2019 USFL SEASON PREVIEW: The Offseason

Welcome to the 2019 USFL Season Preview. We will be covering the upcoming USFL season in two parts, starting with our look back to a busy, surprising, and impactful offseason. We will look at the stories and moves that will have an unquestionable impact on the upcoming season, from a new aggressive attitude in Los Angeles, to Calais Campbell’s power move to Arizona, as well as a full draft review (with signing update) and all the most recent NFL additions. Then, in part 2 we will look at what the offseason might mean for the 2019 season, which teams have improved, which may have taken a step back, and which new arrivals and rookie signees may have a chance for immediate impact. We will also make our picks for each USFL division, take a close look at each team, and even take a shot at playoff and season award predictions. But we start with our look back at the offseason. So, let’s get our preview kick started with a look back at all the moves that will make or break the year for all 28 USFL clubs.

LA’s Aggressive Attitude Pays Off

When the offseason began the stories we expected to follow were well known, Calais Campbell’s trade demand, multiple QB retirements leading to a frenzy for free agent options Ryan Nassib and Matt McGloin, and a draft without the QB cohort we saw in 2018, but several potential impact players across the lineup. We thought we knew who the big players would be, thanks to the cap’s modest growth, and we knew we would see 5 new head coaches across the USFL. What we did not expect was a transformational attitude change in Los Angeles, where the Express have been a complex, often frustrating story since the franchise returned to the league in the 1995 expansion.

Since the arrival of the second iteration of the Express club, LA has been a bit of everything, an also-ran, a disappointment, a surprise playoff team, a contender, pretty much everything but a league champion, and it seemed the fans in LA had gotten used to that, as had ownership. But, after the failure of NFL “legend” Andy Reid to get results in SoCal, it seems ownership had seen enough. They wanted change, they wanted impact, they wanted to sell more tickets, and the best way to sell tickets in a tough market is to prove to fans that you are going all out for a title. With the arrival of new head coach Marvin Lewis, a new front office staff, even new uniforms with a speed blue helmet for the first time in team history, marching orders to transform the Express also arrived. Ownership wanted Lewis and the personnel team to be bold, to make a splash, to do what LA teams have rarely done, think big.

The result? A flurry of draft moves that set up the 3-13 Express for perhaps the biggest draft day in league history. By the time the Territorial Draft and Round 1 of the Open Draft were done, the Express had nabbed the top-rated prospect at not one, not two, but three key positions for the franchise. They outsmarted, outmaneuvered, and out-imagined the rest of the league. And it did not stop there. Not only did LA accumulate picks in the draft, they used newfound cap space (thanks to several reworked contracts and a few cuts) to sign all 3 of their highly coveted draft picks, and still have some room left for last second roster moves, including perhaps the 2^nd biggest trade of the offseason.  

LA’s new aggressive stance may set a new standard for USFL clubs, particularly those who have struggled to find results with old, reliable strategies for roster construction. Let’s look at the 5 moves that defined LA’s offseason, and the players they now add thanks to their newfound take-no-prisoners attitude.

1.      Trading 3 draft picks to Oklahoma for the Outlaw’s 1^st Territorial Pick.

The Express worked the trade wire in a way few teams have over the 35 seasons of the USFL, and it all began with a willingness to trade away future picks for a shot at talent held by another club. The Express made the Oklahoma Outlaws a deal they simply had to accept, offering the Outlaws their 1^st and 2^nd round picks in the 2020 USFL Open Draft. When you consider that LA had the 1^st overall pick in 2019, Oklahoma had to believe that they had just landed two “lottery” picks in 2020. And, since everyone and their mother now looked at OU quarterback Kyler Murray as LA’s pick, the Outlaws, who are not in the QB market, would still have 2 picks to sign other talent from the home-state Sooners and Cowboys.

2.      Trading more picks to Ohio for a second T-Draft Pick.

The deal with Oklahoma was a surprise, because while there had been some frustration with Sam Bradford in LA, no one really saw the Express as a team desperate to shake up the QB position. So, when the Express made the deal, it did turn some heads, but not nearly as many as when they offered another “only a fool would say no” deal to the Ohio Glory. Unlike Oklahoma, Ohio had a need that their 1^st Territorial Pick could help fill. The Glory needed a truly top tier edge rusher, and Nick Bosa, brother of Joey Bosa of the NFL Chargers, was sitting right there in Columbus. But the Express also need to improve on defense, and they loved what they saw from the younger Bosa brother. The offer to Ohio, the first pick of the open draft this year, along with potential additional picks (contingent on Bosa signing and playing for LA), was enough to move Ohio off of Bosa and give LA a second potential lightning strike acquisition.

