2022 USFL Wild Card Playoff Recap
- USFL LIVES
- 1 hour ago
- 27 min read
We will break down all 4 games, look at how the Breakers, Renegades, Dragons, and Skyhawks got it done, preview this weekend’s Divisional Playoffs, and run through all the early offseason news as well, including our preview of free agency and one of the biggest retirement announcements in recent years as our self-proclaimed Greatest USFL Player of All Time, defensive end Calais Campbell, calls it a career after 15 seasons of absolute record book shredding, quarterback terrorizing, and legend making football. We start with that story, the end of an era in the USFL, our Big Story of the week.
Make those 2027 Canton Plans Now
We know it is 5 years away, but you might need to book your hotel for USFL Induction Weekend now. Canton will be booked solid in October of 2027 as legendary DE Calais Campbell will be the easiest vote and the most certain lock as a first ballot Hall of Famer the Pro Football Hall of Fame has ever seen. It will take 5 years for Campbell to be on the ballot, but with his retirement this week, the Baltimore Blitz DE locked us all in for a trip to Canton in 2027.
There are not enough adjectives in the English language to define the impact Calais Campbell has had on the USFL. He broke records no one thought could ever fall. He set marks that no one may ever meet. He was the best player in the USFL for over a decade and one of its greatest ambassadors as well. You will never meet a better man off the field than Calais Campbell, and never a more intimidating and dominant player on the field. Let’s face it, if you are a USFL left tackle, not to mention a USFL quarterback, you have spent the last 15 years having nightmares about Calais Campbell.
His announcement from Baltimore this past Friday was emotional, heartfelt, and inspiring. He spoke about what an honor it was to be able to play the game he loved for so long, to be recognized for his talents, and for his effort, and to play with great teammates, mentioning over 20 players from his years in Orlando, Arizona, and Baltimore. He spoke about the great joy of being a pro ball player, of winning a title (2019 with Arizona) and of being voted to 13 All-USFL teams. He basically gave to the game and the league all the accolades that it and we have been giving to him since he rose to the loftiest of heights in his 2nd season in the league.
We want to finish our quick recognition of Calais Campbell’s retirement and an all-too-short recognition of his amazing career not with our words, but with the most evident and undeniable statement we could make, showing you his career stats in their pure, simple, and astounding essentials.
2008 ORL 12 Sacks 47 Tackles 1 FF
2009 ORL 34 Sacks* 71 Tackles 3 FF
2010 ORL 22 Sacks* 69 Tackles 2 FF
2011 ORL 34 Sacks* 84 Tackles 4 FF
2012 ORL 25 Sacks* 80 Tackles 0 FF
2013 ORL 26 Sacks* 89 Tackles 4 FF
2014 ORL 33 Sacks* 87 Tackles 2 FF
2015 ORL 27 Sacks* 100 Tackles 5 FF
2016 ORL 32 Sacks* 97 Tackles 4 FF
2017 ORL 29 Sacks* 93 Tackles 3 FF
2018 ORL 30 Sacks* 101 Tackles 2 FF
2019 ARZ 23 Sacks* 58 Tackles 4 FF
2020 ARZ 26 Sacks* 59 Tackles 1 FF
2021 BAL 27 Sacks* 77 Tackles 5 FF
2022 BAL 22 Sacks 46 Tackles 3 FF
TOTALS 402 Sacks 1,158 Tackles 43 FF
(*) Denotes League Leader in the category
Season Records: Sacks in a Season* (34): 2009, 2011
Tackles (DE Position* (101): 2018
*Until 2022 (Burns/Sweat), Campbell was the only player ever to cross 30 sacks in a season, doing so 5 times. He is also the only DE in USFL history to record 100 or more tackles in a season, doing so 2 times.
Career Records: Career Sacks: 402
Tackles (Record for DE): 1,158
Consecutive Seasons with 20+ Sacks: 14
Consecutive Seasons as League Stat Leader (Sacks): 13
Consecutive All-USFL Seasons: 13 (14 with 2022?)
Years named DPOTY: 6
Named MVP as Defensive Player: 1 (Tied with Reggie White)
Do we need to say more?
NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS 27 NEW JERSEY GENERALS 15
Both the Breakers and the Generals came into this one on significant win streaks, New Jersey taking their last 3 games to win the NE Division, while the Breakers rattled off 4 in a row to secure the last Wild Card spot. But while the early results seemed to lean to New Jersey, including a score on their opening drive as Tony Pollard rumbled into the endzone only 1 minute into the game, New Orleans would put together a dominant run of 24 unanswered points to put New Jersey in the uncomfortable position of playing catchup in their own stadium.
