PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Cam or Dak? That is the question. Dak Prescott moved the Bandits to 2-0 thanks to 341 yards passing and 4 touchdowns, but we have to give it to Cam Newton for a very Cam Newton game, throwing for 156 and 2 scores but also rushing for 97 yards and a third TD as Birmingham held on to defeat a very feisty San Antonio squad.

Hi, everyone. Two announcements before we kick off the 2022 USFL season. First, my apologies for the delay. I returned from international travel and was immediately a bit ill, some bronchitis and it laid me out for a while. That was followed with the Draft Day Sports simulator locking up on me, which required several days to get a fix from the folks at Wolverine Studios (Thanks to them for multiple help requests over this project). But we are now ready to kick off.   Second, and this is even tougher, I have made the difficult decision that the 2022 USFL season, the league’s 40 th , will be the last for the project. I had originally planned to take the league through 2026, but now I believe that I need to wrap up this project, take a break, and then, hopefully, return with a new project later this year. This USFL project has occupied the better part of my free time for over 5 years now, kicking off during COVID back in 2020, and extending well beyond any expectations. I hope you have enjoyed this little bit of alternate history, and I hope to return at some point this year with a new escapade in imagination, most likely a reimagining of the WFL from 1974-75, but I need some time away first. I am excited to wrap up with a great 2022 season, but will step away for a while once we reach Summer Bowl 2022. My thanks for your interest, your support, and your suggestions as I have simmed, designed, written, and imagined 40 seasons of the USFL.   The 2022 USFL Season opened with a bang as all 30 clubs brought out their big guns for the first week of the league’s 40 th season. We had upsets, including a dismantling of the Denver Gold in St. Louis, we had champs playing like champs, with Tampa Bay knocking off Baltimore to open the new year with yet another win. We also had huge performances, including Lamar Jackson’s 5-TD day, a big game by Geno Smith and the Breakers, and both J. J. Watt and A. J. Epenesa starting the year off with 3-sack performances. We also had some surprises, including rookie Rhamondre Stevenson getting the start over Melvin Gordon for San Antonio, and 2022 MVP Colt McCoy being pulled out of Houston’s loss to in-State rival San Antonio. We will break down all the big stories of opening week, run through how some new faces in new places fared, and get you ready for another week of action, starting right now with our Big Story of the Week.   New Coaches Show Improvement, but Wins Are Hard to Get Five new head coaches, five results that prove just how hard it is to get wins in the USFL. The new coaching class of 2022 finished the week 0-5, but along the way we saw a lot of fight, and a lot of improvement from some of the league’s worst teams from 2021. Sure, there are no such things as moral victories, and a loss is a loss, but for 4 of the 5 clubs, excluding 2022 playoff squad Houston, the takeaway was that each team had improved and was ready to compete in 2022.  San Diego—Coach Anthony Becht There are still questions to be answered in San Diego, but what we saw against Oklahoma was a defense that had been an absolute sieve in 2021 fight for 60 minutes and hold the Outlaws to only 171 total yards, with only 15 on the ground. With the story of the offseason for the Thunder being the departure of LB Myles Jack, the solid outing in Week 1 from the Thunder D was both unexpected and very welcome. The D got outstanding performances from DE Jonathan Newsome, who finished the game with 11 tackles, 4 for a loss, and LB Kyle Van Noy, who added 3 more TFL in his 5 tackles on the game. Oklahoma was held to only 2 converted third downs on 13 attempts, which is well below what we typically saw from the Thunder D last year. A good first outing for Coach Becht. Now, if he could only find some answers on offense, where Christian Hackenberg and Charles Sims were held in check all game.   Portland—Jim Harbaugh Sure, losing by 10 to Arizona may not be the result that Coach Harbaugh wanted, but there was a lot to be excited about in Portland’s opening day performance, not the least of which was Marcus Mariota’ success against what is expected to be a pretty solid Arizona defense. Mariota finished with 261 yards passing and 3 TDs, including a truly beautiful ball thrown to Brandin Cooks for a 31-yard TD. Cooks finished as the Stags’ leading receiver, but we also saw good outings from Josh Gordon and TE Trey Burton, all signs that the Stags may be most improved on offense under Harbaugh. Now, for Portland, how do they improve on a defense that gave up 404 yards, allowed 8 of 14 on 3 rd  down and saw the combo of Ka’Deem Carey and rookie Tyler Allgeier rush for 121 yards and 3 scores?  Jacksonville—Mike Vrabel For three quarters it looked like Coach Vrabel’s team had a victory in hand, building up a 12-0 lead and then holding a 15-7 advantage after three quarters, but a deflation late in the game allowed Ohio to creep back into the game and escape their trip to Duval County with a 16-15 victory. The strengths for Jacksonville were surprisingly on defense, where the Bulls picked off Justin Fields twice and limited the mobile QB to only a single yard gained on 7 rush attempts. All that was great, but where was the offense that seemed poised to be the star of the season for Jacksonville? Rookie James Cook had 50 yards in his first game, but Trevor Lawrence only threw the ball for 89 total yards, going 12 of 28 for one of his worst outings and a Week 1 QBR of only 36.2. Coach Vrabel, for as happy as he must be about the D, has to be concerned if his offense cannot do more in Week 2.  Charlotte—Brian Daboll Another surprising defensive game came from the Charlotte Monarchs, who looked like a very different club from the one that started 2021with 15 consecutive losses. Yes, the Monarchs struggled against LeVeon Bell, who finished with 102 yards on 22 carries, but who does not struggle to contain Bell? They were far more successful against Kirk Cousins, and on third down, where the Monarchs turned away 7 of 12 attempts. They stayed in the game, despite falling behind 19-7 early in the 4 th , and fought back to within 2 points but could not muster a final drive to escape with a win.  Houston—Ted Cotrell We are only 1 game into the Ted Cotrell Era in Houston and Gambler fans, spoiled by Wade Phillips’s long and successful tenure, are already worried. They are worried that their supposedly high-powered offense was held to only 1 touchdown, that Carlos Hyde averaged only 1.9 yards per attempt, that Younghoe Koo missed on 3 of 4 field goal attempts, all within 49 yards, but mostly they are worried that Coach Cotrell, a former defensive coordinator, thought it was a good idea to pull the 2021 MVP, Colt McCoy, out of the game with Houston trailing only 13-10 late in the 4 th . Cotrell says he saw something in McCoy that worried him, but fans were not ready to see Landry Jones taking the field, and with the swap not proving capable of pulling out the win for the Gamblers, questions are certainly swirling about the team’s new head coach, even with him being the hand-picked successor to Phillips.   NEW JERSEY GENERALS 28  WASHINGTON FEDERALS 24 There is nothing like a good divisional rivalry game to get the blood flowing on opening week, and that is exactly what we had at Audi Field in the heart of the District of Columbia when the New Jersey Generals came down I-95 to face the Washington Federals. With both teams wearing their 1983 throwback uniforms, it was like a trip back in time to the heady days of the early 1980’s, and while it was not Brian Sipe and Herschel Walker going up against Craig James and Joey Walters, it was very much a throwback, a matchup that has been played twice a year every year since 1983, and this year’s first edition of the Federals & Generals did not disappoint.   There were some new faces on the field for both teams when the game kicked off on Saturday, with New Jersey debuting Teddy Bridgewater for his first opening week as the Generals’ anointed starter. Victor Cruz suited up in the red and royal for the first time since signing this offseason as the ersatz replacement for a departed OBD. And it was also the first pro game of any kind for HB Kyren Williams. For Washington the new faces included rookie CB Sauce Gardner, former Renegade Dee Milliner, and DE Jerry Hughes. Milliner and Gardner would impress as the new cornerback duo, combining for 13 tackles, and a pick (Gardner’s first as a pro), while for New Jersey the standouts would be newly acquired Victor Cruz, who would finish the game with 8 receptions for 105 yards, though teammate Muhamed Sanu would be equally impressive, catching 6 for 102 and two of Bridgewaters’ 3 touchdowns on the day.   It was a game with a lot of familiarity, and a lot of nervous first week errors, including 11 penalties, 3 turnovers, and several missed opportunities, but it was also a game with a good amount of drama as these two teams, who know each other about as well as any 2 teams in the league, faced off. It was also a game that started off with a bang, with both clubs putting points on the board with their first drives. New Jersey received the opening kick, drove the ball down the field in 9 crisp plays, and got on the scoreboard first as Bridgewater threw the first of three touchdown passes, finding Sanu from 17 yards out to take a 7-0 lead. Washington responded with a nice drive of their own, based largely on play action as the Generals focused on slowing down 2 nd  year back Travis Etienne. The drive bogged down outside the 30 and the Federals were forced to settle for 3 points, but it was a sign that this game would be a battle all the way.   New Jersey tried to pull away, putting up another touchdown late in the quarter, this time Bridgewater connecting with slot receiver Pharaoh Cooper, but the Federals were not backing down, mounting their own touchdown drive which took the score to 14-10 when Keenan Allen found space inside on a 7-yard play. When Washington shut down New Jersey on their next drive, the Feds got a short field and turned that into 3 more points. The game would go to the half with the Generals holding a very slight 14-13 edge.   In the 3 rd , New Jersey would again put 7 on the board, this time thanks to a 12-play, 6-minute drive, that included a 27-yard Bridgewater to Cruz throw to get the ball into the red zone, only for former Dallas Gunslinger HB C. J. Prosise to the ball into the endzone from the 9 on a very nice pitch out play. Down 8, Washington needed a successful drive, and they got one, crossing from the 3 rd  into the 4 th before a 13-yard strike from Brissett to Tyreek Hill put the ball on the one, with Travis Etienne getting his first points of his sophomore campaign on the next play. Washington opted to go for 2, and again Etienne found paydirt, allowing the Federals to even the score at 21 with just over 11 minutes left in the game.   After a pair of short drives leading nowhere, Washington got a break when a Bridgewater pass was tipped at the line and rookie CB Sauce Gardner was able to make a play on the ball to bring it in on the New Jersey 22. The Generals held on the ensuing drive, which brought out Adam Vinatieri to give Washington its first lead of the game, a 30-yard kick with 3:09 left to play. New Jersey would be down only 3 with plenty of time to either score the winning touchdown or tie the game with a kick.   New Jersey opted to play aggressively, mixing outside throws from Bridgewater with inside runs from Tony Pollard and Prosise. The strategy worked, as Washington was forced to play the full width of the field, and settle for 2-deep zones to avoid a big play. There were no plays of more than 7 yards on the New Jersey drive, but there were enough mid-range plays to keep the first down marker moving, and to help New Jersey get into Washington territory with plenty of time left.   The Federals started to burn their own time outs with New Jersey in field goal range, hoping to keep enough time on the clock to counter a game-tying field goal, but the Generals were not settling for 3. With a nice throw to Jonnu Smith over the middle, and then another to Victor Cruz on a crossing pattern, the Generals moved the ball to the 9 yard line with just over 1:30 left to play. With that kind of time, and Washington down to its last timeout, the general consensus was that New Jersey would use Pollard to pound the ball three times, hoping for a touchdown and a loss of all time for a Federal recovery. But Coach Saleh thought differently, his OC calling a pass play on first and goal from the 9, a play that succeeded when Bridgewater found Muhamed Sanu in single coverage. New Jersey had taken the lead with 1:24 left to play, now they had to defend.   And defend they did, sacking Jacoby Brissett on 1 st  and 10 after the kickoff, forcing Washington into a rough 2 nd and 17, which quickly turned to 3 rd  and 17, and finally 4 th and 11. When Brissett was forced out of the pocket on 4 th  down, throwing a desperation pass to Keenan Allen, one which fell to the ground outside the field of play, Federal hopes for a fantastic finish were dashed and New Jersey took home their first win and their first division win of the year. It may not have been Walker vs. James, but it was pure USFL football as it has been played now for 40 years.   BALTIMORE 10   TAMPA BAY 29 The Bandits celebrated their repeat championship, raising the 2021 Summer Bowl banner at Raymond James before handily defeating the visiting Baltimore Blitz on Friday night football. In very much the form they showed winning their title last year, Tampa Bay used a balanced offense to keep the Blitz defense guessing, with Dalvin Cook and Matt Breida combining for 101 yards rushing while Dak Prescott completed 11 of 26 for 225 yards and 2 scores. POTG:  Bandit DE Brian Burns: 8 Tck, 3 TFL, 1 Sck, 1 FF   OAKLAND 32  SEATTLE 24 The other Friday night special saw Oakland’s Davis Mills start off strong, completing 23 of 34 and throwing for 2 scores as the Invaders went into Seattle and dominated the 4 th  quarter to turn a 24-23 deficit into a 32-24 victory. Mills hit Davante Adams for his 1 st TD in the final period, then added an Aguayo field goal to go up by 8 with only 51 seconds left to play. Seattle’s Amari Cooper caught 6 for 101 yards and a score but could not come down with a Hail Mary as time expired and Oakland pulls off the road upset to start 2022 with a win. POTG:  Oakland WR Davante Adams: 7 Rec, 112 Yds, 1 TD   BIRMINGHAM 24   NEW ORLEANS 34 The Breakers and Geno Smith were eager to put 2021’s disappointments behind them, and they did just that by containing Cam Newton and finding success with the deep ball. Geno Smith only completed 14 of 29 passing, but hit on some big plays, including a 73-yard TD to Jordy Nelson and 2 Justin Jefferson TD throws, finishing with 4 TDs on the day. Najee Harris rushed for 100 yards for the Stallions, and on only 11 carries, maybe get him the ball a bit more. It was not enough as the Breakers get the home win by 10. POTG:  Breaker QB Geno Smith: 14/29, 298 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int   PORTLAND 27  ARIZONA 37 Ryan Nassib returns to Arizona and gets a W, going 18 of 32 for 283 and hitting Tyler Lockett, another new Wrangler with a 3 rd quarter TD. Arizona also ran the ball well, with rookie Tyler Allgeier adding 49 yards to veteran Ka’Deem Carey’s 72, with the two combining for 3 scores as the Wranglers spoiled the debut of Jim Harbaugh in Portland, despite a very solid 22 of 33, 3-TD game from Marcus Mariota. POTG:  Arizona HB Ka’Deem Carey: 20 Att, 72 Yds, 2 TD   DENVER 23  ST. LOUIS 47 Josh Allen threw for a league best 421 yards, but it was not enough as the Gold had simply no answer for Lamar Jackson. The St. Louis QB rushed for 128 yards on 11 carries, including 2 TD runs. He also threw for 286, including touchdowns to Allen Robinson, Kyle Pitts, and HB James Conner as the Skyhawks pull off the home opener upset and start the year 1-0 for Coach Brian Schottenheimer. POTG:  Skyhawk QB Lamar Jackson: 20/32, 286 Yds, 3 TD, 0 Int, 11 Att, 128 Yds, 2 TD   OHIO 16   JACKSONVILLE 15 Coach Mike Vrabel’s first game for the Bulls turned ugly late, as the Bulls blew a 15-0 lead in the 4 th  quarter, with Justin Fields hitting Terry McLaurin for the game winning score with only 15 seconds left to play. Surprisingly, it was the Bull defense that seemed to be the best squad on the field, at least through the first 45 minutes, but in the 4 th , put up 9 points to turn an 8-point deficit into a 1-point victory. POTG:  Glory QB Justin Fields: 22/40, 255 Yds, 2 TD, 2 Int   DALLAS 27   LAS VEGAS 20 A back-and-forth game between two Southwestern Division rivals came down to the last minute, with Las Vegas tying the score at 20-20 with 53 seconds to play, only to watch it all fall apart when QB Matt McGloin fumbled in the games final seconds, only for Jamal Adams to scoop the ball up and return it for a shocking game-ending score. Both McGloin and Herbert played well, but that one major gaff gave the win to the visiting Renegades. POTG:  Dallas safety Jamal Adams: 3 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 Def TD, 1 FF, 1 FR   SAN DIEGO 12   OKLAHOMA 17 San Diego’s much maligned defense kept this one close, but a Jalen Hurts 2-yard TD run in the fourth proved to be enough as the Outlaws escape with a win in a game where they were outgained 281-171. The Outlaw line struggled all through the game, with Oklahoma gaining only 15 yards rushing on the game. San Diego took a 12-10 lead in the 3 rd  when Christian Hackenberg hit Chris Givens for the go-ahead score, but Oklahoma mustered one key drive in the 4 th  and Hurts’s designed bootleg fooled the Thunder D and gave Oklahoma the win. POTG:  Thunder DE Jonathan Newsome: 11 Tck, 1 Sck, 1 FF   NEW ENGLAND 21  PHILADELPHIA 16 The Steamrollers announced that they were ready to compete in the Northeast by going into Philadelphia and handing the 2021 Division Champs a loss in their home opener. The Steamrollers got early inspiration when CB Benjamin St. Juste picked off a Carson Wentz pass and returned it 34 yards for a score. Paired with Tannehill TD passes to Doug Baldwin and Dennis Pitta, the Steamroller D kept Philadelphia at length all game, with only one blown play, a 53-yard Derrick Henry rumbling TD keeping the Stars in the game until the end. POTG:  Steamroller CB Benjamin St. Juste: 5 Tck, 1 Int, 1 Def TD, 1 FF, 1 FR   ATLANTA 30  ORLANDO 13 The Fire looked like they were in midseason form, while the Renegades and QB Russell Wilson struggled to stay out of their own way. Aaron Murray threw for 385 against a sloppy Orlando D, while Wilson was sacked 3 times and picked off twice in the Renegade home opener. Atlanta would outgain Orlando 427-255 and own the time of possession as well, 34:04-25:56 as the Fire get a convincing opening day win. POTG:  Alanta CB Darius Slay: 6 Tck, 1 Int, 1 FF   CHARLOTTE 17   MICHIGAN 19 Coach Daboll and the Monarchs surprise us by keeping this game very much in question throughout. Paxton Lynch completed 29 of 42 against a very aggressive Panther defense, and the Monarch D, despite giving up 102 yards to LeVeon Bell, very much kept the Panther offense from running away with this one. Yes, it was 16-7 after three quarters, but a late Paxton to Calvin Ridley TD had the Monarchs within a field goal late. Michigan, however, found a way to run down the clock, largely thanks to a LeVeon Bell 5-yard run on 3 rd  and 4 and held on for a very hard-fought win. POTG:  Michigan CB Dre Kirkpatrick: 12 Tck, 1 PDef   MEMPHIS 14   LOS ANGELES 23 Blake Bortles did not have the debut he wanted, throwing 4 picks in a sloppy performance that had Coach Ryan fuming on the sidelines. Kyler Murray fared much better, despite being sacked 6 times (3 from J. J. Watt). Murray completed 14 of 27, finding Hollywood Brown for 2 scores and helping the express start the year with a home win. POTG:  LA wideout Marquise “Hollywood” Brown: 5 Rec, 77 Yds, 2 TD   HOUSTON 10   SAN ANTONIO 13 Perhaps the upset of the week, not only did San Antonio hold Houston to only 10 points, but in frustration late in the game, Coach Cotrell sat 2021 MVP Colt McCoy down and let Landry Jones finish out the game. McCoy’s numbers were not horrible, but he missed on 4 consecutive 3 rd  down throws and Cotrell felt a change was needed. It was not enough as San Antonio hung on for the 3-point win, thanks largely to strong defensive games from LBs Gabe Miller (11 Tackles) and Ulysses Gilbert (6 Tck, 1 Int). POTG : Despite the loss, it was Houston WR Mike Evans: 7 Rec, 146 Yds   PITTSBURGH 6   CHICAGO 10 A blustery night in Chicago made life “interesting”, as Midwesterners say, for both Andy Dalton and Sam Bradford. Bradford fared better, throwing for 238 yards and a TD on a swing pass to rookie HB Rachaad White, while Dalton threw for only 121 and was picked by Josh Norman late. Neither run game had much success either, as the defenses dominated. Chicago gained a total of 35 yards, Pittsburgh only 41 on a night when running seemed the better option. POTG:  Chicago rookie HB Rachaad White: 18 Att, 30 Yds, 2 Rec, 66 Yds, 1 TD   Jackson’s Huge Day Has Him Atop Two Leaderboards The St.Louis Skyhawks and QB Lamar Jackson kicked off the 2022 USFL season in style, not only earning a 24-point home victory in their opener, but putting on a show as well. An opening game that saw him pass for 286 yards and 3 TDs while also running for a league best 128 yards and 2 more scores, has Lamar Jackson’s name peppered all over the league’s statistical leaderboard. The former Louisville QB and 5 th  year QB is the current league leader in rushing after his dynamic opening game. In addition to leading every single tailback with 128 yards, Jackson is also in the top 5 in passing yards (5 th ), passing touchdowns (tied for 2 nd ), QB rating (4 th ), and would be easily leading the scoring table if TD passes were counted. With 2 rushing touchdowns, Jackson is tied for 3 rd with 12 points, but if you added in any points for passing TDs he would easily outpace kicker Chase McLaughlin for 1 st  in scoring as well. Not a bad day for the Skyhawk QB and not a bad start for a St. Louis team that has always seemed high on potential and short on results.   First Impressions: Free Agents Make Themselves at Home Opening week means our first real look at all the offseason moves and all the new players taking the field with their new teams. We had an active offseason this year, with a fair share of big name free agents joining new USFL clubs. Here is our look at how the new faces fared in their new homes.   Perhaps the top performance from among the 2022 free agents was that of former Arizona WR Victor Cruz, who had 8 receptions for 105 yards for his new team, the Generals. Cruz led all receivers and helped New Jersey eke out a 28-24 victory.   Just behind Cruz was the man he replaced in New Jersey, Odell Beckham Jr., who seemed very much in synch with his new QB, Chicago’s Sam Bradford, catching 7 balls for 73 yards as the Machine defeated Pittsburgh in a defensive struggle, 10-6.   Other receivers did not see as much action with Michael Floyd, the former Machine wideout, seeing only 2 receptions in his debut with Oakland and former Showboat Devin Funchess bringing in 2 passes for only 15 yards in his debut as a Seattle Dragon.   The other offensive player of note who started the year with a new team is at QB, where another former Showboat, QB Paxton Lynch, fared pretty well, going 29 of 42 for 223 yards and throwing 2 touchdowns with no picks in Charlotte’s competitive loss in Michigan. Just having a game from their QB where no interceptions were thrown has to be a positive for Monarch fans.   On defense, the best day among the free agent defenders belongs to former San Diego LB Myles Jack, now plying his trade for the Dallas Roughnecks. Jack finished his opener, a 27-20 win in Las Vegas, with 7 tackles, 1 for loss and 1 sack, forcing a fumble along the way. Other defensive starters included Budda Baker (HOU to ARZ) with 4 tackles, and corner Dee Milliner (ORL to WSH) with 8.   Rookie Roll Call in Week One The opening weekend was also the debut for the rookie class of 2022, and, as we always expect, it was a mixed bag, with some new faces getting fewer snaps than we expected, while others outperformed expectations. Our Rookie of the Week was an unexpected one as Arizona gave rookie back Tyler Allgeier more snaps than anticipated and the former BYU Cougar got his first pro touchdown on a goalline run, pairing that with 49 total yards on 17 carries.   Another strong outing was put in by Chicago halfback Rachaad White, who showed he could be a dual threat back, rushing for 30 yards while catching 2 passes for 66 yards and his first pro touchdown, a 99-combined yard opener for the former Sun Devil back. Three other, higher round tailback selections, also saw their first action, with Breece Hall getting the start for New England, finishing with 36 yards on 11 carries. We also saw a battle of rookie backs when Ohio took on Jacksonville, with Kenneth Walker getting the win, but James Cook outgaining Walker 50-42.   We saw a lot of rookie receivers see action this week, but only 3 were listed as starters, Baltimore’s Christian Watson, Charlotte’s Drake London, and San Antonio’s Garrett Wilson. Of the three, only Wilson saw victory for his team, helping the Gunslingers upset Houston with a game-high 8 receptions. Wilson hauled in all 8 of his targets, gaining 69 yards and helping the Gunslingers outlast the Gamblers 13-10. Christian Watson was also the lead receiver for his team as he was targeted 12 times by Blitz QB Jake Locker, bringing in 8 balls for 85 yards. Finally, Drake London got the start in Charlotte and QB Paxton Lynch found the former USC Trojan brought in 5 of 6 targets for 41 yards and the first touchdown of the rookie receiver class.   There was no shortage of rookies on the field for defenses across the league, including the pro debut for two highly anticipated edge rushers, with Michigan starting former Wolverine Aidan Hutchinson while Kayvon Thibodeaux suited up for the Portland Stags. Hutchinson recorded his first pro sack, bringing down Paxton Lynch in the 2 nd  quarter of Michigan’s narrow victory. Thibodeaux got the start for Portland but was unable to find his way to Arizona’s Ryan Nassib and finished the game without a sack or a tackle on the game.   Among the other rookie defenders, the best game was had by Washington cornerback Sauce Gardner, who snagged his first pro interception along with 5 tackles and a pass defense. St. Louis linebacker Micah McFadden started off his pro career with 4 tackles, and a safety, sacking Josh Allen in the endzone for a big opening day moment as the Skyhawks upset the Gold. Finally, LB Quay Walker saw his first action in the Atlanta Fire defense, helping the Fire knock off Orlando with 2 tackles, one TFL and a pass defense as Atlanta held Orlando to 13 points on the day.   A remarkably clean first week as we only saw a few dings and bruises, with no players listed as being out for Week 2. If the league can get that kind of result each week, they will be ecstatic, but, of course, with football being football, that is more than we can anticipate, or should hope for.   DOUBTFUL HB    Troymaine Pope      BAL        Ankle                    TE           Jake Tonges          HOU     Concussion DE          Mario Addison        NE          Wrist SS          Myles Hartsfield      STL         Knee   QUESTIONABLE LB           Mykal Walker                    ARZ       Concussion OT          Cam Robinson                 BIR         Foot HB          D’onte Freeman              DAL       Knee QB         Ben Dinucci                      JAX         Flu CB          Josh Jackson                  MEM     Elbow C             Tre Hill                            TBY        Shoulder CB          Ross Cockrell                   TBY        Concussion     2022 USFL Week 1 Starters With Week One in the book, we thought fans around the league would like to get a sense of the rosters for each club, so here is our infographic version of the 24 starters for each club. Now, take this with a grain of salt going into Week 2 as there are some NFL imports still to filter into their team rosters and some shifting to be done after Week 1, but these are the players for each team that took the field this week. We have highlighted two different groups of players, with 2021 All-USFL players in Red and 2022 rookies in Sky Blue.   The 40 Greatest Players in 40 Seasons of USFL Football: 40-38 Here we go, our celebration of the 40 greatest players to don USFL uniforms between 1983 and 2022. Before we kick off with the players our team of experts ranked 40 th  through 38 th , a quick outline of what we looked at. Of course, our examination looked at statistics, looked at impact to the game, and looked at team success. We also looked at the persona of the league, its changing face and the way the league has remained unique, a distinct brand of football from the fall’s game. We also decided early on that we would have at least one representative of every position in the game. No disrespecting the kicking game to squeeze in one more QB or edge rusher. That may mean that your favorite player got bumped, or that we just did not include as many halfbacks, receivers or quarterbacks as you may think merit our respect. We could have easily made a list of 100, even 200 players whose names are familiar to you and whose careers merit celebration. We went with 40, for obvious reasons, and because no number would be the perfect number to capture all that the USFL has been and has become. So, without further ado, we kick off our list of the 40 Greatest Players in USFL history with player 40.   40) P John Carlton (PHI 1998-2016) You likely had a feeling as soon as we said that every position on the field would be in our Top 40 list that a punter would occupy the 40-spot. And so it is. Punters don’t get a lot of love. Heck, when they come on the field it is almost the universal signal to head for the bathroom or the fridge, but they can be the key to a field position game, can be critical in pinning teams deep, and even leading to safeties and turnovers. And so, we have a punter in our Top 40, and in John Carlton we have one of the best the USFL ever produced.   Carlton not only leads the USFL in all time punt yardage, with a career total of 67,377 yards, but is also among the league’s best in punt average at 45.2 yards per punt, and for Punts inside the 20, with 590 over his impressive 19-season career, all of it with the Philadelphia Stars. Philadelphia, who had another frontrunner for this recognition in 1983-91 specialist Sean Landeta, has certainly had itself a quality run at the position. Carlton, like Landeta, was recognized twice as the All-USFL kicker, and in Carlton’s case, the recognition came 12 seasons apart, in 2002 and 2013. As much as we love others like Landeta, Mitch Berger, or Shane Lechler, the top honor as a punter on our “40 for 40” team goes to John Carlton.   39) G Gary Zimmerman (LA/STL 1984-1997) Fourteen seasons in the trenches, fourteen seasons protecting his QB and opening holes for the run game, and in that time, Gary Zimmerman earned two All-USFL honors, racked up 766 pancakes (calculated after 1998, when the stat was first utilized in the league), and allowed only 10 total sacks. Think about that. 217 games, 212 starts and he was responsible for only 10 sacks. That is a stunning number to contemplate.   Ask former LA Express or St. Louis Knight quarterbacks what it meant to have Zimmerman in front of them and they will, to a man, say that it was like standing behind a brick wall. From Steve Young to Todd Collins you will hear about protection. Ask backs, from 1984 Express leader Tony Boddie, through the Nigerian Nightmare, Christian Okoye, to 3-time 1,000-yard rusher Darrell Thompson of the Knights and you will hear about Zimmerman pulling across the line and opening up huge holes to make big gainers possible for his backs. A class act, a huge mountain of a man, and one of the best offensive linemen in the modern game. Zimmerman hits our list at number 39.   38) CB Antonio Cromartie (PHI 2006-10, BIR 2011-19) Tied for first all-time with 54 career interceptions, Tied for 2 nd  All-Time for most picks in a season with 9, and a 4-time All-USFL selection, Cromartie becomes the second Philadelphia Star on our list, though, we should note that all 4 of his All-USFL honors came not with the Stars but with the Stallions, a 5-year run from 2014-2019 to end his career that saw him earn the honor 4 times.   Cromartie was not the fastest corner in the league, but he was close. He was not the strongest, but he was close. And he was not the shrewdest, but he was close. And it was that combination of smarts, strength, and speed that made him so dangerous as both a press corner and a zone defender. Cromartie topped 4 picks in a season 7 different times in his 14-year career, and yes, we are considering longevity as a key factor. He also averaged nearly 20 pass defenses per season over his long career. Throw in 10 career defensive touchdowns and his kick return duties when with Birmingham and you have a player who not only kept points off the board, but helped his team add points to their side of the scoreboard. Cromartie is the first Corner on the board at 38, but we suspect he won’t be the last.   Week Two brings us a very division-heavy lineup for this early in the spring. We have 10 of 15 games matching division foes, which means rivalries, bad blood, and hard hits all around. It kicks off on Friday night when the Oakland Invaders head up to Portland to take on the Stags, one of two Friday games that feature teams with mixed expectations.   Saturday starts off with inter-divisional games at noon, both interesting as the Stars head to Orlando to face the Renegades, while the Generals host the New Orleans Breakers. Then, at 4 and 8pm it is all about divisional action, with Arizona at Oklahoma at 4pm, Houston heading to Memphis on NBC at 8, and the other late game featuring a Central Division grudge match as Michigan heads to Chicago to take on the Machine in an early season battle for supremacy.   Sunday kicks off with division clashes in both the Northeast and Southeast, with Washington and New England in national coverage on ABC while Tampa Bay and Charlotte will tussle in a regionally covered FOX game. At 4pm it is back to the Central when Ohio hosts St. Louis, and down to the Southern Division where San Antonio heads into Birmingham to face Cam Newton and the Stallions. The third 4pm game is back in the Southwest when Denver hosts the Las Vegas Viper in an early season clash of rivals. Finally, the nightcap takes us to the Pacific Coast, where the San Diego Thunder are hoping to shock the USFL world by knocking off the 2021 Western Conference Champion Seattle Dragons. Lot’s of big games, lots of momentum building opportunities in an absolutely stacked Week 2.   Fri. 7pm ET      Atlanta Fire @ Baltimore Blitz                                           NBC Fri. 7pm ET     Oakland Invaders @ Portland Stags                             ESPN/EFN   Sat. 12pm ET  Philadelphia Stars @ Orlando Renegades                      ABC Sat. 12pm ET   New Orleans Breakers @ New Jersey Generals              FOX Sat. 4pm ET    Arizona Wranglers @ Oklahoma Outlaws                      ABC Sat. 4pm ET    Dallas Roughnecks @ Los Angeles Express                     FOX Sat. 8pm ET     Houston Gamblers @ Memphis Showboats                 NBC Sat. 8pm ET   Michigan Panthers @ Chicago Machine                          ESPN/EFN   Sun 12pm ET   Washington Federals @ New England Steamrollers  ABC Sun 12pm ET   Jacksonville Bulls @ Pittsburgh Maulers                         FOX Regional Sun 12pm ET   Tampa Bay Bandits @ Charlotte Monarchs                   FOX Regional Sun 4pm ET     St. Louis Skyhawks @ Ohio Glory                                       ABC Regional Sun 4pm ET     San Antonio Gunslingers @ Birmingham Stallions   ABC Regional Sun 4pm ET    Las Vegas Vipers @ Denver Gold                                      FOX Sun 8pm ET     Seattle Dragons @ San Diego Thunder                            EFN

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: No debate here as Lamar Jackson almost single handedly led the Skyhawks to victory over Denver. Jackson threw for 286 yards and 3 scores, but was equally devastating on the ground, where he ran for 128 yards on 11 carries, including a 43-yard touchdown run as the Skyhawks came out swinging with a 47-23 mauling of Denver.

