2020 USFL Season Update: Season Suspended!! League to Seek Options for 2020.

March 17, 2020

It is mid-March, the time of the year when our team here at “This is the USFL” gear up to put out our season preview edition and get ready to hunker down for some Week One action, but this year we are instead reporting on the uncertainty and disappointment that the current global pandemic has produced. The USFL announced 10 days ago that it was closing camps, cancelling this week’s preseason games and indefinitely suspending the 2020 season. We will use this special edition of “This is the USFL” to discuss the decision, to look at possible plans the USFL is working on to offer a deferred, but not deleted season, and to discuss how the pandemic and the decision to put the 38^th season of USFL action on hiatus impacts the teams, the players, and the fans. We will also run down the news that had us excited for 2020 before a global health crisis forced the league and all of us to reconsider our priorities.

League Indefinitely Delays 2020 USFL Season

When Commissioner Steve Bisciotti took the podium, backed by 5 USFL officials in blue surgical masks, it was clear the news was not going to be positive. The former minority owner of the Baltimore Blitz, who took over as USFL Commissioner in 2011 removed his mask and somberly announced that earlier that day all 30 USFL franchises had been told to close up camps, to send the players home, and to await news as the week’s preseason games were cancelled and the season itself deferred indefinitely and very much in jeopardy. Commissioner Bisciotti outlined the concerns that forced the USFL’s hand. Restrictions across multiple states which would not only make filled stadia impossible, but even the regular practices and locker room use by teams a violation of emergency restrictions on mass gatherings. Unlike the first responders, transit officers, and food supply chain staffing that was deemed essential labor, the USFL, in fact all sports, was not “essential” work, and it was not right to try to engage in what could be life-endangering activities in the conditions now in place. That was the message from the Commissioner, halting the 2020 USFL season just 2 weeks prior to its anticipated season kickoff.

Within 2 days nearly all players had left their team facilities and training grounds, returning home to their families to await an answer as to whether or not the 2020 season would be possible at all. For stadium workers and other affiliated businesses, the loss of revenue from the cancelled games would have an immediate impact. And while the Commissioner was very careful to call the decision a deferral or a delay, he had no answers when asked when and how the USFL would be back. The league offices would also be shuttered, but both league and team officials from across the USFL would continue to meet virtually, using conference calls and online technology to hold virtual meetings, seek solutions, and compare notes with other major sporting leagues and events, also on hiatus. The USFL would share strategy meetings with Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, and both the NBA and NHL, both suspending their seasons as they nearly reached the postseason.

It is a pattern seen across the nation, across the world. Schools and colleges closed to in-person instruction, switching quickly to virtual formats with little to no preparation. Businesses shuttered. Theatres, concert halls, and cinemas shut down. The world of professional sports would not be an exception to the quickly moving closures, restrictions on movement, and ever-changing public health concerns, with all their federal, state, and local reactive actions. And now, as the league seeks options, we wait. We wait to see if the USFL can play its 2020 season in some form, whether a rescheduled season, a truncated “tournament” or simply a year without spring and summer football. We wait to find out what is possible, what is advisable, and what is admissible. We just wait.

Players Return Home Amid Uncertainty

For players all across the league, the news of camp closures, game cancellations, and a mandate to return to their homes was a tough message to receive. These are men who had spent the better part of a month in camp with each other, sweating together, eating together, and preparing for all the possibilities of a new season. In both New England and San Antonio there was a buzz from all the new faces brought together to form new teams, players from across the USFL who found out only a few months ago that the city they called home would be changing. The same is true for the rookies attending their first pro camps, ready to impress their coaches and earn a spot on a pro team, to achieve a dream. Even grey-haired veterans, including a fair share of NFL imports signed just in the past couple of weeks, were adjusting to their new teams, only to now have their transition to the USFL halted and their futures put in doubt.