 3.    Retaining the 1^st pick in the draft for an OU Double Dip.

And this is where it all came together. LA may have traded away a lot of picks (2^nd rounders in this year’s and 2020’s Open Draft, next year’s 1^st rounder too), but they retained their 1^st overall pick in the Open Draft this year, meaning that they would have first shot at any player who was not claimed by the league’s 28 picks in the T-Draft. What we did not see until the draft began was just how shrewd this move was.

LA announced their picks for the T-Draft, starting with USC cornerback Iman Marshall, LB Cameron Smith, and another LB in Nevada’s Malik Reed, three pretty conservative “build depth” picks, and with Ohio’s first T-Draft pick, they did just as everyone expected, protecting DE Joey Bosa as a potential boost to their defensive front. But when it was Oklahoma’s turn, and LA announced their use of the Outlaws’ 1^st selection, the Express shocked everyone. The Express used the pick acquired for two 2020 Open Draft selections not to draft QB Kyler Murray as everyone had assumed, but to get the rights to the best speed receiver in the draft, Sooner Marquise “Hollywood” Brown.

This was a move that sent shutters through the room, and immediately had teams across the league changing plans, because when Oklahoma announced they had protected the rights to HB Justice Hill (OU) and CB Duke Shelley (K-State), it meant that Kyler Murray would drop into the Open Draft. LA had outsmarted the room, knowing that the Outlaws could no longer trade their T-Draft pick and that they would not use the pick on Murray, LA let the QB slide into the Open Draft, and, when the time came 4 days later, the Express, holding the first overall Open Draft selection, then named Murray as their choice. They had used that one trade to acquire the best QB in the pool as well as the best WR available, and create an instant pitch-catch combo, oh, and, just as vital, they also held the exclusive USFL rights to the best edge rusher in the draft. A 3-player haul that could radically change the fortunes of a franchise, if they can sign them.

4.      Reworking the Cap to Sign all three big picks.

The draft surprises mean nothing, of course, if the players cannot or will not sign, but the Express had thought of this as well. They had spent months reworking deals, extending contracts, shifting funds from salary to signing bonuses, and shifting bubble payments from 2019 into later years, all to free up space and collateral to negotiate with their draft selections. The strategy again proved prescient, as the Express had Nick Bosa under contract within 48 hours of the draft, even before the NFL draft occurred. A sure fire Top 10 NFL draft pick ended up going to the 49ers in the 5^th round, a move designed only to give San Francisco exclusive rights if Bosa backed out of his USFL contract.

Within 1 week of the NFL draft, both Kyler Murray and Marquise Brown had joined Bosa as new members of the Express. The signings put LA temporarily over the cap, but they had a plan for that as well, a plan that hinged on the fact that there were still several teams looking for a starting QB, and few options available even with the NFL Transfer Window set to open.

5.      Trading Away Sam Bradford to Usher in a New Age

With Murray signed and already looking over Coach Lewis’s playbook, and with Brock Osweiler and former Oakland backup Bob Volek both signed, Sam Bradford, and his large contract, were more than expendable. The Express fished for offers from the three teams that seemed most in need of a last-second reprieve from a rough offseason of failed QB bids. New Orleans, Chicago, and Jacksonville had all made early runs at Ryan Nassib and Matt McGloin. New Orleans, having failed to capture one of the free agents, had selected Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins in the Open Draft, only to watch him sign with the NFL Redskins. Chicago had made a deal with the Federals after seeing Washington land Ryan Nassib. They used that pick on Duke’s Daniel Jones, but again the NFL won out in the bidding. Jacksonville had let Robert Griffin III go in free agency, he too jumped at an NFL offer, but the Bulls only QB selection in the draft had been a 5^th round pick spent on Auburn’s Jarrett Stidham, and while it appeared that the Bulls would move ahead with Teddy Bridgewater under center, LA still made a push to see if Sam Bradford was a more attractive offer.

The Express would find their buyer in Chicago, where the Machine were simply not ready to move into camp with Trevor Siemian as their starter, even if the NFL had a few potential “reboot” quarterbacks seeking a new opportunity. The Machine agreed to send DE Andy Studebaker and their 2020 2^nd round Open Draft pick to LA (giving LA back a pick in the early rounds next year) in order to sign and extend Sam Bradford.