We have examined a very active and very engaging offseason, so what lies ahead? What will the 2022 USFL season, the league’s 40 th , bring? Will Tampa Bay pull off an unprecedented “Threepeat’ (TM Pat Riley)? Will Seattle return to the Summer Bowl after a strong 2021 campaign? Will a new team rise up and claim a title? And how will your favorite team fare? We are hear to break it all down, starting with a look at the 5 new head coaches in the USFL and the tasks before them, then a breakdown of all 30 teams and their chances, followed by a very-different look at predictions for the year, and finally, a preview of Week One, just a few days away. The 2022 Season is about to start, and it starts right here.   New Coaches, New Systems, New Hope Five new coaches across the USFL, five teams hoping for good things and, in nearly every case, a major shift of direction. While Ted Cotrell takes over a team very much in the playoff hunt, the remaining 4 new team leaders are in reclamation mode, hoping to turn losses into victories and disappointment into excitement. But what does each face? What is the challenge for each coach as they embark on their first season with their new team? Here are our thoughts on the challenges and opportunities faced by each of this year’s new class of USFL head coaches.  Ted Cotrell (Gamblers) Pretty easy to see that Ted Cotrell has a different mission than the other four new coaches across the league. The former DC in Houston was hand-picked by Wade Phillips to take over the team when Phillips opted to retire. His challenge is not to rebuild a struggling franchise, but to follow a legend. Cotrell inherits a team that has made the playoffs 8 consecutive years, including a 3-year streak of Summer Bowl appearances and a league title in 2018. He has the reigning league MVP at quarterback and an absolutely stacked offense. Yes, the defense, Cotrell’s specialty, needs some improvement, but few coaches are given a team with as much talent and possibility as Cotrell has been handed. The fear, of course, is that Cotrell is not Wade Phillips, and even if he is successful this year, fans will see it as a lingering effect of the team Phillips put together. The pressure is to remain at a very high standard, perhaps even to get back to the Summer Bowl once again, and not to allow the Gambler dynasty to fade away.  Brian Daboll (Monarchs) On the opposite side of the coaching goals spectrum we find Brian Daboll, who inherits a team that was 0-15 before a final week upset helped them avoid a winless season in 2021. The good news is that Daboll was able to work with Monarch leadership to upgrade at the most important position on the roster, QB. Signing disgruntled Showboat QB Paxton Lynch gives Charlotte a much better starting point than the 2021 club had, but this is a team that still has a lot of issues to address. The 2021 Monarchs lost by an average of 11 points per game, with a porous defense and a very inconsistent offense. They go into 2022 with one of the weakest receiving corps in the league, a questionable run game, and major questions in the LB group, and the secondary. This will be a long season for Charlotte in a division that hosts both clubs from last year’s Eastern Conference Title Game, but the goal here is to find improvement, stay competitive, and assess where a 2 nd offseason for Daboll can upgrade the roster.  Anthony Becht (Thunder) With back-to-back 3-13 seasons, the San Diego Thunder are another club trying to reinvent itself and build a new culture. We are still trying to complete the autopsy after a 12-4 club in 2019 crashed to 3-13 in 2020. Coach Becht, a stand out player with the New Jersey Generals back in his playing days is something of an unknown commodity as a coach, but what we do know is that he will be a coach that believes in developing talent and building a culture of self-belief. He will need to do that quickly as this is a Thunder team that cannot enter 2022 with a lot of confidence. They lost their best defensive player, LB Myles Jack, to free agency, their 2021 starting QB, Christian Ponder, not to another USFL team, or an NFL club, but to the CFL, which tells you how he was regarded, and were unable to upgrade at the receiver position. So, what are the bright spots for Coach Becht? He has a solid offensive line, so there is hope for the run game led by Charles Sims, and that his QB will have a chance to prove himself. He has decent safeties and some youth on defense. Beyond that, Becht knows that he will need to outcoach some of his colleagues to get beyond the 3-win total of the past two years in San Diego. Mike Vrabel (Bulls) The favorite son returns home to Jacksonville as former All-USFL linebacker Mike Vrabel takes on the challenge of bringing the Bulls to a place they have never been, the USFL title. That is the stated goal, and it will be a tough one, especially in the Southeast Division. But, when you look at what Vrabel has to work with, you have to believe that he has a good base. Jacksonville invested heavily in providing their young QB, Trevor Lawrence, with weapons, drafting Georgia HB James Cook, bringing receiver Christian Cook over from the NFL, and adding TE Eric Ebron as a security blanket. They could have a dynamic and young HB tandem of Cook and 2021 rookie Chubba Hubbard in the backfield and could very well be an offense on the rise. The D will have to be Vrabel’s focus point, but the tenacious linebacker certainly knows what it takes to build a defensive mindset. We think Vrabel will find some success in 2022, perhaps even pull off some significant upsets, but give him 2-3 years, and he has a shot at turning the Bulls into a solid contender, a rare sight in Duval County.  Jim Harbaugh (Stags) Portland feels like they got the man who can finally get things going in the right direction in the Rose City. Harbaugh had some very good years in Philadelphia, is highly respected by both players and his fellow coaches, and brings a disciplined approach to building a team’s culture. In Portland he will have some challenges and some decisions, not the least of which is assessing if Marcus Mariota has the potential to be more than what we have seen in past years. He needs his QB to stay healthy (which has been a challenge) and to make good decisions. He needs his run game to support the QB, and he needs his defense to make life a lot tougher for opposing teams than they have in recent years. To that end, he needs rookie DE Kayvon Thibodeaux to be the player we saw at Oregon, something his unit-mate Dion Jordan was unable to do. He also needs leadership from players like LB Kiko Alonso, CB Taron Johnson, and FS Rudy Ford. Portland is in what we would call a weak division, though Seattle certainly is a major obstacle, so the chance is there for some first year successes, but the main task this year is to change the mindset of the Stags and to create a culture of toughness and smart football.   Team Previews for 2022 Here we go, USFL football is only days away and everyone wants to know where their team stands. We have broken down each roster, looked at each team’s strengths and weaknesses, and we are ready to give you our expert analysis of what each club’s prospects are. It is a time of hope around the league, with all 30 clubs at 0-0. So, are your hopes for a Summer Bowl justified or fantasy? Take a look and see where we see your team heading this season.   Head Coach: Jim Tomsula 2021 Record: 10-6, 2 nd  in Southwest New Arrival to Watch: QB Ryan Nassib. As much as we wanted to say it was Budda Baker, we all know that the success or failure of the 2022 season is riding on which version of Nassib we get, the outstanding 2019 season as a stand-in for David Carr or the very problematic outings in 2020 and 2021 seasons with Washington. Nassib needs to rebound or the Wranglers could be in for a long year. Best & Worst Position Groups: Despite the loss of Victor Cruz to the Generals in Free Agency, the receiver group remains an obvious strength for the Wranglers. Led by veteran DeMarcus Robinson, young riser Brandon Aiyuk and with the acquisition of former Breaker slot man Tyler Lockett, the Wranglers are set for speed, while both Robert Tonyan and Maxx Williams are solid targets on the inside.   The concern for Arizona has to be the O-Line, particularly the inside, where center Robert Vega and guard Corey Levin are both seen as shaky options and where depth is a real concern. Brandon Scherff and Mitchell Van Dyck are solid at the tackle spots, but if Arizona is going to both protect Ryan Nassib and get an inside run game at all, they will need Levin and Vega in particular to outperform expectations.   Outlook: There is no doubt that this is a new era for the Wranglers, with David Carr retired and a lot of transition across the roster. They still have a solid core, but are putting a lot of faith in Ryan Nassib’s ability to rebound from some rough years in D.C. The defense, led by CB Joe Haden, DE Bud DuPree, and SS Budda Baker, has some question marks but should be solid enough to keep Arizona in games. The question is if Nassib can guide their offense as well as he did 3 years ago. We see Arizona as a contender in the division, but not the prohibitive favorite they were for almost a decade.   Head Coach: Jaime Elizondo 2021 Record: 8-8, 3 rd  in Southeast New Arrival to Watch: Rookie LB Quay Walker. The rookie will slot in next to Luke Kuechley and across from veteran Alec Ogletree in a Fire LB group that needs to come through if the Fire are going to return to postseason form. Best & Worst Position Groups: Despite fans wanting Atlanta to be a Bandit-like offensive juggernaut, the best position group on the squad is the secondary. With the dynamic safety duo of Earl Thomas and Chuck Clark delivering big hits and corners Darius Slay, Shaquile Griffin and nickel Desmond King among the best 1-2-3 groups in the league, this will be a tough team to pass against, and that can win you a lot of games in the USFL.   The weakness for Atlanta is at linebacker. While MLB Luke Kuechley is a perennial All-USFL candidate, the rest of the 3-man group is a bit dubious, with rookie Quay Walker stepping in on the right side and Alec Ogletree slowing down on the left side. Depth is also a question, though we do like Zavier Gooden as a swing backer. This could be an issue for the run defense, but also come into play against teams with solid TE play and a good slot receiver.   Outlook: After a 13-3 season in 2020, Atlanta struggled to 8-8 last year. We think they have the potential to rebound and put together a strong year, especially if Aaron Murray can stay healthy. The addition of Josh Rosen and Nathan Peterman gives them more options if Murray does get hurt again, but the real key is for them to get Nick Chubb back to his 2020 form, where he topped 1,200 yards. Expect them to compete in the Southeast.   Head Coach: Jim Caldwell 2021 Record: 9-7, 3 rd  in Northeast New Arrival to Watch: Rookie WR Christian Watson. The rookie will get his chances, and his role is to draw coverage away from Michael Pittman so that the Blitz can diversify their passing game, but it will be a big jump from the not-so-bright lights of Fargo to the glare of the USFL summer sun. Best & Worst Position Groups: Jake Locker was one of the best-protected QBs in the league last season and we think that his O-Line, which returns all 5 starters, remains the strength of the club. Starting with Riley Reiff at LT and through McGovern, Matt Tenant, and Dan Feeney in the middle, ending with Ryan Ramczyk on the right side, this is a dominant group, which means Locker stays in the pocket and Josh Jacobs has a shot at a rushing title.   And that run game had better be strong, because when we look at the Blitz receivers we are worried. 3 rd  year receiver Michael Pittman Jr. is the only proven commodity in the group, with rookie Christian Watson earning the 2 nd  spot in camp but bringing a lot of questions with him. Tutu Atwell needs to be much more consistent in the slot, and depth is a big issue, with underachievers Allen Hurns and Eli Rogers not filling us with a lot of confidence if something happens to Pittman. Don’t be shocked if the 3-man TE group all end up being major targets for Locker. Uzomah, NFL import Mike Gesecki, and rookie Isaiah Likely could be his best bet for finding open receivers.   Outlook: Baltimore battled to a 9-7 finish last year, just missing the playoffs. It is their 3 rd  consecutive 9-7 season under Caldwell. In a division that could be competitive from top to bottom, 9-7 may just win the division title, but the Blitz have to be more than just a “ground & pound” team to get it done in a division that has solid defenses and good run games all around. We think they could be destined for a middle of the pack finish, but it is a pack that could go 1,000 different ways this year.   Head Coach: Todd Haley 2021 Record: 11-5, Southern Division Champion New Arrival to Watch: SS Baccari Rambo. The Stallion offense is definitely a threat, but where Birmingham has faltered in recent years has been the defense, particularly the secondary. They brought Rambo back after 3 years away and the hope is that he is ready to lead an uprising in the disrespected Stallion secondary.   Best & Worst Position Groups: The Stallions have focused on their O-line over the past 3 seasons and now have one of the most consistent and reliable groups in the league. Led by guards Alex Cappa and Ben Grubbs, we might well have a group now that can finally give Cam Newton a run game to balance the offense. The addition of Isaiah Pead will also help as he can handle the grunt work that Najee Harris struggled with last year.   On the downside, the D-line remains a concern. Veteran Dante Fowler is not the sack man he was back in Houston and Boogie Basham at RE steps in at RE after showing very little in his rookie campaign. Inside, Corey Liuget can get overrun at times, which means teams can use the ground game against Birmingham, shorten the game and keep Newton off the field.   Outlook: The Stallions were one of 2021’s revelation teams, improving from 3-13 to 11-5 in just one year. Can they sustain that in a division that is seeing improvement from top to bottom? That could be tough. They still have questions on defense, and they need that run game to finally come through, but with the possible exception of Houston, they may well be the deepest team in the division.   Head Coach: Brian Daboll (New in 2022) 2021 Record: 1-15, 5 th  in Southeast New Arrival to Watch: QB Paxton Lynch. After several years of poor decision making by Mitch Trubisky and a failed 2021 experiment with Jimmy Garoppolo, the hopes of the Monarchs ride with Paxton Lynch, who was brilliant in Memphis in 2020 but took a step back last year. If he can rise to 2020 levels again, he will be a hero in Charlotte.   Best & Worst Position Groups: Coach Daboll saw a lot of needs in Charlotte when he arrived after their 1-15 debacle of a season, but D-line was not among them. Anchored inside by Leki Fotu and Poona Ford, the Monarchs can control the line of scrimmage and find ways to free up Chandler Jones to rush the passer. That may allow them to drop 7 in to coverage, which will certainly help a pass defense that struggled last year.   The offense has question marks everywhere, but nowhere more than at receiver, where they have had a major overhaul but where no clear cut superstar is to be found. Rookie Drake London will start, as will veteran Austin Proehl, with Tandon Doss in the slot, but it is hard to see how that 1-2-3 grouping stacks up well compared with many others, unless of course London is more than even the most optimistic scouts saw.   Outlook: You don’t recover from a 1-15 season quickly. That kind of collapse takes years to rebuild from, and while the arrival of Paxton Lynch is a good start, Charlotte still looks like a team that will need both time and good decision making for several years before they are ready to challenge in a division that has several teams who are well ahead of them in the process.   Head Coach: Lovie Smith 2021 Record: 11-5, Central Division Champion New Arrival to Watch: WR Odell Beckham Jr. The Machine have been close for a few years now and with a huge signing like OBJ, the pressure will be on more than ever for Chicago to get over the hump. The pressure is also on Beckham himself, to prove the hype is warranted.   Best & Worst Position Groups: The Machine love their secondary and we agree with them. The move of Jordan Poyer from corner to safety led to All-USFL recognition in his first season at the new slot, and he now pairs with Xavier Woods to set up a devastating safety tandem. Ad din Josh Norman and underappreciated Jason Verritt at the corner spots and you have a very good final line of defense on this Machine squad.   If Chicago finishes with an 800-yard rusher on the roster, we will be surprised. Marion Mack and rookie Rachaad White will likely share carries, with Tony Jones seeing some action on third down, but we are struggling to see any of the three breaking out and becoming a legitimate threat. That is going to put a lot of pressure on Sam Bradford to be more than a game manager. With OBJ added to Chase Claypool, he has two good targets, but he has never been a 4,000-yard guy and this year he may have to be.   Outlook: The Machine won the Central last year, but it was not easy, with Ohio, Pittsburgh, and Michigan all in the mix. We think it will be a very similar season in 2022, with all 4 teams potentially keeping each other from breaking away. Chicago will be there, and just like the other three, they are a flawed team but a good one overall, so this could again come down to the final weeks before we know where the Machine stand.   Head Coach: Kliff Kingsbury 2021 Record: 8-8, 3 rd  in Southwest New Arrival to Watch: LB Myles Jack was brought in (and paired with NFL sack specialist Za’Darius Smith) for the express purpose of making life tough for the very good QBs in the Southwest Division. Dallas needs to put more pressure on Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, Matt McGloin, and yes, even Ryan Nassib if they want to take the next step.   Best & Worst Position Groups: It seems like a lot of teams are leaning on their secondaries, and Dallas certainly could make that their persona as well. Jamal Adams and Dezmen Southward inside and Patrick Peterson with Germain Kelly and Ja’Sir Taylor outside are a solid group, perhaps not as impactful against the run as some other secondaries, but certainly strong in pass coverage.   Dallas signed one of the top free agents available in the pool this year, coming to a deal with OLB Myles Jack, but what has us worried is that Jack looks like the only truly dangerous player in their linebacker group. Now, admittedly, we may be undervaluing NFL import Za’Darius Smith, but we have seen so many NFL imports struggle in their first year of USFL play, exhausted from the prior NFL season, that we just don’t think Dallas should expect him to be at his best this year. Melvin Ingram is an odd fit at MLB, and Samson Ebukam has shown some issues with play recognition, so this LB group has us a bit worried.   Outlook: Dallas dropped back to 8-8 and missed the playoffs after a solid 2020 season saw them finally make the postseason. In a very tough division that has solid contenders in Arizona and Denver, we think Dallas could be in the mix, but we don’t see them as the favorites. They will need more from the run game, more from Justin Herbert, and more from their front 7 to overtake the Gold and Wranglers.   Head Coach: John Hufnagel 2021 Record: 12-4, Southwest Division Champion New Arrival to Watch: Rookie OT Evan Neal. The Alabama product has been charged with protecting Josh Allen’s blind side, and if you don’t think that is a huge task, you don’t understand just how essential Allen’s health and productivity are to this team.   Best & Worst Position Groups: Denver is almost the polar opposite of Dallas, with strong linebackers and a questionable secondary. The Denver LBs don’t get enough press, but the combo of Shaq Thompson and Justin Houston outside with Patrick Onwuasor inside form one of the most consistent and disciplined 4-3 groups in the league. All three can also be effective in blitzes and in coverage.   Where Denver often breaks down is in pass coverage, especially on plays where standout rookie DE Odafe Oweh does not break free. Artie Burns and Bryce Hall are not dissuading QBs from throwing in their direction and FS Camryn Bynum is far too often late to identify where the play is going. He and Nick Cross at SS need to be more instinctive and more intuitive if they are going to keep teams from going deep on Denver.   Outlook: We focused above on the defense, but we all know the key to the Gold is the play of Josh Allen. Having 2 rookies on the O-line this year likely means that Allen may have to use his legs even more, and he could struggle to replicate 2021’s numbers. That reality has us predicting Denver to drop back a bit, still in the division title mix, but not likely to rack up 12 wins again, not unless rookie Evan Neal proves to be a revelation at left tackle as a rookie.   Head Coach: Ted Cotrell (New in 2022) 2021 Record: 10-6, 2 nd  in Southern New Arrival to Watch: FB C. J. Ham. Houston did not do a lot this offseason, no huge signings, a pretty quiet draft, so Ham, who is charged with opening holes for Carlos Hyde, is the one new player on a pretty static roster.   Best & Worst Position Groups: Every DC in the league has nightmares about the Gambler receivers. If you overplay Mike Evans, then JuJu Smith-Schuster burns you. Defend the outside and TE Gerald Everett burns you up the middle, and you even have issues with slot receivers Denzel Mims and Keke Coutee. It is a no-win situation unless you can get to Colt McCoy quickly, because this receiver group is just too good to hold down.   The good news for DCs is that their OCs can help them by shortening games against the Gamblers with the run game. Houston’s LB group is a big reason why. Ramik Wilson is very solid in the middle, but you can run outside on Kamalei Correa and Jelani Jenkins. The outside run, helped by weak DE’s as well, means that teams can avoid Wilson and DTs Nick Fairley and Ed Oliver, pick up chunks on sweeps, tosses, pitch outs, and screens, and keep McCoy and those receivers off the field.   Outlook: Houston is not a team that is going to win many 13-10 battles. They will beat you, but it will be 38-35. That may seem a real issue, but the reality is that few teams can keep up with the Gambler offense, so if they can at least get mid-range defensive production, they can rack up wins, and we think they will.   Head Coach: Mike Vrabel 2021 Record: 5-11, 4 th  in Southeast New Arrival to Watch: So hard to choose. Is it rookie HB James Cook? WR Christian Kirk, or TE Eric Ebron? How about someone less obvious? How about SS Tavon Wilson, who comes over from Chicago and immediately gets the starting role in a defense that needs more bang for its buck.   Best & Worst Position Groups: Let’s start with the obvious, the Bulls’ secondary is shaky, and that is us being kind. Rookie Kaiir Elam will start as a nickel, but could jump up the depth chart if either Keenan Lewis or A. J. Terrell prove to be inconsistent once again. Add in two pretty low-impact safeties in Tavon Wilson and C.J. Gardner-Johnson and we think Jacksonville will struggle against some very good Southeast Division passers (Prescott, Wilson, Murray, and new Monarch Paxton Lynch).   Where the Bulls can excel is on offense. Built in the model of instate rival Tampa Bay, the Bulls have focused on giving 2 nd year QB Trevor Lawrence a deep pool of weapons, from the 1-2 punch of rookie James Cook and HB Chubba Hubbard to a revamped WR group led by Tee Higgins, veteran Mike Williams and NFL import Christian Kirk, the Bulls also added TE Eric Ebron to give Lawrence more than enough weapons to play Jacksonville’s version of Bandit Ball. Do we call it Bull Ball? Maybe not.   Outlook: The Bulls feel very much like a team that will win on offense and lose on defense. They are all in on the offensive side, which could give them some nice wins, but we also think they will drop some games, particularly shoot outs, because their defense will give up big plays. Do they pull out more than they let slip away? That is where the mystery lies for their 2022 season.   Head Coach : Greg Landry 2021 Record: 5-11, 4 th  in Southwest New Arrival to Watch: OT Gabe Carimi, last seen in a Panther uniform, comes to the Vipers, where protection for both McGloin and Minshew was a major issue last year. If he can lock down the left side, the Viper offense could take a big step in the right direction.   Best & Worst Position Groups: The Vipers are building an offense around their O-line, which certainly worked for Kareem Hunt last year, and could be a good move this year as well. Gabe Carimi stepped up as the LT last year and should anchor a very solid squad that can run block about as well as any in the league. Now, can they also provide QB Matt McGloin with the time he needs to find receivers beyond 10 yards downfield? That is the question.   Where Las Vegas struggles is with that deep game. It is not Aaron Dobson’s forte. The regular 100-reception flanker is great at getting you that 3 rd  and 7 conversion but is not going to break many for 40 yards. Second year man Rashod Bateman needs to take on that role, while slot specialist John Ross has to do better in his 2 nd  year after coming over from the NFL. Without the threat of the big play, the Vipers are just too easy to defend.   Outlook: Coach Landry was brought in to help Las Vegas develop a more balanced, more diverse, and more dangerous offensive gameplan. We are not sure he has the weapons he needs to truly put together an unstoppable offense, but he has enough to at least keep the Vipers engaged in games and perhaps pull off a few more close wins.   Head Coach: Marvin Lewis 2021 Record: 7-8-1, 3 rd  in Pacific New Arrival to Watch: QB Nick Foles, brought in to challenge Kyler Murray, can succeed without even taking the field. If his presence helps bring out the competitive side of Murray, we could see nice improvement in the Express QB. If not, then Foles may get his chance to win the starting job.   Best & Worst Position Groups: We spent far too much time trying to decide if it was the D-Line, the Linebackers, or the Secondary that made LA’s defense so tough. We decided it was all three. When you have corners like Stephon Gilmore and Jamar Taylor on the back end, it is easier for Nick Bosa and Chris Jones to get to the QB. And if you try to run to slow down the pass rush, you have to contend with LBs Keith Rivers and Uchena Nwosu. There is just no easy answer for beating this D. What makes it easier for teams to beat LA is that they just don’t need to score a lot of points to do it, and the main reason for that is the QB position. Coach Lewis is sticking with Kyler Murray despite the fact that the fanbase has been calling for his departure for 2 years now. Yes, the Express signed Nick Foles, so they have a backup, but can you really picture teams shaking with fear because Nick Foles has entered the game? We did not think so.   Outlook: LA fell from 11-5 in 2020 to 7-8-1 in 2021 because they just don’t score enough points. We are not seeing enough improvement here to see them suddenly rebounding, not unless they can keep teams to under 10 points per game every week, which seems far too much to ask of even a very good defense.   Head Coach: Rex Ryan 2021 Record: 6-10, 3 rd  in Southern New Arrival to Watch: Another team that was expected to do more but came up with few moves that will matter. Perhaps the biggest addition was backup QB B. J. Daniels, but if we see a lot of him this year that may mean things have actually gotten worse for Coach Ryan’s club.   Best & Worst Position Groups: The hit comedy “The Good Place” spent a good amount of time making fun of Blake Bortles. It now feels very likely that fans in Memphis may be engaging in a lot of self-flagellating humor about their new starting QB as well. Lynch bolted after being benched last year, and did not leave with a lot of positive things to say about Coach Ryan as a QB mentor. Now Bortles steps in, having not shown much in his starts last year, and Memphis fans had better be ready for some real eye-rolling if past history is any indication of how Bortles may fare in 2022.   Where Memphis has hope is at the TE position, where Dallas Goedert has developed into a premier inside receiver, and where Luke Stocker and Cameron Brate are also solid dual use ends. Now, if you are saying to yourself “if TE is your best position, you are in trouble”, we hear you.   Outlook: Memphis needed to engage in some soul searching after a drop from 13-3 to 6-10 last year, but from the looks of it they did not do the work. They were one of the least successful teams in the offseason, with no major additions or impact signings. That feels like a team that is headed the wrong way and a coach who may just not have answers. Coach Ryan needs to prove us wrong, or he could be on the hot seat early.   Head Coach: Sean McDermott 2021 Record: 10-6, 2 nd  in Central New Arrival to Watch: Rookie DE Aidan Hutchinson. Since choosing the Panthers over the Lions, “Hutch” has been treated like royalty in Detroit, but now he has to show that his game from Ann Arbor can translate to big results at Ford Field.   Best & Worst Position Groups: The Panthers run game has been a 1-man show, and when that man is LeVeon Bell, you don’t complain, but now it feels like they have a real RB group, which will allow them to keep Bell fresh longer and still dominate on the ground. Alexander Mattison is a solid backup, one who deserves more carries, while Ito Smith comes over from the NFL after showing some flashes as a power back. Expect him to get some 3 rd down and goalline snaps.   The fact that we are going to call the Panther D-line their weak spot either means that we are shockingly wrong or that the Panthers are a very deep, very solid team so even their weak spot is pretty darn good. It is less a concern about the ends, because Dee Ford is certainly solid and rookie Aiden Hutchinson is already a superstar in the state of Michigan and could be a ROTY candidate. Our issue is that Dontari Poe is now 33 and is the only truly respected DT on the roster. Teams are not going to double-team Poe, which means that Hutchinson and Ford will get a lot of double teams, making it tougher for Michigan to get to the QB with a 3 or 4 man rush.   Outlook: After back-to-back 14-2 win seasons, Michigan dropped to 10-6 and entered the playoffs as a 1-and-done Wild Card team. We think they have the talent to rebound and get back to a division title and a possible Summer Bowl run. A lot will depend on that D-line’s ability to play the run, to put pressure on QB’s and to get teams off the field. If they can do that, the Panthers can dominate time of possession and win a lot of games without asking Kirk Cousins to be a hero, because he tends to crack a bit when that is what is required.   Head Coach: John Fox 2021 Record: 6-10, 4 th  in Northeast New Arrival to Watch: The obvious answer is rookie HB Breece Hall, but we think the bigger move was actually signing center Mike Pouncey. New England needs their line to live up to the reputation of each individual member and then some. If Pouncey can help this group become a single force, we could see both Hall and beleaguered QB Ryan Tannehill have good years.   Best & Worst Position Groups: We were surprised and impressed as we looked over the roster John Fox has put together in New England. We could argue that the O-line is the best squad on the team, but that undervalues the receiver group, and the defense is solid at all three levels. Do we say D-line is the strength because of Aaron Donald, or the LB group with Jamie Collins and Junior Galette? What about a secondary led by Deion Bush at FS and CB Jalen Mills? This is a solid squad as well. So, we are going to say the O-line just because it is so vital to the team’s success, but this roster is no longer looking like an expansion team.   So where is the weakness? Well, you probably guessed. Quarterback. Ryan Tannehill got the vote of confidence when the Steamrollers traded away Jameis Winston, but we just don’t share Coach Fox’s confidence in Tannehill. With only C. J. Beathard and late-round rookie Brock Purdy behind him, we are seeing a major issue here, and if you don’t have a QB, can you really compete? Outlook: We think the Steamrollers will surprise some folks, maybe earn a few more wins than many expect, but we just don’t think they make the leap to playoff contention with Tannehill at the helm. Rookie HB Bryce Hall will be an interesting watch, and the D could be solid, but is that enough?   Head Coach: Robert Saleh 2021 Record: 9-7, 2 nd  in Northeast New Arrival to Watch: WR Victor Cruz may only be on a 1-year deal, but when you replace someone like OBJ there is an expectation not just for big plays or nice stats, but for results. That may be a lot to ask as New Jersey clearly is engaged in a bit of a reimagination of just who they are.   Best & Worst Position Groups: Let’s be frank. We are worried that the Generals’ offense could compete with LA for the league’s worst. That is not a slam on QB Teddy Bridgewater, who has played well when he stays healthy, but health is an issue. We just don’t see the weapons to get the job done. The Generals lost WR Odell Beckham Jr., replacing him with former Wrangler Victor Cruz, who is now 35 and not the speed demon he once was. Their running game will be a mish-mosh of styles with former Gunslinger C. J. Procise, Tony Pollard and a pair of rookies (Kyren Williams and Isaiah Pacheco), and the line is a question mark. So, yes, the entire offense is an issue.   So, where is New Jersey’s strength? It’s the back half of the defense, combining LBS Matt Milano, Akeem Ayers and Aldon Smith with All-USFL corner Aqib Talib and SS Lano Hill. Pass rush is still a concern, but the back half of this defense is very solid. Of course, that may not be enough if QBs get time in the pocket and the offense has trouble keeping pace.   Outlook: Coach Saleh went 9-7 in his first year, going 1-1 in the postseason. We cannot help but feel that the sophomore year could produce a sophomore slump. New Jersey has so many question marks, and the Northeast is so balanced, we just don’t think they end the year sitting atop this division, but we could see them sitting at the bottom, and that is not a good feeling to have about a team before play even starts.   Head Coach: Lamar Lathon 2021 Record: 6-10, 4 th  in Southern New Arrival to Watch: HB Isaiah Crowell has a real chance to unseat DeMarco Murray and make a name for himself among Breaker fans, many of whom were hoping New Orleans would go after one of the big name rookie backs. Murray seems vulnerable after a week 2021, and Crowell had flashes in Arizona, so keep an eye on him.   Best & Worst Position Groups: It’s the receivers, for New Orleans once again it is the receivers. Yes, the loss of Tyler Lockett will be felt, but you have so many options, including some younger talent in Olamide Zacchaeous and Quintez Cephus, but just look at the Geno Smith’s primary targets and you see why we stress this. Outside it is a brutal 1-2 combo of Jordy Nelson and Justin Jefferson. If you somehow contain both, now you are dealing with the Breaker’s 2 TE formation with Coby Fleener and Dawson Knox eating up turf in the middle. This is a very deep and very talented group of receivers.   Where New Orleans struggles is in run defense. The front 7 in their 4-3 is neither powerful nor particularly speedy, and that means that teams can run inside, outside, and mix it up at will. DE Cameron Jordan and OLB Kwon Alexander are solid pass rushers but often overplay the passrush and are out of position outside. DT Bennie Logan and MLB Tim Williams will make tackles, but also get caught by misdirection. The Breakers can score points, but not if they cannot keep teams from running the ball and controlling the clock.   Outlook: We don’t think the Breakers are as bad as their 6-10 record last year showed, but they may not be as good as their 2019 record of 11-5 either. This very well could be a classic case of 9-7 or 7-9, especially if they cannot find a way to be more effective in getting teams off the field on defense. Too many 3 rd  and short situations, too few takeaways and an offense that has not matched points to yards.   Head Coach: Gary Kubiak 2021 Record: 8-8, 2 nd  in Pacific New Arrival to Watch: WR Michael Floyd was brought in to be the reliable 3 rd  down guy, allowing Davante Adams to be the big play guy. That is the plan, at least as of right now. But, honestly, the biggest “new” arrival is Davis Mills at QB in his first season as the Week 1 starter.   