And for some the trip “home” was itself an Odyssey. Former Oakland LB Junior Galette was one of many new Steamrollers who had yet to relocate their families, requiring a 5-day journey by car for the new Steamroller player to return to northern California by car. Galette shared the ride with another former Golden Stater turned Steamroller, ex-Thunder wideout DeVante Parker, for the long ride across the country, a ride filled with closed stores, takeout food, and limited hotel options.

For others the trip was a bit quicker and a lot easier. Several members of the Jacksonville Bulls got their first train rides as they headed north to their homes in Georgia and the Carolinas. With limited flights available, players had to get inventive. One bull player, rookie QB Ben DiNucci seemed very pleased with his decision to spend a chunk of his signing bonus on a new Harley, the perfect way for him to return north to Pennsylvania and his childhood home. He had been living in a hotel in Jacksonville since relocating from James Madison after the draft and now he would at least be able to get some home cooking after a 900 mile ride up I-95 on his new bike.

For players from coast to coast, the way home is far less upsetting than the fact that they are headed home at all. We heard from players all across the league about their love of the game, their frustration with the decision made, and their hopes that a solution could come quickly, one that would let them get back together with their teammates and get back on the field. One of the newest USFL players, former Bengals WR A. J. Green said it best in a tweet posted on the day he returned to Cincinnati and the home he still had on the market after signing with the USFL: “Whole life on hold. Wanted to prove I was back and ready to ball. We were all ready to ball.”

Rookie Contracts to be Honored

Perhaps the players in the most tenuous situation as we await news on the 2020 season are the rookies, many signing with the USFL only days before the season’s postponement. For many, their contracts freshly inked, their first paycheck not yet issued, the reality that an extended postponement of the USFL season could also mean an extended period of financial uncertainty. The league addressed that issue two days after the season suspension announcement, declaring that all contracts for 2020 would be honored and would remain valid. Players would receive all signing bonuses and in the event of a suspension of play beyond 1 month, which all now feel is likely at the least, there would be payments made to all players aligned with practices used in camp and preseason. This will be a significant pay cut for many players, compared with the salary they would earn in their contracts for regular season game checks, but it would be a holdover, a stop-gap payment that could help them with costs they have already incurred, everything from moving expenses to deposits on apartments in their new pro football homes.

“I needed to hear that”, said rookie guard Jon Runyan Jr. of the Ohio Glory, adding “I don’t have the kind of deal that landed me a huge signing bonus to start the year, so even a partial payment will help.” For others, including Dallas’s new Golden Boy, Oregon QB Justin Herbert, the money is a sign of goodwill. “I appreciate the gesture and what it says to all the guys, especially those who depended on that first paycheck”, said Herbert to a local station in Portland upon his return home to Eugene. Herbert had already cashed in a big bonus, so it was not about his own personal finances, but about the need to show the players that the league cared about their deal and about the uncertainty of the present. Herbert added, “For all of us, it was about the chance to play in the league, to get on the field, so that is up in the air, but it is nice that the league is trying to do what it can to make sure that every player is in a good place, and can focus on staying ready for when we can come back.” While the veteran players of the league, and those just signed from the NFL should have the resources to survive even a cancelled season, for these rookies, the league providing some support means a lot more than just the finances, it is a way to feel respected by the league.  

NFL Signings Now Question Their Decision to Join Spring League

The decision to jump from the NFL to the USFL is usually one focused on a player’s finances, their sense of being acknowledged, or a chance to reinvent themselves not only with a new team, but a whole new league. For many, the transition demands a heavy toll on their bodies, playing back-to-back seasons with the NFL in the fall and the USFL in the spring, with only a few weeks of rehab and rest in between. But now, with the delay, some are wondering if they should have seen the potential for disruption to the season and wondering if their colleagues back in the NFL might just have lucked out, getting several weeks or months before they need to adjust to a new reality.