The end result of this massive offseason scramble? The Express now have a whole new dynamic in place, a fresh-faced new QB in Kyler Murray, a potential 15-20 sack dynamo in Bosa, a deep threat in “Hollywood” Brown, and are still within the cap, with enough room to add two more quality players during camp, adding former Dragon HB C. J. Anderson on a cap-friendly 1-year deal, and then nabbing NFL tight end Jacob Hollister as a backup to aging All-USFL TE Jason Whitten.  The Express had built excitement among their own fans, with nearly 9,000 season tickets sold between the draft and the start of camp, and had rebuilt their franchise with youth, quality, and a lot of chutzpah. Will it work? We will have to see, but what we know already is that there are GMs all over the league wishing they had the guts and the backing of ownership to make the kinds of moves the Express pulled off this winter.

10 Prospects to Watch in 2019

Between the Territorial and Open Drafts, the USFL had a major influx of young talent, but just who among the more than 100 players signed by the league will have an impact in their first year? There is a lot of talent in the pool, but some are simply better positioned to have immediate success. We picked 10 players who we believe you will be hearing a lot about this season, our 10 prospects to watch.

DT Quinnen Williams (WSH)

Despite not being taken by the Federals until the 16^th pick in the draft, Williams still felt the Feds gave him the best offer, and the best chance to make an immediate impact. Williams is already slated to start as we approach Week 1, and lined up next to last year’s 1^st rounder, Bradley Chubb, the Feds could well be building one of the league’s best 4-men lines.

WR Deebo Samuel (TBY)

The Bandits chose Samuel in the Territorial Draft and now seem ready to give him plenty of early snaps. Samuel has taken up the 2^nd string slot behind Ryan Grant but could also see some snaps in the slot and will very likely be back on kickoff returns as well.

LB Josh Allen (SEA)

Seattle has Allen listed in the swing spot behind all 3 starters in the LB group, and, since they tend to mix up 4-3 and 3-4 situationally, that almost certainly guarantees Allen at least 20 snaps per game.

TE T. J. Hockenson (DEN)

With Jack Doyle more of a run-blocking end, we expect to see a lot of Hockenson in late downs, and possibly in all but obvious rushing situations. Expect him to be a security blanket for QB Josh Allen as the 2^nd year player works through his first season on the field.

HB Devin Singletary (JAX)

While Matt Jones is still the clear number one, Singletary is expected to get some looks early in the season. He is a much better receiver than 3^rd stringer Kory Sheets and could be used in 3^rd and long if he can pick up blitz packages.

LB Devin Bush (MGN)

Bush has taken on the weakside LB role and sent Phillip Dillard into a swing position. He has two very good potential mentors on either side of him in Odell Thurman and Sean Porter. The key to his early success is finding his way around blocks to get to the ball carrier.

DE Nick Bosa (LA)

Bosa will be the Left End from day one, pushing Laurence Jackson to the right side. Expect him to be given a very basic mission, get the QB. With Keith Rivers standing beside him to pick up the run, Bosa won’t have to be as worried about draws and delays in the run game.

DE Montez Sweat (ORL)

No player will be under greater pressure to perform immediately than Sweat, who steps into Arthur Moats’s position, with Moats headed to the left side, but we all know that the real replacement is for Campbell, and that is a set of shoes no one should be expected to fill.

HB Josh Jacobs (BAL)

Perhaps the main concern for the Blitz offense was the lack of a serious run threat last season. Yes, the defense also had issues, but the pressure will be on Jacobs to produce on the ground, keep pressure off Roethlisberger, and allow play action to help Baltimore bring back a vertical game with their strong receiver corps.

QB Kyler Murray (LA)

The Express are putting a lot on Murray, trading away Sam Bradford and a good number of draft picks to add Murray and WR Hollywood Brown. We cannot expect that he will walk right into the USFL and have immediate success, that is too much for any rookie QB, but what LA wants to see is an offense that allows Murray to fall back on his natural abilities rather than trying to be the next Steve Young.

10 Late Round Picks Who Made the Roster

Not every draftee is a sure-fire first round gamechanger. For every highly coveted early pick there are even more players who fall to the mid-rounds or beyond. Some of them see their pro football dream last only until the initial camp cuts, but others find a role to play and a place on the rosters. Here are 10 such players, late round gems who showed what they had and found a place in their team’s final 53.

FB Khari Blasingame (CHA)

The Vandy fullback beat out 2 veterans to earn the single FB position on the team.