Down 10-0 after a Ka’imi Fairbairn field goal gave New Jersey a 2-score lead, the Breakers hit the on-switch in a big way, with one play helping to jump-start their offense and a crucial momentum shift. Geno Smith, on a 3rd and 11 not only found Olamide Zacheaeous beyond the line to gain, but the young receiver, still subbing for the injured Jordy Nelson, took the ball, bounced off the initial hit, and turned on the burners, racing 66-yards for a score that seemed to suck the air right out of the Generals.
The first quarter would end with the Generals up 10-7, but something had shifted. The second quarter would be entirely New Orleans’s. The Breakers scored again on a DeMarco Murray run on their first drive of the quarter, then were gifted a short field when Teddy Bridgewater misjudged Clyde Adams’s recovery speed, throwing a touch pass to Muhamed Sanu that was easy prey for Adams. The pick gave New Orleans the ball on the New Jersey 22, and only 4 plays later Geno Smith made New Jersey pay, finding Russell Gage for a 3rd Breaker TD and a 21-10 lead. New Orleans would add a late Randy Bullock field goal to head into the half with a 14-point lead and all the energy in the game.
The third quarter would see no scoring, with both QBs throwing costly picks in the period but neither offense able to pounce. When the 4th quarter began, New Jersey was driving, but a timely 3rd and 5 sack from Ezekial Ansah forced the Generals to settle for 3, remaining 2 scores down at 24-13. New Orleans would add another field goal to return to a 14-point advantage, but New Jersey would never threaten again. Their only additional points would come on a strategic call from Coach Lathon with just 55 seconds on the clock, having Geno Smith step out of the endzone on a 3rd and 10 from their own 2. Rather than risk a punt-block TD, Lathon’s call gave up 2 points but allowed the Breakers to use a free kick to send New Jersey deep into their own territory.
And so, the Breakers, who 5 weeks ago were all but given up for dead at 5-7 and in last place in the South, not only joined the playoff party, but pulled off the road upset to move on to the Divisional Round and a matchup with the 2-time defending champion Bandits.
ST. LOUIS SKYHAWKS 30 LOS ANGELES EXPRESS 14
Even a good defense can struggle with a player who has unique talents, and that is exactly what happened to the Los Angeles Express as they became the second home favorite to fall in as many games. Lamar Jackson took what the Express would give him, which mean running when they dropped 7 back in coverage, and throwing the ball effectively when they moved 7, 8, or 9 into the box. The St. Louis QB showed great poise, absorbing 4 sacks but avoiding any turnovers. He would throw the ball away when needed, scramble when possible, and extend plays to help his receivers find space in the secondary. The result of all this was 359 yards passing, with TD tosses to both Deionte Johnson and Jakobi Meyers, and 10 carries for 27 yards, including a 12-yard scramble that opened scoring in the first quarter.
Jackson followed that TD drive with two field goal producing drives to help St. Louis take an early 13-0 lead on the offensively out-of-synch Express. That lead increased to 16-0 on Zane Gonzalez’s 3rd field goal early in the 2nd before LA finally put points on the board. The Express got a Kenyan Drake TD run in the final 2 minutes of the half, but still trailed by 9 as the two teams went to the locker room.
That deficit only grew in the 2nd half, with Jackson hitting Jakobi Meyers on a beautiful 29-yard scoring strike, helped by his escapability in the pocket, eluding Nick Bosa and finding his receiver behind the defense. Late in the 3rd and into the 4th, the Skyhawks shut the door on any LA comeback hopes, with Jackson leading a 14-play drive that ate up nearly 7 minutes and concluded with Jackson flipping the ball, almost shuffle-pass style to Deionte Johnson. With the score 30-7, the game was effectively over. Andy Dalton would add a late TD for the Express, but the Skyhawks were in control down the stretch and finished the game with the ball in their hands and the victory formation bringing on a merciful end for the Express.
St. Louis dominated on both sides of the ball, with Charles Harris recording 3 of the 6 sacks of Andy Dalton in the game, while the Skyhawk offense put up 415 yards of offense against an LA defense that had averaged only 288 all season long. With the win, the Skyhawks advance, awaiting the result of the Oakland-Seattle game to determine if they would head to Arizona or Chicago for their Divisional game.
OAKLAND INVADERS 20 SEATTLE DRAGONS 26 OVERTIME
The only Wild Card game between two divisional foes also proved to be the only game to provide significant 4th quarter suspense. Not only was their suspense in the final minutes, but a last-minute score sent the game to overtime, where the eventual winner would emerge. It was a game that saw both teams top 400 total yards (Oakland 403, Seattle 408) and in which neither team could get beyond a 10-point lead at any time.
