clubs are now settling in to scout the NFL ranks as they prepare to go through the winter without naming the successors to John Fox and Henry Ellard.

Quarterbacks on the Move as Nassib & McGloin Cash In on 2018 Success

Free Agency kicked off just 4 days after Houston’s 2018 Summer Bowl victory, and it did not take long for things to get wild. More than 20 players signed within 24 hours, and while that included quite a few big names, it did not include the two breakout star QBs of 2018, Arizona’s Ryan Nassib and Seattle’s Matt McGloin. The two QBs each received multiple inquiries and several serious offers before making their choices, but by the end of the first week of August we had both QBs under contract and ready to suit up with their new teams.

Ryan Nassib, the league’s QB Rating champion in 2018, was the first to sign with a new team. As much as Arizona would have loved to keep the young QB under contract, it simply was not possible when they had 2-time MVP David Carr locked up for another 3 years, so Nassib hit the market after throwing for 3,900 yards and 32 touchdowns in an absolutely amazing year. Nassib led the Wranglers all the way to the Summer Bowl after having only 1 start in his previous 2 years in the league. Along the way he showed that he had the juice to be a legitimate starter and franchise guy for someone, and there were no shortage of teams with interest.

Nassib turns 1 amazing year into a 4-year deal.

Nassib and his agent took calls from no fewer than 9 teams, but quickly the race for his services came down to 3 clubs, each looking for a new face to their organization. Ryan jetted to New Orleans first, meeting with Coach Lathon and the Southern Division champion Breakers. Then it was a meeting with Brian Flores and the Personnel staff of the Jacksonville Bulls, before trekking up to D.C. to meet with the Federals. Nassib was apparently impressed by what Coach Bradley, former Stars’ DC, had to say about the Federals and their offensive philosophy, and certainly the money was there, with Washington having significant cap space available. The result, in less than a month after long-time starter David Garrard announced his retirement from the Feds, he was welcoming Nassib to the team in a press conference at team headquarters. Nassib was the proud owner of a new 4-year deal that puts him among the Top 10 highest paid QBs in the league, and a new Kelly-green number 12 jersey. Nassib, who grew up a fan of the Philadelphia Stars now will face off with them twice a year as the newest QB for the Federals. 

It was only 3 days later that the second of the two “breakout” QBs signed on the dotted line. Matt McGloin, also an injury-sparked sub for his team’s Week 1 starter, finished 2018 with 3,180 yards passing and 26 touchdowns. A 6-year veteran who had backup stints with Portland, Memphis, and Seattle, McGloin was also courted by several teams, including visits with the Federals, Bulls, and Machine. In the end it would be Coach Rick Neuheisel, himself a former USFL QB, who would land McGloin. The Las Vegas Vipers, having celebrated 2 years with Eli Manning at the helm, wanted a veteran presence at the position, and while McGloin is not a multiple-year starter in the USFL, the Vipers liked his growth curve, and certainly his 2018 results. McGloin will join Jeff Tuel and Curtis Painter in the Viper QB room and is all but assured the starting gig to go along with his 4-year, $22M contract.

The signings leave several teams without a clear number one at the QB position, including Jacksonville, who missed out on both of the stars in free agency. New Orleans, and Chicago also have to be considered teams with a big hole at the QB position. With Ryan Fitzpatrick the biggest QB name left in free agency, we could see attention turning to him as well as to the consensus top 3 college QBs expected to be available in this year’s draft, Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray, Duke’s Daniel Jones, and Missouri’s Drew Lock. Will one of these teams make a move to get rights to one of these three by trading with the Outlaws, Federals, or Skyhawks to obtain a Territorial Draft Pick. If not, then what plan do they have?

Maulers and Roughnecks Find Their Men in the Middle

Outside of the QB position, there was no hotter market this July than at Middle Linebacker, where a solid group of players had opted to join the free agent market, including Tampa Bay’s Bryan Orakpo, LA’s Clay Matthews, Portland’s Channing Crowder, New Jersey’s Chase Blackburn, and Washington’s Shawne Merriman. That, of course, also meant that we had several teams looking for an option at the position due to the anticipated departure of their 2018 starter. Add to this teams that felt an upgrade was needed and, in the case of the Maulers, a team looking to replace a retired All-USFL contributor, and you had a bit of a feeding frenzy. Throw in the NFL Transfer Window only 1 week after free agency began and the market got very tight indeed.