WR Miles Boykin (CHI)

Chicago’s third Territorial pick, the Notre Dame receiver will start his USFL career deep on the depth chart for receivers but will have a role to play in special teams.

TE Dawson Knox (NOR)

Knox comes out of the T-Draft and finds himself with perhaps the best possible mentor for a young TE in Coby Fleener, 1,000-yard receiver and solid blocker.

WR Olamide Zaccheaus (LA)

A fifth-round pick who is in the active 53 but does not yet have a spot on the depth chart. We expect Zaccheaus will find himself bumping back and forth on the practice squad unless he can impress in practice.

QB Trace McSorley (PHI)

The Stars were looking for a lower cost 3^rd string emergency QB, and in Penn State’s McSorley they got that, but could also be looking at a 2–3-year development process as Matt Gutierrez heads into his final seasons.

WR Hunter Renfrow (ORL)

Almost an afterthought for the Renegades, Renfrew impressed in camp and moved from 4^th string to sitting as the 2^nd stringer behind Brashad Perriman. He could also see some snaps behind Jeremy Maclin in the slot as well.

WR Darius Slayton (LV)

Another receiver who is likely to have more opportunities in special teams than in the offense, at least at first. Slayton has shown good route-running skills but has had too many drops in camp to get a lot of early snaps on offense.

K Chase McLaughlin (MGN)

Yes, this is a bit of a cheat, since kickers are almost always late round selections, but McLaughlin won the kicking battle fair and square over veteran journeyman Phil Dawson.

QB Brett Rypien (NJ)

The nephew of former NFL QB Mark Rypien, the Boise State product was considered a longshot to make the Generals’ roster, but he showed enough in camp and in the team’s lone preseason game to win the emergency QB spot and he will now get a chance to learn from Nick Foles and Ricky Stanzi, both of whom share many qualities with the young QB.

WR J.J. Arcega-Whiteside (OAK)

Another mid-round talent who gets a shot through the Territorial Draft, Arcega-Whiteside joins Oakland out of Stanford and earns a spot on the final 53, where he will serve as the starting kickoff and punt returner. That is his shot to show his skills, since he is pretty deep on the WR depth chart on a team with quite a bit of talent ahead of him.

NFL Imports With Huge Potential Impact

Rookies are not the only additions who can help give a team the boost they need or help turn around a struggling franchise. Every February the USFL brings some players who have proven themselves in the NFL. Some struggle at first as their bodies are not quite ready to give their all for another 16 weeks, but many find their rhythm by midseason and can help push a team to late season success. We have again identified 10 players we think can make a difference this year, 10 imports who could be huge additions by season’s end.

HB Isaiah Crowell (ARZ)

Crowell had 5 consecutive NFL seasons with more than 600 yards, now he joins the Wranglers, where he will share carries with Ka'Deem Carey, likely getting more inside opportunities, though he can also be effective as a receiver.

DE Bud Dupree (ARZ)

After averaging 5.5 sacks per season in the NFL, Dupree joins the Wranglers and finds himself face to face with the greatest edge rusher in league history. Dupree will line up opposite Campbell as the RE, and that could well mean that he never sees a double team all year long.

DT Arik Armstead (CHI)

Armstead had a breakout season in the NFL last year, starting all 16 games in San Francisco, a season that got him noticed and got him a very nice 3-year deal in Chicago. He will form part of a 4-man line with fellow DT Eddie Goldman and pass rushers Jason Pierre-Paul and Victor Abiami.

HB C. J. Prosise (HOU)

Being Carlos Hyde’s understudy may not seem that promising a position, after all Hyde is not known for taking a lot of breathers during a game, but getting the chance to be part of what could be a title defense season for the Gamblers has its allure as well.

QB Ryan Tannehill (JAX)

It took nearly the entire offseason for Jacksonville to find a competitor to go up against Teddy Bridgewater, signing Tannehill only 5 days ago, but the former Dolphin could find himself in an ideal situation by midseason. Either Bridgewater succeeds, which gives Tannehill plenty of time to adjust to spring football, or he struggles, and Tannehill gets a shot this year to show he can be a full time QB.

LB Blake Martinez (LV)

A tackling machine with 144 tackles in both 2017 and 2018 (in Green Bay), Martinez now makes the jump to spring and will start his USFL career right from Week 1 as the starting MLB in the Vipers’ 4-3 scheme.

WR Devin Funchess (MEM)

Funchess came to the Showboats after his potential simply was not met in the NFL. This is a second chance for him and in Memphis he is going to be given a chance to start opposite Robert Woods. It is still a run-first offense, but if Paxton Lynch can get the play action game working, Funchess could see a lot of targets.