Seattle started the scoring late in the 1st, with a nice 11-play drive that finished with Brett Hundley connecting with his favorite target, Amari Cooper for a short goal-to-go touchdown. That drive inspired Oakland to pick up their pace, as they marched down the field in the final minutes of the quarter to score the equalizer on a 15-yard strike from Davis Mills to Davante Adams.
Midway through the 2nd quarter Oakland took what would be their only lead of the game when a Seattle defensive stand forced the Invaders to send out Roberto Aguayo, who put the ball through the uprights form only 30 yards out. Seattle, again took the slow road in response, and again strung together multiple first downs, 4 in just this one drive, before Hundley again found a target in the endzone, this time TE Kyle Rudolph.
Seattle would take that 14-10 lead into the half, and expand it to 20-10 with two third quarter field goals, but they just could not break the Invaders, despite two Oakland turnovers in the 3rd. Oakland showed their spirit, rallying in the 4th, first with a 9-play drive that included a 21-yard run from Bryce Love and a 3-yard TD from Oakland’s receiving TE, Zach Ertz. Down only 3, Oakland battled Seattle over the next 3 drives, but with time running out, they caught a break when little used Javon Wyms found space in the Seattle zone and turned a 5-yard throw into a 24-yard catch and run. That play helped set up Aguayo with less than 30 seconds on the clock as the Oakland kicker leveled the score with a short field goal to send the game to overtime.
The Invaders had held their own, come back from 10-down, but had been unable to end the game in regulation. Seattle took advantage of the energy Oakland had expended in tying the score, as they went with pace on the opening possession of overtime. It would take the Dragons only 2:22 seconds to move from their own 20 to the Seattle goal line. From their Wendell Smallwood put the homestanding Dragons up 6. They went for 2, but failed to secure the PAT, giving Oakland some hope, but that hope ended quickly when a short pass to TE Austin Hooper ended in disaster as Seattle safety Taylor Rapp punched the ball out of Hooper’s hands and then fell on the fumble to end the game.
Seattle had survived a tough challenge from a familiar opponent. They would advance, and now prepare to take on Chicago in the next round, sending St. Louis out west to face the Wranglers in Phoenix.
BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS 13 ORLANDO RENEGADES 34
It is an unwelcome reality for the Stallion fans, but the Cam Newton who came out of his Week 14 injury has just not been the Cam Newton who was considered an MVP candidate earlier in the year. That was evident in this game as Newton was chased by Montez Sweat, forced to throw the ball away or to slide to protect himself. He would finish only 14 of 28 for 250 yards, with no passing TDs. He would run the ball 10 times for only 23 yards. Those are not the numbers that Birmingham was putting up early in the season, but are indicative of how the team struggled down the stretch.
For Orlando, the gameplan changed midway through the first quarter when starting tailback Chris Carson twisted his ankle awkwardly trying to make a cut. He would not return to the game, an unexpected turn which would put more pressure on the Renegade passing game to perform. That passing game responded, with Russell Wilson stepping up to have one of his best games of the year, completing 23 of 32 passes (71.9%) and throwing 3 touchdowns. Also stepping up was mid-season arrival Josh Gordon. The speedy receiver who began the season in Portland finished the game with 4 catches for 57 yards and 2 scores. Gordon also produced the biggest play of the game, a 34-yard strike early in the 4th that turned a 14 point lead into an insurmountable 21-point lead for the Renegades.
Orlando, down initially 3-0, put up the next 24 points before Birmingham could respond. A lone 2nd quarter TD plunge from Cohen was followed by two third quarter Wilson TD passes, finding Josh Gordon first and then following on the next drive with a red zone TD to TE David Njoku. Birmingham finally answered, with Cam Newton getting his lone TD on the day on a scramble in the final seconds of the 3rd. But that 14-point deficit at the half (24-10) turned to 31-10 when Josh Gordon opened up the 4th with his deep strike. That was the end of any real comeback thoughts from the Stallions, with the two teams trading field goals to produce the final score. Orlando moves on, with a question mark around HB Chris Carson, but with a solid playoff win under their belts, ready to head to San Antonio to face the Gunslingers and QB Joe Flacco.