“Yeah, it’s tough,” said one of the newest USFL imports, cornerback and former Eagle Ronald Darby, “Seeing your future put on hold and knowing that there is a good chance the guys back in the NFL are in a better place.” Yes, NFL minicamps, voluntary workouts, and offseason training is also on hold, but with 6 months between now and the scheduled start of the NFL season the players in the fall league seem to be breathing a sigh of relief that their league has months to figure out how to address the changing face of Covid-19 and the limits it is placing on everything from public services to the entertainment industry, particularly sports entertainment.

Perhaps the most celebrated signing of the 2019-2020 USFL offseason, two-time USFL champion and 3-time NFL champion quarterback Tom Brady put the reality into perspective. Now relocated to the Bay Area after signing a 3-year deal with the Oakland Invaders to play football back in his home state, Brady commented that for all the disappointment and uncertainty the season’s suspension has caused, the pandemic has clearly shown where our priorities should be. Brady spoke about the ability for families to stay safe, for communities to take care of each other, and for everyone to cherish what matters most. Brady had only been in camp with the Invaders for 2 weeks when the announcement was made. He was likely going to spend the first 2-3 weeks of the season waiting for his chance to take the helm of the Invader offense as he learned Coach Kubiak’s system.  Now he will have a lot of time to review the playbook, watch film, and get one-on-one guidance from Kubiak via online “mental workouts” between the head coach, QB coach Greg Knapp, and the All-USFL, All-NFL quarterback.

For many NFL imports, a delayed season, even if it means a shortened season, could well offer them the chance to recover from the long NFL season, but for others, including new Atlanta Fire wideout A. J. Green, the delay is just another disappointment. Green, who missed all of 2019 due to injury, was hoping to prove that he was ready to resume play in March, but now both he and the rest of us just don’t know when he will take the field in the navy and orange gear of the Fire. And while many NFL veterans can certainly use the time away to learn about their new teams, to adapt to new systems (at least mentally) and to provide their bodies with rest and recovery from the fall season, for many, the potential of making a shift from fall to spring only to have the season now in question feels like a snakebitten decision.

Five Ideas that Could Save USFL Football in 2020

So, what are the options for the USFL? How can they move ahead in a period of uncertainty, restricted movement, concerns about mass gatherings, and no sense of when the situation will change for the better? We spoke with several league officials, and we looked at the conversations being had in all of the major spring and summer sports, and we believe there are five possible futures for the 2020 USFL season, some darker than others, some perhaps more likely, and some perhaps just wishful thinking.

OPTION 1: Cancel the 2020 Season and Hope for Medical Help by 2021.

In our view, as both football fans and folks are now confined to our homes as well, this is our least desirable option and the one we hope the league can avoid. A cancellation means that the entire season is lost and may also mean that conditions across the country have gotten really bad. If there is no option to play football for months on end, then we are all in a worse place. We know the league wants to avoid this potentiality if there is any way to safely bring teams back together and put on games. So, if we see the league come out at some point this summer and simply cancel the season, well, that is a sign that there is no light yet visible at the end of this dark tunnel, and that is the opposite of what we are all hoping for.

OPTION 2: Move to the Fall.

Don’t tell former Generals’ owner Donald Trump that his goal of a fall season for the USFL might actually become a reality in 2020. His push for a move to the fall was squelched by league owners, led by the man whose name now emblazons the league’s championship trophy, the John Bassett Trophy. But, in 2020, with a spring start now deferred and time needed to come up with both safe practices and alternative plans, a fall 2020 season may be a very real possibility. Of course, there are major challenges to this idea, not the least of which is the NFL. From stadium availability to television bandwidth, trying to run both a full NFL season and a delayed USFL season at the same time feels like a big ask, particularly if the main option for viewing pro football will be through television coverage. With all 4 USFL networks (NBC, ABC, ESPN/EFN, and FOX) also heavily scheduled with NFL coverage in the fall, how could there be room for both? Add in as well the stadium use contracts held by both leagues, and the complications of likely capacity limits if fans are allowed to attend games at all, and we could be looking at a situation where both the NFL and the TV networks play hardball and refuse the concessions needed to allow for both leagues to coexist in the same timeframe.