S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (PHI)

The man with one of the most unique names in sports is going to get to hear his name called often as a “centerfielder” in Philadelphia’s zone defense. While Glover Quinn will step towards the line frequently, Clinton-Dix is going to be that last line of defense who will have some shots at interceptions.

LB Shaq Barrett (OAK)

It seems almost unfair that Oakland will now be placing Shaq Barrett next to Bobby Wagner in the Invader’s 4-3. Along with Junior Galette, the Invader LB group may well be the hardest hitting in the league.

LB Preston Brown (TBY)

The Bandits brought in two early NFL selections back in September, Brown and DE Pernell McPhee. Unlike most of the NFL signees this February, these two will be well-rested since their last action in the 2017 NFL season. Both are slated to start, with Brown taking over the strong side LB position that Devon Kennard moved out of to replace Brian Orakpo in the center. McPhee takes on Jerry Hughes’s role as the left end and designated edge rusher. Two players who will play a huge role in whether Tampa Bay can build a solid defensive group under Mark Trestman.

The USFL Players Who Moved to Fall

In September we saw a mass exodus of USFL talent to the fall league, with defenses across the league hit hard as the NFL signed away players like CBs Patrick and Dunta Robinson, DE’s Mario Williams and Quentin Groves, veteran linebacking stars like Shawne Merriman and James Laurinaitis, and inside space eaters like Haloti Ngata. And while the list of names from this February’s second transfer window were decidedly more impressive on the NFL-to-USFL track, we should acknowledge that a few more contributors were lost to the fall league this past month.

Among the more impactful departures we find former Generals’ MLB Chase Blackburn, DT Sedrick Ellis, and cornerback Justin King. On offense we saw WR Tavon Austin head off to the fall, along with OT Xavier Fulton and former Bulls QB Robert Griffin III, who signed a “prove it to me” one year deal with the Baltimore Ravens. While these players are certainly significant losses, as we have gotten used to seeing, the haul of NFL talent, from frontliners like Dupree, Martinez, and Clinton-Dix, to reclamation projects like QBs Ryan Tannehill and Geno Smith,is significantly more impressive and more impactful.

The 10 best signings in USFL Free Agency

Free agency is not just about which players performed best where they were. It is also about which players fit best where they are headed. We have all seen the highly-talented player come out of free agency on a club that simply does not know how to maximize their potential, the “bust” is often more about the team than the player, and the same is true in reverse, a player who barely had an impact on their original team finds a new landing spot where their talents can reach their full potential and where the coaches understand how best to use them. So, as we look at the free agent signings this offseason, it is not just about talent, it is about matching talent to opportunity and to a scheme that makes sense for that player. With that in mind, here are the 10 signings we think are can’t miss combos of player, position, scheme, and opportunity.

WR Victor Cruz (ARZ)

We certainly cannot say that Cruz was ineffective in Pittsburgh, with four 1,000-yard seasons as a Mauler, but in Arizona there is a real chance that Cruz will show us some numbers we just have not seen from him before. While most would argue that the former Mauler is not going to be able to duplicate what Larry Fitzgerald did with the Wranglers, we still see 1,500 yards and double-digit touchdowns as a very real target for the 9-year veteran.

G Chance Warmack (DAL)

Cruz heads to Arizona, Warmack leaves the Wranglers to become a leader on an O-line that desperately needs to improve. Stats may be hard to find for an interior lineman, but we will know that Warmack has had an impact by watching the rushing totals for the Roughnecks and by checking on how often QB Josh Freeman finds himself on the turf.

LB Channing Crowder (PHI)

After a 3-year run that saw Crowder lead the league in tackles in 2014 and rack up 355 over 3 seasons (2014-2016), the wheels fell off the bus for the veteran linebacker. A season-ending injury kept Crowder out of all but 1 game in 2017, and his recovery lingered well into 2018, costing him his starting position as he continued to struggle with recovery. By all accounts, the 33-year-old MLB is back to form, in the best shape of his career, and ready to be the latest in a long line of All-USFL Philadelphia Star middle linebackers.

HB Knile Davis (ORL)

Davis felt underutilized in Oakland, and with only 95 carries in 2018, that argument certainly seems valid. With Orlando he will get a chance to touch the ball 15-20 times a game, sharing some carries with Rashad Jennings, but there is no doubt that Coach Rivera will want to see if Davis can handle a heavy load and still produce breakaway runs.