Learn his Name, Olamide Zacheaeous
“Zah-kay-us”. That is how it is pronounced, and it is a name we should all get used to hearing. With All-USFL receiver Jordy Nelson still dealing with a concussion that also produced a pretty swollen left eye, it was Zacheaeous who was asked to step up and step into the starting lineup for the Breakers. The former LA Express draft pick out of Virginia came to the Breakers this past offseason after seeing action in only 5 games in his 3-year career with LA. He also played somewhat sparingly with the Breakers, with only 23 receptions and 367 yards this year. But, on Saturday, he announced himself to the world. He was targeted only 4 times, brought in only 3 receptions, but those were a 66-yard touchdown in which he showed break away speed, a 42-yard catch and run that began in traffic and nearly went for another 7, and a 5-yard slant that turned into a 21-yard play before “Zach”, as teammates call him, went down. In just those three plays, the backup receiver showed break away speed, solid hands, and the ability to shake off tackles. He also showed that the Breaker offense was not limited to Justin Jefferson and Coby Fleener, both of whom also had strong games against the Generals. With Jordy Nelson expected to return next week vs. Tampa, we don’t think Zacheaeous will see as many snaps as this week’s 42, but we do think Coach Lathon will find a way to use the skills he showed this week against the Bandits.
Jackson Loving Schottenheimer Schemes
With career bests in passing yards (3,405), touchdowns (23), and QB Rating (107.6, his first 100 rating), not to mention rushing yards (680) and rushing touchdowns (8), Lamar Jackson is loving life with 2nd year coach Brian Schottenheimer. The Skyhawks coach is the first in Jackson’s 5-year career to figure out a way to fully utilize his unique skill set, setting up an offense that sees Jackson as both a confident ballcarrier and a competent passer.
Lamar Jackson finished 2022 as the league’s 3rd rated passer, behind only Dak Prescott and Josh Allen, a far cry from earlier seasons where the Louisville product struggled to get his QBR over 80. He is not only winning games, but is seen smiling on the sideline, taking on more of a leadership role, and feeling like he has a coach who understands him. Under Frank Reich, who was viewed as a friendly QB coach (having been a QB himself), Jackson was forced into a more traditional role, staying in the pocket, making his progression reads, and while Jackson often credits Reich with helping him improve his vision and patience in the pocket, what Coach Schottenheimer has done is allow Jackson to play with more of a natural flow, maximizing his instincts and his physical gifts. That awakening to what Jackson could be helped push St. Louis from a 10-loss team to a team that now enters the Divisional Round of the playoffs with a real chance to make waves.
Khalil Mack is A Handful
We are not the first to say it, because there are many offensive coordinators and head coaches across the USFL who already know this, but Khalil Mack is a handful. What does that mean? It means you better have a scheme to address his talents and his role in the Seattle defense or your team is going to suffer. The 2021 Defensive Player of the Year is hardly an unknown quantity. After a 109-tackle, 6-sack, season that saw more than 1 in 5 tackles occur behind the line of scrimmage, Oakland head coach Gary Kubiak knew all about Mack, but that did not mean he knew how to stop him.
Mack played 3 games against the Invaders this year. In Week 1’s season opening Invader win, Mack had 10 tackles, 3 for a loss, a sack and a forced fumble, but some late heroics helped Oakland overcome his big day. Eleven weeks later in their Week 12 rematch, Mack had only 4 tackles, but 3 were again for a loss, and the Dragon LB limited Zach Ertz to only 14 yards receiving in an unusual strategy to have him in coverage instead of blitzing. The result was a 13-6 defensive gem form the Dragons.
Now, in the USFL playoffs, Coach Riley gameplanned for Mack to be pretty much everywhere, and the All-USFL linebacker was a general menace all game long. Mack finished the game with 12 tackles, 4 behind the line, and another sack of Davis Mills. Time and again he forced plays back inside, forced backs to cut back into traffic, and helped limit Christian McCaffrey to only 3.5 YPC. In the passing game he was both an effective blitzer and solid in coverage, again focused on removing the threat of the inside TE gainers. He was, as he so often is, a disruption, a threat, and an intimidator. When he was on the field, he was arguably the best player on that field. This week, he will face a less familiar foe in Chicago. If Coach Lovie Smith and the Machine offense is wise, they will have a gameplan specific to Mack, because if they do not, he can be a huge problem, the kind of problem that a road team needs to get the upper hand.
Gordon Happy to Be in Orlando
Two years after coming over to the USFL to join the Portland Stags, WR Josh Gordon got the chance for a change of scenery, offered the option to accept the trade terms that would send him to Orlando at the Week 10 deadline. Gordon, who had become a solid contributor in his 2nd season in Portland had a lot to consider. His no-trade clause gave him the ability to nix the deal if he felt better about his role in Portland. After all, Orlando was hoping to land him as a replacement for injured starter Brashad Perriman. Would Gordon have a long-term role with the Renegades? On the other hand, Orlando was at least in the mix after 9 weeks, sitting at .500 and possibly vying for a Wild Card.