And yet, at least 2 clubs found their men, making deals to lock up two of the better options at the position. Pittsburgh landed themselves the consensus top player at the position, giving former Bandit Bryan Orakpo a 3-year deal that made him the highest-paid MLB in the league. Dallas followed with a 2-year deal for former Express tackle leader Clay Matthews. The two signings still leave several teams without a clear starter at the position, while, in the case of Dallas, they now have their 2018 starter and a former All-USFL starter at the MLB position. With their base defense a 4-3, that means we are unlikely to see Matthews and 2018 starter Brandon Spikes both in the middle. It is possible that Spikes will become a swing backer, playing both in the middle and on the strong side, or quite possibly, he will be asked to compete with Jamie Collins on the strong side.

In Pittsburgh the situation is a lot clearer. With the retirement of Paul Posluszny, the path is cleared for Orakpo to step in and take over the middle in the Mauler 4-3, with Brian Cushing and Vince Biegel to either side. And we may not be done with the Maulers, who have been scouting both T-Draft option David Long Jr. out of West Virginia, and unaffiliated LB Quincy Williiams of Murray State this fall. Dallas has also looked at rookie options, with TCU’s Ben Banogu and Ty Summers getting a long look, but with their free agent success, both teams are now looking at depth rather than an immediate need.

Meanwhile, the LB pool is certainly shrinking with both James Laurinaitis and Shawne Merriman jumping to the NFL. Right now Chase Blackburn remains the top talent on the board, with Channing Crowder of Portland right there. With so many teams looking to fill gaps at MLB, we cannot expect both to be there long as this offseason of signings continues.

Arizona’s WR Room Rebuild Starts on Cruz Control

The Wranglers wasted no time trying to figure out how to retain a deep threat offense despite the retirement of Larry Fitzgerald and the decision by Antonio Bryant to enter the free agent market. It had been hoped that if Fitzie retired, Bryant would agree to stay on in Arizona, but Bryant opted instead to enter free agency, despite ongoing talks with Arizona, signing only 5 days into the marketplace, a 1-year deal with the Michigan Panthers.

Arizona, on the same day that Bryant announced his departure, had their own news, with the team welcoming former Mauler wideout Victor Cruz to the desert as a new weapon for David Carr and the Wrangler offense. Who had back-to-back 1,100 yards seasons in 2016-2017, struggled to get targets in 2018 and demanded a chance to find a new home. Now, in Arizona, he has a home with a team designed to take advantage of his deep ball skills. Cruz will join DeMarcus Robinson and Taiwan Taylor in the Wrangler WR room, and we are not entirely sure the Wranglers won’t add another speedster to the squad as well, since they are down two 1,000-yard receivers with the departures of Fitzgerald and Bryant.

Vegas Gives Mcgloin a 100-Reception Option

The other “top tier” receiver to enter the market lasted slightly longer before signing on, as Aaron Dobson, Chicago’s 100-reception receiver, received offers from no less than 4 clubs before signing on with the Vipers. It appears that he stalled a bit, giving Las Vegas time to find a solution at QB before taking their offer of a 4-year deal and a clear role as the Viper’s mid-range possession receiver. Dobson’s skills align well with McGloin, whose accuracy is certainly more highly rated than his arm strength. Together with veterans Arrelious Benn and Derk Hagan, the Vipers will focus on possession and a quick decision passing game, rather than a deep vertical game. That would suit Dobson just fine, as long as he keeps getting those targets, keeps making those first downs, and has a shot at some playoff football.

D-Line A Big Story This Offseason

Even with several big-name players still unsigned, players like former Gold DT Ndamukong Suh and former Bandit DE Jerry Hughes, this has already been a banner year for the D-Line. In just the first month of the offseason we saw Breaker Kony Ealy accept a 4-year deal at nearly $1M more per season than he was earning in New Orleans. We saw DE Mario Williams jump to the NFL Bills for a nice paycheck, with Houston’s Antwan Applewhite joining him 2 days later as the newest Las Vegas Raider. We also saw a major run on defensive tackles, with Kedric Gholston leaving Chicago for the Jacksonville Bulls, Amobi Okoye moving from Denver to Charlotte, and Damon Harrison joining the San Diego Thunder. Add to this the choice of former Thunder standout Haloti Ngata to go season-to-season by joining the NFL Ravens 1 week into the NFL regular season and you have a major run on D-linemen in full effect.

Still left to sign, as teams head into winter, is the biggest name of the bunch, Denver’s Ndamukong Suh, who is still speaking with the Gold, but is also taking other offers, including inquiries from LA, Portland, New Jersey, and Philly. Others to consider are Atlanta’s Sylvester Williams, Chicago’s Linval Joseph, Viper Daquon Jones, Oaklands Sedrick Ellis (an All-USFL choice this year), and Bandit DE Jerry Hughes (15 sacks in 2018).