Best & Worst Position Groups: Are you worried about the Invader QB situation? Join the club. Davis Mills had some moments last year, but nothing that made us want to anoint him as the next David Carr or Kerry Collins. With only fellow 2021 rookie Sam Ehlinger and forever 3 rd stringer Kellen Moore behind him, Oakland may be looking at the shakiest QB situation in the league. Not something Invader Army wants to hear.   As for the best unit on the team, no one will be shocked when we say it is their 4-man LB group. Barry Wagner and Ukeme Eligwe inside, Hassan Redick and Shaq Barrett outside, this is a dynamic, athletic, and aggressive group that can dominate against the run, put pressure on the QB and still have solid coverage against backs and tight ends. Depth could be an issue, but the starting 4 may be the best 4-man unit in the league.   Outlook: We see the season coming down to one thing: How often can Oakland score 20 or more points? If they can put up 21, they likely win, if not, well, it gets a lot tougher. The D could give them some short fields or even some points on takeaways, but the Invaders need to engage Christian McCaffrey to take pressure off of Mills if they want to finish over .500.   Head Coach: Jay Gruden 2021 Record: 9-7, 3 rd  in Central New Arrival to Watch: Rookie HB Kenneth Walker III is a faster, sleeker, and more fluid version of Isaiah Pead, and much faster to boot. If he can get off to a fast start, we could see a very dynamic Ohio run game, where Walker and QB Justin Fields play off each other and keep defenses on their heels.   Best & Worst Position Groups: Ohio has a dynamic safety duo with the Honey Badger, Tyran Matthieu and Mark Barron (who needs a nickname. The mongoose? The ferret?). But is that enough? The corners are not great (decent, not great), and the rest of the D has question marks, but we don’t question these two safeties.   Perhaps more of a question mark than a definite weakness, we just don’t know what the Ohio run game will be this year. Rookie Kenneth Walker II is already set up as the lead back, with Trey Sermon (a 2021 rookie) and Elijah Mitchell behind him. If Walker proves to be a steal in the draft, then the run game could be solid, but if he struggles, there is not really a Plan B.   Outlook: Ohio qualified for the playoffs at the 11 th hour, and their 9-7 run feel like it was about 80% due to QB Justin Fields making plays on his own. That is a shaky formula if you want sustained success. As we said above, if Walker proves to be all upside, then Ohio could be a more serious contender, but if it is all about Fields once again, we think teams will find a way to limit the QB and with him the Glory team as a whole.   Head Coach: Bob Stoops 2021 Record: 6-10, 5 th  in Southwest New Arrival to Watch: OT D. J. Fluker came over from Oakland and is now considered a vital part of an Outlaw line that needs to improve both as a run-blocking unit and in protection for the elusive, but a bit antsy Jalen Hurts.   Best & Worst Position Groups: Oklahoma’s offensive line may boast the best 1-2 combo at tackle in the league, with D. J. Fluker on the left side and Austin Corbett on the right. They also have a solid pivot in Scott Quessenberry and solid guard play with Zach Martin and Herman Johnson. That should be good news for HB Eddie Lacy and for young QB Jalen Hurts.   Where Oklahoma is lacking is on the D-line, where DTs Re’Shede Heggeman and Vincent Taylor and ends Ronnie Perkins and Jordan Willis not only get beaten up regularly on game days but every day in practice as well. They just are not scaring anyone, which means teams run the ball inside, have nice pockets for their QBs and tend to put far too many points on the board.   Outlook: As much as we want to see Jalen Hurts grow into a quality USFL QB, we don’t think the team is growing with him. The defense looks like it could have real issues this year (the line is bad, the LB and DB groups are not much better) and Coach Stoops has not turned Hurts’s success into consistent scoring, not consistent enough. We are putting Coach Stoops on the Hot Seat right now because we are worried that Oklahoma is just not doing enough around their young QB.   Head Coach: Ron Rivera 2021 Record: 11-5, 2 nd  in Southeast New Arrival to Watch: You want us to say that it is Tarik Cohen, the HB brought over from the NFL, but we think the better answer is FB Patrick Ricard. He won’t touch the ball often, but just watch what he does for both Cohen and starter Chris Carson. We think you will be impressed.   Best & Worst Position Groups: While both fans and pundits alike seem to be united in their critique of Russell Wilson and his 25 interceptions last season, the unspoken truth may well be that the issue is not Wilson’s decision making, but the inability of his receivers to give him open looks. Orlando’s receiver group is a concern. Brashad Perriman has speed but seems to be a 1-route receiver. If it is not a fly pattern he struggles to separate. Nelson Agholor, brought over from LA, can do more, but lacks the speed needed to turn a hitch into a long gainer. Slot man Braxton Berrios cannot seem to get more than 5 yards down the field, and the Hunter Renfrew experiment just did not work, which is why he is now solidly a backup. If not for TE David Njoku, Wilson simply would not have any options on many drop backs. That has to be a concern as Orlando heads into another season with Wilson at the helm.   On the upside, we have to just be impressed with how Orlando seems to find edge rushing gem after gem. First it was Chris Doleman, then Calais Campbell, and now, the man who removed Campbell from the top of the Sack leaderboard for the first time in over a decade, Montez Sweat. Paired with solid and dependable Chase Winovich and a pretty good but undervalued nose tackle in Ego Ferguson, the Renegades have a front 3 that can play the run but really excels in troubling QBs. Throw in some blitzes from the LB group and Orlando will be a challenge for even solid offensive lines.   Outlook: The Renegades surprised many by making it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals last year. They won’t be sneaking up on anyone this year, but if they can just cut down on the turnovers and get a bit more from their run game, they could again challenge Tampa Bay in the division. Chris Carson barely missed out on 1,000 yards last season, his first after coming over from the NFL. History shows us that almost all NFL imports do better their second season, after finally getting a true offseason to rest. If that is the case, we could see Carson hit 1,000 or even 1,200. With another NFL import backing him up (Former Bear Tarik Cohen), Orlando may just have the balance their offense needs to help Wilson and their shaky receiver group, which means fewer turnovers and fewer nail biters.   Head Coach: Dan Quinn 2021 Record: 10-6, Northeast Division Champion New Arrival to Watch: The pressure is on DE Robert Quinn, who was solid in Baltimore, but not exceptional. The Stars defense needs more from him if they are again going to battle for a division title.   Best & Worst Position Groups: As much as we want to acknowledge Derrick Henry’s undeniable talent, we have to say that running behind Philly’s line is going to add at least 1 yard per carry to any back’s average. The right side, so vital to most rushing attacks, is where the Stars excel, with Dion Dawkins at RT and Josh Liberious at the Guard spot. Yes, Matt Kalil is an All-USFL left tackle, but when it comes to running the ball, it is those two on the right who make Henry a force to reckon with, that and his own impressive talents, of course.   Henry has to be successful for the Stars to succeed. Why? Because the receiver group is just not scaring anyone. Randall Cobb is still sitting at 1 on the depth chart, but he just is not a true receiver 1. Second year wideout Elijah Moore likely will get most of the early season snaps opposite Cobb, with K. J. Hamler testing out the slot, which does not feel like a natural position for him. In short, no team has a more obvious need for an early season trade than the Stars and their receiver group.   Outlook: Coach Quinn impressed us with an 8-game improvement in his first campaign (2-14 to 10-6), so, what can he do for an encore? He added some depth in the offseason, possibly found a short-term answer at DE with Robert Quinn, but still has issues in the WR group and in the LB group. So, are there moves to be made or will Quinn roll with a roster that got him those 10 wins last year?   Head Coach: Skip Holtz 2021 Record: 8-8, 4 th  in Central New Arrival to Watch: Sure, we are all waiting to see what happens between rookie Kenny Pickett and incumbent Andy Dalton, but in the meantime, don’t sleep on kicker Brandon Aubrey. The rookie will be battling the swirling winds inside Heinz Field, but on a good day, he has the potential to shatter the league’s distance record for a field goal.   Best & Worst Position Groups: Remember how we said it was hard to find a “worst position group” option for Michigan? Well, unfortunately for Mauler Nation, we had an equally hard time finding a “best position group” for Pittsburgh. They have some quality at corner, and we certainly like some individual players elsewhere, but overall the Mauler roster does not look like one that will put them at the top of the division, not unless Coach Holtz can get the sum to be more than the parts.   As for worst groups, we don’t want to harp on what everyone already knows, but we just don’t think having a QB competition actually helps teams, and when the two competitors are a largely untested rookie (Kenny Pickett of Pitt) and a veteran who seems to have lost his mojo (Andy Dalton) you have to be worried. Maybe we are wrong, and Pickett will turn out to be the next Jake Plummer, or maybe Dalton can have a renaissance, but from our perspective the Maulers have a competition that may not produce a winner.   Outlook: Before they went on an epic losing streak last year, the Maulers looked like a contender in the Central. They would finish 8-8, and as we look at them today, we think 8 wins may be very optimistic. We just don’t feel confident that the club has what it needs in nearly every position group to challenge Michigan and Chicago, and probably not Ohio either.   Head Coach: Jim Harbaugh (New in 2022) 2021 Record: 5-10-1, 4 th  in Pacific New Arrival to Watch: DE Kayvon Thibodeaux is beloved in Oregon after a stellar career in Eugene, but so was Dion Jordan, and that has not turned out so well in Portland. The Stags cannot afford another Duck to turn into an ugly duckling.   Best & Worst Position Groups: “Interior Defense” is not really a position group, but it certainly is an area of concern for the Stags. From DTs Milton Williams and Ryan Carrethers to MLB Maurice Redding, and even SS Darrian Thompson, it feels like the spine of the defense is just not what it needs to be. That means runs up the middle, lots of converted 3 rd and shorts, lots of completions to the TE and slot receiver, and struggles for the Stag defense to get teams off the field in a timely manner.   So, what do you do if your team cannot control the clock and likely gives up a lot of sustained drives? You do the same, and try to win close, low scoring games. That means using the RB group to maximum efficiency. There is no star in the Stag backfield, but what you have are 4 players who all know their roles and can do them well. Fullback Mac Knapp was All-USFL last year on a 5-win team. That means he is very, very good. Second year back Javonte Williams can slash inside or take the ball outside, but needs to make the first man miss to improve his 3.4 YPC average from 2021. Doug Martin still has some moves at 33, and Jordan Mason can be very effective as a spot player. All in all, the Stags can get yards from their HB-by-committee, and they will need to.   Outlook: Two things need to happen for Portland to escape the basement of the Pacific Division. They need Marcus Mariota to be his best self, and they need rookie DE Kayvon Thibodeaux to be the revelation that many think he can be. If the Stags can get Mariota to eclipse a 100 QB Rating, even if he only throws the ball 300 times, and if Thibodeaux can either rack up 15 sacks or help Dion Jordan do so, then the Stags have a shot. If those two things are not possible, then we don’t think .500 is possible either.   Head Coach: Chuck Long 2021 Record: 6-10, 5 th  in Southern New Arrival to Watch: Rookie WR Garrett Wilson will get all the love from Gunslinger fans, but we actually think that HB Raheem Mostert could turn into the MVP of the 2022 season. We have seen how fast he is during his NFL stint, and that kind of speed in the backfield (and on returns) can be a gamechanger.   Best & Worst Position Groups: San Antonio has two groups that should worry them. The first is their pass rush, particularly since none of their 4 starting LBs are great as blitzers. They need Gregory Rousseau to make a huge leap from year one to year two or they could again struggle to put pressure on QBs. And that is a huge issue because the safety combo of Will Harris and Michael Carter Jr. is not a strength, meaning that receivers, with time, will find openings and big plays will happen.   Where San Antonio has improved is at HB, where the Gunslingers have perhaps our favorite 1-2-3 group. Led by former NFL stud Melvin Gordon, and backed by a new import in speedster Raheem Mostert, and a grinder in 2 nd  year back Rhamondre Stevenson. This is a group that can run over you, run by you, and run around you. They need to do just that so that Joe Flacco can use play action and burn teams deep, something he loves to do, but cannot do if the pocket breaks down.   Outlook: Coach Chuck Long feels like this team is ready to make a move, and in the somewhat uncertain Southern Division, he may have a shot. Much like the Steamrollers, the league’s other expansion club, the Gunslingers finally have a roster that does not look like an expansion team. But is that enough to get past the Breakers, Gamblers, or Stallions?   Head Coach: Anthony Becht 2021 Record: 3-13, 5 th  in Pacific New Arrival to Watch: The Thunder signed former Star edge rusher Malik Jackson to revive a moribund pass rush. If he can get consistent pressure, then Coach Becht can blitz less, keep more men in coverage, and make life tougher for opposing offenses.   Best & Worst Position Groups: Hackenberg, Rudolph, Keenum. Do those names intimidate you? No? Well, that seems very reasonable. They don’t intimidate us either. The Thunder are hoping that one of the three proves us wrong, but we are not seeing it. We fully expect that once again any team that can slow down Charles Sims can have a real shot of beating this Thunder team.   The reason Sims was successful in 2021, and why we think he can be again in 2022 is the line. Again, no big names, but 5 solid performers in tackles Jack Conklin and Jonah Williams, guards Sean Rhyann and Spencer Long, and center Hroniss Grasu. Depth is good too, especially at guard. So, Sims will get some seams, and whoever is under center should get decent time. It is just a matter of making good use of it.   Outlook: Two consecutive 3-13 seasons is bad. Unheralded Head Coach Anthony Becht is under strict orders not to let it become 3. Even a 4 or 5 win season would be a very good start for Becht, the former USFL tight end. Unfortunately, we think that even that modest goal may be a tough one.   Head Coach: Mike Riley 2021 Record: 13-3, Pacific Division & Western Conference Champion New Arrival to Watch: Devin Funchess exploded on the scene in his sophomore 2020 campaign, but he suffered a setback last year as Memphis’s offense faltered. If he can rebound in 2022, then Seattle becomes the odds-on favorite to return to the Summer Bowl out of the West.   Best & Worst Position Groups: Seattle’s offense surprised a lot of folks last year, and now, with the addition of Devin Funchess, they could be even better. Funchess joins Amari Cooper, Kendrick Bourne, and Kyle Rudolph in a very crowded and very talented receiver group for QB Brett Hundley. And, if slot receiver Khalil Shakir can do in the regular season what we saw in camp (mastering the “yards after catch” strategy), the Dragons could once again be a serious contender for a Summer Bowl trip.   Our concern for Seattle is the D-Line. Yes, Khalil Mack and Josh Allen are great blitzing LBs, but the more you rely on the blitz the more vulnerable you are to the big play. Seattle needs more from former Federal DE Chris Long, from his opposite on the line, Deshon Hall, and from nose tackle Josh Boyd. They need pressure with only 3 or 4 rushers, not sending 5 or 6. Yes, they have an amazing secondary, so it does not need to be 2-seconds or less, but it cannot be 5 seconds before the QB feels pressure.   Outlook: Seattle was the 1-seed last year and cleared their way to the Summer Bowl. To do that again, they will need to keep the pressure on teams with their offense and play with a lead. That allows them to avoid reliance on pass rush and also gives them the ability to end games by having Knowshon Moreno carry the ball through the 4 th  quarter. If they can do that, they could find themselves right back in the title game again.   Head Coach: Brian Schottenheimer 2021 Record: 5-11, 5 th  in Central New Arrival to Watch: For a 5-win team, we did not get nearly enough urgency out of the Skyhawks. Honestly, we cannot name a single player who came to the squad this offseason who we see as a difference maker. That is a real issue for a team that had a lot of struggles a year ago and may have a lot more this year.   Best & Worst Position Groups: The Skyhawks have one of the best lines in football, anchored by center Rudy Niswanger, with two outstanding tackles in Bryan Bulaga and Tristan Wirfs, and with solid guard play as well. So why do they not have 2,000 yards rushing, and why is their QB always running around the field? Sure, it is Lamar Jackson, so running makes sense, but if he could be a bit more patient, the Skyhawks could actually be dangerous through the air. St. Louis needs to be successful on offense, because their defense leaves a lot to be desired. Yes, they made some additions this offseason, including new SS Terrell Edmunds and a talented rookie in Micah McFadden, already slated to start at MLB, but is it enough? It needs to be or St. Louis once again will find themselves in the basement of the Central.   Outlook: 2022 may be it for QB Lamar Jackson. Misused, undervalued, and forced to carry the burden of the team for his entire 4-year career, Jackson is in a contract year, and both he and the Skyhawks have a decision to make. Can Coach Schottenheimer finally find a way to turn Jackson’s natural gifts into an effective offense, and can Jackson get the results that will make both him and the club decide to stay linked in 2023 and beyond?   Head Coach: Mark Trestman 2021 Record: 14-2, Southeast Division, Eastern Conference & League Champion New Arrival to Watch: The twin additions of LB Devin Kennard and DT Sylvester Williams feels like a classic “the rich get richer” situation for the Bandits. But who can blame them for wanting to sign on with a team that just won back-to-back titles.   Best & Worst Position Groups: Yes, we know. It’s the receivers. No doubt that the combo of Dez Bryant, Ryan Grant, Deebo Samuel, and TE Jordan Cameron are the envy of the league. And we should probably include HB Dalvin Cook in there too, since he is certainly a target in the passing game as well. With back-to-back titles, and led by this receiver group, the Bandits again look stacked for another run.   If there is a chink in the armor of the repeat champs, it is the pass rush. Largely covered for by outstanding secondary play, the combo of Brian Burns and Pernell McPhee is just not strong enough on their own to get to the QB. They need help from the LBs or, most devastatingly, from SS Derwin James. Since they play with a lead so often, they can be a bit one-dimensional on defense, but if they cannot pressure QBs, eventually someone will outscore them, and if that happens in the postseason, well then you are done.   Outlook: Vegas has the Bandits as 5-1 favorites to repeat once again, which would be an unprecedented feat in both the USFL and the NFL. So, we know it will be tough. Everyone will give Tampa their best effort, but even with that, we still think this is a tough team to get past. As long as they stay healthy they will be a factor. It’s good to be the king.   Head Coach: Kevin Gilbride 2021 Record: 6-10, 5 th  in Northeast New Arrival to Watch: Coach Gilbride is looking at two new DBs in his starting 4, rookie Sauce Gardner, and free agent Dee Milliner, and that sight has him smiling ear to ear. Washington’s secondary will need time to gel, but once they do, this Federals team could start to be a real challenge for visiting offenses.   Best & Worst Position Groups: Coach Gilbride is putting a lot of trust in former Dragon Jacoby Brissett. He sent Ryan Nassib packing back to Arizona, set up Brissett as the clear number one, and does not have much behind him (Jeff Tuel and Will Grier), so if Brissett is not up to the task, well, that is a lost season ready to happen.   What may help Brissett avoid that fate is a receiver group that has speed (Tyreek Hill), hands (Keenan Allen) and quicks (Jarvis Landry). Even backup Kavontae Turpin, who we see more often on returns than in plays, can be a difference maker with his speed and quick cuts. It would be nice if the Feds had a more athletic TE to support Brissett, but with his wideouts, he may well not need to dump down the ball that often.   Outlook: If you asked us to pick a sleeper this year, Washington may well be that team. They play in a very balanced, but also very flawed Northeast Division. They have quality at every level of their defense, from DE Bradley Chubb, through LB Tremaine Edwards, to safety Kenny Navarro, and one of the best offseason pickups, former Renegade corner Dee Milliner, a pure shut-down corner. They also have a young stud at HB in Travis Etienne, and that receiver group. They are a dark horse, but we think they are also a team that is not to be taken lightly.   Our Predictions for the 2022 Season So, we have looked at the teams, but you may have noticed that we did not give any record predictions. That comes now. Thanks to the folks at EA Sports, we used Keith Jackson USFL 2023 (why are they always a year off?) to simulate the 2022 season 1,000 times. Since we don’ t trust our own instincts, we thought this year we would let the game decide, and here is what it came up with, using combined records over 1,000 simulations to give us the most likely scenarios, at least the most likely virtual ones. So, if we are way off this year, it is not on us, it is all on EA Sports. We start with the Divisional Records and Playoff Teams for 2022.     PHILADELPHIA       11-5         The game had Henry with over 1,600 yards. Could be. WASHINGTON    9-7           Just missing the playoffs, but the sleeper vibe is there. BALTIMORE           9-7           Jacobs did well in simulation, Locker did not. NEW JERSEY          7-9            The offense was scary bad in nearly all 1,000 sims. NEW ENGLAND      6-10     We are feeling like the game is underselling the Rollers.     TAMPA BAY       14-2*       No surprise, the game loves the Bandits’ chances. ATLANTA              10-6*       KJ26 loves the Fire defense and predicts a rebound. ORLANDO             10-6*      Wilson averages 20 picks over the 1,000 sims. Not great. JACKSONVILLE        7-9           A modest improvement over recent years. CHARLOTTE            3-13       Hey, it’s better than 1-15.   HOUSTON       12-4* The sim has Houston regaining their mojo. BIRMINGHAM     10-6*        Ten wins is not bad, but not good enough to repeat. NEW ORLEANS       9-7           A modest rebound after a 5-win flop last year. SAN ANTONIO        8-8          The sim loves the run game, but not the D. MEMPHIS               4-12    This is bad news for Rex Ryan if the sim proves accurate.   MICHIGAN       13-3*     In 642 sims out of 1,000, the Panthers win the division. CHICAGO        11-5*    Chicago wins the division in 354 of the remaining sims. OHIO               9-7            Ohio only won the division in the 4 sims out of 1,000. ST. LOUIS       6-10     Yup, the game has the Skyhawks leapfrog the Maulers PITTSBURGH   4-12         The Maulers finished as the league’s worst 427 times   DENVER             11-5*        The Sim loves Josh Allen, but the D was an issue. ARIZONA              10-6*      The Wranglers are a solid 2 nd in most sims. OKLAHOMA            9-7           A surprisingly strong sim record for the Outlaws. DALLAS                   7-9           In too many sims, the Dallas D was a major issue. LAS VEGAS             4-12     We think the sims may be dissing Vegas with this record.   SEATTLE                12-4    Just behind the Panthers for the 1 seed this time around. LOS ANGELES        9-7*    The sim loves LA’s D and predicts a good year for Murray. OAKLAND             8-8          The Invaders finish 2 nd in just less than half the sims. PORTLAND           6-10         KJ23 thinks Mariota is not the answer at QB. SAN DIEGO          3-13   The sim has San Diego with the Top Pick in the 23 Draft.     PLAYOFF SIMS More sim results. Here are the USFL teams that Keith Jackson USFL 2023 has making the Playoffs and the Summer Bowl with most regularity in 1,000 attempts   TEAM                        PLAYOFFS                 SUMMER BOWL Tampa Bay             927                                  433 Michigan                        893                                   387 Seattle                             888                                 385 Houston                          801                                   301 Denver                             783                                 271 Atlanta                             707                                 245 Arizona                             701                                   202 Birmingham                   645                                    181 Orlando                           622                                    164 Philadelphia                    551                                   143 Washington                    502                                    107 Los Angeles                    447                                  89 Ohio                                424                                    88 Baltimore                        354                                    61   Based on this, it looks like we will have the Bandits defending their title for a 2 nd time, and likely to face either the Panthers or the Dragons.   Summer Bowl 2022 So, what did the sim think of the Summer Bowl. Well, to no one’s surprise, it thinks Tampa Bay will most likely win the title, coming out on top in 301 of its 433 appearances. Next up is Seattle, who win 201 of 385 appearances, and while the game prefers Michigan to get to the Summer Bowl, it has them losing more often than not, winning 188 of 387 appearances. So, what do we think?   We think the safe bet is the Bandits, with Seattle next. We could well see a repeat matchup, though we also like Michigan quite a bit, and we have a bit of a soft spot for a team to sneak in from the bottom half of the 14 teams listed above. Our favorites for a dark horse are Washington, followed by Orlando and Los Angeles, just because a good defense, especially a good pass rush, can go a long way in the postseason.   Award Winners While we used the video game (thanks again, EA) for our team picks, we went back to our bullpen to pick the award winners for 2022. We just felt that the game was too dependent on past performance as a measure of future performance and we know that every season produces its own ups, downs, and surprises. So, here is our pick, as humans, for the five major USFL award winners in 2022.   MOST VALUABLE PLAYER Our favorite, to little surprise, is QB Dak Prescott of the Bandits. Give him a full year of action and he can put up huge numbers with those receivers. Behind him, the next best choices were Denver’s Josh Allen, Houston’s Colt McCoy (to repeat), and Michigan HB LeVeon Bell.   OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Bell was our favorite for the OPOTY, just because we think he once again will put up great numbers and even better highlight footage. Our next two picks were also backs, Baltimore’s Josh Jacobs and Seattle’s Knowshon Moreno. If it is a receiver, it could be Dez Bryant to repeat, but there is so rarely a repeat that we think the better option may be Seattle’s Amari Cooper.   DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR We went with Arizona DE Bud DuPree. He gave Campbell and Sweat a real run last year, though the award went to Khalil Mack, who we have as the 2 nd  option. Our dark horse is Chicago safety Jordan Poyer, a bit of a longshot since safeties rarely have the numbers that wow voters, not that he would not deserve consideration.   ROOKIE OF THE YEAR We looked at both offense and defense, but in the end, two offensive skill players were the frontrunners, New England halfback Breece Hall, who has everything he needs to be a rookie sensation in Foxboro, and Baltimore WR Christian Watson, who is already penciled in as a prime target for Jake Locker. The two defenders in consideration are Michigan DE Aidan Hutchinson and Portland DE Tayvon Thibodeaux, though we should not sleep on Feds’ corner Sauce Gardner as a potential dark horse.   COACH OF THE YEAR In most seasons we would look at the new head coaches and say that one of them is likely to earn the award, but, other than Ted Cotrell in Houston, we just don’t see much success for any of the teams with rookie coaches, so we are going to go with a team we think can jump from mediocre to good, and that is Washington. So, we go with Kevin Gilbride as our pick, with LA’s Marvin Lewis possibly getting the nod if he can actually get some offense out of his squad.   This is the USFL To Celebrate 40 Greatest Players in League History Our This is the USFL team wanted to do something to celebrate 40 years of spring football and the players who turned the ragtag upstart spring league into a U.S. sports phenomenon, so we are launching a celebration of USFL greatness during our coverage of the league this year. Each week, starting with our Week 1 coverage, we will count down the Top 40 USFL players of all time. We will start with 3 players per week, from our 40 th slot down to 11, then finish the year with our final 10 players in the season’s final 7 weeks, announcing the greatest player in USFL history in Week 15, leaving us Week 16 to celebrate the great coaches around the league, and a very special Week 17 countdown of the 10 greatest teams in the league’s 40-year history.   So, who will make the cut? Which QB will be the best in league history? Which superstar back will lead the pack? Which sack master will top the charts? Which head coach has done the most to make the USFL what it is today? And which team, from 40 years of champions is the best to ever take the field in the spring? You won’t want to miss this countdown, and you almost certainly will want to fight the good fight to defend your favorite player, to lobby for him to be ranked higher. The stars will all be here, but will we put them where you think they deserve to be? That is the fun of it, debating the merits and highlighting the traits that made all 40 players so special. It starts next week with the players our team placed at 38, 39, and 40 in league history. So be back for that after Week 1 concludes.   Opening Week to Feature Throwback Games Three games in the opening week will offer USFL fans a flashback to the past with all 6 teams donning their throwback uniforms. Opening week will feature the Stallions, wearing gear from the legendary Joe Cribbs, Cliff Stoudt, and Rollie Dotsch years heading to the Big Easy to face the rival Breakers, wearing the beloved gear from the Marcus Dupree, Johnnie Walton years of the mid 1980’s. Another divisional rivalry game will see New Jersey, whose look really has not changed much, reviving the Walker-Flutie era uniforms. Too bad they cannot bring back the huge shoulder and thigh pads from those Herschel Walker years. They will be in Washington where the original look of the Federals’ eagle logo will be donned, along with the bright Kelly green jersey of those early Feds teams. Finally, out in LA, the Express will bring back memories of Steve Young and Mel Gray with the LA monogram back on the helmet and the navy jerseys back on the field. They face Memphis, who will commemorate the late, great Reggie White with their original silver helmets, scarlet jerseys, and old school look. It will be a trip down memory lane, one of many this season as the USFL celebrates 40 years of spring football.   Week one, the season openers. This is exciting stuff. It is all about getting off to a hot start, getting the jitters out of the way, integrating new players, and putting your best foot forward. There. How was that? Enough sports clichés for you? Yeah, it’s a bit corny, but it is true, winning in Week 1 can be a huge boost for a team, losing can confirm team fears, but the reality is that it is a long season and teams that start cold can get hot. We see it almost every year. So, you want the win, but don’t panic if it does not happen.   Fri. @ 7pm ET        Baltimore Blitz @ Tampa Bay Bandits                     NBC A tough start to the season for the Blitz, drawing the 2-time defending champ and having to do it on the road.   Fri. @ 9pm ET       Oakland Invaders @ Seattle Dragons                     ESPN/EFN The Dragons start off their defense of the Western Title with a home game in the division as their D will try to fluster Oakland’s new starter, Davis Mills.   Sat @ Noon ET    Birmingham Stallions @ New Orleans Breakers       ABC More divisional fun on opening weekend as the Breakers hope to send a message by knocking off the 2021 division champs.   Sat @ Noon ET    New Jersey Generals @ Washington Federals       FOX The Feds and Generals both have eyes on a division title, so winning every division game is paramount. Only 1 will walk away from week one with success in that goal.   Sat @ 4pm ET      Portland Stags @ Arizona Wranglers                   ABC Ryan Nassib returns to Glendale and the Wranglers, while Portland tries to prove it has turned a corner by winning on the road.   Sat @ 4pm ET       Denver Gold @ St. Louis Skyhawks                      FOX Josh Allen against a pass defense that no one trusts, this one could have all the makings for Allen to earn Week 1 POTW.   Sat @ 7pm ET        Ohio Glory @ Jacksonville Bulls                            NBC This will be a good test for Trevor Lawrence and his new offensive weapons. Ohio’s D could be tested on the road.   Sat @ 9pm ET        Dallas Roughnecks @ Las Vegas Vipers             ESPN Not exactly a premier matchup for ESPN Saturday Night Football, but it could be a good game that is close until the end.   Sun @ Noon ET     San Diego Thunder @ Oklahoma Outlaws        ABC Regional Jalen Hurts gets a shot to start off the season with a bang, while the Thunder just hope their team is able to play clean football.   Sun @ Noon ET    New England Steamrollers @ Philadelphia Stars   ABC Regional If I am Coach Fox, I am trying to make this a statement team, and that statement would be that the Rollers are not an expansion team anymore.   Sun @ Noon ET     Atlanta Fire @ Orlando Renegades                     FOX How is this one not a prime time game? These two should be right there in the mix, even if they are both looking up at Tampa Bay in the standings most of the year.   Sun @ 4pm ET      Charlotte Monarchs @ Michigan Panthers          ABC Michigan wants the win, Charlotte wants to see progress, improvement over a brutal 2021 season.   Sun @ 4pm ET     Memphis Showboats @ Los Angeles Express  FOX Regional Welcome to a starting gig, Blake Bortles, now get ready to see a lot of Nick Bosa and Chris Jones, and not in a fun way.   Sun @ 4pm ET   Houston Gamblers @ San Antonio Gunslingers   FOX Regional The Gunslingers have sold out the New Alamodome for this Week One matchup, and why not, an in-state rival and a talented Gambler squad come to town to open the season with a bang.   Sun @ 8pm ET       Pittsburgh Maulers @ Chicago Machine            EFN Week One finishes up with a Central Division showdown, one which the Vegas books sees as a possible blowout. Can the Maulers prove them wrong?