Gordon, who had improved from improved on an 11-catch, 309-yard 2020 season by snagging 63 passes for 854 yards in his second year in Portland, decided that Orlando just had more to offer. He agreed to the deal and by Week 10’s action he was on the sideline and on the field for the Renegades. So, what was the result? In 8 games in Orlando, Gordon brought in 34 passes for 449 yards, helping him clear 1,000 for the year for the first time since coming over from the NFL. Week 17 saw him score his first Orlando TD and land his first 100-yard game, and this week, in the Wild Card playoff, he added 2 more scores and was targeted 7 times, a primary weapon for QB Russell Wilson. Now, rather than playing golf, as his former Portland teammates are doing, Gordon is headed to San Antonio to play in the USFL divisional playoffs and is being seen as a primary weapon for a team hoping to continue even deeper into the postseason.
Coordinators Take Interviews during Bye Weeks
Wild Card weekend is always a busy week across the league, not just for the 8 teams that are participating in the playoff games of the week, but for the 4 top seeds who are enjoying a bye week to rest, recover, and prepare for their first playoff action, and for the non-playoff teams that have open coaching vacancies. Why? Because during the bye week, those leaderless teams—Oklahoma, Baltimore, and Dallas this year—can meet with coaching candidates from the 4 best teams in the league. It is an early window on some quality coaches who may be off limits for at least another 3 weeks, and all three of this year’s teams with positions to fill did just that.
All three also seemed to be following a similar script, looking very specifically at defensive-minded coaches. That is no surprise for both Dallas and Oklahoma, whose defenses were less than stellar all season long, but a bit of an interesting turn for the Baltimore Blitz, who boasted top 10 numbers on defense, particularly against the pass. But, when the time came to set up both on-site and virtual interviews, it was the defensive coordinators who got all the attention. Most popular among the coaches of the 4 bye-holding teams (Tampa Bay, San Antonio, Arizona, and Chicago), was Defensive Coordinator Renaldo Hill of Chicago. Hill had either video conference interviews, or an in-person visit with all three teams this week, with the Outlaws sending a team to Chicago to meet with Hill while both Baltimore and Dallas held initial interviews via online connection. But Renaldo Hill was not the only DC to get some attention. Baltimore staff took a trip of their own down to Tampa Bay to meet with Bandits’ DC Paul Pasqualoni, who also had a video conference with Dallas staff, while Arizona’s Greg Manusky met with both Oklahoma and Dallas officials via Zoom.
It is certainly early in the process for all three teams to find their Head Coach for 2023, but two things seem clear, all three clubs are looking at the success of the Wrangler, Bandit, and Machine defenses and believe that the answer for the future is on that side of the ball, and that if any of the three Defensive Coordinators made a good first impression, we won’t know it for at least another week, possibly three, as all interested parties are now banned from contact with the coaches ahead of their playoff games. The window is closed, the focus now turned to the upcoming games, and any club looking for a 2nd interview or a team visit is going to have to wait until one or more of these top tier playoff teams is removed from postseason play, which could well be a while.
Four new teams enter the playoffs, and 4 others have some added bruises from tough Wild Card games. And while many of the injuries impacting the games this week are not new, there are some which could be significant, including the uncertain status of Orlando HB Chris Carson. Carson is listed as probable, but has been limited in the early week practices. In the same game, the status of San Antonio’s star rookie wideout, Garrett Wilson, remains a mystery as Wilson was a surprising addition to the injury list, cited as having a knee issue (but in very vague terms) in Wednesday’s report.
Arizona could be without their top receiver and their breakout rookie as well, with both DeMarcus Robinson and Tyler Allgeier listed as probable, but still listed as impacted by nagging injuries. Both are likely to be a game-time decision. That is the case as well for both WR Deionte Johnson and SS Terrell Edmunds of the Skyhawks, Arizona’s divisional round foe. In New Orleans, another star receiver, Jordy Nelson has been upgraded to probable, but still remains on day-to-day evaluation. And it seems no team has escaped the WR question marks as Tampa Bay has listed Dez Bryant on their injury report, also cited as probable.
A little more concern in Seattle for Devin Funchess, who is listed as questionable, while Chicago is now officially the only playoff team in the mix who does not have a wide receiver with questionable availability. Their lone injury listing is MLB Kevin Minter, who would be a big loss for the Machine, but is also considered a game-time decision on day-to-day monitoring.