S Baccari Rambo (ATL)

Rambo was solid in Birmingham, but with a far better front 7 in place in Atlanta, he has a chance to shine as a member of the Fire. Expect Rambo to benefit from having Earl Thomas as the “in the box” safety, allowing Rambo to hang back, pick out the biggest receiving threat and make plays on the ball.

DE Jerry Hughes (SEA)

With 6 consecutive 10+ sack seasons in Tampa Bay, Hughes certainly had success on a defense that struggled, but in Seattle, where he will have one of the league’s best secondaries behind him, his numbers could reach that coveted 20 sack territory. If the secondary keeps the receivers under wraps for just a second longer, then more of those near misses or late hits turn into sacks and Hughes becomes an elite edge rusher.

LB Clay Matthews (DAL)

As much as we understand that LA dominated the draft, Dallas may have won the free agency pool. In addition to Warmack, they add a 30-year-old MLB who will likely be a team captain and a coach on the field. We all know Matthews has the capacity to be a 150-tackle guy, and now, in a rebuilt 4-3 in Dallas, one that has NFL import Jamie Collins and blitz specialist Melvin Ingram alongside him, we could see the former Express linebacker lead the league in tackles.

WR Aaron Dobson (LV)

Dobson got the stats, but not the accolades he deserved in Chicago. Sure, possession receivers never get the hype that the deep ball threats get, but after putting up 306 catches the past three seasons in windy, unpredictable Chicago weather, Dobson will now play in the comfortably controlled environment of Wynn Arena. That, along with a more dynamic offensive philosophy in Las Vegas could see him set a league record for receptions in a season.

LB Brian Orakpo (PIT)

It is one thing to rack up 100-tackle seasons, but when you do it as the lone bright spot on a pretty ineffective defense, the personal accolades don’t seem so great. Now, on a Mauler defense that also boasts DT Aaron Donald, DE Dwight Freeney, and fellow LB Brian Cushing, Orakpo may see his total tackles drop, but what he loses in personal stats could be replaced by team success and defensive squad respect, something he saw very little of in Tampa Bay.

QB Ryan Nassib (WSH)

Last year Nassib got his shot, a chance to play nearly a full season with one of the best offenses in football. He outperformed every expectation, perhaps every hope of Wrangler fans as well, leading the league in QB Rating and the Wranglers to a Summer Bowl. That one year of highlights got him a lucrative 4-year deal to lead the Federals into a new era, and with talented receivers like Keenan Allen and Brandon LaFell, Nassib could be in the perfect position to prove that it was not all Coach Tomsula and his Arizona teammates, but that he too has the stuff to be an elite player in the USFL.

The 5 Biggest Losses in the Offseason (include retirements)

It is not all happy days in free agency. For every exciting signing there is a team that lost a major talent. That is certainly the case with these five players, some off to a new club, some leaving the game for good, all likely to be very hard to replace. This is our list of the 5 biggest losses that teams will have to deal with this season.

DE Calais Campbell (ORL to ARZ)

Hart to argue this one. The most dominant defensive player in league history will not finish out his career in Orlando. He demanded and got a trade to a contender and now joins the Arizona Wranglers, where he could very well put up perhaps his best season ever on a very talented defensive team. Will it get Campbell the ring he seeks, or will he again find himself frustrated?

QB Matt McGloin (SEA to LV)

We put McGloin here and not Nassib for one basic reason, without Nassib, Arizona still has 2-time league MVP at quarterback. Seattle, without McGloin, has a question mark. Is Jacoby Brissett a long term answer? Can he become the player that Mike Riley hoped he could be, or will the Dragons be on the hunt for another option, when they could have secured McGloin for the next few years.

      CB Patrick Robinson (MEM Retired)

There is no doubt that a player of Robinson’s caliber will be very hard to replace. New Orleans has a very solid defense, but the loss of Robinson in the secondary will certainly challenge teams to throw more. The Breakers likely replace Robinson with rookie Xavier Crawford, but the USFL is a long way from Central Michigan University, and that could be a lot to ask of Crawford.

HB Adrian Peterson (CHA to NFL)

We like Latavious Murray, and we are glad to see he his getting a shot to be a true lead back, but we cannot expect him to produce the way Peterson did for Charlotte. It is not even about yards, it is about key yards on key downs to keep drives going. Murray may well have a great season, but will his impact be felt the way Peterson’s was?