OPTION 3: Season in a Bubble

This is an idea we are hearing as a potential choice for the NBA and their upcoming playoffs. What would this mean? It would mean all teams playing in a limited number of sites, with each team holing up in a particular facility, practicing in a dedicated space, and playing games in empty facilities. It is a strategy that would be far simpler for the NBA, with 12-man rosters and far more facilities available, than for the 53-man rosters and huge facility needs of the USFL. Imagine trying to house 30 USFL teams in a single state, much less a single city. The logistics of putting those players on the field each week, and where they could fit 15 games per week are mind-boggling. While elements of the bubble plan seem viable, particularly the potential to have professional sports played in empty stadiums, other elements of a bubble plan, with teams huddled together, seem counter-productive if there are any concerns at all of players contracting the virus.

OPTION 4: The Shortened Season

We all think this option may be the most likely, but it too has a lot of moving parts. To even know how to schedule a 12-game, 10-game, or even 8-game season, there has to be a sense of when any potential for play could be possible. Then you add in what are almost certain to be additional safety guidelines, and even a half-season of 8 weeks feels tough to envision. We are not going to see USFL players on the field while wearing gloves and masks, are we? And how would the league handle a short season if one or more teams ends up with a major breakout? Yes, there is the advantage that many USFL stadiums are open air, which is something the NBA or NHL cannot say, but you also have to consider the issue of team transportation from city to city, housing in locations where hotel rooms will be few and far between, and the availability of practice facilities, even a half-season starting in mid-summer could be a risky proposition.

OPTION 5: A Virtual Season

You think this is a joke, but it has actually been floated. We kid you not. We are talking about a complete transition from on-field football to e-sports. Imagine each USFL team setting up small clusters of players, selected not for their physical gifts, but their ability to win team tournaments in Keith Jackson Football 2020, the EA Sports version of the spring league. Sure, it is a fun game, but do fans really want to tune in and watch Marshawn Lynch and Noah Fant sitting in their living rooms playing as the expansion San Antonio Gunslingers against rookie HB Clyde Edwards-Helaire and WR JuJu Smith-Schuster representing the Houston Gamblers. First off, it would be murder on the older superstars whose video-gaming skills are not what the rookies bring to the party, and there is also just a ridiculousness to broadcasting players sitting in flip flops and drinking Red Bull while their avatars run across electronic fields and tackle CGI replicas of each other. Yes, we get that e-sports is a real thing, but we can think of no faster way to lose the interest of any fan over the age of 40 as well as any semblance of legitimacy in the sport if an entire season of the USFL is replaced by a season of Virtual USFL on the PlayStation.

Draft Roundup

In light of the decision to suspend the 2020 USFL season, it may seem a bit odd for us to take time to review the signings (both rookie and NFL transfers) which occurred in late January through February, but we also know that for many football fans, the complexity of both draft and transfer practices often leaves a sense of confusion and that a recap of the signings, even if we don’t know when or if these new USFL players will take the field, is helpful as fans re-engage with the league. So, rather than waiting for a final decision from the USFL as to how they will adjust to the current pandemic and potentially find a path towards a 2020 season, we felt it best to bring everyone up to speed on the USFL and NFL deals that have shaped the late winter months and the rosters in both leagues. Here are our top stories on player acquisition, beginning with USFL signings from the draft class of 2020.

NFL Wins QB Duel, USFL Stands Its Ground with Early Picks

As we entered the draft season, we spoke of five blue chip QB prospects and by the end of the signing period in February we can now look back on the class of 2020 and say that the NFL garnered a slight advantage, signing 3 of the 5 top QB prospects. With Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, and Jordan Love all opting to sign with the NFL, leaving fans in New Orleans, Philadelphia, and Atlanta disappointed. Burrow, in particular, was a surprising loss for the USFL, with the Breakers having a clear home-town advantage for the LSU product, but the NFL Dolphins simply had too much skin in the game and too many dollars at their disposal. The Fire lost out to the LA Chargers in their quest for Alabama product Tua Tagovailoa, a pretty clear case of Los Angeles’s allure and lucrative side-deal opportunities for Tua overpowering the home-region benefits of staying in the South. In the case of Utah State’s Jordan love, the Packers outbid and outwooed the Stars in their quest for an heir to Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay.