Is Murray to Monarchs a Fit?

Charlotte certainly hopes the answer is a resounding “yes”. Latavius Murray joins Charlotte on a 2-year deal, once again hoping for the chance to be seen as a true lead back after sharing carries with Rashard Jennings in Orlando the past six seasons. At 30 years old, Murray is on the fringe for some teams, but Charlotte felt the price was right and they are hoping that Murray can help replace the lost yards after Adrian Peterson’s retirement announcement.

Murray has been really solid on a per-carry basis, topping out at 5.2 YPC in 2015, but also putting up seasons at 4.5 YPC (2016) and 4.4 YPC (2018), all well above the league average. The issue has always been workload, with Murray never topping 150 carries in season, less than half of what we would normally expect of a true bell cow back.

In Charlotte, Murray may well get the chance to top 200 or even 250 touches, as not only did Charlotte lose Peterson, but also saw 3rd down back and special teamer Taiwan Jones head to the Thunder this offseason. That leaves only Murray and 2018 rookie Nyheim Hines on the roster at this time. We expect the Monarchs will bring in at least 2-3 more backs for camp in February, but certainly, unless they surprise us moving forward, it looks like the full-time starting gig is Murray’s for now.

Other Signings of Note

While the QB and D-Line stories seem to be on everyone’s lips these last 10 weeks, there certainly have been plenty of other impactful signings across the league. We will run down the Top 25 Free Agent list a bit later in this report, but for now, here are a few more signings that you should take note of, as these players almost certainly will have something to say when the season kicks off in March.

On offense, we had slot receiver Percy Harvin jump from Oklahoma to Ohio while veteran possession receiver Mark Clayton leaves Memphis on a 1-year deal with the Outlaws. Another slot receiver, Tedd Ginn Jr., will be joining his 5th USFL team after only 1 season in Pittsburgh. Ginn heads down to Tampa Bay on another 1-year deal. We also saw one of the better tight ends in the market finding a new home as Rob Housler leaves the USFL Champion Gamblers to sign a new 3-year deal with Washington, where he will be paired up with QB Ryan Nassib. We also saw several linemen find new homes, with guard Chance Warmack the biggest get, and another offseason victory for the Dallas Roughnecks. Another guard, Zach Martin of the Machine, heads to Oklahoma, who are clearly trying to find some more protection for their immobile QB, Joe Flacco.

On defense, in addition to the linemen and backers already mentioned in our earlier stories, we will be seen three outside linebackers also making moves, with Akeem Ayers leaving Chicago for New Jersey (where he could move inside), Nathan Triplett leaving LA for Memphis, their second defection from the LB group after Clay Matthews’ departure, and Jarvis Jones, leaving Memphis to play for Coach Caldwell in Baltimore.  We wrap up our Free Agent review with the strong safety position, where Birmingham’s Baccari Rambo got a new deal worth nearly $2M per season to join the Atlanta Fire. Following Rambo’s signing, Tashaun Gipson was signed by the Stallions with the intention of having the young safety step in for the departed Rambo.

Those are the highlights of the first 10 weeks of Free Agency, but there is more to report as we look at trades and the NFL-USFL transfer window, which certainly had a huge impact this year. We should also remember that we still have several months of free agency to go, and a lot of good players as yet unsigned. We will take a look at some of them in our review of the Top 25 Free Agents coming up a bit later.

Not all the action these past weeks has been with free agency. Calais Campbell’s demand for a trade added a lot of drama to the offseason’s first weeks, and the eventual trade that brought him to a new home, along with several other early offseason trades, has also helped to shape what is looking like a very busy, very complicated offseason in the USFL. We will break down several trades that could impact your team, but we have to start with one of the biggest stories of the offseason to date, the battle to sign perhaps the greatest defensive end in USFL history.

Campbell Gets His Wish, Finds a New Home.

It was a shot fired across the bow of the Orlando Renegade franchise. Fed up with middling results and a lack of support across the roster, the consensus best USFL player of this generation, Calais Campbell, demanded to be traded or have Orlando face a retirement filing. The Renegades had little choice but to shop around the 10-time USFL sack leader. In working with Campbell’s representation, they learned of a short list of 10 teams he would be willing to join, all of them considered by him to be contenders, or on the rise towards contention. Orlando would communicate with each. While everyone had interest, because you just have to when a talent like Campbell is on the trading block, but few had the cap space or the collateral to make a deal feasible. Orlando wanted multiple picks over three years to give up Campbell, and few teams could both make that happen and also fit Campbell’s understandably large contract into their cap budgets.