  QB Drew Brees (NOR Retired)

Another difficult task, replacing a very likely first-ballot Hall of Famer at QB. The Breakers tried everything this offseason, first losing out to Washington in their attempts to sign Ryan Nassib, then struggling to find options in the draft, and finally “settling” with NFL castoff Geno Smith. We do not see 2019 being a happy year for Smith, who will need to prove himself while likely hearing a lot of criticism from local media and a lot of unflattering comparisons to Brees.

A Look at All 5 New USFL Head Coaches

Five new coaches, five new situations. Who will find success early on? Who will struggle? Will we see a rapid rise, a slow steady improvement, or a battle with frustration as these five new leaders try to turn their teams from disappointments to dynasties? Each new coach has challenges in front of them. Here is what we see as each one's situation and potential.

Todd Haley (BIR)

Haley inherits a Stallion team that may be a solid squad but will struggle to get to .500 in a division that includes the league champion Gamblers, as well as 12-win New Orleans and 11-win Memphis. Haley’s job is to refocus the team, to create a culture that is more than just hoping and praying that Cam Newton can break a big run. The Stallions look to have beefed up on defense with the arrival of LB Keenan Clayton from Oakland and rookies Darnell Savage (SS) and Zach Allen (DE), but is it enough to keep Birmingham close enough so that a struggling offense can find its way?

Marvin Lewis (LA)

No new coach comes in with more change, more excitement, or more uncertainty than Marvin Lewis. Sam Bradford is gone, as is MLB Clay Matthews, but the Express add youth in QB Kyler Murray, WR Hollywood Brown, and DE Nick Bosa. They also add experience with backup QB Bob Volek, who very likely will be the calming voice in Murray’s head. There is a whole lot of novelty to the Express, and it will be Lewis’s job to turn the new LA roster into an actual team.

Ron Rivera (ORL)

Rivera joins the Renegades in a period of transition. Their legendary defensive star is gone, so this team likely will become more of an offensive-minded team, led by QB Russell Wilson and breakout star of 2018 WR Brashad Perriman. But Rivera will want a solid D. He hopes rookie Montez Sweat can be a first year phenom, and he also is hoping the SE Division is as weak as many think it is, giving him a good shot at .500 if he can just keep his offense on the field.

Bob Stoops (OKL)

Coach Stoops inherits an underachieving Outlaws team, but one with a lot of good talent in key places. He, at the very least, knows who his QB will be. Joe Flacco needs more weapons, and he needs more out of Marshawn Lynch, but at least there is a field marshal in place. Now, on the defensive side, Oklahoma is hoping that rookies Blake Cashman, Duke Shelley, and Marquise Blair can make an immediate impact, because this Outlaw team did not spend much in free agency.

Mark Trestman (TBY)

Trestman still seems an odd choice for the Bandits. Tampa Bay has plenty of offense, and good players at key positions, like QB Dak Prescott, HB Dalvin Cook, and NFL import WR Dex Bryant. Offensive imagination is nice, but the issue is still that defense, now a defense that does not even have Brian Orakpo anymore. The Bandits did add some good early NFL finds in transfers Preston Brown and Pernell McPhee, and Coach Trestman seems to like what he is seeing from rookie DE Brian Burns, but this is an offensive coach whose main mission has to be to improve the defense.

Previewing the 2019 USFL Schedule

The USFL Season is always packed with storylines, surprises, and major movement up and down the standings. It is one of the reasons fans come back year after year, and also one of the reasons why putting together a compelling schedule can be so challenging for the league. What looks like a possible matchups of heavyweights in November could be a battle of sub .500 teams come June. That regional matchup of 10-loss teams from 2018 could turn into a major playoff-impacting battle of surprise contenders. But, the league does what it can, between divisional rivalries, inter-divisional matchups, and inter-conference clashes, to provide compelling action each and every week. As we look over the 2019 USFL schedule, we see games each and every week that should not be missed. Here is our list of the Best Games on the Schedule for 2019.

WEEK ONE GOTW: New Jersey @ Houston—A rematch of the Eastern Conference Final and a showdown of two very well-coached clubs. Other games to catch: Ohio @ Michigan, Washington @ Memphis, and the debut of Kyler Murray as LA heads up to Oakland for a California Derby.

WEEK TWO GOTW: Los Angeles @ Chicago—Sam Bradford does not have to wait long before facing the team that discarded him as the new Machine QB will take on his former club at Soldier Field. Other games to catch: Oakland @ Portland, Arizona @ Portland, Memphis @ Birmingham, and Josh Allen’s home debut with Denver as the Gold host the Renegades.