But while hometown fervor did not work for the Breakers, it appears that Justin Hurts’ 1 year in Oklahoma was enough to help the Outlaws make the case that OKC would be a good market for the former Crimson Tide and Sooner QB. Hurts signed a 4-year deal to remain in the Sooner State and will now be in direct competition with OK State product Mason Rudolph for the QB duties for the Outlaws. But perhaps the happiest fanbase in the league is down the road in Dallas, where a trade to acquire the T-Draft rights to Oregon QB Justin Herbert paid off for the Dallas Roughnecks. As expected, the chance to play in Big D, along with all the local and regional spokesperson opportunities, helped woo Herbert from Oregon to the Roughnecks. It did not hurt that once again the Cincinnati Bengals just would not put up the kind of funds that the USFL club could offer. And so, with a 3-2 tally, the NFL feels they fared well in the QB Derby of 2020, but for fans in both Oklahoma City and Dallas, their teams got the job done.

When we look at the overall draft situation, we see that of the 32 NFL first round picks, exactly half opted for the fall league while the USFL held their ground with 16 of their own signings. In addition to the two high profile QBs taken by the USFL, including Hurts, who was actually a 2^nd round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles, the USFL struggled to match the NFL at the top of the fall league’s draft, but by pick 32 had evened the tally. Of the Top 10 NFL picks, only 1, Justin Herbert, opted for the spring league, with major talents like DE Chase Young, CB Jeff Okudah, OT Andrew Thomas, and LB Isaiah Simmons all choosing to join the senior league. The USFL started to make more gains between picks 11-20, with WR Henry Ruggs signing with Birmingham, OT Tristan Wirfs staying in the Midwest with the Skyhawks, and CB A. J. Terrell heading to Jacksonville over the Atlanta Falcons. Of the picks between 11-20, 6 of 10 opted for the USFL, with the biggest losses to the NFL being T Mekhi Becton choosing the Jets over the Blitz, WR Jerry Jeudy opting for the Broncos over the Ohio Glory, and WR CeeDee Lamb deciding not to stay in Oklahoma with the Outlaws, but to wear the star of the Dallas Cowboys.

From pick 21-32 the USFL fared the best, landing 9 of the 12 picks, including WRs Jaelen Reagor (Gunslingers), Justin Jefferson (Breakers), and Brandon Aiyuk (Wranglers); LBs Kenneth Murray (Outlaws) and Patrick Queen (Federals); corners Noah Igbinoghene (Bandits) and Jeff Gladney (Dragons), and Houston Gambler HB selection Clyde Edwards-Helaire. A similar pattern emerged though all 7 rounds of the NFL Draft, with the USFL faring quite well with their Territorial Draft picks, landing over 60% of those choices, while the NFL fared better with players taken by USFL clubs in the Open Draft. Between the two leagues, with 224 NFL draft selections (7 rounds) and 300 USFL selections (3 rounds of T-Draft, 7 of Open Draft), there were 198 players chosen by both leagues and as of today we have 101 signed with the NFL, 93 signed by the USFL and 4 still outstanding. That aligns with what we have typically seen year to year, with a range that rarely gives either league more than a 53% signing advantage. After a shortened and interrupted USFL preseason, and in hopes that we will see a 2020 season in some shape or form this summer, here are the rookies from the Class of 2020 most expected to provide immediate impact to their clubs:

Arizona                 WR Brandon Aiyuk

Atlanta                 OT Isaiah Wilson, FB Reggie Gilliam, and WR Gabe Davis

Baltimore           WR Michael Pittman Jr.