But one team had all three key factors: a clear contender for a title, draft collateral to spend, and a huge budget beneath the cap due to a spate of retirements. That team? The Arizona Wranglers. Yes, the defending Western Conference Champions, the club that has appeared in 4 Summer Bowls in the past 6 years, and a favorite to get back in 2019 had everything needed to make the deal happen, and when the time came, they pulled the trigger.

Campbell will now flex in the Southwest.

Arizona sent Orlando three guaranteed picks, their 2nd rounder this year, a 3rd in 2020, and a 4th in 2021. In addition, there were 2 other picks in play, both contingent on Campbell’s longevity, potentially getting Orlando additional picks in both 2020 and 2021. In return, the Wranglers get the most dominant defensive player the USFL has ever seen, a man capable of 30 sacks and 100 tackles in the same season. Campbell had 1 year left on his contract with the Renegades, but a deal was quickly cut to extend Campbell through 2021, with enough of an incentive to make him the highest paid Wrangler and the highest paid defender in the league.

Even with the big new deal, Arizona still has nearly $19,000,000 in cap space to manage the retirements of Troy Polamalu, Frank Gore, and Larry Fitzgerald, something they have already begun to do this offseason (see our Free Agent news below). For Campbell, arriving in Phoenix 24 hours after the deal was accepted by the Renegades, the opportunity is clear, a chance to add his talents to a Summer Bowl caliber team, one that gives him an amazing opportunity to earn a ring and finish his career not only as one of the best players in league history, but as a champion as well. And, as if that is not enough, we now all get to watch twice annual battles between Campbell and his closest rival, Denver’s Von Miller.

Offensive Line a Hot Spot on Trade Wire

Pretty easy to see this offseason how important the O-line is to many teams, as every single trade outside of the Campbell deal had offensive linemen in the mix. Five significant trades, all with linemen included, have already been agreed upon as teams try to do their best to shore up their trench warriors and protect their QBs. Here are the deals that caught our attention over the offseason’ s first 10 weeks.

Houston sends OT Marcus Cannon and a 6th rounder to Atlanta to obtain the services of DT Nick Fairley. It is a clear need for Houston with Haynesworth unlikely to resign, but also a key addition for Atlanta as they try to build on Nick Chubb’s rookie year success.

Birmingham also upgraded at tackle, taking advantage of Baltimore’s tricky cap situation to acquire LT Riley Reiff in return for CB Dwayne Gratz and a depth pick at tackle in Lamar Holmes.

Memphis got themselves a new starting center, acquiring Seattle’s Phillip Blake by sending backup Joey Hunt and HB Gus Edwards to the Dragons.

Michigan continued to work on their LB group, trading OT Cameron Fleming to the Renegades in exchange for Devonte Hollman.

 Finally, Charlotte gave up a pretty solid pass rusher in Michael Johnson to acquire tackle Geoff Schwartz from the Federals.

We also had our first draft trade just a few days ago as Chicago tipped their hand by trading their 2nd round pick in the Open Draft, pick number 36, to the Washington Federals for the Feds’ first T-Draft pick. No question what that is about. Washington got their QB through free agency, signing Ryan Nassib, which means that their interest in Duke’s Daniel Jones was significantly reduced. Enter Chicago, who were unable to wrestle away Nassib or McGloin from the Feds or Vipers and so are now focused on a top rookie option, and it appears they like what they are seeing from Jones in his final year with the Blue Devils.

Major Defensive Exodus to NFL

There is no way to say it other than that the NFL just marauded the USFL and took away some pretty significant plunder, plunder in the shape of defensive playmakers. We knew going into free agency that this was a deep and rich pool of defensive talent, but the hope had been that USFL teams would make quick deals and secure as much of the spring league’s talented veterans as possible. It would seem that agents for many of the defensive stars of the league understood this, advised their clients to hold out until the NFL could enter the negotiations, and then it was a full-on piranha attack in the free agency waters.

Just a quick glance at the transfers from the spring to the fall and you can understand why USFL officials are distraught by the intense pressure the fall league just put on the league. Just on the defensive side of the ball, we are looking at:

Cornerbacks Patrick Robinson, Captain Munnerlyn and Dunta Robinson, 3 of the top 4 rated free agents at the position.

MLBs Shawne Merriman and James Laurinaitis, both perhaps a little long in the tooth but both also highly productive.