ORL: WR Brashad Perriman (OUT), C Ethan Pocic (OUT), HB Chris Carson (P)
SAN: WR Isaiah McKenzie (D), LB Ulysses Gilbert (Q), WR Garrett Wilson (P)
STL: SS Roderick teamer (OUT), OG Keleche Osamele (P), WR Deionte Johnson (P),
SS Terrell Edmunds (P)
ARZ: OT Mitchell Van Dyck (OUT), WR DeMarcus Robinson (P), HB Tyler Allgeier (P)
NOR: FB Curtis Nelson (OUT), WR Jordy Nelson (P), OG Michael Dunn (P)
TBY: C Frank Ragnow (OUT), TE Jeff Huerman (P), WR Dez Bryant (P)
SEA: WR Devin Funchess (Q), LB Kamal Martin (P)
CHI: LB Kevin Minter (P)
Early Retirement Announcements Impact Offseason Plans
We have already highlighted the huge retirement news surrounding our GUPOAT (Greatest USFL Player of All Time), Calais Campbell. And, while GUPOAT does not flow off the tongue like GOAT, we think it deserves some play. Campbell’s departure will be huge for both the Baltimore Blitz and for the league as a whole, but it is hardly the only announcement over the past 10 days that merits our attention. Across the league, veteran players have made their decisions to step off the field and into post-football lives, or, at least post-playing days lives. This year’s list of early announcers is a who’s who of big name players, All-USFL stars, and veteran leaders across the USFL. As we go team-by-team regarding the announcements, we will look at the impact of each departure.
FS Earl Thomas (ATL)
A 9-year starter since coming over from Dallas in 2014, Thomas has been a defensive team captain for the past 6 seasons. His leadership and steady presence will be missed almost as much as his 60+ tackles per year and the 30 interceptions he had generated in Atlanta.
C Matt Tenant (BAL)
Baltimore loses not only a defensive superstar, but the centerpiece of their offensive line. A 4-year team captain, Tenant retires from the game after 12 seasons as a USFL starter (the past 5 with the Blitz).
WR Golden Tate (DEN)
A 3-time All-USFL selection, the club’s leading receiver for the past 7 years and Josh Allen’s favorite target will be sorely missed in the Mile High City. With more than 13,000 receiving yards, 91 touchdowns, and 928 career catches, we should expect to see Tate’s name on the slate along with Campbell when the 2027 Hall of Fame candidate list comes out.
QB Bob Volek (DEN)
A 14-year veteran and a player generally recognized as a calming influence on quarterbacks from Oakland to Memphis to LA and then Denver, Bob Volek only started 15 games in his 14-year USFL career, but he will almost certainly be sought out as a QB guru and we could see him as a USFL coach for years to come.
OT Gabe Carimi (LV)
The Las Vegas left tackle missed only 2 games this year due to injury, his first since coming over from an 11-year career in Michigan, but the accumulated wear and tear on his body was apparently enough that he has decided to step away. Carimi had 3 more years on his deal in Las Vegas, but his body sent the message that it was time.
OT Demar Dotson (MGN)
Another mainstay of the Panther offensive line, right tackle Demar Dotson is going to hang it up at the age of 35, having played 13 seasons in Detroit, anchoring the right side of the line for LeVeon Bell and Kirk Cousins, and winning a title in 2017 with Michigan.
TE Rob Gronkowski (PIT)
After 13 seasons in split between Arizona (5), St. Louis (5) and Pittsburgh (3), “Gronk” is hanging up his cleats. He retires with 543 receptions for 6,773 yards and 46 career touchdowns.
OT Michael Oher (POR)
Drafted out of Ole Miss and nationally known thanks to the film “The Blind Side”, Michael Oher spent 14 years in Portland, where he started 212 games. He recorded 1,025 official “pancake” blocks and gave up only 34 career sacks. He will certainly be missed not only on the field but in the locker room and on the sideline in Portland.
HB Doug Martin (POR)
The Stags lose another franchise figurehead as HB Doug Martin calls 2022 his final year. Martin played 5 seasons in Chicago, topping 1,400 yards in 2013 and 1,200 in 2014 before injuries led the Machine to trade the diminutive back to Portland. Martin would play 6 more seasons in Portland, never reaching the 1,000-yard mark, but always seen as a solid contributor and positive influence in the locker room. His 2022 numbers: 108 attempts, 457 yards, 3 touchdowns.
K Adam Vinatieri (WSH)
Vinatieri came to the USFL as an NFL transfer in 2014 and for the past 9 seasons has been a steady hand (foot?) on a very volatile Federals roster. His USFL stats include 302 career field goals (an 83.4 coversion rate) and 285 converted PATs, with a conversion rate of 98.6.