Birmingham      WR Henry Ruggs and DE Jabari Zuniga

Charlotte            DT Leki Fotu

Chicago               WR Chase Claypool and C Nick Harris

Dallas                   QB Justin Herbert and WR Devin Durvernay

Denver                 CBs Jaylon Johnson and Bryce Hall

Houston              HB Clyde Edwards-Helaire and DT Nnamdi Madubuike

Jacksonville      WR Tee Higgins and K Rodrigo Blankenship

Los Angeles       OT Austin Jackson

Las Vegas           S Julian Blackmon

Memphis            DE Darrell Taylor, CB Dee Alford, and WR Jauan Jennings

Michigan             LB Josh Uche and WR Donovan Peoples-Jones

New England    OT Matt Peart and DE Khalid Kareem

New Jersey        SS Kyle Dugger and DE Yetur Gross-Matos

New Orleans     WR Justin Jefferson

Oakland              C Tyler Biadasz and DT Jordan Elliott

Ohio                      LB Malik Harrison

Oklahoma          HB DeeJay Dallas and QB Jalen Hurts

Orlando               DT Javon Kinlaw and OLB Anfernee Jennings

Philadelphia      WR K. J. Hamler and CB John Reid

Pittsburgh           HBs Cam Akers and Rico Dowdle

Portland              DT Raekwon Davis

San Antonio       WR Jalen Reagor and DT Ross Blacklock

San Diego           WR Laviska Shenault

Seattle                 S Grant Delpit and ILB Kamal Martin

St. Louis              OT Tristan Wirfs and DE A. J. Epenesa

Tampa Bay         CB Noah Igbinoghene

Washington       WR Juwan Johnson and LB Patrick Queen

The arrival of February and the opening of USFL camps coincided once again with the opening of the NFL-USFL Spring Transfer Window, the last real opportunity for teams to add talent to their rosters, and, as we see each February, many teams did just that. As we now wonder when or if we will get to see these NFL talents take the field in our beloved spring league, here are the stories that came out of the Transfer Window this year.

1.  Brady Returns Home Both Literally and Figuratively

The news that the Dallas Cowboys and 3-Time Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady had parted ways, with Dallas releasing the 43-year-old QB just days before the opening of the Transfer Window was met with great delight across the USFL. Many felt that Brady would be open to returning to the league that gave him his first shot, and his first glory as a 2-Time Summer Bowl winner with the 2004 and 2006 New Jersey Generals. But with both NFL and USFL teams salivating over the opportunity to bring one of the best quarterbacks of his generation to their team, the competition would be thick. Which team could attract the legendary QB to finish his career with them. The magic mix of financials, an attractive destination, and a real shot at Brady’s presence being the missing piece to bring a 6^th title for the veteran QB was very much a delicate balance.

Over the course of 3 weeks, nearly the entire transfer window, Brady was wooed, wined and dined by no fewer than 7 teams across both leagues. But one team sparked his interest with a perfect mix of a roster ready to win now, a financial package that would make him the highest paid QB in either league, and a chance to reconnect with his home. The choice was made, and just one week after Valentine’s Day we had a match. Tom Brady was joining the USFL’s Oakland Invaders on a 3-year deal. So, what sold Brady on Oakland over the other frontrunners, the NFL Buccaneers and Patriots, and the Philadelphia Stars.

There is no one answer, but what Oakland could offer attracted Brady on multiple levels. First we have to understand that Brady grew up and played HS ball in nearby San Mateo, so signing with the Invaders would be a return to his childhood. Brady had even attended a pair of Invader games as a young man, watching as a gangly 14-year old as Coach Dick Vermeil, QB Gale Gilbert and WR Henry Ellard brought the Invaders the 1991 USFL title. The second factor in Oakland’s favor was Head Coach Gary Kubiak, himself a former NFL quarterback with the Broncos. Throw in a roster that has talented targets for Brady, including WR Davante Adams, TE Zach Ertz, and HB Christian McCaffrey, one of the best receiving backs in the league. And even with the retirement of Cliff Avril, Oakland also boasts what is expected to be another Top 5 defense, led by LBs Bobby Wagner and Shaq Barrett, CB Eric Wright. It is a situation that could provide Brady with a solid path to the playoffs and a real shot at winning a 6^th title. Throw in a very lucrative 3-year deal, with a major balloon payment right up front and more than $25M in guaranteed money and you have yourself the formula to bring a legend to a team that has needed a spark for quite a while now. The only question remaining is whether or not the Invader faithful will get to see their returning local hero in gold and sky blue at any point this summer.