Four defensive ends also make the move to fall, led by Memphis’s Mario Williams, but also including Quentin Groves, Antwan Applewhite and Muhammad Wilkerson.

Another big name from the defensive side, DT Haloti Ngata, also heads to the fall, and had already appeared in his first NFL game.

The exodus of defensive talent is our big story from the NFL transfers, but hardly the only one. We have several other stories to tell, and we will look at the smaller cohort of NFL players who will get a break this fall and then start up with their new USFL teams in January camps.

Blue Changes Leagues, not Zip Codes

With two touchdowns in the Gamblers’ Summer Bowl victory, Alfred Blue got his moment in the sun. The big bruiser of a back who rarely hit double-digit touches in a game thanks to Carlos Hyde’s 3-down effectiveness, got a chance to shine, scoring twice in the biggest game of his career, and now that moment provides him with a chance to seek a bigger role on a team without even having to change his address.

Blue, who had only 66 carries and 2 touchdowns in 2018 before his Summer Bowl highlights, signed with the Houston Oilers of the NFL, allowing him to stay put while also starting anew with a new club. Blue, who has played 2 seasons with the Gamblers after coming over from the Thunder, now joins the fall league, hoping he can prove that he is more than a short yardage back.

He will join another USFL tailback headed to the fall as C. J. Spiller opts to leave the Breakers for a new position in Kansas City. The Clemson product, who had his best season back in 2011 with Jacksonville, has largely been limited to third downs and some special teams play since leaving the Bulls, first in Dallas and this season in New Orleans, where he rushed for 318 yards. He now joins the NFL Chiefs, who are looking to use him more consistently in their spread style of offense.

Whitworth & Solder Jump to Fall

Just as the O-line was a key area of interest on the USFL trading block, it was also in demand in the transfer window. Among the linemen leaving to join the fall league were Dallas’s Andrew Whitworth, who now heads to the Rams, and Portland’s Nate Solder, who has joined the New York Giants. Solder, who has started 119 games since coming into the USFL with Denver in 2011, now becomes an immediate upgrade for Big Blue as he joins the Giants 2 weeks into their season. Whitworth leaves Dallas, where he started 30 of the past 32 Roughneck games since coming over from Chicago. This year, in 15 starts he gave up only 1 sack, a stat that helped him cash in with a new 4-year contract with the Rams.

Davis Leaves a Huge Hole in Washington’s Receiving Group

After a career year that saw Washington TE Kellen Davis catch 69 passes for 823 yards and 3 touchdowns, the dual-use end found a buyer in New York, where he joins the NY Jets. Davis played 11 seasons in Washington, and many in the Federals’ organization wondered if he would retire after being allowed to enter the free agent market, but the NFL Jets offered him a 2-year deal at just over $1.2M per season, and the price was right. Davis has already played in his first few games for the Jets and has recorded his first NFL touchdown with them.

As for Washington, Davis’s departure was anticipated, since they opted not to resign him after his solid season, and they have already made their move to find a replacement, signing free agent Rob Housler away from the Panthers. Housler does not have Davis’s speed, but he has good hands and a knack for finding the gaps in zone coverage. Expect him and Kellen Winslow II to share snaps for the Federals.  

NFL Players Headed to Spring

So, we have covered the big moves from USFL to NFL, but what about the reverse track? Well, as we have come to expect, the pool of NFL talent available every September, after their fall season has started, tends to be pretty thin, though occasionally through holdouts or spats between player and team, we do see some pretty solid players opt to join the spring league rather than losing a year in wait for the perfect NFL deal.  We have several such players in this year’s early window pool for the USFL.

Crowell the Inside Man for Arizona?

Former Brown back Isaiah Crowell is hoping his move to the USFL will rekindle his career. After a solid start in Cleveland, one that saw him rush for 1,700 yards between 2016 and 2017, Crowell hit NFL free agency in hopes of finding a big payday, but the deal never materialized. He came close to signing with the Jets, but the deal fell through in August, setting him up to be free and clear when the Transfer Window opened up 3 weeks later.

Crowell will now join Ka’Deem Carey in what is very likely to be a new version of the HB duo that saw Carey split carries with veteran Frank Gore in 2018. This past season Carey and Gore evenly distributed carries, with Carey getting 186 and rushing for 815 yards and 3 scores, while Gore got only 4 fewer touches, rushed for 690 yards and added 7 touchdowns. Crowell is very likely to take on the short yardage and red zone carries that defined Gore’s role this past year, and he is fine with that if it means a chance to get back on the field and prove he is worth more than the NFL clubs were offering him.