Back in 1983 no one even dreamed that the USFL could survive the decade, much less be gearing up for its 40 th  season in 2022. The league was a brash attempt to do something no one had done before, to set a top tier pro football season in the spring, competing for top draft picks and NFL veterans, not content to be a minor league or to play alongside the NFL in the fall. It was a wild idea, and yet here we are, gearing up for the USFL’s 40 th  season, 30 teams strong, and now considered the 2 nd  most prosperous sports league in the nation, behind only its’ fall competitor.   In this two-part season preview, we will run through all the stories of the past offseason (Part 1) and get you all the info you need to get ready for the 2022 campaign (Part 2). We will also highlight the 40 th  Season special features for our This Week in the USFL weekly recaps and give you a primer for the 2022 Fantasy USFL season. It’s all here, everything you need to help the USFL celebrate its 40 th season and for you to enjoy every moment of spring football.   Our Picks for the Biggest Moves of the Offseason As it so often is, the story of the 2021-2022 USFL Offseason is all about the players that have left their teams and the players that have arrived to bolster team rosters. From retirements to rookies, NFL imports to free agent signings, it is all about the new mix of talent that each team has in camp and the upgrade or potential downgrade in store for each team. We had our team of experts and superfans rake through every player departure, arrival, and transfer from the offseason and these are the 18 that we see as the potential “High Impact” moves that will play out in 2022.   Hartline & Colston Call Their Careers Two receivers with a combined 25 years of USFL experience and 11 All-USFL nods between them stepped away from the game after long and illustrious careers, Brian Hartline of Baltimore and Marques Colston, most recently of Charlotte. Both will be potential Hall of Fame candidates in 2026, but for now, their departure means that Baltimore and Charlotte had to prioritize the wide receiver position.  Charlotte had to double dip, for while Marques Colston was not a major factor for their 2021 team, they also traded Justin Blackmon to Michigan midseason. So, Charlotte was all in on the WR position, and their strategy included using multiple picks on the position. The end result? How about a likely week 1 starter in rookie Drake London? London will be a key figure in his first year, paired with veteran Austin Proehl outside, with Tandon Doss and Calvin Ridley sharing the slot position.  As for Baltimore, they wanted another speed receiver to pair with Michael Pittman, and they think they have found one in former North Dakota State standout Christian Watson. Watson will initially split snaps with 3 rd  year receiver Quez Watkins, while Tutu Atwell and Eli Rogers likely stay in the slot. Expect Watson to have every opportunity to shine, though jumping from FBS football to USFL football will take some time. The corners, for one thing, will be significantly tougher to shake off.   Wisniewski & Clady Departures Force Denver to Rely on Rookie Talent Josh Allen has to be a bit nervous. With Steve Wisniewski leaving for the NFL and Ryan Clady now retired, protection for Denver’s MVP just got a lot murkier. Yes, they got two outstanding prospects in the draft, Nebraska’s Cam Jurgens at center and Alabama’s Evan Neal at left tackle, but having 2 rookies on your line, and in such pivotal positions means you are putting a lot of trust into your scouts and the film on both players. The good news is that Denver does not run a lot of complex zone reads for the line, preferring a more man-on-man approach. That should help the rookies out, as should having a solid blocking TE in Lance Kendricks and a pair of backs who can chip effectively (David Wilson and Jonathan Ward). But watching how Allen’s protection holds up, especially early in the season, should be a priority for Coach Hufnagel, and for Denver fans as well.   Rosen Looks to Reboot Career in Atlanta To Say that former UCLA star Josh Rosen’s NFL career did not go as planned feels like an understatement. Drafted 10 th  overall in the 2018 draft by Arizona and by San Diego in the USFL’s T-Draft, the UCLA product chose the Cardinals and was named their starter in the preseason. So far, so good. Rosen would start 13 games that season in Arizona, throwing for 2,278 yards, 11 TDs and 14 picks. He was sacked 45 times and looked both unnerved and anxious for much of the year. When the Cardinals drafted Kyler Murray the next year, it was seen as a vote of no-confidence for Rosen. But Murray went to the USFL Express, so Rosen got a second season as the starter in Arizona, but in his second year no one saw the development everyone in Arizona hoped for. Yes, Rosen threw for 3,074 yards and his touchdowns improved to 18, but his picks soared to 24, largely due to protection and decision-making issues. After suffering 45 sacks in his rookie year, he took 63 as a sophomore and was clearly shaken. Arizona traded Rosen to Miami for a pair of 4 th  round picks, and in Miami in 2020, Rosen only started 3 games. He would not start a single game this past year but did appear in 4 games.   So, with his NFL career not going where he hoped, Rosen, at the end of his rookie deal, and with little future in Miami, opted to jump leagues, and the Atlanta Fire were happy to add him. Atlanta was hoping to find a young protégé to put behind starter Aaron Murray, and Rosen fit the bill. Rosen understands that he is clearly second fiddle but seems anxious to prove he can make it as a pro quarterback. Considering that Murray spent much of 2021 on Injured Reserve, there is a solid chance that Fire fans will also be hoping the same thing, that Rosen is more than what we saw in the NFL.   Baccari Rambo Returns “Home” to Birmingham A former Stallion returns home. After leaving the Stallions in 2019, chasing a big money deal to play in nearby Atlanta, Rambo returns to the team that drafted him and made him a star. Rambo signed a 3-year deal to return to Birmingham and take over the Strong Safety position he left vacant 3 years ago. In Atlanta, Rambo had 9 picks and averaged 61 tackles per season, and he hopes to jump back into a Stallion secondary that has struggled (both with and without him) in the past. A bit angry that his presence on the free agent market did not garner the immediate frenzy that we saw with Budda Baker, he was more than happy to return to familiar ground with the Stallions, who are glad to have him back.   Mike Pouncey Becomes a Steamroller Charlotte tried to retain their All-USFL center, while most of the league felt quite sure that Pouncey would only take offers from teams deemed as potential title contenders, but New England was not daunted. They pursued the 4-time All-USFL center, and in the end that persistence paid off. Pouncey will now anchor an offensive line for Coach Fox and the Steamrollers, one that is pretty talented from tackle to tackle, starting at LT with Matt Peart, with guards Nick Easton and Long Howell, and RT Andre Smith. This is a good group and now they have a veteran and an All-USFL center at the pivot.   Washington Secondary Goes from Pauper to Prince After 8 very solid seasons in Orlando, Dee Milliner takes his skills, and his 27 career picks, to the Washington Federals, who certainly needed the upgrade in the defensive backfield. Milliner will now join rookie Sauce Gardner, nickel back Nate Hairston, and safeties Kenny Vaccaro and Rafael Bush in what could be the most improved unit in the entire league. Expect the former Orlando corner to take a leadership role from the start, not only during game action but as a mentor to the very talented Gardner. Expect the Feds to shift their defensive strategy, with much more man coverage in 2022 and with a focus on getting to the QB with DE Jerry Hughes lined up next to DT Quinnen Williams, hopefully freeing up Bradley Chubb from the double teams he saw last year. With a solid pass rush and a much-improved secondary, Coach Gilbride may just have to get used to leading a defensive-minded team.   Thibodeaux Gives Portland a Double Quack Sack Attack In 2013, the Stags felt they pulled off a coup, landing Oregon DE Dion Jordan in the Territorial Draft. The much-coveted edge rusher was considered one of the best of his draft class and the Stags had visions of a one-man wrecking crew. Jordan had 10 sacks as a rookie, and while hopes were high for a Hall of Fame career, in the 8 years since, Jordan has yet to reach double digits a second time. Dubbed a bust by many, the Stags are hoping that the key to getting more out of their 2013 T-Draft “steal” is by bringing in a new T-Draft “steal” on the edge, another duck in Oregon DE Kayvon Thibodeaux. Like Jordan, Thibodeaux was among the highest ranked defensive players in the draft, with Oregon film that shows some devastating moves on the edge and a passion for getting to the quarterback. Did Portland strike gold on their second attempt? Is Thibodeaux the real thing? Can he even help Jordan finally reach his potential? There is a lot riding on the selection and the ability for the Stags to hit opponents with a Double Quack Attack.   Orlando Adds Lightning & Thunder to Backfield The Renegades did a lot of things well in 2021, finishing with an 11-5 record and playing their way to the Eastern Conference Championship, but running the ball was certainly not one of their strong suits. Yes, NFL import Chris Carson had a solid year, rushing for 974 yards and 6 scores, but all too often when the run game had to be there, it came up short. Coach Rivera made a more dangerous, “multiple” and diversified rushing attack a priority this season, and he believes he now has what he needs to move his club to the top 3 rd  of the league in rushing after adding two very respected NFL imports, a change of pace and 3 rd  down weapon in former Bear Tarik Cohen, and one of the fall league’s best blocking backs in former Raven Patrick Ricard.   The signings, both in the past 2 weeks, give Orlando a very different, and very NFL-heavy backfield. Carson, last year’s import, remains the lead back, but expect to see Cohen often as a changeup pitch, with both backs benefitting from the lead blocking of Ricard. Orlando will very likely try to establish themselves as a run-first team as soon as the season kicks off, a move that could prove very beneficial to QB Russell Wilson in a year when he needs to prove that he can play within himself and cut down his drive-killing interception issues.   Wilson, London, and Williams Highlight USFL WR Draft Class The USFL Draft, as it so often is, proved to be a mixed bag for teams across the league, with the NFL, as one expects, pulling just over 50% of all draftees towards the senior fall league. But one area where the USFL’s reputation paid off was at the WR position. With a well-earned reputation as a “passing league”, the USFL attracted many of the draft’s most highly rated receivers, including 4 who were selected in the NFL’s first round.   The haul was led by the Charlotte Monarchs, who cut a deal with LA to get exclusive USFL rights to woo USC’s Drake London. Woo they did and now we can expect to see London as one of Paxton Lynch’s primary targets in Charlotte. Ohio had 2 All-Big-10 receivers to select when their T-Draft choices came up. They had both sounded out and decided not to double down, drafting only Chris Olave and allowing Garrett Wilson to enter the Open Draft. The move turned out better for the USFL than for the Glory, as Olave opted to sign with the NFL Saints, while Wilson was chosen early in the 1 st  round of both USFL and NFL drafts, but preferred to join the more stable QB situation with the San Antonio Gunslingers than the constant 3-ring QB circus found with the NY Jets.   When you add in additional NFL first rounders Jameson Williams (signed by the Chicago Machine) and Treylon Burkes (signed by Memphis), along with other top receivers like NDSU’s Christian Watson (Blitz), John Metchie III (Stallions), and Alec Pierce (Skyhawks), the USFL ended up landing 8 of the top 14 receivers in the draft, which is just a sign that players and their agents know that a receiver can do very well in a league that made its name with the vertical passing game and has rarely strayed from aerial assault as its calling card.   Devin Funchess Replaces Newhouse in Seattle Speaking of aerial attacks, the defending USFL Western Conference Champions, were not going to sit still after losing 9 TDs, 941 yards, and 72 receptions in the form of WR Marshall Newhouse to the NFL. Newhouse, who signed on for 3 years with the NFL Houston Oilers, left a pretty large hole opposite Amari Cooper in the Dragon offense, and the Dragons got to work quickly to fill it, signing a 2020 All-USFL receiver in former Showboat Devin Funchess. Funchess had a breakout season in his sophomore campaign, catching 102 passes for 1,547 yards and 10 touchdowns, but with a surprisingly less effective passing attack in 2021, Funchess’s numbers, like everyone else’s in Memphis, went south. The talented receiver dropped from 102 catches to 79, saw his yards per catch drop from 14.2 to 10.4 and managed only 1 touchdown in the entire 2021 campaign. But, for Seattle, the issue was not Funchess’s talents, it was the Memphis offense and the inability to get the ball towards their young receiver.   Jumping on Funchess’s poorly-timed free agency bid, Seattle made an offer below market value (based on recent years), and with the prospect of playing for a Summer Bowl contender, as well as a stable QB situation in Seattle (With Patrick Lynch also a free agent from Memphis this year), the Showboat receiver signed on the dotted line and immediately made Coach Riley feel better about his passing attack.   Hall & Cook Aim for ROTY as Likely Week 1 Starters While not nearly as deep a pool as the WR group, the 2022 College Draft also proved to be a potential boon for the USFL. Four of the top 8 backs, if draft rankings can be trusted, found themselves preparing for spring football this February, instead of attending NFL minicamps. Among the most intriguing of the USFL signings are Iowa State’s Breece Hall, another player who wanted to avoid a forced trip to the NY Jets and instead signed on with Coach John Fox and the very intriguing New England Steamrollers. New England, now in their 3 rd year in the USFL, has managed to improve their roster every year and could very well see Hall as a key piece of what could be a very competitive team in 2022.  The other back who almost certainly will get a real chance to be a lead back and a ROTY candidate is Georgia’s James Cook, who was chosen by Jacksonville in the USFL first round, and opted for sunny Florida over frigid Buffalo. Cook will be the Week One starter for the Bulls and hopes to follow in the footsteps of his older brother, now a two-time champion with in-state rival Tampa Bay. And in addition to Hall and Cook, we should all expect to see plenty of carries from Ohio’s rookie addition, Kenneth Walker II out of nearby Michigan State, as well as ASU rookie Rachaad White with the Chicago Machine and BYU’s Tyler Allgeier, just down I-15 from Provo to Phoenix with the Arizona Wranglers.   Kirk & Ebron Provide Weapons for Trevor Lawrence After discussing Jacksonville’s addition of a top draft choice at halfback, we should also highlight how Coach Vrabel is putting weapons around his 2021 T-Draft star, QB Trevor Lawrence. In addition to Cook, the Bulls added a proven weapon at wideout, bringing Christian Kirk over from the NFL, and a reliable safety valve for Lawrence in TE Eric Ebron, formerly with Birmingham. Add these three new pieces to a rising star in WR Tee Higgins, and a true Swiss army knife at Tight End, Fullback, H-Back, and even QB, in Taysom Hill, and the Bulls are giving their young QB a very intriguing supporting cast.   Pickett To Pittsburgh Puts Pressure on Dalton After an offseason that saw its fair share of rumors that Andy Dalton was being shopped around, the 2022 USFL Draft seemed to do everything but make the move happen. Dalton is still a Mauler, but we cannot promise it will be for long after the Steel City’s “Spring Steelers” selected and signed Pitt QB Kenny Pickett to a 4-year deal worth $400k more per year than Dalton’s current deal. It may not happen right away, but at some point the Maulers are going to have to send their new investment into action, and if Dalton struggle this year, as he did last year, going down the stretch with a truly groan-worthy losing streak that cost Pittsburgh a playoff appearance, we think it will be a quick hook and an early shot for Pickett to claim the starter’s position.   With Mauler Nation having largely turned on Dalton since his high-water mark season of 2015, when he threw for 47 touchdowns and led the Maulers to a 13-3 season, and Pickett being a “hometown” player in the Steel City gives him a lot of momentum and a lot of buy-in from the often-fickle Pittsburgh fanbase. If we had to pick any player who could be a Week 10 trade deadline mover, we think Dalton may be that player. You can bet that if Pickett is starting and a fellow USFL club loses their starter to injury, they will be on the phone with the Maulers.   By the way, don’t tell the USFL League Office that we used the local term “Spring Steelers” to describe the Maulers, both they and the Mauler higher ups hate when fans do that. Something about making the USFL the “younger brother”, which, to be honest, in most markets it is. We think it is fun, and the two teams are very much like a big brother, younger brother for fans, so why fight it?   Carr Retirement Brings Familiar Face Back to Wranglers Another QB story, though one that is less a competition than a changing of the guard. When David Carr announced his retirement after a solid, but disappointing 2022 campaign, his 17 th  in the league, Wrangler fans were resigned to what could be a long rebuilding phase. After all, it is not every year that you can walk out your door and find a future Hall of Famer at QB. But, if the Wranglers are going to need time to find their next franchise QB, the one thing they could do is bring someone to town who has already proven he can play in Tomsula’s system, and that someone was former Wrangler Ryan Nassib.   Nassib, who parlayed a brilliant 2018 season into a 4-year, $48M deal with the Washington Federals, was the player that fans wanted back. And with Washington not seeing anything like the 32-TD, 3,900-yard performance that Nassib put on in 2018, they were not only open to discussions, but they were also eager to save their salary cap and fully embrace Jacoby Brissett as their starter by dealing the former Wrangler. Tomsula was, as you would expect, happy to be able to get a new starter who already had a very good sense of his system, with Nassib having spent 2 years on the Wrangler bench before an injury to Carr set him up for his surprising 2018 breakout season.   The deal took just over 6 months to accomplish, with Arizona first drafting QB Desmond Ridder out of the University of Cincinnati. But, when Ridder opted to join the NFL Falcons, the Wranglers immediately got on the phone and pulled the trigger to bring Nassib back to the desert. As of today, the prodigal QB has to be the favorite to start in Week 1, though Brock Osweiler also had his moments in relief in recent years. Of course, if Nassib again shines for Tomsula, folks in Washington are going to be beside themselves trying to figure out what went wrong in D.C., but for Wrangler fans, a chance to return to 2018 certainly has to feel better than the concept of a years-long search for a new QB.   Dallas Adds 2 Dynamic LBs to Defense Let’s be honest. Despite the presence of 12-year veteran Clay Matthews, the Dallas LB group in 2021 was nothing to write home about. They were a little too slow, a little too late on coverage, and a little too predictable in blitz packages. They needed an infusion of speed and danger. So, when the team allowed their captain, Matthews, to explore free agency, eventually landing with the NFL Rams, you had a sense that Coach Kingsbury was hoping to shake things up and bring a new feel to the LB room.   Well, if early indications are to be trusted, he has certainly done that. The Dallas training camp has been abuzz with reports of a new, more aggressive, more blitz-oriented LB group, and, in particular with the dynamic play of the club’s two newest linebackers. Early in the offseason, Dallas scored a huge win, beating out at least 6 other teams to sign former San Diego Thunder OLB Myles Jack. That was exciting enough for Roughneck Nation, but when they jumped into this past month’s NFL-USFL Transfer Window to nab DE/LB Za’Darius Smith from the Packers, well, you could feel the DFW area hit a new level of excitement. The Roughnecks now boast two of the best pass-rushing outside linebackers in the game. Smith and Jack will create nightmare schemes for offenses who already have to account for DE Connor Barwin. And while the MLB position is still in flux (Will Melvin Ingram move inside? Or will it be 5-year backup Samson Ebukam getting the nod?) we have to believe that the Roughnecks are going to make life very difficult for opposing passers, and not too easy for any halfback who wants to hit the outside edge of their line. Keep your eyes on the Roughneck defense this year, it could be a really fun watch.   Panthers Win Battle of Detroit for Hutchinson This seems to happen a lot between the USFL and the NFL, we get two teams in the same market battling for a shared draft pick. We saw it last year with the Jacksonville Jaguars and the USFL Bulls, both selecting Trevor Lawrence. That was a battle won by the spring league’s Bulls, but every year it seems like we see the story repeat. Whether it is the Machine vs. the Bears, the Express vs. the Chargers, the Bandits vs. the Bucs, or the Breakers vs. the Saints, with so many teams sharing stadiums, cities, and fanbases, having both clubs select the same high-value draft pick seems like a simple matter of course. Well, this year’s debate had an even more intriguing angle in that the player in question, DE Aidan Hutchinson, was not just the draft pick of both of Ford Field’s occupants, the USFL Panthers and the NFL Lions, but was also moving just a few miles down the road from Ann Arbor, a Wolverine making his debut as a pro in the Motor City. And so, the two leagues and the two teams went head-to-head once again, and for the second year in a row, the USFL came out on top, with the Panthers signing Hutchinson to a 4-year deal and locking down the most coveted Wolverine in the draft pool. Hutchinson, who led Michigan with a school record 14 sacks in 2021, came in second in the Heisman voting, and won both the Ted Hendricks and Lombardi Award, opted to join a Panther team that was playoff bound in 2021 despite putting up a league low 30 sacks on the season. Don’t expect Michigan to finish last in that category in 2022. Hutchinson, who is likely to split duty on the D-Line and with the LB group in Michigan’s shifting 3-4, 4-3, and 3-3-5 system, is almost certainly going to challenge incumbent Dee Ford and 2021 rookie Kwity Paye to rack up the most sacks this year. We think he has a real chance to do more than that, possibly leading the pack for the defensive ROTY award as he helps the Panthers improve what was already a pretty solid defense.   SS Budda Baker Signs with Arizona Budda Baker may never win the Miss America Pageant, but for 2 months this past Fall he got to learn what it is like to be the Belle of the Ball. A consensus All-USFL safety with both ball hawking and big hitting skills up and down his resume, Baker was the focus of nearly every USFL GM’s attention when Free Agency opened in August. He stayed on the market long enough for NFL GM’s to make their pitch as well, but when he was ready to put his pen to paper and become the league’s best-paid safety (only $250k per year lower than top CB Stephon Gilmore of LA), Baker opted to stay in the spring, and to move to the Valley of the Sun as a new member of the Arizona Wranglers.   Baker will join a defense that already has several big names on it, including CB Joe Haden, DE Bud DuPree, and DT Jason Hargrave. He also joins a team led by one of the nation’s best defensive gurus, Coach Jim Tomsula. All this plus a hefty paycheck each week, that is a pretty good deal for Baker, and a fitting end to his reign as Miss America of the football world.   OBJ Drags it Out Before Joining Chicago Speaking of Divas, always ready for a photo op, we could not finish our recap of big offseason moves without commenting on the long, winding path that led Odell Beckham Jr. from New Jersey to Chicago. The 3-time All-USFL receiver was like a fox among hounds all offseason, leading teams from both the USFL and NFL on a merry chase through the forest. He weaved, he dodged, he enticed and then disappeared. All the while he and his agent kept bemoaning the inability of teams to make real offers, he turned away one deal after another. He wanted to be with a winner, which made approaches by WR-needy teams like Charlotte, St. Louis, San Antonio, and the NFL Browns, Cardinals, and Jets futile gestures. He also wanted the kind of money that could blow up a salary cap, so that ruled out several others. He toyed with the Dallas Cowboys for a while, teased the Oakland Invaders, but eventually got what he wanted, a 3-year deal that makes him the highest paid wideout this season (a balloon payment in Dez Bryant’s contract will steal back the title in 2023). And so, OBJ, the ultimate WR Diva and Master of GM Frustration finds himself at home in Chicago, with a pretty solid QB in Sam Bradford, a team that looks like a potential Summer Bowl contender, and a young charge to “mentor” in budding star Chase Claypool. Don’t call them Batman and Robin but expect this dynamic duo to be a huge story in Gotham, err, Chicago, as the 2022 season gets underway. As we have all come to learn over the past 4 decades of USFL football, the annual College Draft is only half of the picture when it comes to new talent coming to the league. The signing period, with its inevitable battles between the NFL and the USFL is as much a factor in how teams bring in collegiate talent. So while our draft recap is a big step towards understanding which players will impact the USFL each season, it is now, after nearly all players have made their choice and signed on for either fall or spring football that we can really see who we should be keeping an eye on and who could help their team in the upcoming season. So, here we go, with 10 players who could have immediate impact, 10 who got away and how teams are coping, and 10 who may be long term investments even if they don’t see a lot of action in 2022.     Ten Biggest Signings with Immediate Impact   DE Aiden Hutchinson (Panthers) An immediate upgrade to the Panthers’ league worst sack production from 2021. Hutchinson, paired with Dee Ford and Kwity Paye, could blossom into a very dangerous rotation.   CB Sauce Gardner (Federals) With the addition of Gardner as well as veteran Dee Milliner, the Feds now have a secondary that can hang with pretty much any WR group in the league.   DE Kayvon Thibodeaux (Stags) Portland is going to pair Thibodeaux with Dion Jordan to try to build a 1-2 threat on the edge. There is already a lot of pressure on the newest Stag to live up to the hype after Jordan failed to do so.   WR Drake London (Monarchs) It is rare that a wideout enters the league as a presumptive primary target, but that is certainly the situation for London as he joins the Monarchs. Expect a lot of double coverage as teams just won’t respect the other Charlotte receivers.   WR Garrett Wilson (Gunslingers) Wilson pairs with Brandon LaFell to produce a duo capable of fully actualizing the vertical passing game that both QB Joe Flacco and Head Coach Chuck Long prefer.   LB Quay Walker (Fire) Walker has earned a starting slot in camp with Atlanta and is able to learn alongside one of the league’s best, MLB Luke Kuechley.   HB Breece Hall (Steamrollers) Hall will share carries with former Bull Devin Singletary, at least at first, but we expect that Coach Fox will want to see just how much Hall’s breakaway speed can help New England push more chunk plays and shorten drives.   HB Kenneth Walker III (Glory) With Isaiah Pead now in Birmingham, Walker has a chance to lock down the lead back role as a rookie. His main competition will be 2 nd  year back Trey Sermon.   TE Trey McBride (Stallions) Coach Haley has had nothing but praise for McBride and we expect him to be used as a primary weapon by the Stallions, not just as a security blanket for Newton.   HB James Cook (Bulls) The Bulls have a very dynamic 1-2 combo of young backs with Cook joining 2 nd  year back Chubba Hubbard in what will likely be a regular rotation.   Ten Who Got Away and How USFL Clubs Will Cope   DE Travon Walker (Express) Losing out on Walker was a big blow to the Express, who gave up 2 key picks (1 st  in Open and in Territorial Draft) to secure his USFL rights. His absence means that it will be Chris Jones inside and Nick Bosa outside once again, with a weaker right side.   CB Derek Stingley Jr (Breakers ) The Breakers wanted Stingley to balance the defensive backfield opposite Tra’Davious White but will remain largely unbalanced as they must hope Xavier Crawford can improve his coverage this season.   WR Chris Olave (Glory) Maybe Ohio should have protected both Olave and Garrett Wilson in the T-Draft after all. Losing out on Olave means that Terry McLaurin will likely continue to see a lot of double coverage.   WR Jahan Dotson (Monarchs) We see Dotson as a “double down” pick in case Charlotte could not sign Drake London. With London on board, losing Dotson to the NFL has far less impact.   C Tyler Linderbaum (Skyhawks) This was an odd pick to begin with, particularly because 2021 starter Rudy Niswanger was a 2 nd Team All-USFL performer. We think the goal was to use either Linderbaum or Niswanger as trade bait, so that just did not happen.   WR George Pickens (Fire) Atlanta has had a pretty solid passing offense (when Aaron Murray is healthy) so we don’t think they will suffer for losing out on Pickens. They still have A. J. Green and Kelvin Benjamin locking down the 2 outside positions.   DE Sam Williams (Bandits) Folks who worry that Tampa Bay could pull off the threepeat are happy for any negatives they can find, but within Bandit circles, losing out on Williams has folks worried that the pass rush will be far too reliant on blitzes, putting the secondary under pressure.   QB Desmond Ridder (Wranglers) It seems clear that getting a talented rookie was Plan A for the Wranglers, who really liked what they saw in Ridder. Losing out to the NFL all but forced the Wranglers hand, pushing them to make a deal with Washington for Ryan Nassib and hoping that they can revive the Nassib we all saw in 2018 and not the one we saw the past two years in D.C.   LB Terrel Bernard (Gamblers) Outside of Ramik Wilson, there is not a lot of hype about the Gambler LB group. Bernard would have been a nice addition and without him the Gamblers look quite thin in one of the key groups on the team.   DE Josh Paschal (Stars) The Stars signed Robert Quinn in free agency, so while Paschal would have been a nice addition, and certainly would have improved team depth on the edge, his absence is not likely to produce major concerns.   Ten 2022 Rookies Who May Blossom Late   HB Jordan Mason (Stags) Tucked in behind 2 nd year back Javontae Williams and veteran Doug Martin, we don’t think Mason will get a lot of touches in 2022, but Martin is 33 and could well be out of football by 2023, giving Mason a chance to move up the depth chart.   LB Jake Cochrane (Invaders) Cochrane is set up as a swing linebacker right now, which means perhaps 10-15 snaps per game, but we think he will work his way into more packages over the course of the season.   TE Jake Tonges (Houston) When you back up both Gerald Everett and Tony Moeaki, you cannot expect too many passes thrown your way, but Tonges could be a factor as a run blocker and in special teams.   QB Brock Purdy (Steamrollers) New England’s trade of Jameis Winston gives the late round QB pick a spot on the roster, but even if Ryan Tannehill struggles, we think it will be C. J. Beathard getting the call before Purdy ever sees the field, at least this year.   