2. Atlanta Adds Fire-Power to Their Offense

The Atlanta Fire, who made a big splash in free agency by signing DT Albert Haynesworth out of retirement at age 37 made another big move in free agency, landing perhaps the most explosive wideout available, former Bengal A. J. Green. Green comes back to Georgia, where he played college ball for the Bulldogs, but he returns with a lot of question marks. The former 7-time NFL Pro Bowl player lost all of the 2019 fall NFL season to a complex ankle ligament injury. He comes to Atlanta after passing the baseline physical, but there is no assurance that this means he has retained his breakaway speed or his ability to make the sharp cuts that made him so tough to cover in his NFL career. Atlanta is hoping they have the real deal in Green, pairing him with former Federal Kelvin Benjamin outside while placing rookie WR Gabe Davis in the slot.

The Fire also added former Hoosier and Chicago Bear Jordan Howard to a pretty good RB room that already has 2018 Rookie of the Year Nick Chubb and solid backup Kenyan Drake in place. Chubb had a disappointing sophomore year, dropping from 1,056 yards and 7 touchdowns as a rookie to only 833 yards and 3 scores in his second campaign. Howard is very much in the mold of Chubb, a solid inside runner with surprising burst once he hits the secondary. Expect him to be the main “handcuff” to Chubb while Drake sees more action in third down situations.

3. Charlotte Focuses on Defensive Depth with 3 NFL Signings

The Monarchs continue to look to their defense to be the defining trait of the club, even after a coaching change from the team’s founding coach, Jim Mora Jr., to their 2^nd all-time coach, former LA Express DC Vance Joseph. Joseph comes from a defensive background and it showed as he worked with the Monarch front office to free up cap space and land three solid contributors for the defense, signing CB Rondal Darby away from the Eagles, DE Isaac Rochel from the Chargers, and safety Vonn Bell from New Orleans. In preparation for the now-cancelled preseason matchup with Ohio, the Monarchs had Rochell listed behind Chandler Jones on the depth charge, but both Bell and Darby were in starting positions. We will see if the trio of NFL imports get their shot to impress USFL fans or if they gain a very long inter-season break.

4. Gunslingers Spend Their Cap Space

San Antonio was not shy about brining in NFL talent this offseason. They began in September by signing 7 players in the Fall Window, including WR Corey Coleman and OT Zach Banner. In this February’s Spring Window, they added 3 more, adding safety Rashad Jones (Dolphins), OT Halapoulivaati Vaitai (Eagles), and HB Trey Edmunds (Steelers). There is a very distinct possibility that if we see a USFL season opener this year, both tackle positions will be filled by NFL imports. Add in kicker Mason Crosby and punter Ryan Allen and the Gunslingers may start as many as 7 different NFL imports. That, combined with the veteran leaders they were able to bring over from Oklahoma has the Gunslinger roster looking far more like a longstanding team than a typical expansion club. Some were even saying that the new San Antonio franchise could potentially avoid the basement in their first season in the league, something often very difficult for a first-year expansion club to do. Playing in the very competitive Southern Division may make that difficult, with Houston, New Orleans, Birmingham, and Memphis not providing any clear weak sister to try to leapfrog as the Gunslingers begin their USFL story.