Maulers Sign Landry after Cruz Departure

A second pretty big name in NFL circles heads to the USFL after holding out for a deal from his NFL club, the Dolphins, and finding little give in the organization. No such issues with the Pittsburgh Maulers, who were looking to replace Victor Cruz with an equally speedy option at the split end position opposite Adam Thielen. In Landry they may have found it. The former Dolphin had himself 3 very strong seasons in Miami, topping 1,100 yards in both 2015 and 2016. He fell slightly short of that with 987 this past season, but did prove he could also play underneath, catching 112 balls in Miami. But, the Dolphins did not offer him the cash he felt he was owed, while Pittsburgh opened up the wallet in an effort to bring back a true speed receiver to their roster, and so, they get themselves a possible 100-reception and/or 1,200-yard receiver to pair with Thielen.

Bandits Add Defensive Depth with NFL Imports

The Tampa Bay Bandits knew they had some issues on defense this past season, and with the departure of both Bryan Orakpo and DE Jerry Hughes, they knew they had to act fast to rebuild a defense that could keep them in games long enough for their potent offense to get them a W. They made two big moves during the transfer window to help bring that about. The first move was to steal away LB Preston Brown from the Buffalo Bills. Brown, who has seen his tackle totals increase from 109 to 144 over his 4-years in Buffalo, is now going to bring that talent to Tampa Bay, where the chance of having to deal with frostbite is pretty much non-existent.

The second big NFL signing made by Tampa Bay in the September window is again a strategy to help offset a departure. With Jerry Hughes out, the Bandits are looking for edge pressure, and the signing of 7-year NFL veteran Pernell McPhee is part of that plan. McPhee, who spent 4 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens before joining the Chicago Bears in 2015, now joins the Bandits as what will likely be a RDE or Swing DE position. McPhee’s best year as a sack man was in 2014, when he had 7.5 QB sacks for the Ravens. Last year in Chicago he recorded only 4, but he did so in only 5 starts, giving Tampa Bay hope that he can be productive if placed in the right situation.

Some other signings of note from the early inter-league transfer window include center Greg Mancz (NOR), guard/tackle Justin Pugh (MEM), DT Justin Ellis (NOR), DE Terrence Fede (ARZ), safety Tavon Wilson (CHI), and two special teamers, kicker Cody Parkey (POR) and punter Marquette King (CHI). As we have come to learn, the pool of talent from the NFL in the two leagues’ second transfer window (Mid-February to Mid-March) will almost certainly be deeper, richer, and could feature some players who will jump immediately into games as early as the 1st or 2nd week of the spring season.

A Second Look at the Free Agent Pool

So, here we are, 10 weeks into Free Agency, with a lot of big signings already (by both USFL clubs and the NFL), but there is still a lot of talent left out there. With that in mind, we are revisiting our Top 25 Free Agents, and we are adding 10 more to the list, all of whom remain available as we enter the heart of the fall, now free from further NFL “poaching” and ready for USFL teams to make a deal ahead of the draft. So, let’s take a look at who is off the market, who is playing in the fall, and who is still looking for their golden ticket to a new destination.

1—DT Albert Haynesworth      Unsigned

The action on Haynesworth has been slow, with many reports indicating the big man is seriously considering retirement, which may have scared off the early contenders for a DT.

2—LB Bryan Orakpo                     3-year deal with Pittsburgh Maulers

Orakpo joins a Mauler squad that also features Aaron Donald in the middle of the line, and a very solid safety pair, giving the Maulers strength up the middle of their D.

3—CB Patrick Robinson             Jumped to NFL

4—QB Ryan Nassib                     4-year deal with Washington Federals

Nassib picked the Feds, a 9-7 squad this past year, over several other contenders. His new deal essentially guarantees him his shot to be a full-time starter, and with Keenan Allen and Brandon LaFell outside, he has the talent to repeat his long-ball success from Arizona.

5—WR Victor Cruz                 3-year deal with Arizona Wranglers

Taking over for Larry Fitzgerald will not be easy for Cruz, but in the Wranglers, he will be surrounded by talent and a winning culture.

6—QB Matt McGloin                     4-year deal with Las Vegas Vipers

After several years as a backup, McGloin showed us what he could do in 2018, and now he earns the chance to prove it as the Day 1 starter in Las Vegas. The Vipers are looking like a team hoping for a major offensive makeover and McGloin’s skills will be a factor in their roster decisions, to be sure.