S Elijah Hicks (Invaders) Hicks currently sits on the practice squad, but can play either safety spot, so if there are injuries at either position, we could see Hicks on the sideline and on the field.   HB Isaiah Pacheco (Generals) Another current practice squad player, Pacheco impressed New Jersey coaches in camp but just could not overtake the trio of C. J. Prosise, Tony Pollard, and fellow rookie Kyren Williams.   C Dawson Deaton (Gunslingers) Deaton backs up Michal Menet but could also see action at guard if the Gunslingers suffer any injuries on the interior.   CB Ja’Sir Taylor (Roughnecks) Taylor surprised many by beating out Lee Keyser for the nickel spot on the Roughnecks. The rookie will be tested by USFL slot receivers, but that is what a nickel always faces.   WR Jalen Nailor (Thunder) A mid round pick out of Michigan State, Nailor will likely start on special teams, as he has a lot of known entities ahead of him on the Thunder WR depth chart.   HB Tyler Allgeier (Wranglers) The former BYU back will rotate carries with Peyton Barber, but only when Ka ’Deem Carey needs a breather. That could mean just a handful of snaps per game, though we think in the end it will be Allgeier who gets most of the late season calls when a sub is needed.   The past three weeks have seen the NFL-USFL Transfer window re-open, and it will stay open for one more week, so we may not be done yet, but with all 30 USFL camps wrapping up and the regular season ready to start, we expect that for the most part the rosters across the league are as set as they will ever be. So, how did the transfer portal go this year? Very well in some areas, a bit slow in others. Here is our breakdown of the big stories coming out of the window so far.   QB Market Dries Up What looked like an intriguing QB market, with 2 of the 5 top-rated QBs from the Class of 2018 included (Josh Rosen and Baker Mayfield), along with former NFL All-Pro DeShaun Watson, and two rising names in Garrett Gilbert and Davis Webb, turned out to be a bit of a dud, with only one player, Josh Rosen, making the jump from the NFL to the USFL. Mayfield, considered perhaps the most talented player in the pool, opted to sign on with the NFL Carolina Panthers. Garrett Gilbert joined the Las Vegas Raiders and Davis Webb returned to the NY Giants after shopping around for only 8 days. Perhaps the biggest name in the bunch, former Houston Oiler DeShaun Watson, mired in a bevvy of sexual assault charges that kept USFL teams at arm’s length, somehow convinced the NFL Cleveland Browns to cough up $230M over five years. We spoke with several USFL GM’s and they all seem to agree that Watson was too much of a risk, and that the price tag was far outside the realm of the realistic. Well, the Browns are the Browns, so best of luck to them. The USFL opted to steer clear.   Import Backs & Receivers Hope to Avoid Twin Season Slump While the QB position did not produce many fireworks, the same could not be said for other “skill” positions, with both HB and WR producing a good number of NFL to USFL jumps. Among the receivers making the jump were two rising stars, both perhaps a bit undervalued by their current NFL teams but of great interest to the USFL. Christian Kirk opted to leave the Arizona Cardinals and their unsolved QB problem to land in Jacksonville, where Trevor Lawrence offers him a very stable and potentially very productive opportunity. Former Jacksonville Jaguar wideout D. J. Chark was a breakout player in 2019, but has suffered through two injury-plagued seasons since. He played in only 4 games in 2021, but now says he is finally back from lingering injuries and is ready to help the Birmingham Stallions. Expect Chark to split time between the slot and the outside, acting as a swing receiver for all 3 positions, though he likely will be challenged for snaps by Alabama rookie John Metchie. The other import worth watching is in Chicago, where former Steeler Ray-Ray McCloud will almost certainly take on punt and kick return duties with occasional work in the slot as well. There are three halfbacks to keep an eye on as they follow their 2021 NFL season with a new club in the USFL. The first, and perhaps most likely to have a breakout year, is former Bear Tarik Cohen. Orlando snapped up the Bears’ HB on the 2 nd  day of the window and hopes to use him as a nice change of pace for lead back Chris Carson. Cohen is a solid receiver as well as a shifty runner, so expect him to take on some 3 rd  down duties, along with returning Renegade Boston Scott. In San Antonio, they are very excited about their 3-man HB group, having added speedster Raheem Mostert to the mix along with NFL veteran Melvin Gordon and 2021 rookie Rhamondre Stevenson. There is a diverse set of skills among the three, with Mostert clearly the speedster of the trio, and the player most likely to see action on 3 rd  and long as well as on return teams. Finally, Michigan wanted a bruiser to back up LeVeon Bell, and they think they found one in former Falcon Ito Smith. Smith is not going to blow past anyone, but if you want a back who is going to grind out tough yards and possibly vulture some short yardage plays, helping LeVeon Bell stay fresh, Smith could well do the trick.   Others to Watch in 2022 Outside of the offensive “sizzle” players, there were several other NFL imports who we will be tracking this season. On defense we have safety Jayron Kearse, who left the Cowboys for the Wranglers, CB J. C. Jackson, who left the Patriots to join the Gold, DT Bilal Nichols, who joins Oakland after starting his career with the NFL Bears, safety Landon Collins, who makes his way from Washington to San Diego, joining the Thunder. But perhaps the two most promising defensive signings are the Bandits’ addition of LB Lorenzo Carter, formerly of the NY Giants, and Dallas’s signing of LB Za’Darius Smith from the Packers. Both are outstanding players, with huge upside and we expect both to see a lot of snaps in 2022. Others on our radar include TE Mike Gesicki, who leaves the Miami Dolphins for a spot on the Baltimore Blitz, guard Alex Cappa (TBY to BIR), FB Patrick Ricard (BAL to ORL), andsafety Quandre Diggs (Seahawks to Dragons in Seattle).   As for late NFL signings, there were a few, with the most noteworthy being WR Aurrelious Benn (SD to NFL Bears), veteran FS Nate Allen (ARZ to NFL Eagles), much-maligned Monarch QB Jimmy Garoppolo (to the LV Raiders), and well-traveled wideout/return man Cordarelle Patterson, from San Antonio to the NFL Steelers.   Early Picks for the Hall of Fame Class of 2026 With every retirement class there is the base of the Hall of Fame class five years later. For the voters in 2026, this year’s class of recent retirements will likely produce a very difficult process as the deep pool of talent will almost certainly cost someone a shot at a first ballot entry and someone else an undeserved snub over their 4 years of eligibility. Looking at the potential first year nominees in 2026, we see a lot of tough calls to be made.   QB David Carr (ARZ 2009-21) Let’s see here, a 2-time MVP, 2-time Playoff MVP, 6-Time All-USFL nominee, and a 3-time league champion with 40,000 yards, 314 career touchdowns, and a lifetime QB rating of 101.2. Yeah, we think Carr is a no brainer for first ballot induction.   QB Tom Brady (NJ 2000-06, OAK 2020-21) Brady is going to be another dual league entrant, as Kurt Warner was. After 7 seasons in the USFL, including 2 league titles and 2 playoff MVP trophies, Brady spent 13 seasons in the NFL, winning 3 more pro football titles with the Dallas Cowboys, before finishing his career with 2 years in Oakland. His stats, split between the two leagues, make him a solid contender, but his success as a leader, with 5 championships, is what will get him the joint nomination.   WR Marques Colston (TEX/OKL 2006-17, SD 2018-20, CHA 2021) The consummate “straight line” receiver, Colston made a career in Texas with just the fly route. Yes, he did more, but he will always be considered one of the best at that simple, but hard-to-complete route. Colston retires with 17,723 yards and 106 career touchdowns. Is that enough to get him in his first year? Any other year we would likely say yes. With this group we cannot be sure.   OT Levi Brown (2007-21) Fourteen years, six All-USFL awards, and 3 league titles are all we really need to say for the Bandit’s QB bodyguard. Throw in over 1,300 career pancakes and you have a very strong case that Brown may well be a first year, first ballot candidate.   OT Ryan Clady (2008-21) Another outstanding left tackle, Clady will struggle in comparison with Brown simply because the Gold have not been as good as the Bandits during his career. Still, with 902 career pancakes and with Clady’s role in the Denver run game, we think he makes it in his 2 nd  or 3 rd  year for sure.   LB Brian Orakpo (TBY 2014-18, PIT 2019-21) Eight years in the USFL with four more in the NFL is a very nice pro career, but the mid-career switch means that Orakpo may not have the stats, or the longevity, for either league to vote him in. Dual inductees are extremely rare, which is unfortunate, because Orakpo has been more than a good player over his career, he has been a model leader and teammate as well.   FS LaRon Landry (NSH/LV 2007-15, OHI 2016-21) You do not play 15 seasons as a safety in the USFL without racking up some numbers, and Landry certainly has, with 1,542 career tackles, 40 career sacks, 17 picks, and 223 career stats, but with no titles will Landry’s 4 All-USFL nominations be enough?   CB Dominique Rogers-Cromartie (LA 2008-13, JAX 2014-20, LA 2021) 14 USFL seasons, 1,879 tackles, 49 picks, and over 4,000 yards as a kick returner. Those are some solid numbers for the former Express and Bull starter, but with only 2 All-USFL nods and quite a few seasons on some really bad teams, we think DRC does not get the invite. There just is not enough team success to have him stand out in a sea of very good corners produced by the USFL.    Schedule Highlights for 2022 As we transition from looking at the offseason that was to looking ahead to the season to come, we start with a look at one game each week which should be on everyone’s “Don’t Miss It” list. From division rivalry games to young stars facing off, all the way to final week play-in games, the 17-week 2022 season will have must-see games each and every weekend. So, with that in mind, here is our look at 17 games in 17 weeks.   Week One: Ohio Glory @ Jacksonville Bulls A matchup of two of the most exciting young QBs in the league. It’s the pocket presence of Lawrence vs. the scramble skills of Fields in what could be a wild season opener.   Week Two: Oakland Invaders @ Portland Stags A Pacific Division showdown between two teams hoping to start the season right, with Portland hoping that rookie DE Tayvon Thibodeaux can rattle 2 nd  year QB Davis Mills.   Week Three: Seattle Dragons @ Michigan Panthers Two very strong teams top to bottom face off in this early season Western Conference showdown. We also get to watch two of the league’s best halfbacks as 2022 rushing champ Knowshon Moreno faces off against perennial league leader LeVeon Bell.   Week Four: Arizona Wranglers @ Dallas Roughnecks We stay out West one more week, with this divisional matchup that features several of the biggest defensive acquisitions of the offseason, with new Roughneck Myles Jack and new Wrangler Budda Baker both hoping to make life tough for the offenses.   Week Five: New Orleans Breakers @ Birmingham Stallions We head down south for a battle between the Stallions and Breakers. New Orleans was not the team we expected last year, but Geno Smith and the Breaker offense hope to rebound in 2022 while Birmingham hopes some defensive additions can help keep them atop the division.   Week Six: Houston Gamblers @ Tampa Bay Bandits This one should be fun, a barnburner between two of the best offenses in football. Colt McCoy, Carlos Hyde, Mike Evans and the Gamblers travel to Tampa Bay to take on Dak Prescott, Dalvin Cook, and Dez Bryant in a game that may well have the highest Over-Under of the season.   Week Seven: Orlando Renegades @ Tampa Bay Bandits No rest for the 2-Time Defending Champs as they follow up their huge game against Houston by hosting division rival and top challenger Orlando. Can Montez make Prescott Sweat? Can the Renegades rein in the Bandits and keep the season close? This one could be huge in the East.   Week Eight: Michigan Panthers @ Ohio Glory A classic division rivalry that harkens to a century of Michigan-Ohio State clashes as well. Can former Wolverine Aidan Hutchinson slow down former Buckey Justin Fields, or will the Glory come out on top in Columbus?   Week Nine: Denver Gold @ Arizona Wranglers Back out West, to the Southwest more precisely, as division rivals Denver and Arizona renew their 40-year feud. It will be Josh Allen against Budda Baker, and that rookie-laden Gold line against Bud DuPree and the Wrangler D.   Week Ten: Chicago Machine @ Michigan Panthers Another huge clash in the Central as the Panthers host 2021 Division Champion Chicago. Can Sam Bradford take advantage of his new weapon, OBJ, or will Dre Kirkpatrick welcome the former General to the division with true shut down corner style?   Week Eleven: Michigan Panthers @ Tampa Bay Bandits The Panthers have a tough follow up, leaving home after their clash with Chicago to face the Bandits in what will likely be the first of many late season standing-shifters. This one will be a game to catch for sure as it is the ground & pound Panthers facing Bandit Ball.   Week Twelve: Memphis Showboats @ Birmingham Stallions We don’t know what the standings will say about these two Southern Division rivals by Week 12, but what we do know is that this game will be an excuse for a tailgate to die for, that and that the two teams will honestly be at each other’s throats all game.   Week Thirteen: New Jersey Generals @ Philadelphia Stars Another great rivalry, and what could be a huge game for the NE Division title. Neither team is glitzy, neither is a high glamour team in the USFL, but both have grit and a will to work hard, and that will come out in what could be a very tight matchup.   Week Fourteen: Tampa Bay Bandits @ Atlanta Fire We are back with the Bandits, and why not? Their battles with Atlanta have been some of the league’s most entertaining games over the past 2 years. Atlanta is hoping 2022 is a rebound season, and this game could go a long way to making it so.   Week Fifteen: Philadelphia Stars @ Denver Gold A rare interconference game on our list, but one which could well have huge playoff implications this late in the year. Can the Stars steal a win out west, or is the attitude and the altitude of the Gold going to be too much for them?   Week Sixteen: Seattle Dragons @ Houston Gamblers We fully expect that this West v. East clash will look a lot like a possible Summer Bowl preview, with both teams needing this win for playoff position, possibly for a shot at the top seed in their conferences. Should be a true clash of titans.   Week Seventeen: Dallas Roughnecks @ Denver Gold For the final week of the season we looked at the schedule and asked “Which game looks like a possible Win & In, Lose & Out game for both teams?” This one, right? Both teams could be on the fringe, perhaps even battling for a final playoff spot. We think this will be a key game in the playoff picture, and that means it will be a game where both teams leave everything on the field.   In Part 2 of our USFL Season Preview, we will go team by team, giving you the players to watch, the best and worst of each team, and take a look at the new coaches across the league and what to expect from each. Of course, we will also have our picks for the year, and our insights into all the Week 1 action, now only days away. It is all coming up next as we prepare for Season 40 of the USFL.

January 27, 2022 Welcome back, USFL Fans, and, boy, do we have some news to share. With camps about to open across the country, the USFL is buzzing with news and activity in preparation for the league’s 40 th  season. The Draft concluded this past weekend, and it certainly had some surprises, including a trade at the very top. We will break down both the Territorial and Open Draft results, bring you up to date on all the player movement across the league, including the trades that impacted draft day, and get you prepared for the final phase of offseason player acquisition by previewing the names highlighting the upcoming NFL-USFL Transfer Window. All this plus a look at the 10 biggest roster gaps yet to be addressed in the offseason as we get set for our 40 th  year of covering USFL football. It’s all coming up, so don’t go anywhere.   Flurry of Trades Creates Wild Draft Week Maybe it was the lack of QB depth in the draft. Maybe the sense that the T-Draft was where the action was. Or maybe teams just did not like where they stood and how their cap situation was panning, out, but this year’s USFL Draft set a record with 47 picks swapped between the Territorial and Open Drafts, and that includes 15 different teams moving up, down, or out of the first round of the Open Draft. It made for entertaining television as the announcers and pundits kept having to readjust on the fly as trades came in just as picks were due and teams either moved up or dropped down to try to maximize the value of their picks. Even with the knowledge that half, if not more, of the players chosen this week would find their way to NFL rosters instead of spring football camps, there was more than enough activity to make it a very engaging watch.   So, what kicked off the flurry of moves? Well, it seems a pretty innocuous trade of late T-Draft choices was the trigger, indirectly we think, for what would become a parade of moves and deals. There were, of course, several picks that had already changed hands, either from 2021 deals or as part of early offseason swaps, but the move that seemed to kick things off was when Seattle and Atlanta came up with a deal to swap their 2 nd  T-Draft picks. The plan was clear, Seattle had two top corners on the board in Washington’s Trent McDuffie and Kyler Gordon. Atlanta, hungry for a nickel corner to help against the passing attacks of Dak Prescott (TBY), Trevor Lawrence (JAX), Russell Wilson (ORL), and the newly-signed Paxton Lynch (CHA), was eager to try to nab one of the two. Seattle, on the other hand, was looking at the deep pool of Georgia Bulldog players, had their eye on DT Jordan Davis and had no faith that Davis would last until the end of the first round in the Open Draft, even if Atlanta did not use one of their 3 T-Draft picks on him. And so, the deal was cut, 2 nd  pick for 2 nd pick. We would not see the results of those picks, with Seattle taking Davis after Atlanta used their 1 st  choice on LB Quay Walker, and with Atlanta choosing Kyler Gordon after Seattle’s first pick, Trent McDuffie, was named, but the impact of the early deal was that it seemed to open a flood of swaps.   By the day of the Territorial Draft, not only had 11 teams traded away at least one of their picks, but in the mix, the Charlotte Monarchs traded away their 1 st  overall pick, only 2 days before the first selections were announced. The deal, one which gave the LA Express the first overall pick in the Open Draft, allowed Charlotte to use LA’s first overall Territorial pick and still have the 13 th overall pick come the Open Draft. The Monarchs would use their two top picks to do what many USFL teams rely on, the “double down”, selecting two top tier players in the same position in the hopes that they can land one of the two and not get shut out of a position of need.   That need for Charlotte was clear, a weapon for their new QB, Paxton Lynch. So, when it was time for LA’s first Territorial pick, Charlotte wasted no time, announcing that they would use the swapped pick to select USC wideout Drake London. Four days later, when pick 13 in the Open Draft was on the clock, the Monarchs sent up the card with another wideout named, this time Penn State’s Jahon Dotson. But before that second choice was announced, LA stepped into the first Open Draft slot, making a bid for one of the top defenders in the draft, Georgia DE Travon Walker. Walker, not chosen by an Atlanta team that feels pretty good at DE, was a clear favorite to be the top pick, and LA securing the pick and salivating over the idea of Walker lining up opposite Nick Bosa, did what it had to, moving up 12 spots to land the player they see as a potential bookend pass rusher.   But Charlotte moving out of the top spot was hardly the only movement in the first round of the 2022 Open Draft. We saw teams moving up and down all day long, gaining extra picks by stepping back or jumping up to get the player they most coveted. Among the movers were San Antonio , who jumped from 9 th  to 3 rd , swapping with Jacksonville to get their chance to select Ohio State WR Garrett Wilson. Jacksonville, who initially dropped to 9 th  with that deal, would then drop again, swapping with Ohio at 19. Interestingly, both Ohio and Jacksonville would choose halfbacks, with Ohio moving up to the 9-spot to select Michigan State’s Kenneth Walker, while Jacksonville still got the man they wanted at 19 th , with Georgia back James Cook, and added a few additional picks along the way as well.   Las Vegas also opted to drop down twice, first giving their 8 th  pick to Oakland at 13, so the Invaders could select Northern Iowa tackle Trevor Penning, then dropping from 13 down to 26 so Chicago could select Alabama wideout Jameson Williams. Done moving down the board, at 26 Las Vegas selected guard Kenyon Green from Texas A&M. But perhaps our favorite mover and shaker in the first round was St. Louis , who, recognizing they needed volume as much as they needed talent, dropped from the 4-spot, then packaged picks again to finish with 2 picks in the first round, the 27 and 29, all without losing their 2 nd  rounder. So, what did they get with 3 picks between 27 and 34? How about Cincinnati WR Alec Pierce, UConn DT Travis Jones, and, the piece-de-resistance, Georgia safety Lewis Cine. That is two likely starters on defense and a deep ball weapon for Lamar Jackson. Now, the tricky part, of course, is that any or all of the three could opt for the NFL and make St. Louis’s moves look like a lot of sound and fury signifying nothing (Shakespeare at the USFL Draft? Wow, look at us being sophisticated!)   Trading, moving, and making deals was all the rage in the draft, both in Monday’s T-Draft and the Friday-Saturday Open Draft. It was a whirling dervish of activity, cards, announcements, and deals. We will review all the big picks, of course, but the story of the day was the willingness of teams to make deals, move picks, and put themselves in a position to get who they wanted, when they wanted. Will there be winners and losers? Oh, you bet! But we likely won’t know who those are until after the signing flurry between the NFL and the USFL concludes and we see just who got the help they need and who lost out.   So how do we analyze the draft in a year like this? Well, we focus on the players selected, trusting that the USFL will, as it usually does, finish the next few weeks with about 50% of all chosen players on their rosters, and that the ones who do sign are the players in high need positions. So, for today’s analysis, we will focus on the picks we like best and the potential they provide, potential USFL GMs hope come to fruition with players suited up for spring football.  We will go in the order of the Open Draft before the trades, starting with the 1-15 Charlotte Monarchs and finishing with the 2-Time League Champion Tampa Bay Bandits.   CHARLOTTE MONARCHS Most Intriguing T-Draft Selection:  QB Sam Howell (UNC) The choice of Howell was not really a surprise, after all he was one of the top rated QBs to come out this year and Charlotte was a team with horrible QB play in 2021, but what makes this pick so interesting is the fact that Charlotte already made their move to land a QB in Paxton Lynch. Lynch is only 26, so it is not as if they see him as a short-term bridge as they get Howell pro-ready. So, is the plan to develop Howell and then trade Lynch? Or are they just not as confident in one or the other as we think they should be?   The Sure Thing: Getting WR Drake London in the trade with LA seems a no-brainer. If he signs with the Monarchs over the NFL Falcons, he could be the go-to guy for Paxton Lynch from the start of the season. He is polished enough to make an immediate impact.   Potential Diamond in the Rough: We really like two mid-round picks, CB Martin Emmerson and TE Jake Ferguson. Both have a lot of upside and both should be able to make the roster on special teams if they come to Charlotte.  SAN DIEGO THUNDER Most Intriguing T-Draft Selection:  The Thunder did not have a particularly deep pool, and no players rated as 1 st  round talent, so they were happy to trade their top pick to TE-hungry Baltimore, secure in the belief that the Blitz would be going for UCLA’s Greg Dulcich. The swap of picks allowed San Diego to select a position of need as well, choosing Montana State LB Troy Anderson. It was a risky move by the Thunder because Baltimore had to be persuaded to select Montana State as a supplemental 4 th  school ahead of the draft, giving San Diego a shot at Anderson.   The Sure Thing: First Round Pick, LSU corner Derek Stingley Jr., has elite man coverage skills and is fast, like jackrabbit fast (4.37 Forty). He could challenge veteran Justin Gilbert for a starting position in short time.   Potential Diamond in the Rough: WR Jalen Nailor out of Michigan State needs more snaps and more coaching to be a better route runner, but the raw talent is there. He may be a steal in the 5 th  round.  JACKSONVILLE BULLS Most Intriguing T-Draft Selection: With Clemson and Florida as 2 of their 3 protected schools (along with FIU), there was no need for the Bulls to get fancy. They had plenty of talent to choose, and they started with a clear need at cornerback, selecting Florida’s Kaiir Elam. Elam is a rangy CB with good physicality who could find himself competing with A. J. Terrell for a starting job from Day One.   The Sure Thing: We love that Jacksonville dropped down twice in the first round and was still able to get a talented back like Georgia’s James Cook. Brother of the Bandit’s multitalented Dalvin, James might actually be a bit shiftier, a nice pairing with the more direct style of Bulls’ 2 nd  year back Chubba Hubbard.   Potential Diamond in the Rough: If Cook ends up signing with the NFL Bills, there is still T-Draft pick Dameon Pierce out of Florida, a pretty decent consolation prize.   ST. LOUIS SKYHAWKS Most Intriguing T-Draft Selection: St. Louis, with 2 nd  string All-USFL center Rudy Niswanger established at the pivot, had no desire to draft Iowa’s Tyler Linderbaum, so they made a deal with Orlando, allowing the Renegades to select the burley lineman, while St. Louis happily snapped up 2 nd  and 4 th round open draft picks. With their first T-Draft pick (2 nd  round) they went with an intriguing choice, Indiana LB Micah McFadden. Certainly a position of need for the Skyhawk defense.   The Sure Thing: Of the three players St. Louis chose in their drop-down strategy, we think the one with the greatest immediate impact has to be WR Alec Pierce. He runs crisp routes and he will contest balls in the air.   Potential Diamond in the Rough: CB Dallis Flowers, a 7 th  round pick out of Division 2 Pittsburg State (which is in Kansas, by the way) will have to adjust to a much faster, much bigger game, but he could be a solid special teamer until he does.     PORTLAND STAGS Most Intriguing T-Draft Selection: In one of the least surprising picks of the entire week, Portland quickly announced that Oregon DE Keyveon Thibodeaux would be their first protected player. Despite missing some 2021 games with an ankle injury, the All Conference edge rusher still had 7 sacks and 12 tackles for lossin his final season. Expect him to line up along with another duck, Dion Jordan if he signs with the in-state Stags.   The Sure Thing: If they land Thibodeaux, well, that is your answer, but behind door number two is also Ohio State tackle, Nicholase Petit-Frere. He may not be the best tackle in the draft, but what we do know is that he is used to mashing it up with the big boys.   Potential Diamond in the Rough: Portland just loves to stockpile backs. They already have veteran Doug Martin and 2021 first pick (via trade in the T-Draft) Javonte Williams, but they also added another back (if he signs) in 4 th  rounder Jordan Mason out of Georgia Tech. If Martin has lost a step, expect Mason to sub in for Williams regularly.   OKLAHOMA OUTLAWS Most Intriguing T-Draft Selection: The Outlaws went Defense-Defense-Defense with their 3 picks, choosing OU LB Nik Bonitto, OU DT Perrion Winfrey, and OSU LB Devin Harper with their three picks. Seems a good idea considering the defense was such an issue in 2021.   The Sure Thing: The Outlaws had to be beside themselves when they saw that not only had WR George Pickens escaped the T-Draft, but he had also dropped to them at 6. They wasted no time selecting the Georgia receiver, but will now have to compete with the NFL Steelers to sign the former Bulldog.   Potential Diamond in the Rough: QB Skylar Thompson will need time to grow into form if he lands in Oklahoma instead of Miami (NFL), but with Jalen Hurts as the starter he will have time to develop, and we think Skylar could be a very effective practice squad foil for the Outlaws.   WASHINGTON FEDERALS Most Intriguing T-Draft Selection: Another team without an obvious 1 st  or even 2 nd round talent in their pool, the Feds still think they found a good one in Va Tech guard Lecitus Smith. Smith is raw, but he is physical, the kind of player who may need a year or two to fully grow into the pro game, but one to keep an eye on long term.   The Sure Thing: Washington may have hit the jackpot with their choice of CB Sauce Gardner. Not only is he a gifted athlete, but with the NY Jets as the competition, the Federals may well have a leg up on getting Gardner signed.   Potential Diamond in the Rough: You will not see him carry the ball often, but Purdue FB Zander Horvath will be a road grater for Travis Etienne, and you will see his blocks open lanes for the Federals’ back.   LAS VEGAS VIPERS Most Intriguing T-Draft Selection: The obvious option would be to say Utah LB Devin Lloyd, and that certainly was a nice pick, but the player we want to put a pin into is University of Nevada WR Romeo Doubs. Projected as a 3 rd  or 4 th round pick, Doubs will have the advantage of watching Aaron Dobson as a route running mentor, and no one does it better than Dobson. So, Dobson & Dobbs, son, that may just work.   The Sure Thing: If I am Coach Landry, I plug former Aggie Kenyon Green at LG right away and I do all I can to keep him there for the next 10 years. This A&M product is ready to be a mainstay of the Las Vegas line.   Potential Diamond in the Rough: QB Donald Knox is not a name that many know, but he was a stud in Division III and will now likely be the practice squad 3 rd  QB for the Vipers as they navigate a possible QB competition between McGloin and Minshew.   SAN ANTONIO GUNSLINGERS Most Intriguing T-Draft Selection: The Gunslingers spent a lot of time moving picks, changing position, and confusing the draft monitors, so we are not surprised that in the end they had only 1 T-Draft pick, the 3 rd  of 3. They used that pick on UTSA tackle Spencer Burford.   The Sure Thing: The Gunslingers wheeled and dealed, moving all over the place, but they got the player they coveted, wideout Garrett Wilson from Ohio State. Plug him in opposite Brandon LaFell and watch as Joe Flacco has fun going deep again.   Potential Diamond in the Rough: Linebacker Jesse Luketa was not a regular starter at Penn State, but he had some moments, and if you can get a LB from Linebacker U. in the 7 th round, you do it.   NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS Most Intriguing T-Draft Selection: One of a small number of teams that kept all 3 picks in the Territorial Draft, the Breakers started with Mississippi State OT Charles Cross and added two Bayou Bengals with CB Cor’Dale Flott and LB Damone Clark. Cross is the obvious Year One impact player, but we are still not sure if New Orleans wants to keep him at left tackle or move him to the right side, assuming they can sign him, of course. The Sure Thing: A lot of folks are already criticizing New Orleans’s draft, but we are not hearing them critique the selection of OT Charles Cross in the T-Draft. That seems a very safe and very solid pick, in a position of need as well.   Potential Diamond in the Rough: TE Ko Keift out of Minnesota was a 5 th  round pick of both the Breakers and the Buccaneers. So, if you are a hybrid H-Back type TE, do you want to be on a team with Geno Smith, Justin Jefferson and Jordy Nelson, or in the “other” team in Tampa, with Blaine Gabbert, Scotty Miller, and Cyril Grayson. Yeah, that seems an easy choice.   NEW ENGLAND STEAMROLLERS Most Intriguing T-Draft Selection: The ‘Rollers started with a weak hand, with BC and UConn as their first two schools, but they chose well (at least for this year) when they made non-New England school, Iowa State, their third protected team. That pick was made in 2020, but it pays off now as the Steamrollers have the inside track on Cyclone HB Breece Hall, a playmaker who could finally give Coach Fox the kind of break away back he has been hoping for. And, just for good measure, they brought along a buddy in QB Brock Purdy, Hall’s college QB.   The Sure Thing: It’s Breece Hall all day and again on Sunday. He is the real deal, and, to be honest, the rest of the Steamroller draft is leaving us a bit flat. So, it may be Hall or nothing.   Potential Diamond in the Rough: App State’s D’Marco Jackson has some potential, certainly he has the size and lateral movement to succeed. But he tends to get lost in coverage, which is not a good look in the pass-happy USFL.   MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS Most Intriguing T-Draft Selection: Coach Ryan is not known for his offensive acumen, but someone clearly got to him, with the Showboats selecting not only Arkansas WR Treylon Burks but also Tennessee’s Velus Jones Jr. It’s a classic “double dip” at the position, but with Devin Funchess gone, they need to find someone who can step in.   The Sure Thing: I am not sure I see a “Sure Thing” in Memphis’s draft. T-Draft pick Treylon Burkes is likely the closest thing, but we are not entirely sold on his upside.   Potential Diamond in the Rough: If nothing else, 7 th  round pick Rashid Shaheed has a fun name to say. Out of Weber State, he will likely have to make a name for himself as a return man before he gets many shots in the offense.   LOS ANGELES EXPRESS Most Intriguing T-Draft Selection: The Express gave away their first pick (WR Drake London) to Charlotte as part of the deal to get the 1 st  overall Open Draft Pick, but still feel they found value with their other 2 T-Draft picks, DE Drake Jackson and safety Isaiah Pola-Mao, both fellow Trojans.   The Sure Thing: To say that an entire draft relies on one player may be simplistic, but when you move as many pieces as LA did to draft Georgia DE Trevon Walker, you better make sure you sign him and you prepare him to be great. LA has to first compete with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but if they land him, they better give him every opportunity to succeed.     Potential Diamond in the Rough: We are just not seeing a lot of value late in the draft for LA. I am not hating the selection of Illinois OT Vederian Lowe in the 5 th , but I am not loving it either.   OAKLAND INVADERS Most Intriguing T-Draft Selection: Oakland was trying to swap some picks here, but with one of the weaker pools (Cal, Stanford, Fresno State, and the addition of Youngstown State as bonus), no one wanted in. So the Invaders made their picks. CB DeRon Bland of Fresno is perhaps the most likely to see the field, but we are not seeing impact in any of their choices, not right away at least.   The Sure Thing: Trevor Penning, the Northern Iowa tackle, would be a good fit for Oakland, but the same can be said for the NFL Saints, so Oakland has to show him some love, and a good pile of money as well, if they want him on their line this year.   Potential Diamond in the Rough: Keep an eye on TE Cade Otten from Washington. The 5 th round pick of the Invaders could be a third receiving tight end on a team that uses a lot of big man formations. Along with starter Zach Ertz and 2 nd stringer Austin Hooper, Otten could be a forgotten man or a surprisingly effective red zone target.    ATLANTA FIRE The Georgia Crop this year was deep and good, so even after trading away their 2 nd  pick, the Fire, having already selected LB Quay Walker, had more than a few good options. Many thought they would go for WR George Pickens, but they still felt their D needed more help, so pick 3 was DT Devonte Wyatt, a starter from Week 1 for the muscle-needy Fire.   The Sure Thing: We expect Quay Walker to be standing just to the side of Luke Kuechley before the 2022 season gets too long, if they can keep him from signing with Green Bay that is. Will Walker prefer midsummer humidity in Atlanta or midwinter ice storms in the tundra?   Potential Diamond in the Rough: UCF DT Kalia Davis is a project, but one with some pretty good upside. We could see him rotating in over the course of the season, particularly because Coach Elizondo likes to keep his D-Line fresh.   DALLAS ROUGHNECKS Most Intriguing T-Draft Selection: The Roughnecks had mostly mid-round talent between SMU, Wake Forest, and added option South Dakota State. In a year when almost no one came out of the Longhorn program in Austin, they took what they could get, which included Jackrabbit HB Pierre Strong, who could make the roster as a backup to Samaje Perine.   The Sure Thing: With all the hype that Quay Walker got at Georgia, we think fellow Bulldog Nakobe Dean was a bit overshadowed, but he could blossom in Dallas, especially if he pays close attention to the work ethic of new Roughneck LB Myles Jack.   Potential Diamond in the Rough: Wyoming LB Chad Muma is another potential contributor for the Roughnecks, though we think he starts off on kick blocking and return teams if he lands in Dallas.     PITTSBURGH MAULERS Most Intriguing T-Draft Selection: Talk about sending a message! When Pittsburgh selected Kenny Pickett with their first pick, you could hear Andy Dalton screaming. If Pickett signs with the Maulers, which is still very much in doubt, he could well signal the end of the Dalton era in Pittsburgh.   The Sure Thing: Let’s put aside QB Kenny Pickett, because there is a whole story yet to explore there. Honestly, the obvious choice is kicker Brandon Aubrey. The Golden Domer has a cannon for a leg and he can play in cold, windy weather. We saw that in South Bend.   Potential Diamond in the Rough: The Maulers used a 5 th  round pick on guard Cade Mays out of Tennessee. He is not ready right now, but by 2023 or 2024, he could be a nice addition.    BALTIMORE BLITZ Most Intriguing T-Draft Selection: The Blitz clearly don’t feel secure with what they have behind C. J. Uzomah at Tight End. Not only do they pick Isaiah Likely out of Coastal Carolina with one T-Draft pick, but they make a deal with San Diego to select Greg Dulcich from UCLA as well. Honestly, if both sign, we think both will contribute.   The Sure Thing: The Blitz moved a round a bit in the 1 st  round, but they like what they see with their eventual pick, CB Roger McCreary out of Auburn. He was not picked until the 2 nd  round in the NFL, but he was picked by the Tennessee Copperheads, so if he wants to stay close to home, Baltimore may be out of luck.   Potential Diamond in the Rough: For those who don’t watch a lot of FBS football, there are two things you need to know. North Dakota State is a juggernaut, and WR Christian Watson is a speed burner whose game could help Baltimore become very dangerous.     OHIO GLORY Most Intriguing T-Draft Selection: The Glory opted not to select both Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, which is interesting, considering they later chose projected slot receiver Wan’Dale Robinson out of Kentucky. If Olave signs, he lines up opposite McLaurin. If Robinson signs, he will compete with Tutu Atwell for 3 rd receiver status.   The Sure Thing: Hard not to land someone who will impact your team when you get first dibs on all the Ohio State players, but Ohio had better do all they can to build an all-Buckeye WR group by adding Chris Olave to Terry McLaurin as their starting duo.   Potential Diamond in the Rough: Believe it or not, the Glory actually drafted 2 Michigan Wolverines, guard Andrew Stueber and LB David Ojabo, and we think both could be very good choices, especially Ojabo. Now, just don’t start singing “Hail to the Victors” in Columbus and you will fit in fine.   MICHIGAN PANTHERS Most Intriguing T-Draft Selection: No surprise, no shock, no doubt. It was DE Aiden Hutchinson all the way. Coach McDermott needs more pressure on opposition passers, and the potential OLB/DE is a menace. The question now is whether he joins the Panthers or another local club, the NFL Lions.   The Sure Thing: Football fans in Detroit are going to love watching Aiden Hutchinson continue to wreak havoc in their state, but will he do it in Honolulu blue or Panther plum?   Potential Diamond in the Rough: Our sincere pick here is, well, sincere. UT-San Antonio back Sincere McCormick. We just love the wordplay, but he could also be a good change of pace for LeVeon Bell.    HOUSTON GAMBLERS Most Intriguing T-Draft Selection: Another club hoping to boost their pass rush, Houston went for their obvious choice, DE Logan Hall from the in-town Houston Cougars. Hall is projected as a Right End, which means that he could start right away, and the Gamblers did not gamble, using an Open Draft pick on South Carolina’s Kinglsey Enagbare just as insurance.   The Sure Thing: Houston could have protected safety Jalen Pitre in the T-Draft, but they let him ride into the Open Draft only to use their first pick on him. A weird strategy, but if Pitre signs, all will be forgiven and he could be a nice addition.   Potential Diamond in the Rough: Another team stockpiling tight ends, with Cal’s Jake Tonges joining Gerald Everett and Tony Moeaki in a very deep, very pass-oriented TE room.                  Most Intriguing T-Draft Selection: The biggest surprise for Philadelphia was not who they picked, it was who they let escape, not selecting Nittany Lion WR Jahon Dotson with their T-Draft picks, going instead with DE Arnold Ebiketie, G Logan Bruss, and OT Rasheed Walker. For a team without deep ball playmakers, the choice of Dotson seemed a given, but perhaps the Stars know something we don’t.   The Sure Thing: We have to be honest. We don’t think the Stars got the game-changing player fans hoped they would. They wanted Drake London or Garrett Wilson, but they got Baylor’s Tyquan Thornton instead. Not sure that is a win for Coach Quinn.   Potential Diamond in the Rough: We don’t like the top of the draft for the Stars, but their late round pick of Ohio State tackle Thayer Munford, a likely “handcuff” pick to pair with T-Draft choice Rasheed Walker from Penn State, makes a lot of sense.   NEW JERSEY GENERALS Most Intriguing T-Draft Selection: Yes, Purdue DE George Karloftis was a popular pick, the kind of player General fans love to get behind, but the one we think could be a lot of fun is their 3 rd  pick, local star, Rutgers HB Isaiah Pacheco. The man is like a human pinball, bouncing off tackles and finding ways to gain just few more yards when he needs them.   The Sure Thing: Mark our words, HB Kyren Williams of Notre Dame should not have been around in the 3 rd round. He should have gone sooner, and New Jersey is going to laugh themselves all the way to the bank with that pick, assuming, of course, that they out-woo the LA Rams to sign him.   Potential Diamond in the Rough: We already gave this one away. The T-Draft pick of Isaiah Pacheco is not really a “double down’ on Williams, because he is a very different type of back, but New Jersey should have room for them both if they both want to be there.    ARIZONA WRANGLERS Most Intriguing T-Draft Selection: DT Jordan Jackson from the Air Force Academy will be an interesting story to follow, because while he plays in Arizona, he will have to split time between practice and service, assuming the Air Force allows him to join the Wranglers at all.   The Sure Thing: Overall there seemed to be an air of confusion about Arizona’s draft, but that does not mean that they missed with every pick. We feel pretty good that their 2 nd round choice of BYU halfback Tyler Allgeir will prove to be a nice choice, especially with a hole in the HB group now that Isaiah Crowell has moved on.   Potential Diamond in the Rough: Is 4 th  round pick Bailey Zappe going to step in and be the new David Carr in 2022? No. Get that out of your heads right now. But, the Western Kentucky QB could do worse than to sign with Coach Tomsula and perhaps work his way up the depth chart over time.   BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS Most Intriguing T-Draft Selection: The cavalcade of Bama players continues, though this time the Stallions did trade away their top choice, allowing Denver to select OT Evan Neal. But, they were right back to the Crimson Tide, selecting WR John Metchie and DT Phidarian Mathis with the remaining 2 picks. Must sting if you are at Auburn or UAB that you are almost always an afterthought.   The Sure Thing: The deal that swapped T-Draft picks gave Birmingham just what they wanted, a chance to sign a player with the potential to follow in the Stallion footsteps of Shannon Sharpe. That may be a lot of pressure on Trey McBride, but his film gives Stallion fans a lot of hope for the TE position this year.   Potential Diamond in the Rough:  DE Kyron Johnson suffered through a lot of bad seasons with the Kansas Jayhawks. Can he turn that frustration into motivation to stick with the Stallions roster this year?   CHICAGO MACHINE Most Intriguing T-Draft Selection: Chicago traded away their 2 nd  pick, but used their first and third on defense, doubling down at safety with Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton and Illnois’s Kerby Joseph. Both are purely depth picks since SS Jordan Poyer was All-USFL this year and FS Xavier Woods is one of the top 5-6 in the league.   The Sure Thing: We love the selection of Alabama speedster Jameson Williams by Chicago. They pair him with Chase Claypool and you could have a very tough 1-2 combo to defend.   Potential Diamond in the Rough: Penn State punter Jordan Stout got the call in the 7 th round, but his chance to play in Chicago is pretty solid since the Machine have yet to sign another punter to compete in camp.   ORLANDO RENEGADES Most Intriguing T-Draft Selection: Having given up their first pick to Michigan, the Renegades used their final 2 picks on depth, picking South Carolina HB Kevin Harris and TE Nick Muse, both seen as backups behind starters Chris Carson and David Njoku.   The Sure Thing: Center Luke Fortner did not even wait until the Jaguars called, he signed on with Orlando just 20 hours after the NFL draft concluded. Not sure why he was so quick to join Orlando, but the Renegades are happy to have him.   Potential Diamond in the Rough: Safety Theo Jackson was expected to be called as early as the late 4 th round, so Orlando getting the Tennessee defender in the 6 th  is really a steal.    DENVER GOLD Most Intriguing T-Draft Selection: Denver made a one-for-one swap with the Stallions, sending TE Trey McBride to Birmingham while landing the rights to OT Evan Neal. That is a classic win-win, as long as both teams win at the negotiating table and keep their top pick from heading to the NFL.   The Sure Thing: The Gold could have two rookies on their O-line this year, if both sign with the team, and both OT Evan Neal and C Cam Jurgens could be the foundation for a solid like for the foreseeable future. You are welcome, Josh Allen.   Potential Diamond in the Rough: Kicker Cade York, out of LSU, may not be able to beat out Greg Zeurlein in Denver, but the 7 th  round pick could very well find a spot on another team’s roster if he doesn’t.    SEATTLE DRAGONS Most Intriguing T-Draft Selection: We love the pick of WR Khalil Shakir for the Dragons. Yes, Amari Cooper remains option number one, but having a slot receiver with Shakir’s elusiveness will absolutely help make the Dragon offense more difficult to gameplan against.   The Sure Thing: We have already talked up Shakir, so how about we give some attention to the Dragons’ first pick in the Open Draft, DT Jordan Davis out of Georgia. Yet another Bulldog who is likely to be playing on Sundays in short order.   Potential Diamond in the Rough: With all the trades and swapping, it took some time to realize that Seattle actually had the last pick in the draft, and that pick could potentially make the team, Colorado State punter Ryan Stonehouse.    TAMPA BAY BANDITS Most Intriguing T-Draft Selection: The Bandits chose 3 players from Ole Miss, a sign not only that something is happening right in Oxford, but also that things are not going well in Tallahassee. No Seminoles? Wow! But, of the Rebels chosen, it is QB Matt Coral who we think will be the long-term story. We are not sure how much action he will see this year, though Dak Prescott did miss several games in 2021. The more intriguing question is whether or not Coral’s presence can influence Prescott’s contract negotiations.   The Sure Thing: Another punter? Yes, and this time it is one taken well before the 7 th round, with Tampa Bay using a 4 th  round pick to land San Diego State’s Matt Araiza, know to Aztec fans as “The Punt God”. With a 51.19 average, we see why he earned the odd name, and why Tampa used a mid-round pick on a punter.   Potential Diamond in the Rough: We are going to go back to Matt Coral here. Not because we think he will have a breakout year, but because we think he is a very good fit for the Bandit offense and could well be a solid option if Dak again has issues with his health.     While there are still a few big name free agents out there, we certainly have seen our fair share of signings over the past few months. Teams across the board have worked the salary cap, found space, and added talent where they felt it was needed. Some were extravagant, others a bit more frugal, but as camps prepare to open and the attention of the GM’s has shifted to signing the recent draftees and preparing for a last minute flurry of action with NFL free agents becoming available, we thought it would be a good time to review the offseason signings across the league. So, here goes, our team-by-team breakdown of free agent signings.   LA: QB Nick Foles, QB Kyle Lauletta, HB Kenyan Drake The Express moved a lot of funds around to find themselves a potential Plan B if Kyler Murray continues to struggle. Foles could see some time under center, while Lauletta’s presence could make Murray expendable if things really go south.   OAK: FS Jordan Lucas, G Joshua Garnett Two depth moves for the Invaders as they try to keep under a pretty tight cap.   POR: C Erik McCoy, OT Paris Lambert The Stags and head coach John Harbaugh are clearly working to improve their line, which can only help their run game as well as a somewhat shellshocked Marcus Mariota.   SD: QB Mason Rudolph, DT Sheldon Rankins The Thunder are looking to open up a QB competition, pitting former Outlaw Rudolph against 2021 acquistion Christian Hackenberg.   SEA: No signings since October. Seattle made waves early with the signing of WR Devin Funchess, but the cap-strapped Dragons have made few additional moves.   ARZ: G Carmine Belcher, SS Jayron Kearse The big news in Arizona was through a trade, with Arizona sending Jerry Hughes and a 2023 draft pick to the Feds to bring the prodigal son, QB Ryan Nassib back to the desert. Beyond that big move, one which could define the season for the Wranglers, we do like Kearse as a swing safety behind Budda Baker and Talanoa Hufanga.   DAL: FB Tommy Bohanan After spending big to land Myles Jack, we are not surprised that Dallas focused on the draft and not more high-priced free agents. Bohanan, however, is a solid addition at a value price. DEN: G Dru Samia, WR Chester Rogers Denver found two lower cost additions to help add depth on offense.   LV: OT Gabe Carimi, OG Nick Allegretti, LB Paul Dawson The Vipers spent a combined $17M on Carimi and Allegretti, but essentially bought themselves as much improved front line. Expect Carimi to lock down the LT position while Allegretti will provide solid run blocking on the right side.   OKL: No significant signings. The Outlaws were in cap-cutting mode after some early offseason additions, and may still have to rework some deals to get under this year’s cap.   CHI: SS Terrance Brooks, FB Jakob Johnson The Machine are still looking for a dynamic receiver, and may consider the NFL pool, though they could still be in the mix for Odell Beckham Jr. as well.   MGN: QB Brandon Allen, OG Ross Pierschbacher, WR Equanimeous St. Brown After getting outbid early in free agency, Michigan found the right targets at the right price. Expect Pierschbacher to find himself a starting slot, while St. Brown and Allen are depth signings.   OHI: QB DeShone Kizer, WR Taywan Taylor, CB Damontae Kazee The Glory think Kizer can be a solid understudy for Justin Fields, though he is not quite the scrambler that Fields is. Kazee is a nice addition to the secondary as well.   PIT: CB Ronald Darby, LB Reggie Ragland Two very nice additions to the defense in the last 3 months, with both projected to be starters for the Glory after solid 2021 seasons.   STL: No major signings. Maybe it was all the draft pick swapping, but it seems like St. Louis forgot that they are allowed to add talent in the offseason.     BIR: SS Baccari Rambo, HB Isaiah Pead Two high need positions, two solid pick-ups. Pead will be a nice change of pace (and mentor) for Najee Harris, while Rambo has been among the better safeties in the league the past two years.   HOU: FB C. J. Ham, CB Rashaan Gaulden A new lead blocker for Carlos Hyde and a solid nickel back for Coach Crennel’s defense.   MEM: No major signings. The Showboats are putting a lot of faith into the draft, at least that is the message their general disinterest in free agents is sending.   NOR: WR Olamide Zacheaeous, C Pat Elflein Zacheaeous will have some big shoes to fill after Tyler Lockett headed off to Arizona. He will get looks, so this could be a big year for him.   SAN: No major signings. The Gunslingers were another team seemingly fixated on the draft to the detriment of their free agency plans.     ATL: No major signings. Quarterback remains a position of need. With Pat White on the way out (released by the team in December) it seems they have their eyes set on a possible NFL import, but who?   CHA: No major signings. After landing Paxton Lynch back in the opening days of free agency, it has been crickets from Charlotte, which is surprising when we consider the number of holes they need to fill, but not surprising when we see how much of their cap Lynch occupies.   JAX: TE Eric Ebron A really solid addition, Ebron could quickly become a favorite target for Trevor Lawrence, and a clear upgrade from Gavin Escobar in the position.   ORL: DE Chase Winovich, CB Cam Lewis With a trade providing them a very interesting 1-2 punch at QB, with Jameis Winston coming over from New England to back up Wilson (or challenge him if his issue with picks keeps growing), Orlando used free agency to bolster the defense. Winovich should benefit greatly from teams overloading Montez Sweat’s side of the line, while Lewis is a very solid addition as a nickel corner.   TBY: DT Sylvester Williams, OT Ross Burton Someone in Tampa’s front office deserves a raise, and that person is their cap guru. How the defending champs managed to free up enough money to land the best DT in the free agent pool and also find a solid option at tackle is a mystery, and a sign that they are at the top of their game both on and off the field.     BAL: No major signings. We don’t think Baltimore is done, but if they are going to add anyone now, it may well be someone they really like in the NFL free agent pool.   NE: P Drue Chrisman, K Bobby Miller After some big signings in the first month of free agency (Mike Pouncey, Devin Singletary, Andre Smith, and Jacob Hollister) the Steamrollers bring in some warm bodies to compete at the two kicking positions. They freed up quite a bit of cap space by trading Jameis Winston to Orlando for OT Cameron Fleming and a 2024 draft pick, so they could still be in the market for talent when the NFL-USFL Transfer Window opens.   NJ: QB Connor Shaw, WR Victor Cruz, G Forrest Lamp, WR Leonard Hankerson After multiple efforts to bring OBJ back, the General shrugged and moved on, signing Victor Cruz to a 1-year deal and adding Hankerson, all for less than Beckham wanted as a minimum.   PHI: DE Robert Quinn, CB Rashad Fenton, WR Cobi Hamilton Quinn moves from Baltimore to Philly, where he can now torment his former club twice a season. Expect Danielle Hunter to shift to the right side with the veteran acquisition taking over the left end, blind side position.   WSH: QB Jeff Tuel The trade that sent Ryan Nassib back to Arizona also provided Washington with some defensive help in the form of DE Jerry Hughes, while adding Tuel feels like a bit of a desperation move as the Feds wanted a veteran backup for Jacoby Brissett, but did not have much cap room to work with.     As we have come to expect of the 2 nd  transfer window, the USFL pool of talent is quite thin by this late stage of the offseason, though there are a few big names still holding out for the best possible deal, while the NFL talent pool is quite flush, with over 150 players expected to be on the market once the Super Bowl is played. That means that we are likely, as always, to see a market that heavily favors USFL teams that are still looking for impact signings, the opposite of the September window’s strong current from the USFL to the NFL.   On the USFL side, the biggest names still unsigned are perhaps more than we have seen in recent years, though once again we have quite a few players on the cusp of retirement, so perhaps 1-year deals at best. Among the big names still unsigned we find HB Jeremy Hill, TE Martellus Bennett, WR Doug Baldwin, C Ethan Pocic, CB Jalen Collins, HB Miles Gaskin, and perhaps the biggest late season free agent we have seen in several years, WR Odell Beckham Jr.. OBJ had more than his fair share of offers over the fall but seems adamant about getting exactly the deal he wants from exactly the team he wants, and that may well now be an NFL team instead of another USFL opportunity. We expect USFL clubs to continue to sweeten the pot, trying to land the talented wideout, but at this point, we are not sure who, if anyone, is willing to meet the outspoken receiver’s demands.   On the NFL side of the transfer window, we have a mix of younger players coming off their rookie deals and veterans seeking to max out their earning potential with a new deal. We also have a few players who are simply seeking more advantageous positions with teams that have greater title potential, and a fair share of players who just have not reached the potential that their college production anticipated. Here is our list of the most promising candidates for a league-to-league relocation.   QUARTERBACK: Five names rise to the top, including 2 members of the highly touted Class of 2018. Could either Baker Mayfield, let go by the Browns, or Josh Rosen, who never got a real shot as a starter, be joining classmates Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson in the USFL after a rough start to their NFL careers? Joining them is another intriguing but perhaps higher risk player in Houston Oiler QB DeShaun Watson, a talented player, but one with a lot of clouds (in the form of sexual assault allegations) hanging over his head. Finally, there are two lesser-known quarterbacks who could help teams with depth, Davis Webb from the Giants and Garrett Gilbert from Washington.   RUNNING BACK: Not as rich a pool as in recent years, but certainly some talent who could help out a club. Names most fans will recognize include the Bears’ Tarik Cohen, San Francisco’s Raheem Mostert, Carolina’s Ameer Abdullah, Chase Edmunds from Arizona, J. D. McKissick of Washington, and Rashaad Penny from Seattle. Do we see a clear option as a lead back here? Not really, but any of these backs could be effective as a change of pace, perhaps a 3 rd  down back, or in a committee format. Honestly, the best back in the pool is likely not a ballcarrier at all but Baltimore Raven fullback Patrick Ricard. Ricard is one of the most devastating lead blockers in the game and would be an instant upgrade for the run game of pretty much any USFL team that was willing to foot the bill for him to change leagues.   RECEIVER: Starting with the Tight End position, we have a trio of potential difference makers as both blockers and receivers. Miami’s Mike Gesicki is undervalued at present and could be ready to become a top 10, maybe top 5 target at the position. Dalton Schultz (DAL) and Mo Allie-Cox (IND) are also solid receivers, though both lack Gesicki’s tenacity and ability to make contested catches. At wideout we are missing the big name, immediate impact receiver that so many teams seem to need, but that does not mean that a USFL squad could not improve their passing game options by signing one of these players: Jacksonville’s D. J. Chark, Arizona’s Christian Kirk, Dallas’s Michael Gallup, Atlanta’s Russell Gage, or New Orleans’s Tre’Quan Smith. While not likely a starting receiver, we expect someone to take a flyer on Pittsburgh return man Ray-Ray McCloud, who excels as both a kick and punt return specialist.   OFFENSIVE LINE: Highlighted by tackles Orlando Brown (KC) and Sam Trevi (IND), the lineman group has a range of talents. Other potential targets at tackle include Trent Brown (NE), Germain Ifedi (CHI), and La’El Collins (DAL). At guard, Connor Williams (TBY) will certainly get some looks, as should Ram Austin Corbett, Buc Alex Cappa, and Colt mark Glowinski. Finally, at center, we see interest in Kansas City’s Austin Blythe, Cleveland’s J. C> Tretter, and Billy Price, who is likely to be leaving the NY Giants.   DEFENSIVE LINE: If your goal is to find the next 20-sack man, we don’t think this is the pool for you, but there are some players here who could get to double digits and help your other end expand their opportunities by drawing blockers. We like Alex Okafor (KC),Rasheem Green (SEA), Trey Flowers (DET), and Dorance Armstrong (DAL) as potential crossovers. Inside, the name we are hearing quite a bit of in USFL circles is Bilal Nichols of the Bears, though there is also certainly interest in Washington’s Matt Ioannidis, Buffalo’s Harrison Phillips, and another Bear, Akiem Hicks.   LINEBACKER: Fast and athletic pass rusher Za’Darius Smith of Green Bay is absolutely going to be a target of USFL interest, as should the Giants’ Lorenzo Carter, Miami’s Elandon Roberts, and Smith’s teammate, Packer De’Vondre Campbell. Not as much help in the middle, though we think that Pittsburgh’s Joe Schobert could do well in a 3-4 alignment.   SECONDARY: At corner Kansas City’s Chavarius Ward looks like a good option, as does another Packer, Kevin King, as well as D. J. Reed from Seattle. But there is more talent at safety, which is good since so many USFL clubs seem to struggle at the position. A needy club could and should take a long look at Jayron Kearse from the Cowboys, Landon Collins from Washington, Justin Reid of the Oilers, and Quandry Diggs from Seattle. Cleveland’s Ronnie Harrison is a bit raw still but could also draw some interest.   SPECIAL TEAMS: Punters Laclan Edwards (CAR) and Bradley Pinion (TBY) are available. At present it does not appear that any well-established kickers are going to be cut loose, but that is always a post-season decision, so it is possible.   We will be back with you in just a few weeks with our 2-part Season Preview. We will take a look back at the offseason, catch you up on the 11 th  hour signings, including all the action from the NFL-USFL transfer window, and get you ready for the 2022 Season as the USFL celebrates 40 years of spring football.