5. Additional NFL signings in February

Not every signing was a big story at the time, but there are several additions to the league who could prove valuable should the 2020 season be played at some point. Among the best players brought in on offense we find Tom Brady, of course, but also backup QBs Cardale Jones (JAX), Cooper Rush (NOR), and Nate Sudfeld (BAL). Both former Jaguar Blake Bortles and former Buccaneer Jameis Winston had visits with USFL clubs but ended up signing back to the fall league. Among the HBs coming to the USFL, we have Howard with Atlanta, as already mentioned, along with Matt Breida, who makes the long trip from San Francisco to Tampa Bay to join the Bandits. In addition to A. J. Green and Corey Coleman, you will also be seeing former NFL Starters Josh Gordon, Jermaine Kearse, and Robby Anderson joining the USFL, with the extroverted Gorden headed to Portland as their likely new top target for Marcus Mariota, Anderson headed to Birmingham, and Kearse joining Michael Floyd and rookie Chase Clayborn in Chicago.

On defense, Ronald Darby and former Bengal Darqueze Dennard (BIR) are the only corners to make the jump, while safety Justin Simmons (ORL) Rashad Jones (SAN), and Vonn Bell (add three more NFL safeties to the league. There was not much action at the LB position, though we are intrigued by former Patriot Jamie Collins joining the expansion Steamrollers, while Oakland adds Hassan Reddick, LA signs Ngakue Yannick, both September signings. Along the D-Line we will hopefully see former Vinny Curry line up for the Invaders, who spent a pretty penny to land him, Reddick, and Tom Brady.  Keep an eye out as well for Emmanuel Ogbah in Houston along with DTs Timmy Jernigan (PHI), Quinton Jefferson (NEN), and, perhaps our new favorite USFL player name, DT Snacks Harrison, who moved to the Wranglers after several seasons in Detroit with the Lions.

Chicago Releases Updated Redesign Images

Hoping to bring a second wind to their long (and now extended) vote on a new team design, the Chicago Machine released three artistic representations of their 3 new helmet designs. Shown in front of a tonal painting of the Chicago Skyline, the images depict the helmet front, side, and rear angles, showing off the logo placement, center striping, and the color combinations. These, along with the earlier release of team colors and mock-up jerseys, give us a pretty good idea of the full look that each design will bring. Voting is continuing beyond the original timeframe as a way to keep fans engaged as they (and we) await news on possible season-saving strategies from the league.

The first design, dubbed “Dark & Stormy” shows off a traditional maroon Machine shell and facemask, now adorned with the updated navy, grey, white, and red “Machine M” logo. It features a 5-stripe center line that runs from grey and navy outside to a white inner stripe. A ubiquitous 6-pointed Chicago Star is located at the base of the helmet.

The second design, dubbed “Red Dawn” showcases the red helmet that will accompany the red-dominant jersey. Featuring a maroon facemask along with a thick white center stripe which contains a much thinner sky blue center stripe at its core. The logo on both sides of the helmet is the current maroon, white, sky, and red “Steampunk C” logo.

Finally, the “Rhapsody in Blue” design shows us which helmet will pair with the sky blue design showcased in September. In a look that reminds some of the NFL Houston Oilers, the sky blue jersey will be paired with a white helmet. The glossy white shell is paired with a sky blue facemask, and a complex center striping that includes pencil-thin maroon stripes outlining the thicker red stripes, and within those 2 stripes, a Chicago-flag-inspired series of white and blue stripes.

Voting continues through March, with hopes that the team can reveal the look at the same time that the league reveals its plans for 2020, so something additional for Chicago fans to look forward to in this long, strange spring season.

While we cannot say for certain exactly when our traditional Season Preview Edition will be coming out, we absolutely guarantee that no matter what shape the 2020 USFL season takes, we will come out with a leaguewide preview, including a full disclosure on the format of the season, the unique features it may hold, and our best guess as to which teams might come out on top in one of the stranger seasons in league history. We hope to hear news from the USFL leadership in New York very soon, but a fully-outlined plan for a modified season may well take weeks to determine as the league consults with medical experts, city and state governments, and their own primary stakeholders from stadium authorities to the television networks. As soon as we know what comes of those conversations, we will be back to update the situation and to talk football once again.