TE Kellen Winslow JR (WSH)
The son of one of the most influential tight ends in history, Winslow could never match the hype his name produced. He retires after a career split between Jacksonville and Washington with 248 career catches, 2,084 yards, and 9 career touchdowns.
Our Picks for the Top 20 Free Agents of 2023
With the USFL playoffs in full swing, we are only weeks away from the official opening of Free Agency, and then two weeks later, the NFL-USFL Transfer Window. As we look across the league at players whose contracts either expired following Week 17 or are soon to expire upon playoff elimination, there is plenty of talent out there, talent who will soon be testing the market to see what is possible. Some will resign with their curren teams, but many will find a new home, either across the country with another USFL team or across the year, moving to the NFL’s fall season. We looked over all 30 rosters, selecting the players we felt would get the most interest in Free Agency and came up with this list of 20 prospects who could be in demand, listed by position.
QUARTERBACK
Two names stand out among the unsigned quarterbacks in the league, Michigan starter Kirk Cousins and the former starter in Las Vegas, Matt McGloin. The fact that Cousins has not resigned with Michigan could be an indication that the Panthers are looking at other options after a very disappointing 2022 campaign. Cousins could well be the top target for several teams whose QB situation is dicey right now. As for McGloin, Las Vegas ownership says they want to resign the veteran, but the emergence of Gardner Minshew means that the Vipers will likely be targeting McGloin as a backup, whereas another club may well give him the chance to compete for a starting job.
RUNNING BACK
While there are approximately 30 backs across the league who are either without a contract or about to see their contracts conclude, there is really only one who could be called a bona fide lead back, Arizona’s Ka’Deem Carey. Carey split touches this year with rookie Tyler Allgeier, and the Wranglers would love to lock up their veteran back to keep the combo intact for 2023, but with several other high-value players due for a new deal, it may be a matter of priorities, which means Arizona may have to turn to Allgeier as their main back and allow Carey to test the waters.
TIGHT END
There is a small pool of starting talent at the TE position, but the only name that rises to our Top 20 list is a good one, Philadelphia’s Travis Kelce. The Stars are still hopeful they can resign the 10-year vet who produced 54 receptions, 576 yards, and 2 scores for them this year. Kelce, however, may want to look for options with a team that simply has more upside on offense, having seen his production in Philadelphia plateau.
WIDE RECEIVER
Without a doubt the deepest pool in this year’s Free Agency class. We cannot expect that all of the receivers we see as elite options will truly hit the free market in 3 weeks, but stranger things have happened. So, who are we including in our receiver group? How about some All-USFL talent, names like Houston’s Mike Evans, Tampa Bay’s Ryan Grant, Washington’s Keenan Allen, and Pittsburgh’s Adam Thielen. Of the 4, we think Thielen is almost certainly looking for a better landing spot, as there are a lot of questions about the direction the Maulers are headed. With the emergence of Tyreek Hill in Washington and the dominance of Dez Bryant in Tampa Bay, we could also envision a scenario where Keenan Allen and Ryan Grant get the opportunity to be the true primary option by moving to a new team. No such move needed for Mike Evans, only a question of compensation as the Gamblers almost certainly want to retain his services.
OFFENSIVE LINE
This is a much tougher pool if teams are looking for front line talent. We see no tackles in the current pool who we would list as impact players, and only 2 linemen in total, Express center Max Tuerk and Birmingham guard Alex Cappa. As offensive linemen, especially interior linemen, are rarely a GM’s top priority, we could see both clearing the next few weeks and going into the open market, where either could find themselves a deal better than the one their cash-strapped current teams could offer.
DEFENSIVE LINE
If your favorite club is looking for interior muscle, you may well have a couple of options to consider, with All-USFL talents Bennie Logan (NOR) and Star Lotulelei (DAL) both unsigned as of today and quite possibly seeking a paycheck after strong 2022 campaigns. If your need is edge rush, however, there is far less to be excited about. We are including New England edge rusher Mario Addison in our list, but we think most teams will look for a 10-year solution, not a 1–2-year option at this most vital and most youth-focused position.