7—DE Mario Williams                 Jumped to NFL

8—LB Clay Matthews                2-year deal with Dallas Roughnecks

We are not sure Matthews made the right choice if a title is what he is shooting for, but he certainly did not suffer financially, taking the money over a very lucrative 2-year deal with the Roughnecks.

9—LB Chase Blackburn             Unsigned

Without a doubt the best MLB still available. We are a bit surprised that he is still out here, as there are several teams with need.

10—WR Aaron Dobson            4-year deal with Las Vegas Vipers

Dobson joins McGloin in Las Vegas, a good complement to McGloin’s accurate touch passing style.

11—DE Jerry Hughes              Unsigned

With the Campbell frenzy settled, Hughes is now the clear fallback option for every team who is not Arizona. Would he consider returning to Tampa Bay?

12—QB Ryan Fitzpatrick         Unsigned

If Fitz-magic is comfortable starting his next phase as a number 2, then he will find work in the USFL. If he is hoping to be anointed the starter, the wait could be a while.

13—DT Ndamukong Suh              Unsigned

Concerns about his knees (and his age, let’s be honest) are slowing down what would have been a much more dynamic market for Suh 1-2 years ago.

14—CB Dunta Robinson          Jumped to NFL

15—TE Kellen Davis                Jumped to NFL

16—WR Antonio Bryant         1-year deal with Michigan Panthers

We are not sure why Bryant opted to leave Arizona, where he could have stepped up as the primary target for David Carr, but landing in Michigan is not a bad option for the speedy Bryant, who will force defenders to defend a deeper field than with the other Panther receivers.

17—DT Sedrick Ellis                  Unsigned

Right now, Suh and Ellis are talking to the same teams. We think the two will get signed 1-2, like dominoes, with both able to fit well in either a 3-4 or 4-3 scheme.

18—LB James Laurinaitis             Jumped to NFL

19—HB Knile Davis                      Unsigned

We know New Orleans has interest, since they are hoping for a speedy option to pair with Fournette, but there are several other contenders who love Davis’s shiftiness, speed, and contributions in the passing game.

20—OT Andrew Whitworth            Jumped to NFL

21—DE Kony Ealy                        4-year deal with San Diego Thunder

Ealy cashed in as the Thunder were eager to get the DE position settled. They may have overpaid a bit, but Ealy has been ascending and improving each year.

22—SS Baccari Rambo                 3-year deal with Atlanta Fire

Atlanta needed someone solid in the back end of their defense, and they got the best possible option from the market available.

23—OT Nate Solder                     Jumped to NFL

24—HB Latavius Murray             2-year deal with Charlotte Monarchs

Murray gets his shot to be a 1-back, and Charlotte hopes they have another successful veteran signing to keep the run game competitive.

25—QB Robert Quinn III               Unsigned

And our 10 new additions, all still available as of this report.

1— FS Jairus Byrd

After 8 seasons in Philadelphia, it seems Byrd is ready to find a new nest, and while he is not the best ballhawk of the safeties in the pool, he is a solid contributor and excels at zone protection.

2— SS Brandon Taylor

At only 29 years old, and after starting every game in New Orleans for the past 5 seasons, Taylor offers a mix of savvy leadership and athletic ability that should be attractive to a lot of teams. He has only 3 picks in his 6-year career, which may be why he has lasted this long.

3— HB C. J. Anderson

After a very solid 2017 campaign saw Anderson rush for 6 touchdowns and nearly 700 yards, his production and his opportunities just did not come in Seattle this past season. Don’t expect to get 1,200 yards from this bulldozer back, but as an inside rusher and short-yardage guy, Anderson can be quite effective.

4— WR Denarius Moore

The 7-year vet of the Vipers, who saw his best season in 2018 with 105 catches for 1,244 yards and a team-best 9 touchdowns, is ready to cash in. His asking price has been a bit high for most of this offseason, but as the options begin to shrink for clubs across the league, we are pretty sure that someone is going to give Moore the contract he wants as a potential number one.

5— CB Jaylen Watkins

At only 25, Jaylen Watkins still has room to grow, and while his 2018 season with Oklahoma was very much hit or miss, he showed us in 2017 that he has potential, picking off 3 balls and recording 19 passes defended.

6— QB Kyle Orton

Orton, who started 8 seasons in Atlanta, has seemingly grown to see that he is likely going to be playing the backup & mentor roles wherever he ends up. That was in Memphis the past 2 seasons, where he threw a combined 17 passes in 2 seasons. He could be a valuable backup to a young QB, and there are several teams with such a situation (or about to have that situation after this year’s draft) so Orton likely gets signed right around draft time.