October 4, 2021 Welcome back, USFL Fans. It has been two months since the Tampa Bay Bandits claimed their 5 th title and the offseason is in full swing. We have some early free agency news, an active trading block, a surprisingly limited NFL-USFL transfer window, and news on the coaching front to share with you. We will run through all the offseason moves to date and prepare you for January’s USFL Collegiate Draft, starting with our assessment of the early Free Agency winners and losers as we focus on the USFL offseason with this, our first of two offseason updates.   Early Free Agent Signings Produce Winners & Losers The USFL free agency window has been open for about 7 weeks now, and already we are seeing trends, including the reluctance of some big-name players to sign off on deals, and a pattern of teams and players who are coming out on top while others are not getting the results they wanted. There is still plenty of time for both teams and players to change their fortunes, but at this early window, there appear to be some winners and losers and we will start off our review of the offseason to date by identifying who we see as the early offseason winners and those with lots of work left to do.   WINNER: ARIZONA The Wranglers came out of the first weeks of Free Agency with big smiles on their faces, landing not only the top safety in the pool in former Gambler Budda Baker, but also signing a dynamic slot receiver in Tyler Lockett and a very good swing end in Carlos Dunlap. With Victor Cruz still unsigned, the Wranglers may even be able to bring their big play receiver back to the fold.   LOSER: HOUSTON Seeing Budda Baker head to Arizona had to sting, but the main pain this fall has been losing out on several players that Houston had coveted. They Gamblers were outbid for LB Myles Jack, with the dynamic playmaker headed up the road to Dallas. They also have yet to close the deal on DE Chase Winovich or OT Kelvin Beachem, both not jumping at the Gambler’s early bids.   WINNER: NEW ENGLAND With plenty of cap room and in the market to upgrade across the roster, the Steamrollers have already added 4 players to their squad through free agency, with the big name being center Mike Pouncey , who agreed to a 2-year deal to move from Charlotte to New England. They also landed HB Devin Singletary, OT Andre Smith, and TE Jacob Hollister, a move that may preview the trade of Dennis Pitta.   LOSER: MICHIGAN Another club that lost out on a few serious bids, including an effort to land CB Taron Johnson and FS Mark Barron. Michigan is still working to try to land DT Sylvester Williams but is getting stiff competition from at least 2 other teams. They have also shown interest in TE Eric Ebron, though many are hoping they can get Martellus Bennett to return as he remains unsigned. With both WR Kevin Kraft and HB Karlos Williams joining the NFL during the transfer window, Michigan has some holes they still very much need to fill.   WINNER: WR Devin Funchess After a huge 2020 campaign, Funchess’s numbers slipped quite a bit in 2021, but it seems at least one team feels that had more to do with Paxton Lynch and the Memphis offense and less to do with Funchess’s upside. Funchess got himself an upgrade, in both team and salary, with his new 3-year deal in Seattle putting him on a very talented roster and giving him an additional $1.3M per season than his Memphis deal.   LOSER: WR Victor Cruz Still unsigned and with few nibbles, the 34-year-old receiver seems mystified as to why he has not found a team willing to meet his salary demands. He may well need to reconsider what he is asking, especially with OBJ still in the market as well.   WINNER: LB Myles Jack It was not a full on feeding frenzy, but the competition between Dallas and Houston for Jack’s services certainly aided the former Thunder LB. Jack is looking at a much more lucrative deal, with nearly $20M in guaranteed money, and a serious improvement on his playoff chances. Dallas gets a stud, but Mack gets a chance to compete on a very good team.   LOSER: SS Baccari Rambo We expect that Rambo will end up doing quite well now that Budda Baker is off the table. There are still plenty of teams that need safety help, but the lack of an early “pounce” by teams means that the big money may evade the 31-year-old safety.   Players Off the Board You have seen our assessment of the teams and players that are either looking good or looking for help, but there are plenty more signings than the few already mentioned. Here is our rundown of the biggest signings to date across the league.   We start at the “glamour” position of QB, where only one name came off the free agent market so far, but it was the top name in the pool, disgruntled and disrespected Memphis Showboat QB Paxton Lynch  is taking his chances with a new coaching staff and a team trying to rebuild, signing a 4-year deal to join the Charlotte Monarchs. The arrival of Lynch clears up one of the murkier QB situations in the league and has Charlotte now looking to focus on providing their new signal caller with talent, protection and an improved defense. No biggie, just a total overhaul. But, at the very least, their new head coach, offensive guru Brian Daboll, has his centerpiece at QB.   As already mentioned, two of the top defenders in the league are off the board, with Budda Baker now a Wrangler and former Thunder LB Myles Jack headed to Dallas. The third top defender on our board, CB Dee Milliner  also has a new home, with the Washington Federals outbidding Orlando to sign the talented corner.   Four-time All-USFL center Mike Pouncey  will be finishing his career up in New England, where the Steamrollers offered him a 2-year deal that will take him to age 36. Pouncey was expected to sign with an immediate playoff contender, but New England simply made him an offer he could not refuse.   Two more top tier linemen found new deals, with the 2 nd  rated center, Greg Mancz  resigning with the Breakers despite a solid offer from Orlando, while tackle D. J. Fluker  had a three way bidding war between Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, and Oklahoma, choosing the Outlaws for a new 4-year deal.   Our top 2 halfbacks came off the board as well, with former Bull Devin Singletary also headed to New England, a team that has been among the most aggressive in the league in cutting deals, while Rex Burkhead  will now back up Nick Chubb in Atlanta.   While both OBJ and Victor Cruz remain on the market, both Devin Funchess , as reported above, and Michael Floyd  signed on to new teams. Funchess joins Seattle, replacing Marshall Newhouse in the Dragon attack, while Floyd takes his talents from Chicago to Oakland, where he will be a target for 2 nd year QB Davis Mills.   Further down our list, we find DE Malik Jackson , leaving Philadelphia for San Diego, corner Taron Johnson  getting a lucrative 3-year deal to return to Portland, LB Devon Kinnard  also staying put with a new deal to remain in Tampa Bay, and Dallas LB De’Vondre Campbell  finding a new home in Orlando.   Others signing new deals include:   QB     B. J. Daniels (TBY to MEM) HB         Isaiah Crowell (ARZ to NOR) TE          Ricky Seals-Jones (BIR to LV) TE          Jacob Hollister (OAK to NE) WR        Tyler Lockett (NOR to ARZ) OT          Andre Smith (OAK to NE) OT          David Edwards (PIT to NJ) DT          Terry Bechner (STL to NOR) DT          A’Shawn Robinson (SAN to NJ) DE         Carlos Dunlap (BIR to ARZ) DE         Porter Gustin (LV to SEA) FS          Mark Barron (SD to OHIO) FS          Shamarko Thomas (NJ to BIR) K             Andrew Franks (PIT to BAL)   Top 5 at Each Position So, with just about 2 months of free agency in the books and another 4 ahead of us, who is left in the market? Quite a few high value players, and a lot of depth as well. Here is our position-by-position analysis of the players still available for teams willing to cut the big check and sign off on a new deal.   QB: 1-Nick Foles, 2-Mason Rudolph, 3-Christian Ponder, 4-Kyle Lauletta, 5-Deshone Kizer  We have 2 former starters and 3 pretty well-respected backups in this pool. The question for everyone is whether or not Foles and Ponder have to settle for 2 nd position and a possible QB competition or if one of them will snag a starting job. There are certainly teams left in the market who could use at least a competition for the starter and with a weaker QB pool in the draft, several of these free agent QBs could get a real shot at starting again.   HB: 1-Isaiah Pead, 2-Jeremy Hill, 3-Isaiah Crowell, 4-Leonard Fournette, 5-Myles Gaskin Pead had a major drop off in production in 2020 and that may be scaring people away. The others on the list were all part of a HB-by-Committee and could end up either as backups or in rotation once again. The one player we see here who really deserves more of a chance to shine is Crowell, who had some outstanding games in Arizona, but may once again have to settle for a shared role.   TE: 1-Eric Ebron, 2-Martellus Bennett, 3-James Casey, 4-Austin Sefarin Jenkins,     5-Foster Moreau We are a bit surprised that both Ebron and Bennett remain available, as both were solid starters in 2020. Maybe they are asking too much, or maybe folks are looking at the draft and seeing some younger, faster options, but of this group, we expect those two to find deals that give them real starting potential.   WR: 1-Odell Beckham Jr, 2-Victor Cruz, 3-Equanimeous St. Brown, 4-Olamide Zacheaeous, 5-Chester Rogers Call it an aversion to the Diva attitude, or simply overambitious demands, but the two bona fide superstars in the pool are still out there looking for a deal. We expect that both OBJ and Cruz are going to have to recalibrate their expectations, as it just does not seem like anyone is willing to pay the top dollar figures they have been demanding. After those three, we have three younger prospects, all of whom seem to have more upside than we have seen in their early careers and could find themselves in a position to break out in 2021, depending on where they end up.   OL: 1-Levi Brown (OT), 2-J. D. Walton ( C ), 3-Gabe Carimi (OT), 4-Ross Pierschbacher (OG), 5-Ethan Pocic ( C )  Levi Brown has not declared a retirement plan, not yet at least, but it seems teams are fearful that he will. Maybe the right deal will keep him on the field. We are a bit more surprised that Carimi, Pierschbacher and Pocic are still out here as all have several good years ahead of them and have proven to be strong performers in the past.     DL: 1-Robert Quinn (DE), 2-Sylvester Williams (DT), 3-Kawann Short (DT), 4-Rakeem Nunes-Roches (DT), 5-Romeo Okwara (DE) No one here is going to be a 20-sack guy for you, and, honestly, the DT position is a bit stronger. Williams and Short have proven effective and while injuries have been a concern for Nunes-Roches, when he is in, he can eat up a lot of blockers. Expect them to all find new homes well before the USFL Draft, while Quinn and Okwara may have to wait until we see which drafted edge rushers sign with the NFL, leaving holes on the USFL teams that drafted them.   LB: 1-Reggie Ragland, 2-James Burgess, 3-Paul Dawson, 4-Malik Reed,     5- Stephen Weatherly Perhaps the least impressive pool in free agency, especially after the signing of Jack, Campbell, and Kinnard. With Calvin Pace and Kelvin Beachem off to the NFL (see below), the pool now looks pretty thin, which actually may help Reggie Ragland, the clear top choice left, get a bit more cha-ching in a deal.   CB: 1-Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, 2-Ronald Darby, 3-Eric Murray, 4-Rashaan Gaulden, 5-Damontae Kazee As with OT Levi Brown, many thought Dominique Rogers-Cromartie was calling it a career, and he well could, but if there is a team with a tasty 1-year deal ready to go, they may well be able to land the former All-USFL corner. Beyond him, we like Ronald Darby as a consistent contributor, while the final 3 are players with untapped potential.   S: 1-Baccari Rambo, 2-Malik Hooker, 3-Marqui Christian, 4-David Bruton,      5-Terrance Brooks  If I am Baccari Rambo, I am having some harsh words for my agent. There is no way he should still be on the board. Deals have been offered and good ones from what we are seeing, but Rambo remains uncommitted. That likely won’t last past Thanksgiving. Malik Hooker could also come off the board soon as there just are not many players in the talent range of these two left to look at.   ST: 1-Marquette King (P), 2-Tress Way (P), 3-Josh Lambo (K), 4-Billy Cundiff (K), 5- William Levy (P) No surprise that only one kicker (Andrew Franks) has signed a deal, the position tends to be undervalued and that means that we usually see these players get deals just before camp, often without any guarantee that the job is theirs. They will sign, likely compete with a rookie or an NFL castoff in February, and then hopefully find a home by the season opener.   It is one of the lightest NFL hauls in recent memory, a major surprise considering how poorly the fall league fared in last February’s Covid-impacted transfer window. But, while the fall league did not garner major numbers in the short transfer window, that does not mean that their foray into USFL free agency did not produce some big impact signings.   Among the bigger names signed away by the “senior” league are Generals’ DT B. J. Raji, Stallion slot receiver Julian Edelman, Oakland DT Tyson Alualu, Breaker guard Julian Vandervelde, Michigan WR Kevin Kraft, and Oklahoma wideout Donte Moncrief. One surprise pickup was QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, who many saw as an obvious retirement candidate at age 38. Apparently, the Miami Dolphins still see life in the Harvard grad and added him to their roster to back up starter Joe Burrow.   Here is the full list of NFL signings of USFL Players with significant 2021 playing time:   QB: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jeff Tuel HB: Montario Hardesty, Andre Williams, Karlos Williams WR: Julian Edelman, Marshall Newhouse, Tavon Austin OL: T Kelvin Beachem,G Trevor Canfield, G Julian Vandervelde, C Stefan Wisniewski DL: DE Tim Crowder, DT B. J. Raji, DT Tyson Alualu LB: Clay Matthews, Calvin Pace DB: CB Prince Amukamara, FS Matt Elam   And what about USFL signings during the September Window? Well, as usual, you won’t see many recognizable names as there were few NFL free agents after camps opened in August or rosters were filled as the season began. That said, there are a few names that you may want to remember as your favorite USFL teams build their camp rosters.   Denver added depth to their CB group by landing former Patriot J. C. Jackson.   San Diego hopes they have added some muscle to the D-Line with former Saints’ DT Sheldon Rankins.   The Panthers got some help for LeVeon Bell, signing Ito Smith away from the Atlanta Falcons.   Birmingham is hoping they have solidified their LG position with the signing of Jake Long, a former starter for the Chicago Bears.   New Jersey added former 49er safety and one of our favorite football names, Jaquiski Tart to their defensive backfield.     While the NFL-USFL Transfer Window did not produce the fireworks we expected, the trading block has had quite a few intriguing moves. It may not be the biggest names in the game (it never is), but from a tactical and talent acquisition standpoint, there are some moves from the past 2 months that have our interest piqued. Here are the deals we think show some promise for 2022.   An interesting tit-for-tat deal between two offenses trying to find a new path as the Bulls and Vipers swap receivers. Tight End Gavin Escobar, the starter for the Bulls for the past 6 years becomes a Viper, clearing the path for Taysom Hill’s diverse skill sets to get a starting gig, while Escobar becomes a target for Matt McGloin. In return, the Bulls get WR Kenny Golloday, a speedy deep threat who had a couple of solid years in Chicago but did not click with the Vipers in his one year with the team. He will now work with Trevor Lawrence in a Bulls offense that is looking for more explosiveness.   New Jersey hopes it has at least partially solved their HB issue after the unexpected retirement of Delone Carter, trading with the Gunslingers to bring HB C. J. Prosise to the Meadowlands. Prosise will likely share carries with Tony Pollard in the Generals’ attack. For their part, San Antonio likely found a potential starter at their pivot with center Michael Menet coming over from New Jersey.   New England, who are just in full sprint so far this offseason, also hope they upgraded at center, acquiring Zach Williams from Seattle. There was thought they would be sending TE Dennis Pitta back to the Dragons to acquire Williams, but instead it was backup Jack Doyle, who is a better blocker and still a decent receiver, who will head to the PNW and serve as the 2 nd  option behind Kyle Rudolph.   Another tight end on the move is Memphis’s Luke Stocker, who was part of a deal that will bring DT Angelo Blackson and a 6 th  round pick to the Showboats. Stocker will now line up in Baltimore to block for Josh Jacobs and catch the occasional Jake Locker dump down. Locker to Stocker, that should be fun for the announcers.   LA made a move to once again mix up their pretty solid defense. Swing DE Andy Studebaker, who is more of an early down specialist and not a pure edge rusher, heads to Ohio in a deal that helps add depth to the Express secondary with the arrival of cornerback Ka’Dar Hollman. Expect Studebaker to rotate with Tank Carradine and Datone Jones in Ohio, while Hollman likely fills the nickel behind Gilmore and Jamar Taylor for the Express.   Finally, another deal by the Bulls brings safety Tavon Wilson to town to fill what had been a pretty shaky position at the strong safety slot. The acquisition of the former Machine starter at the position (replaced by Jordan Poyer in 2021) will cost the Bulls the services of guard Patrick Omameh and a 3 rd  round pick they had acquired from the LA Express in a trade last offseason. Expect Wilson to be the day one starter for the Bulls at strong safety.   San Diego Surprises With Choice of Former USFL Tight End USFL fans may well be familiar with the name Anthony Becht. After all, he played 11 seasons, including 2 championship seasons, with the New Jersey Generals, but that does not mean he was a name most were considering a potential 2022 head coach. Becht, who was a 2-time All-USFL tight end, retired after the 2011 season and has been working his way up the coaching ranks for the past decade. Fans in Denver may know him as the Passing Game Coordinator for the Gold, the position he has held over the past 2 years. But while Becht certainly has had success developing Josh Allen, including a very strong 2021 season from the Gold QB, the jump from an assistant coordinator to a head coaching position is a big one.   The San Diego Thunder clearly felt it was a move that Becht was ready to make, signing the coach to a 4-year deal to become their new head coach this August. Becht will take over an offense that found a solid running game with Charles Sims but could not decide on a starter, using both Christian Ponder and Christian Hackenberg (obtained mid-year from Ohio) during the 2021 season. With Ponder now in the free agent market, the Thunder may well have an all new option at the QB position by February, and Becht is very likely to be a big part of the decision process that will decide the direction for the position and the offense.   Oklahoma OC Brian Daboll to Lead Monarchs as They Seek Offensive Spark Another offensive-minded coach finds himself an opportunity to take a seat in the big chair, as Oklahoma OC Brian Daboll was named as the new head coach of the Charlotte Monarchs just 3 weeks ago. Daboll, often touted for the early development of Outlaw QB Jalen Hurts, will take over one of the most problematic teams in the league, a 1-15 club that has major question marks up and down their roster.   The Monarchs finished 2021with the 28 th  ranked scoring offense, 23 rd  in passing and 20 th rushing the ball, but also the worst ranked defense in the league, giving up 27.3 points per game, a gap that produced an average margin of -11 points per game. Charlotte did get themselves a new QB just before signing Daboll, making a deal with the top free agent QB in the pool, Paxton Lynch, but they still have a laundry list of needs to be addressed, and even the top pick in the draft may not be enough to bring them what they need. And so, Daboll, in his first head coaching position, will have a lot to accomplish and a lot to prove as he takes on the Monarchs’ after a disastrous 2021 season.   Vrabel Makes it Official with Return to Jacksonville The last piece of the coaching puzzle was not a surprise, as Mike Vrabel and the Bulls publicly announced that they had reunited, with Vrabel getting a 4-year deal to help build up his former club as their new head coach. Vrabel, who left the playing field in 2014, shifted to coaching within the Bulls’ organization before moving on to take LB Coach and eventually Defensive Coordinator positions elsewhere. The DC for the Western Conference Champion Seattle Dragons was a favorite for the position in Jacksonville from the moment Winston Moss was let go (and even earlier if you polled fans). He returns to his former team with a clear focus on rebuilding a Bulls’ defense that finished 2021 26 th  in points allowed and 29 th in yardage.   Vrabel will also have a charge to help develop a Bulls offense that has its centerpiece in QB Trevor Lawrence, but which needs to bring in more weapons. The Run game is in transition, though 2021 rookie Chubba Hubbard had some moments. Devin Singletary is gone in free agency and Jacksonville has the HB position circled for offseason additions. On defense, the focus will be on improving the interior of the line and the secondary. Jacksonville’s LB group, featuring All-USFL breakout player Alex Anzelone and veteran MLB Sean Lee is the clear strength of the D, as it was when Vrabel was one of the league’s best players. It will be no easy task for Vrabel, as Jacksonville has not reached the playoffs since 2007, but after 14 consecutive losing seasons, the Bulls are hoping that their former All-USFL player can provide stability, vision, and a change of culture to a team that has seen more than its share of lean years.   While the main postseason wave of retirement announcements had its ebb in early August, the offseason has produced a few more announcements of note, departures which certainly impact their teams’ offseason plans. Among the players who have announced it since the Summer Bowl, we have several from the various playoff competitors as well a smattering of others. Here is our quick run through of August and September announcements.   Tampa Bay DT Marcell Dareus stepped away after 8 seasons in Ohio, 3 in Tampa Bay, and a pair of championship rings. The run-stuffing DT retires with 445 tackles and 38 sacks to his name.   Seattle WR John Brown , who suffered a severe muscular tear after only 6 games of the 2021 season has decided to retire. Brown, who came to the Dragons in 2018 after 4 years with the NFL Cardinals, had an up-and-down career in the USFL, with strong seasons in the slot in 2018 and 2020, but with two injury-shortened seasons as well.   Baltimore WR Brian Hartline called it a career after 13 pro seasons, the final 9 with the Blitz. A prolific route runner, Hartline was a primary weapon for both Ben Roethlisberger and Jake Locker, retiring with 433 career receptions, 8.231 yards, and 65 touchdowns in the USFL.   Halfback Ben Tate is retiring from football after 11 seasons in the USFL, including two stints with the Birmingham Stallions to book end a career that saw him also play for the Panthers, Machine, Gamblers, and Stags. Tate’s best year came in Portland, where, in 2018 he toyed with a 1,000-yard season, finishing with 972. His 2021 campaign in Birmingham saw him back up rookie Najee Harris, finishing the year with 81 touches for 334 yards and 5 touchdowns.   Denver had two August announcements, with both OT Ryan Clady and DT Terrell Troupe declaring their intention to file for retirement. Clady played his entire 13-year career in Denver, earning All-USFL honors in 2018, and will retire with 902 career pancakes and an average of just under 5 sacks allowed per year. Troupe spent the first 7 years of his career with the Texas Outlaws before moving on to Michigan and Denver, earned a championship ring with the Panthers in 2017 and retires with 349 career tackles.   One more receiver we should note, in the category of longevity if nothing else, is Philadelphia wideout Steve Breaston . Breaston spent 14 seasons in the USFL, always contributing on special teams and only occasionally gaining a start as a receiver. In 14 years, Breaston started a grand total of 6 games at wideout, all in Washington, but as a gunner and a returner he found a niche and played a full career, moving from New Jersey to Charlotte, then Washington, a season in Oakland, and finishing his career with 3 years in Philadelphia. Steve Breaston won’t be on anyone’s list for the Hall of Fame in 5 years, but any player who can put in 14 seasons in the USFL deserves a note of kudos when he moves on from football.   QB Situation for all 30 Clubs With only 1 major move on the QB Front (Paxton Lynch to Charlotte), there are still several clubs who are definitely prioritizing the position this offseason, scouting seniors during the NCAA season, exploring options for trades, looking at NFL starters who are in contract years. So, where does your team stand? Here is our list of all 30 teams, divided into three major categories: Teams trying to find a starter, teams hoping to add depth, and teams almost certainly standing pat with their 3-deep QB room as it is. We will start with this latter group, and congratulations to fans of these teams, as you are not panicked about the lack of prospects available this year.   Standing Pat These are teams whose 3-man QB Room looks pretty solid. Sure, they might make a trade deal for one of their backups if it meets a need they see as a priority, but overall, they do not expect to spend much time at all thinking about the QB Position.   Baltimore Starter: Jake Locker Backups: Nate Sudfeld & Trevone Boykin Locker may not be putting up All-USFL numbers, but with Baltimore’s run-first approach, they are fine with a game manager.   Chicago Starter: Sam Bradford Backups: Mike Kafka & Ian Book Finding an heir apparent to Bradford is likely a 2022-2023 issues, though the Machine certainly hope that Book shows something in his 2 nd  camp.   Denver Starter: Josh Allen Backups: Mitchell Trubisky & Bob Volek Until Volek, who is more mentor & coach to Allen than a gameday player, retires, don’t expect Denver to focus on the QB position at all.   Houston Starter: Colt McCoy Backups: Landry Jones & Kellen Clemons Houston has the MVP at QB and one of the best (and still younger) backups in Jones. Their only issue is that Jones is in a contract year and may want a chance to start in 2023, so free agency could be in his future.   Jacksonville Starter: Trevor Lawrence Backups: Ben DiNucco & Cardale Jones One of the youngest QB groups in the league, and one that could stay intact for a while.   New Orleans Starter: Geno Smith Backups: Tajh Boyd & Cooper Rush With Smith having injury issues in 2021, fans are hoping the Breakers find a way to upgrade behind him, but it is hardly a top priority for the club. Oakland Starter: Davis Mills Backups: Kellen Moore & Sam Ehlinger With 2 of their 3 QBs being 2021 draftees, the Invaders have a young QB group, one which could benefit from swapping out Moore for a veteran QB to help guide Mills through what could be a bumpy first season as the starter.   Philadelphia Starter: Carson Wentz Backups: Ryan Lindley & Trace McSorely The Stars got their man from the NFL last year, with Wentz having a solid year even without an offseason to recover from NFL to USFL. Expect even more in Year 2.   Pittsburgh Starter: Andy Dalton Backups: Nate Peterman & Kevin Hogan A team with no need to make changes, but one that could, depending on what they see from Kenny Pickett, the Pitt QB who could be a T-Draft option. Do they bring him in to learn behind Dalton, or would they sign him and then deal the Red Rifle to get more help elsewhere?   Portland Starter: Marcus Mariota Backups: A.J. -McCarron & Bryce Petty Stag Nation may disagree, but Mariota is a solid option in a world where that is not something to give up on. Unless a superstar drops in the NFL Tranfer Window, we don’t see Coach Harbaugh changing QBs this year.   San Antonio Starter: Joe Flacco Backups: Easton Stick & Chad Kelly The goal for the Gunslingers is to find Flacco’s protégé in time to make a transition, but that transition is not this year.   St. Louis Starter: Lamar Jackson Backups: Tyrod Taylor & Bryce Perkins Coach Schottenheimer loves what he saw from Taylor last year. It gives him and the Skyhawks depth, he now just has to finally get the most out of his starter, a talent who flashes but is not consistent enough.   Hoping to Add Depth These are teams that likely have their starter in place, though they may still look to upgrade, but are not feeling like they have a solid plan if the starter goes down. Expect them to look at mid-round QBs in the draft or solid options for the 2 nd  string in free agency.   Atlanta Starter: Aaron Murray Backups: Pat  White When Murray was sidelined last year, White just could not get it done. Expect Atlanta to bring in a veteran “game manager” to take on the backup duties behind their clear number one.   Birmingham Starter: Cam  Newton Backups: Tim Tebow Tebow was a phenomenon in 2021, so Birmingham is just looking for depth, very likely a rookie with dual threat skills to follow the mold of their 1 st  and 2 nd  stringers.   Dallas Starter: Justin Herbert Backups: Josh Freeman Freeman is one of the costliest backups in the league, signed originally as the starter in Dallas. If Dallas can find a trading partner, they may well move Freeman and bring in cheaper options at the 2 and 3 spot.   Las Vegas Starter: Matt McGloin Backups: Gardner Minshew Expect the Vipers to use a mid- to late-round pick on a QB prospect, because they are set at 1-2 for the foreseeable future.   Memphis Starter: Blake Bortles Backups: B. J. Daniels & Joshua Dobbs Memphis was in the market for a top flight backup, someone who could perhaps even challenge Bortles if he struggles. In former Bandit QB B. J. Daniels, they think they have found him.   Michigan Starter: Kirk Cousins Backups: Taylor Heinecke The 1-2 combo is solid, so expect Michigan to look for a young developmental 3 rd  QB, either a rookie or a camp cut from another club.   New Jersey Starter: Teddy Bridgewater Backups: Brett Rypien With Foles still available in free agency, New Jersey could try to bring him back, but more likely they go for a veteran backup to support but not challenge Bridgewater. Someone like Kyle Lauletta or Connor Shaw.   Ohio Starter: Justin Fields Backups E. J. Manuel Fields was a revelation in 2021, but Manuel has been a non-factor since coming over from the NFL. We think Ohio will look for alternatives at the 2-spot, and would love a player who can mimic Fields’s style, so perhaps someone like former Bandit B. J. Daniels   Oklahoma Starter: Jalen Hurts Backup: P. J. Walker With Mason Rudolph almost certainly signing elsewhere in free agency, Walker likely gets bumped up to the 2 spot, which has Oklahoma looking for a rookie for the 3 rd  spot. K-State’s Skyler Thompson would be a popular option in OKC.   Orlando Starter: Russell Wilson Backups: Kyle Luton Unless Wilson can get his interception issue under wraps, the Renegades may have to start looking, but they are not going to remove the QB who got them to the Eastern Finals, not this year.   Seattle Starter: Brett Hundley Backups: Trevor Siemian With 1-2 looking very solid, it is all about having a complementary 3 rd  QB who can run the other team’s offenses in practices and who won’t cost the Dragons much in cap space.   Tampa Bay Starter: Dak Prescott Backups: James Morgan With Daniels off to Memphis in free agency, the Bandits need a new number 2. Morgan does not appear to be ready, so expect Tampa to look long and hard at players like Kyle Lauletta, Kyle Allen, or even someone like Nick Foles if he is willing to take a pure backup spot.   Washington Starter: Jacoby Brissett Backups: Ryan Nassib & Will Grier We do not expect Nassib to be a Fed by the end of the offseason. Washington is taking offers to offload his high-cost salary, but that salary is exactly the reason they have not yet gotten a taker. They may just have to eat the guaranteed money and cut Nassib by late December to avoid the cap hit.    Looking for the Franchise Guy These are the teams feeling the heat. They have no clear starter going into the 2022 season and there are not a lot of obvious choices out there.   Arizona Starter: TBD Backups: Brock Osweiler & Tom Savage The Wranglers failed to land 2021 Draft Pick Mac Jones, and that meant that they did not have a succession plan as Drew Carr retired. So, do they make a deal with Washington to bring Ryan Nassib back, or do they go after someone like Mason Rudolph or Nick Foles as a bridge to a future rookie?   Charlotte Starter: Paxton Lynch Backups: Kyle Boller The Monarchs were clearly in need, they knew it, and they pulled the trigger on a big deal to sign Paxton Lynch, the only clear starting option among the free agent QBs. So now they have that spot filled and are looking for some depth.   Los Angeles Starter: Kyler Murray Backups: Cole McDonald Yes, the Express could return with Murray as their starter in 2022, but all signs point to them wanting to move on. If they can move Murray, then they need to find an alternative, and we are not sure who that would be. They also have no one ready to be their 2 nd  stringer, so they could be coughing up cash for both of the top 2 QB positions this offseason. That is a big cough.   San Diego Starter: TBD Backups: Christian Hackenberg & Case Keenum The Thunder have two very solid players on the roster, but neither feels like a true starter. With Ponder now in free agency, we think San Diego brings in someone to compete with Hackenberg in camp, but this feels like a team that will be unsettled at QB for yet another season.   It is really early to actually try to predict the 2022 USFL Draft. After all, we are only a few weeks into the fall NCAA season and a lot can happen between now and January. So, rather than go team by team, we thought we would mix it up a bit and look at our Draft Guru, Todd McShay’s Top 20 players and give you a few options for where they would be very nice fits. Of course, between the T-Draft, USFL Open Draft, and NFL Draft, where a player goes is anyone’s guess, but we will outline the teams that feel like good landing spots for each prospect.   TODD MCSHAY’s VERY EARLY TOP 20 DRAFT PICKS FOR 2022   20) OT/G Zion Johnson (BC) T-Draft Rights: New England Best Fits: Las Vegas, Ohio, Philadelphia All three clubs need help at guard, and, according to McShay, Johnson, who played both Guard and Tackle at BC, is a bit raw, but he excels in zone-blocking schemes.   19) QB Desmond Ridder (Cincinnati) T-Draft Rights: Ohio Best Fits: Arizona, San Diego, Los Angeles We are basing this on Ridder being viewed as a 2022 starter and not a developmental QB. All three teams could use his mix of athleticism and experience. A 3-year starter for the Bearcats, Ridder has good escapability, though not a true dual-threat.   18) G Kenyon Green (Texas A&M) T-Draft Rights: Houston Best Fits: Houston, Ohio, Philadelphia Guard is not a core need for the Gamblers, but it is the kind of position where a T-Draft pick has a higher chance of signing, which often makes a player a top T-Draft candidate. If he slips past Houston, we think the same folks we had with Zion Johnson will be watching.   17) CB Trent McDuffie (Washington) T-Draft Rights: Seattle Best Fits: Jacksonville, Memphis, Orlando No lack of suitors for a corner that is, in McShay’s words, “Fluid in coverage” with fantastic body control.   16) DE Kinglsey Enagbare (South Carolina) T-Draft Rights: Orlando Best Fits: Orlando, Oklahoma, Houston With Arthur Moats in free agency, we think Orlando dips into the draft to find a player who can bookend their line with Montez Sweat. Don’t expect Enagbare to reach the Open Draft.   15) C Tyler Linderbaum (Iowa) T-Draft Rights: St. Louis Best Fits: Denver, New England, New Orleans McShay calls Lindberbaum an “easy mover” with great range. All three clubs listed above will have a lot of interest, and we would not be shocked if one worked a deal with the Skyhawks to choose him with a 2 nd  or 3 rd  round T-draft swap.   14) WR Garrett Wilson (Ohio State) T-Draft Rights: Ohio Best Fits: Ohio, St. Louis, Charlotte We think the Glory may actually protect both Wilson and Olave in the T-Draft, hoping to land one of them. If we are wrong, then he could well be the 1 st  pick overall to Charlotte, who desperately need a big playmaking receiver.   13) CB Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner (Cincinnati) T-Draft Rights: Ohio Best Fits: Memphis, Orlando, Washington Ohio is unlikely to protect Gardner. They have too many other prospects in positions of greater need. We think he will be a Top 10 pick in the USFL Open Draft (once you remove many of the other Top 20 players from the pool in the T-Draft) and that bodes well for Washington, who have the 7 th  overall pick.   12) OLB Nick Bonitto, Oklahoma T-Draft Rights: Oklahoma Best Fits: Oklahoma, Atlanta, Dallas Far more need for MLB’s among USFL teams, but with Oklahoma being one of the clubs seeking a quality outside pursuit guy, we don’t think Bonitto will ever see the Open Draft.   11) QB Kedon Slovis (USC) T-Draft Rights: Los Angeles Best Fits: Los Angeles, San Diego, Tampa Bay This all depends on whether or not Slovis comes out. He has eligibility left, thanks to the expanded options developed during Covid-19. If he does come out, we think LA will look long and hard at picking him in the T-Draft.   10) WR Chris Olave (Ohio State) T-Draft Rights: Ohio Best Fits: Ohio, St. Louis, Chicago If Ohio, who we think prefers Wilson, feels like they have him locked up, they may let Olave slide through the T-Draft. If he does, we don’t think he leaves the Central Division, with St. Louis the most likely landing spot. Both they and Ohio could really use a speedster like Olave to take the top off of defenses.   9) DT/DE DeMarvin Leal (Texas A&M) T-Draft Rights: Houston Best Fits: Houston, Michigan, Oklahoma If Houston picks Leal it is because they think he can be a full-time edge rusher. If not, then the hybrid DT-DE is a better option for Oklahoma or Michigan, both of whom need to upgrade both inside and outside on the line. Leal could be a tweener who helps in both spots.   8) CB Andrew Booth Jr. (Clemson) T-Draft Rights: Jacksonville Best Fits: Jacksonville, Washington, Memphis A good fit for the Bulls, we think Booth will be their first pick in the T-Draft, and they will do all they can to woo him away from the NFL as they did with Trevor Lawrence last year.   7) QB Malik Willis (Liberty) T-Draft Rights: None Best Fits: Los Angeles, San Diego, Tampa Bay Willis is one of those rare opportunities where a top talent is not protected in the T-Draft. Of course, that could change as the league awards additional schools to teams whose 3-school player pool is considered weak. Someone could petition for Liberty and go after Willis. We could see either LA or San Diego doing that if they get the chance.   6) CB Kaiir Elam (Florida) T-Draft Rights: Jacksonville Best Fits: Jacksonville, Washington, Orlando We think the Bulls prefer Booth over Elam, but they could do at corner what we think Ohio will do at wide receiver, draft both, woo both and hope they can land one.   5) S Kyle Hamilton (Notre Dame) T-Draft Rights: Chicago Best Fits: St. Lous, Denver, Houston, Jacksonville Chicago is solid at safety, but they could work a trade to ensure that Hamilton does not end up in the division (St. Louis with an early Open Draft pick). They would be fine sending him to the Eastern Conference with Houston or Jacksonville rather than facing him twice a year.   4) Kayvon Thibodeaux (Oregon) T-Draft Rights: Portland Best Fits: Portland, Dallas, Michigan We think Portland jumps on Thibodeaux, a legend from Eugene. They have need at both RE and LE, so landing one of the best young pass rushers means they can try to double dip at the edge position either in the Open Draft or in Free Agency.   3) CB Derek Stingley Jr. (LSU) T-Draft Rights: New Orleans Best Fits: New Orleans, Orlando, Washington We like Stingley as a T-Draft choice for the Breakers. He is a 2-year standout and is a physical corner, just what Coach Lathon likes to see.   2) QB Sam Howell (UNC) T-Draft Rights: Charlotte Best Fits: Charlotte, Arizona, Memphis A touch passer who does not throw picks, that is music to the ears of the Monarchs, and yet, having just signed Paxton Lynch, will Charlotte sink money into 2 huge QB contracts? If not, Arizona or Memphis could be in the market for a pure pocket passer.   1) QB Spencer Rattler (Oklahoma) T-Draft Rights: Oklahoma Best Fits: Arizona, Los Angeles, New England What is a better fit for the Arizona Wranglers than a QB named Rattler? This particular rattler has quick feet, extends plays well, and is very good at off-platform throws. Yes, he is a bit of a gunslinger, but for the team that had Jake “the Snake” Plummer in the same mold, this would be a great fit.   So, there you have it, McShay’s Top 20, and our picks of where each would fit best. But, with more than 3 months of NCAA action left to play, and with players able to either extend their college careers, join the portal to change schools, or announce for the draft, this year we are looking at a very insecure pool of talent, and a lot of last-minute reworking of draft boards this January. So, don’t be surprised if the actual draft process produces very different results. We will be back in early February with all the offseason excitement, from our 2022 Collegiate Draft recap to all the pre-draft trades, the post-draft movement, the free agent updates, and a preview of what could be a pivotal NFL-USFL transfer window for many clubs. So, enjoy the fall, a very early Happy Holidays, and we will see you again on This is the USFL for our Winter Update in February, just as camps open.