LINEBACKER
Our pick for the most coveted, most impactful player in the 2022 Free Agent pool goes to the linebacker group, and Atlanta playmaker Luke Kuechley. Kuechley is a plug-and-play star who can immediately upgrade almost any defense. He will almost certainly garner what could be a record salary for a middle linebacker as there will be no shortage of teams vying for his talents. The next two linebackers could come a bit cheaper, at least until Kuechley is signed. Aldon Smith is a solid pass-rushing outside linebacker who also holds up well against the run. He is likely going to price out of resigning with New Jersey, but there will be teams with cap space to sign him. New England’s Junior Galette may not be a well-known name to the general public, but we think that GM’s around the league will see him as an undervalued contributor who could help on the strong side or even as a MLB in a 3-4 scheme
SECONDARY
We found 4 players, two corners and two safeties, who, if they become available could well push for a high-end deal and could make an immediate impact for a new team. Dre Kirkpatrick is a perennial All-USFL selection at corner, and if Michigan bobbles the last-minute negotiations, he could well opt to walk and find a new home. Seattle’s Desmond Truffant is not quite at Kirkpatrick’s level, but certainly can be a more-than-useful addition as a nickel back or as the 2nd option in the backfield. Both Terrell Edmunds (STL) and Tyran Mathieu (OHI) are superior talents at the strong safety position. Both can play centerfield or creep up into the box to defend the run. Mathieu, the “Honey Badger” is the more physical of the two, but either player can provide All-USFL level support to a team’s defense, if the price is right, of course.
The Divisional Round, when the teams with the best records in the league get into the mix. The question every year is if we will see all four 1 and 2 seeds advance or witness a Wild Card team pull the upset. This year we have some Wild Card clubs, including those 3rd division winners, whose records are almost as strong as the top seeds, so the odds of all 4 homestanding division winners moving on may not be as high as in the past. That said, all 4 top seeds are very strong clubs with very strong resumes. So, who is to say that we won’t see classic 1 v. 2 battles in next week’s Conference Title Games?
4-Orlando Renegades (10-6) @ 2-San Antonio Gunslingers (11-5)
Saturday, July 16 @ 4pm ET
The New Alamodome, San Antonio, TX
Gunslingers -4.5
A lot will ride on which players from the injury list can go in this one. If Chris Carson is out, then the Orlando offense gets far more one-sided, forcing Russell Wilson to make plays. If rookie Garrett Wilson cannot go for San Antonio, then the Gunslingers are down a major weapon and their run game will need to step up to take pressure off QB Joe Flacco. Our hope, of course, is that both players can suit up and we will see both of these clubs at full strength. This will be the first playoff appearance for the Gunslingers in their short 3-year history, but certainly not the first for QB Joe Flacco, who has more than a fair amount of playoff exposure in his career. Our best bet is that his veteran leadership will help San Antonio weather the storms that Orlando can create. Our pick is San Antonio 27-24.
5-St. Louis Skyhawks (11-5) @ 1-Arizona Wranglers (13-3)
Saturday, July 16 @ 8pm ET
State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ
Wranglers -8
We love what Brian Schottenheimer has done to turn Lamar Jackson into a true weapon, but it is so hard to go against Arizona, at home, in the playoffs. This is a team that has appeared in 5 Summer Bowls in the past 10 seasons, has veterans up and down the roster, and just does not beat themselves. Their defense shut out back-to-back foes in Weeks 15-16. Their offense put up 30 or more points in 3 of their past 40 games, and their coach was just voted the Greatest USFL Coach of All Time by our panel. We like the direction the Skyhawks are headed, but we don’t think they get there this year. We pick the Wranglers to win this one, 24-20.
3-Seattle Dragons (12-4) @ 2-Chicago Machine (12-4)
Sunday, July 17 @ 4pm ET
Soldier Field, Chicago, IL
Machine -2.5
Seattle has won 6 in a row and has the same 12-win record as Chicago. The Machine have lost their last 3, including a game 2 weeks ago, to Charlotte, at home, in a game that could have won them home field advantage. If there is a game where the road team might actually have the upper hand, it is this one. The Machine need production from rookie Rachaad White to keep Khalil Mack off Sam Bradford’s back. Seattle needs to take what the Chicago defense will give them, whether that means slow drives powered by Knowshon Moreno or single coverage strikes to Amari Cooper. For our part, we are going to go with the hot team, and the team that is feeling no pressure. We pick Seattle, 20-17.
6-New Orleans Breakers (9-7) @ 1-Tampa Bay Bandits (13-3)
Saturday, July 17 @ 8pm ET
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Bandits -9
A one-seed vs. a six-seed is generally not a place where you see an upset. It is really hard to imagine that this 1 v. 6 matchup will be the place to rewrite the script. The Bandits have looked absolutely dominant down the stretch (we are forgiving them the meaningless Week 17 game when they rested everyone they could). The Breakers needed a 4-game win streak to finish the season to qualify for the postseason, got a nice win over a flawed New Jersey team, but we think that the Bandits at full strength should do more than enough to get a home win and move on. We are picking Tampa Bay to win, 31-21.
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