7— SS Kendrick Lewis

The 8-year veteran spent most of his career in St. Louis, signed a 1-year deal with Baltimore, and is now back in the market. His season with the Blitz was pretty solid, producing 52 tackles, 3 sacks, a pick, and 9 passes defended. It may not get him a huge deal, but that kind of season should get him a roster spot somewhere.

8— DT Sylvester Williams

A big space-eater of a D-tackle, Williams is not the most athletic, in that he won’t get you 5-10 sacks a season, but what he will do is make it tough for teams to run on the inside when he is in the game. He would be best suited to a rotational plan that sees him get about 50%-60% of the snaps.

9— HB Anthony Dixon

Dixon flirted with 1,000 on several occasions in Baltimore but could never clearly take over as the lead back for the Blitz. This season he was the starter only for 8 games, sharing carries with Kerwynn Williams. He would lead the team with 709 yards but still have fewer touches than Williams. Will he get the shot to be a true 1-back, or is Dixon, now 31, more likely to get a rotational role in whatever city he finds himself?

10—WR Miles Austin

In 12 seasons with the Generals, Austin only came close to 1,000 yards once, a 947-yard, 67 reception season in 2016. More often than not he was used as a specialist, coming in on long yardage third downs and returning kicks. It is that latter skill that may find him a spot on a roster this year, as he is particularly solid as a kick returner, even if teams feel that as a wideout his game is a bit one-dimensional.

USFL Expansion Committee Hears 7 Bids for League’s 30th Team

The bids are in, the presentations have been made, the financial reviews are under way, and the USFL Expansion Committee could reveal the 3 finalists any time between now and January, when the League Owners will meet to review the top bids and select the league’s 30th franchise. Seven contending groups, representing 6 markets, made their cases to the 7-member committee over a week-long schedule of meetings, and now it is up to the committee (and you) to determine who the final bidders will be.

Boston (2), Hartford, Miami, Indianapolis, Kansas City, and the Twin Cities are all in the race to join San Antonio as expansion franchises of the spring league, ready to kick off in just about 18 months. Over the next few weeks each bid will be evaluated, the financial backing of each investment group thoroughly vetted, and the scenarios for leaguewide competitiveness, rivalry potential, and market benefit will be explored before the committee reduces the bids from 7 to 3. In January the full ownership will review the findings of the committee, here once again from the three bid groups, and come to a decision, with a final announcement due no later than April of 2019.  For each of these bid groups, and the cities they represent, the decision will represent the culmination of months, if not years of work, and a win in this competition could mean millions, if not billions as the USFL continues to be one of the most reliable sports investments of the past 50 years, joining the NFL to create year round football mania across the country.  So, now we wait. Wait for the report, and the announcement of the three finalists who will meet with owners in January.

You are the Committee—Pick the final 3 contenders.

Hello “The USFL Lives” fans and followers. I hope you did not think I would let this kind of horse race for a franchise pass without you getting a say. Not at all. You get a chance to vote, and to provide feeback to persuade me as to which city and which bid is the best suited to become the USFL’s 30th franchise.  At the website below you will be able to review the basics of each bid, the metro areas, the stadia, the ownership, and the potential benefits or drawbacks of each bid. You will be asked to rank each bid from 1st to 7th, and that weighted ballot will help me determine which 3 bids will make it to the league owners for final consideration.  You will be in on that vote as well, but first, we need to whittle down the options a bit. This will be a quick poll. It is open now, and will remain open only until July 2nd. The results will be part of our first Season Preview Edition on July 4 (Happy Birthday, America!), when we will open up the poll of the 3 finalists (with team names, logos, and helmets). That will run until July 11th, with the results and the USFL’s newest team revealed on July 14 (Week 3 of the 2019 USFL season).

So, the choice is now in your hands. Seven bids, 3 make it to the next round. How would you rank them? Vote right here, but get that vote in quickly, the poll closes on July 2.  https://form.jotform.com/251643376205152

This Week in the USFL will be back not next week (We know, the name is not a perfect fit in the offseason), but on January 18, just 3 days before the T-Draft announcement on Monday, January 21 and 1 week before the Open Draft on Saturday, January 26. In that edition, we will not only preview both the T-Draft and the Open Draft, but we will bring you up to date on all the latest USFL news, including any further free agent signings, pre-draft trades, and an early look at the pool of NFL talent which could hit the NFL-USFL Transfer Window from February 18-March 15. A lot to look forward to as we prepare for the USFL kickoff on March 22.