WEEK THREE GOTW: Baltimore @ Washington—Rookie HB Josh Jacobs takes on Ryan Nassib and the redesigned Federals offense. Other games to catch: Denver @ Arizona, New Jersey @ Ohio, and Orlando @ Seattle.

WEEK FOUR GOTW: Charlotte @ Atlanta—Two Southeastern clubs expected to battle for a division title meet for the first time this season. Other games to catch: Oakland @ Ohio, Washington @ New Jersey, and Denver @ Oklahoma.

WEEK FIVE GOTW: Chicago @ Ohio—A Central Division clash as the Machine and Glory try to get an edge in a very competitive division. Other games to catch: Arizona @ Las Vegas, Orlando @ Jacksonville, Houston @ New Orleans, and Michigan @ Oakland.

WEEK SIX GOTW: Arizona @ Denver—One of the league’s biggest rivalries as the Wranglers head into Invesco Field to battle the Gold at altitude. Other games to catch: Atlanta @ Charlotte, Michigan @ New Jersey, Houston @ Birmingham, and Seattle @ Oakland

WEEK SEVEN GOTW: Michigan @ Arizona—Two heavyweights from the Western Conference butt heads in Glendale as Kirk Cousins leads the Panthers against David Carr and the Wranglers. Other games to catch: Memphis @ Oakland, Seattle @ Los Angeles, Pittsburgh @ Philadelphia, and Charlotte @ Houston

WEEK EIGHT GOTW: Dallas @ Oklahoma—A former in-state rivalry is now a border war as the Roughnecks head up to Oklahoma City to taken on the Outlaws. Other games to catch: Las Vegas @ Arizona, Orlando @ Charlotte, San Diego @ Denver, and Michigan @ Ohio.

WEEK NINE GOTW: Oakland @ Arizona—We had the rematch of the Eastern Conference Final from last year, now it is time for the Western rematch as Jimmy Garoppolo and the Invaders head to Arizona to face Calais Campbell and the Wranglers. Other games to catch: Portland @ Seattle, New Jersey @ Atlanta, Washington @ Philadelphia, and Memphis @ San Diego.

WEEK TEN GOTW: San Diego @ Houston—Two potential division champions meet at NRG Stadium as Christian Ponder and the Thunder take on Colt McCoy and the Gamblers. Other games to catch: Portland @ Oakland, New Orleans @ Memphis, and Philadelphia and New Jersey.

WEEK ELEVEN GOTW: Michigan @ Chicago—A battle of two Central Division rivals as LeVeon Bell leads Michigan to Soldier Field to take on Sam Bradford and the Machine. Other games to catch: Oklahoma @ Denver, New Jersey @ Washington, Memphis @ Charlotte, and Oakland @ San Diego.

WEEK TWELVE GOTW: Washington @ Baltimore—Can Ben Roethlisberger and the Blitz get the upper hand on their Beltway rivals, Ryan Nassib and the Washington Federals?  Other games to catch: Houston @ Memphis, Chicago @ Michigan, San Diego @ New Orleans, and Arizona @ Ohio.

WEEK THIRTEEN GOTW: New Jersey @ Philadelphia—The classic rivalry game could also be a playoff battle and a ground game grudge match as Maurice Jones-Drew and Derrick Henry go head to head. Other games to catch: Orlando @ Atlanta, Denver @ Las Vegas, Ohio @ St. Louis, and Birmingham @ Houston.

WEEK FOURTEEN GOTW: New Orleans @ Houston—The two Southern giants face off in Texas as New Orleans, with former NFL QB Geno Smith at the helm battle Carlos Hyde and that intense Houston offense. Other games to watch: Oklahoma @ Arizona, Ohio @ Chicago, Birmingham @ Memphis, and San Diego @ Seattle.

WEEK FIFTEEN GOTW: San Diego @ Oakland—A California Derby that could be for the Pacific Division Title as the Invaders host the Thunder in the penultimate week of the season. Other games to catch: Orlando @ Tampa Bay, Memphis @ Houston, Philadelphia @ Washington, and Las Vegas @ Oklahoma.

WEEK SIXTEEN GOTW: Seattle @ Portland—Could this version of the Cascade Clash be a playoff win & in game? These two teams seem primed for possible late season drama in the Pacific. Other games to catch: Ohio @ Washington, Los Angeles @ San Diego, and Oakland @ Michigan in a final week clash of Summer Bowl contenders.