Hi all. A heads-up that over the next 2 weeks, between work and some traveling, I will have to slow down the production of articles. I am going to space the ones I have completed a bit further apart, but I expect to be able to start the 2022 season, the league's 40th, on February 28, so between now and then there will be 2 offseason reports and our preseason preview. Sorry, but this is a 1-man show, and sometimes life gets in the way. In so many ways this was a championship game that went exactly the way the underdog Seattle Dragons would have wanted, and yet, when the clock ran to 0:00 it was the defending champion Tampa Bay Bandits who came out on top, repeating as USFL Champions and winning their 5 th  league title. In a game that was slower paced and dominated by each team’s ground game, the Dragons seemed to have an advantage, but they simply could not hold the Bandits in the game’s final minutes and that produced the game winning score with just over a minute to go.   This was a game that was predicated on the idea that Tampa Bay would try to dominate through the air, while Seattle lived by the run game and their defense. And yet, when all was said and done, Brett Hundley outgained Dak Prescott 211-198 and Tampa Bay outrushed Seattle 103-90, an inversion of what everyone came to Santa Clara expecting to see. What they did see was Seattle jumping out to a 14-0 lead, Tampa Bay coming all the way back to take a 17-14 lead in the 3 rd quarter, and the two teams battling down the stretch in the 4 th . They saw both star backs held to fewer than 4 yards per carry, but both used consistently to keep defenses honest. They saw Seattle frustrate Dak Prescott with exotic blitzes and stunts, producing 6 sacks and the former MVP held to only a 48.3% completion rate. They also saw Tampa Bay force punts on 7 of 11 third downs and force a turnover on downs on a 4 th  down and keep Seattle out of the endzone for the final 44 minutes of action.   The Dragons started the game with the ball and with a very successful series of scripted plays, opening the Summer Bowl with a 9-play drive that went 78 yards in 4:45 and concluded with Amari Cooper, back from injury, scoring on his first reception of the game. The drive included 4 Moreno runs, and saw Brett Hundley connect with Kyle Rudolph on a key 3 rd  and 7 play that helped Seattle get into Bandit territory. It finished with the Dragons putting up the first points of the game.   The Dragon defense also started the game well, allowing only 1 first down in Tampa Bay’s first two possessions, with one ending on a 3 rd  down sack from Chris Long, and the other on a pass to Dez Bryant that missed the mark. As the first quarter wound down, Seattle was on their 3 rd  possession and was inside the 20. Just one play into the 2 nd  quarter they doubled their advantage with Hundley again finding Cooper for the score, this time on a 19-yard corner route. The Dragons, who were viewed by many as having to withstand Tampa’s offensive explosiveness, had proven to have some firepower of their own and now lead by 2 scores.  But, as we have seen all season, few teams adapt on the fly better than the Bandits, and with their initial drives getting nowhere, they shifted gears on their 3 rd possession. Using 3 receiver sets almost exclusively, with Deebo Samuel joining Bryant and Grant wide, the Bandits stretched the Dragon defense horizontally, and that freed up gaps for Dalvin Cook, who would exploit the spread defense for a 19-yard run on the opening play of Tampa’s 3 rd  drive. The Bandits would use up nearly 8 minutes and 14 plays in very unfamiliar style, to slowly work their way down the field. They overcame two offensive penalties, got help from an encroachment on Chris Long, and survived a 3 rd  and 11 thanks to a 12-yard screen to Dalvin Cook. But, in the end, the drive fizzled, with Tampa Bay bogged down at the Seattle 14. Coach Trestman, facing a 4 th  and 5, opted to go for the points and sent out Harrison Butker, who connected from 31 to make the score 14-3.   Now it was time for the Tampa Bay defense to show its stuff. Seattle got the ball back with just under 4 minutes to play and immediately got stuffed for a negative play on 1 st  and 10. On 2 nd  and 10 Tampa sent pressure and Hundley missed on a throw to Cooper, and on 3 rd  and 12, they sent Wendell Smallwood up the middle for only 3 yards. Tampa would get the punt on their own 13 with 2:41 left to play after a nice punt by Arturo Dudley. The Bandits used a pair of Matt Breida runs to earn a first down on the 25, and then Prescott hit on a classic Bandit Ball deep throw.  Ryan Grant had the play of the game with his 75-yard TD. The Dragons were in man coverage, 1 safety deep, anticipating an underneath play towards the sideline. What they got instead was an out and up route from Ryan Grant, and with the safety engaged by TE Cameron Jordan, Grant had only Chidobe Awuzie to beat. A very solid corner, but without the speed that Grant possesses, the double move left Awuzie a step behind Grant, and a perfect throw down the sideline allowed the Bandit receiver to catch the ball without slowing down. That, in turn, allowed him clear access down the sideline and 75 yards later we had a 14-10 game.   That would be the score at the half, with Seattle happy to run the ball to kill the last minute and a half of game clock in the first half and head into the locker room with the lead. Both teams had played a clean half, with minimal penalties and no turnovers, and Seattle had shown both defensive strength and some offensive sparks, while the Bandits had fought back from a 14-point deficit to trail by only 4. As local band Green Day played the halftime show, both coaches stressed fundamentals, sustained blocks, good tackling, and calm under pressure as they set up for the second half. Tampa Bay would get the ball first in the half, and once again the Dragon defense would get a stop after only 1 first down. Getting the ball back after a nice return by Jaire Alexander, the Dragons started at their own 41. They moved the ball effectively, with Moreno hitting on his longest run of the day, a 16-yarder on 2 nd  and 4, and Hundley gain finding Rudolph for a nice gainer. But, when they crossed into the red zone, Tampa Bay turned up the pressure and forced the Dragons to go for a 38-yard field goal from the 21. Jeffery Harris doinked the ball off the right crossbar with a resounding metallic thud, and the Bandits escaped, still only 4 points from the lead.  Prescott struggled, but when it was needed, he got the job done. The Bandits would control the ball for the next 7 minutes and 33 seconds, using 14 plays to drive from their own 28 all the way to the endzone. The drive included a nice run from Cook, another from Breida, and a pair of completions to players few outside the Bandit locker room knew by name, tight ends Fendi Onobun and Jeff Heuerman, both considered blocking ends and not receivers like Jordan Cameron, but both coming up with 5-yard plays as security blankets when Seattle defenders closed in on Dak Prescott. The big play of the drive was a 5-yard completion to Onobun just as Prescott was being dragged to the ground by USFL DPOTY Khalil Mack. Prescott fluttered a desperation pass towards Onobum, who brought the ball in and converted the 3 rd  and 4 play. It was a play that required video review to determine if Prescott’s knee had hit before he lofted the ball to his tight end, but the review upheld the completed pass and Tampa Bay’s drive continued.   The scoring play, giving the Bandits their first lead of the game, was far less controversial, a simple slant route that saw Prescott find Bryant from the 10 and into the endzone cleanly. The drive was a statement from the Bandits that Seattle might slow them down, but completely stopping them was not an easy task. Now up 17-14, the Bandits moved into the 4 th  quarter with the lead. They would get more than that on the very first play of the final period. On a 2 nd and 2 from the Tampa Bay 44, DE Pernell McPhee caught Knowshon Moreno as he tried to cut the ball back inside, his hand hitting the ball squarely and popping it out of Moreno’s grasp. McPhee would be in position to scoop the ball up, and so he did, giving the Bandits the first (and only) takeaway of the game. With the lead, momentum, and a turnover, the Bandits hoped to break the Dragons’ spirit and go up by 2 scores, but the Dragons proved resilient, holding Tampa Bay on a 3 rd  and 7 from the Seattle 41, and forcing a punt. The fumble produced no points, and the Dragons were back in action with just over 11 minutes in the final period.   Seattle drove the ball, somewhat unevenly, with a big play to Newhouse followed by a negative run, and an incompletion. On 3 rd  and 7, Hundley could not find Rudolph over the middle and Coach Riley opted to even the score by asking his kicker to connect from 50 yards out. With just over 6 minutes left on the clock, Harris put the ball over the goalpost crossbar, and we were knotted up at 17 apiece, but with 6:18 on the clock, the game was far from over.   Tampa Bay went for it all on the very first play of their next possession, Prescott hoping to catch Seattle in man coverage again. Dez Bryant could not bring in the Prescott heave, and the Bandits faced 2 nd  and 10. Cook gained only 1 on his 2 nd  down carry and on 3 rd  and 9 Dak Prescott was dragged down by Khalil Mack yet again, this time not getting the ball off. The Bandits were forced to punt after only 3 plays.   Seattle fared little better on their next possession, gaining only 4 yards on 3 plays. They too were forced to punt the ball back without a first down. So, with 2:41, the Bandits had the ball and a chance to take the lead. They started with a short completion to Jordan Cameron, then a 6-yard run by Cook, and Prescott then found Bryant for an 8-yard gain. A nice series of plays took the ball down to the Seattle 27, but on a 3 rd  and 7, once again the Dragon pass rush got to Prescott quickly, this time DT Malik McDowell smothering Prescott as he tried to escape the pocket. It would be Harrison Butker from 48 yards out with just 1:22 on the clock. Butker connected and Tampa Bay took the lead, 20-17, but with time enough on the clock for Seattle to find an equalizer.  Seattle WR Amari Cooper came back from injury, scored 2 TDs but could not save the day. Seattle took over on the 20 after a touchback. They had 1:19 on the clock, 2 timeouts, and about 45 yards to go to give Jeffery Harris any shot at a makeable kick. The Dragons immediately found success, with Hundley finding Kendrick Bourne for his only completion of the game, a 15-yard strike on 1 st  down. After a short completion to FB Greg Jones, with the big back getting out of bounds after a 2-yard gain, Seattle faced a 2 nd  and 8. Hundley looked for Newhouse, then Rudolph, but had to throw the ball away as Bandit DE Brian Burns closed in on him. 3 rd  and 8 from the 37. From the shotgun, Hundley had 4 receivers in the formation, but again no one could find clear open space. Hundley tried to squeeze the ball between two Bandit defenders to reach Cooper, but Jalen Ramsey managed to get a hand on it and swat it away from the Seattle receiver, bringing up a 4 th  and 8.   The Dragons set up again in the shotgun, Cooper, Bourne and Rudolph all on the right, Newhouse alone on the left. The play would try to use levels to force a decision from the Bandit defenders. But Tampa Bay was ready for it, and their defenders switched off as each receiver made his cut. All three had a man on them, Hundley escaped the pocket, trying to gain more time, but he simply had no option. He made a sideline throw towards Cooper once again, but the ball was outside and could not be caught. Seattle had turned the ball over on downs with 41 seconds left to play.   Tampa’s sideline erupted. The Bandit fans who had made the cross-country trek were also loud and celebratory in the stands. The Bandits were about to become only the 2 nd USFL club in the league’s 39-year history to win back-to-back titles and would join Houston as the only 5-time league champions. Dak Prescott took a knee, then held the ball up as his teammates congratulated him and the clock started to wind down to 0:00. Seattle would not use their last time out. The game was won and the Bandits could begin celebrating.   The trophy named for Bandits' founder John Bassett returns to Tampa Bay once again. Coach Trestman received the traditional dousing of water and Gatorade, red and silver confetti streamed from the confetti cannons and the Bandits coaches, players and staff took to the center of the field. It had not been a classic Bandit Ball game, but it had been a Bandit victory once again. As the Bassett’s John and Carling held aloft the trophy that bore their father’s name, handing it to Coach Trestman, the name of John Bassett, founder of the Bandits was celebrated and the Bandit fans in attendance pointed to the sky in honor of one of the legendary founders of both the team and the league. The MVP trophy was given to Dak Prescott, who, despite some pedestrian numbers by Bandit Ball standards (14 of 29, 198 yards) had thrown two touchdowns to bring the Bandits back from a 2-score deficit to claim the title.   And so, the 39 th  season of the USFL came to a close, with many already in a mood to celebrate the upcoming 40 th  season of the league that was once described as “small potatoes” and which had been on the verge of life support 38 years earlier. Now, with 30 franchises, record attendance, significant star power, and a solid place in the American sports scene, the USFL was in a mood to celebrate, and the gear up for a 40 th  season blow out was ready to begin in earnest.

We have our Summer Bowl, a matchup of top seeds as both the Tampa Bay Bandits and Seattle Dragons defend their home turf in the Conference Title Games and advance to Santa Clara and Summer Bowl 2021. The two did it in very different ways, with the Bandits putting up 48 unanswered points to throttle the Orlando Renegades, while Seattle pulled out a war of field position in overtime to knock off a very tough Denver team. We will recap how both teams punched their tickets to the title game, give you a comprehensive preview of the USFL’s 39 th championship game, and explore the ways both teams can claim a title this week. But we start it all off, realizing we are only 9 days from the opening of USFL Free Agency. Our big story is a preview of who we see being the big fish in the pool, and the players looking for the biggest paydays. We start there, then back to the field, with some news on coaching searches and player decisions as well. There is a lot to do, so let’ s get right to it.   USFL Free Agent Pool is a Deep One in ’21 No doubt that the free agent ranks this year are both deep and fraught with dangers. Lots of players with proven talent, but questions as well. Lots of opportunity, but a short window before the NFL comes calling, and we expect that after last year’s Covid-impacted schedule and the removal of one of the two traditional transfer windows, the NFL will be looking to raid the USFL talent pool as much as possible this September. We have divided our Top 25 Free Agents list into two categories, based largely on Athlon’s player impact ratings. Players who received a 91 or higher are our Golden Prospects, while those between 84-90 are our Silver Prospects. Twenty-five names in total, many of them very familiar to even casual fans. But just where they go, that is the mystery right now and the fun that starts in only a week and change. So, without further delay, here is our list of the top 25 free agents in the pool for the USFL for the next 2.5 weeks before the NFL can start fishing.   RATED GOLD (91 or Above)—11 Players   WR Odell Beckham Jr. (NJ) In a pool that lacks premier talent at the QB or HB position, OBJ is without doubt the most tantalizing skills player available. Tired of what he sees as a restrictive passing game in New Jersey, Beckham is looking for two things, a wide-open attack that will allow him to maximize his talents, and a real shot at a title.   WR Victor Cruz (ARZ) At 35, Cruz has a lot of miles on his odometer, but he also has results that are undeniable. His 2021 numbers include 68 receptions, 1,230 yards, and 9 touchdowns. He won’t be your guy 5 years down the road, but a 2-year deal may produce some immediate upgrade for many teams at the position.   OT Levi Brown (TBY) With one more game to play, and a chance at a 2 nd title, it is not guaranteed that Brown will enter the free agent market, but at 35, if he wants one last payday, and likely a very big one at that, he may well need to enter the waters and see who wants a short-term, high impact left tackle to protect their QB. Expect a deal that makes Brown the highest paid tackle for a year or two if this does happen.   OT D. J. Fluker (OAK) If you cannot afford Brown, or if you want someone who may have more than a couple of years in the tank, going after Oakland’s D. J. Fluker makes a lot of sense. He is an elite run blocker and can hold up as a left tackle or dominate on the right side.   C Mike Pouncey (CHA) Perhaps the best player on the worst team in the league, Pouncey is at the top of his game just as the team hits rock bottom. At 34, Pouncey wants a chance for a ring more than a huge payday, but he is likely to get both if he makes a good choice of what should be a long line of suitors.   C Greg Mancz (NOR) Another very solid option at the pivot. There are many who believe Mancz is just holding out for the Breakers to make him a deal he cannot refuse, but that means that if another team can prove their interest in Mancz with a bigger deal, they may just be able to land him.   SS Budda Baker (HOU) We think Houston dropped the ball on this one. Yes, they had a lot of talent to resign, but we cannot believe that the one player they felt they could let go is perhaps the best center fielder in the game. With speed, hands, and a killer instinct, Baker is an ideal strong safety for any team that wants to deliver hits that send a message.   CB Dominique Rogers-Cromartie (LA) The best corner available, but also a 35-year-old corner. So, do you think you’re are a year away from a title but just need this one piece? Because we don’t see CRC being on your roster in 2024, but for 2022 he could be a difference maker.   CB Dee Milliner (ORL) If you do want a guy who can be with you for the next 5-7 years, Milliner is your guy. Yes, he gives up the occasional big play, but he also makes many of them. A ball hawking corner who tends to jump routes, producing a feast or famine situation, but sometimes the feast is worth the occasional famine.   LB Myles Jack (SD) A monster in the middle, Jack is fast enough to go sideline to sideline, powerful enough to stop a back in his tracks, and savvy enough to be effective in coverage and as a pass rusher. Jack sees no immediate future in San Diego after yet another 3-win season, so he is looking for a team that has more to offer both financially and on the field.   LB Clay Matthews (DAL) Matthews was viewed as a likely retirement risk, but with no announcement yet, he will enter the free agency pool. The veteran MLB will turn 35 this offseason, so another case of a very good player in what could be his last season. Matthews can be a team captain for a new team, or he could end up a swing backup, it all depends on his motivation and his knees.   RATED SILVER (87-90 Rating)-14 players   QB Paxton Lynch (MEM) The only QB on our list, Lynch is here because he was frustrated with what he perceived as a lack of respect from Coach Ryan in Memphis. Lynch put up a 102.3 QB Rating only 2 seasons ago, still has some wheels, and even in a down year in 2021 was above water on his TD:INT ratio and completed two thirds of his attempts. With so many teams unhappy with their QB situation, we think Lynch will get a lot of interest.   HB Devin Singletary (JAX) The best of a pretty shallow pool of backs, Singletary is a solid receiver, can block in the shotgun, and has decent stats, averaging 3.8 YPC the past two seasons in Jacksonville. He may not be well suited to be a true bell cow back, but in a HB duo he can be effective. His best-case scenario is to be paired with a bigger back for a bit of a thunder & lightning scenario.   HB Rex Burkhead (OKL) Is there tread left on the tires? That is the question with Burkhead, whose production saw major dips from 2019 to 2020 and again this year. Moving from Birmingham to Oklahoma really did not give him a chance this season, as is evident by his limited touches (only 22 runs and 10 receptions in 2021). If he can show well in tryouts, he could find himself with a better situation on a team looking for his varied skills.   WR Devin Funchess (MEM) Funchess had a breakout season in 2020 as a sophomore, catching 102 passes for 1,547 yards and 10 TDs. Much was expected of him this year, but Memphis’s entire offense regressed, and now Funchess is looking like a one-year wonder. Not ideal for a player hitting free agency. He had 700 fewer yards, 30 fewer catches and only 1 TD in 2021, but we think that there is a team out there confident they can get the 2020 version of Funchess at a 2021 price.   WR Michael Floyd (CHI) At 31, Floyd is certainly not the oldest receiver in the pool, but with 13 grinding years in Chicago under his belt, he may have the most mileage. The good news is that even with lower numbers this past year than in 2020, his gameday impact was still solid. He blocks well, is a quality route runner, but lacks the break away speed of his youth. Still, veteran possession receivers are certainly worth a look.   T Gabe Carimi (MGN) An 11-year vet who turns 34, Carimi is likely going to get a lot of 1 and 2 year offers. When you realize that over the past 5 seasons, he has given up a total of 3 sacks, maybe make the guy a 3-year front-loaded deal and get yourself a true LT for at least the next two.   G Jon Asamoah (HOU) The Gamblers do not want to lose their All-USFL guard, but they have so many holes to plug up, as we mentioned above with Budda Baker, and with Asamoah solidly in the AARP category for an offensive lineman, we think that the big guy either retires or takes a 1-year deal to feather his nest a bit more.   G Ross Pierschbacher (LV) You likely don’t know his name but trust us when we say that GM’s across the league are well aware of the Vipers’ right guard. He is a human bulldozer, with over 100 pancakes the past two seasons. He will give up the occasional sack (9 in the past 2 seasons) but one of the reasons Kareem Hunt surprised us with a 1,000-yard season is because Pierschbacher was clearing his path through the line.   C J. D. Walton (ORL) Not quite at the level of Mike Pouncey, but a very solid veteran presence and pretty good at both pass protection and the run game. Walton reminds many of Frank Winters, which is not a bad comparison for anyone who wants a reliable leader on their line.   DE Robert Quinn (OHIO) With 32 sacks in the past 3 seasons, you are going to get solid, but not superstar production from the Ohio end. Quinn had a very solid year in 2021, racking up 12 sacks to lead the Glory. At 32, he wants a payday, one Ohio seems unlikely to create. You won’t get Sweat/Campbell numbers out of Quinn, but you will get a player who can disrupt blocking schemes and find the QB often enough to be a concern.   DE Malik Jackson (PHI) Jackson has topped 10 sacks per year every season for the Stars since 2017. He has yet to top 15, but few have, so we see Jackson as a player that will get a lot of attention. The Stars are still in the picture, but they have failed to find the right terms to have Jackson sign on the dotted line, so we think he is hoping to wait this out a bit and see if any USFL, or even NFL, teams are willing to overpay a bit.   CB Prince Amukamara (WSH) At 34, Amukamara had himself a very good year, with a personal best 5 picks in 2021. So, does he go out on a high or does he come back and try to build on 2021? Rumors have him considering retirement after missing 5 games this year with ankle and knee issues. But, if he has a change of heart, he will be available for a team that is looking for a solid cover guy who has some ball hawking skills.   SS Baccari Rambo (ATL) You want Budda Baker, but the price tag is too high? Man, do we have a deal for you. Rambo is a gifted safety, not quite the thumper that Baker is, but extremely effective as a center fielder, with good instincts and the speed to make plays across the field.   SS Malik Hooker (BIR) Our final “silver” player is yet another safety. Birmingham’s Hooker is overlooked a bit because the Stallions have just not had an elite defense. He is looking at options, and for a team that needs one more piece in an otherwise solid secondary, Hooker could well fit the bill.   Those were our Top 25, but there is no shortage of others (maybe we call them “Bronze” players) who can have an impact on your team. Here is our list of the Best of the Rest:   QB: NIck Foles (NJ), Mason Rudolph (OKL) Jimmy Garoppolo (CHA), B. J. Daniels (TBY) HB:     Jeremy Hill (CHI), Isaiah Pead (OHI), Leonard Fournette (DEN) TE:             Eric Ebron (BIR), Martellus Bennett (MGN) WR:       Brian Hartline (BAL), Doug Baldwin (NE), Julian Edelman (BIR) OL:         G Nick Allegretti (CHI), C Ethan Pocic (SAN) DL:         DE Arthur Moats (ORL), DT Sylvester Williams (LV), DT Kawann Short (TBY) LB:          Devon Kinnard (TBY), Calvin Pace (SEA), Reggie Ragland (BIR) CB:        Ronald Darby (MGN), Taron Johnson (POR) S:              Mark Barron (SD), Brandon Taylor (JAX) ST:          K Josh Lambo (BAL), P Marquette King (CHI)   ORLANDO RENEGADES 20  TAMPA BAY BANDITS 52 The Renegades started strong but could not sustain as a solid first quarter turned into a disastrous 2 nd  quarter as Tampa Bay rolled for 4 touchdown drives in the 2 nd  and put up 49 unanswered points on their way to a dominating win. Orlando’s defense was simply rolled, with the Bandits racking up 526 yards of offense, 460 through the air as both Dak Prescott (14/22, 344 Yds, 2 TD, 1 Int) and B. J. Daniels, on in late relief (10/14, 116 Yds) just picked apart the Orlando defense. The Bandit defense also impressed, picking off the league’s interception leader twice, sacking Wilson 4 times, and limiting Chris Carson to only 24 yards on the day. In other words, the Bandits were dominant.   It certainly did not start that way, as the game started with the best possible result for an undermanned Orlando squad. Having lost the toss, Orlando set up to return the opening kickoff, and return it they did, with Renegade returner Kevin Johnson taking the ball out of the endzone, finding a crease, flying past the 2 nd  wave of defenders and embarrassing Harrison Butker with his half-hearted tackle attempt. The return went for 108 yards, a new playoff record, and had the moderate contingent of Orlando fans among the 61,205 in attendance on their feet as the game started.   But the ecstasy of that moment was the last truly positive moment the Renegade fans would have. The Bandits replied to that instant score with a 10-play drive that finished with Dalvin Cook slicing the Orlando D for six points. The excitement of the kickoff return had morphed into the realization that the Bandits were not going to be taking Orlando too lightly. To their credit, the Orlando D had a good first quarter, sacking Dak Prescott on a key 3 rd  down to get the ball back on the next drive, helping to set up a Mason Crosby field goal. Four plays after the Crosby kick gave Orlando the ball back, nickel back Kyle Wooten picked off Prescott and gave Orlando a chance to add to their lead. The Renegades were not able to put up 7 and held a modest 13-7 lead over the heavily favored Bandits as the game shifted into the 2 nd  quarter, when the dam gave way.   The dam, in this case, is the Orlando defense, which simply had no answers the rest of the way. It started easily enough, another long drive from the Bandits, capped by Matt Breida diving in from the 2 to give Tampa Bay a 14-13 lead. Not too bad, as long as Orlando did not make things worse. They did. After driving into Tampa Bay territory, Russell Wilson succumbed to his all-too-frequent tendency to throw the ball to the wrong-colored jerseys, serving up an easy pick for safety Hamsah Nasirildeen, who returned the ball to the Orlando 18 before being tackled.   Nasirildeen’s pick led to a second Breida TD run, this time from the 5 and the Bandits were up 21-13. Still not horrible, but a 3-and-out quickly got the Bandits the ball back, and on the very first play of the Bandit possession, Dak Prescott hit on a classic Bandit Ball deep throw. With a solid pocket around him, Prescott tossed an arcing ball to Ryan Grant, who caught the ball in stride, already 2 yards ahead of the corner. The safety took a poor angle, and Grant easily outpaced him to the endzone for a 71-yard touchdown. Now up 28-13, the Bandits were feeling their energy growing, and Orlando was beginning to panic.   The Renegade panic resulted in the second huge mistake of the day for Wilson, another poorly timed throw to the flat, easily nabbed by Jalen Ramsey as he jumped the route, returning the ball 25 yards to the endzone and expanding the Bandit lead to 35-13. As the two teams headed into the locker room for the half, you could see the resignation on the faces of the Renegades and the celebration on the faces of the Bandits. Tampa Bay had just put up 28 unanswered points in one quarter and with Orlando missing their top two receivers, the odds of them coming back were not looking very realistic.   The second half was significantly less explosive, with the Bandits expanding the lead to 42-13 with another deep ball, this time a 72-yarder to Dez Bryant, Prescott’s last throw of the game as B. J. Daniels would mop things up the rest of the way. Daniels led Tampa Bay on a long march to finish out the 3 rd and start off the 4 th , with Matt Breida scoring his 3 rd short yardage TD of the day to expand the scoring streak to 42 unanswered and the lead to 49-13. Orlando would get a late touchdown on a Daniels pick which Dee Milliner returned for the score, but it was a drop in an ocean of Bandit points. The Bandits would add a field goal after recovering a Nelson Agholor fumble, and the game would come to a merciful end at 52-20. An ugly outing for Russell Wilson and the Renegades as Tampa Bay not only punched their ticket for a return trip to the Summer Bowl but looked about as dangerous as any championship contender we have seen in a long time. DENVER GOLD 10  SEATTLE DRAGONS 13   OVERTIME The Western Championship could not have been more of a polar opposite to the Bandit romp. In a game that saw both defenses play extremely well, neither team managed to gain 300 yards or rush for 100. Both struggled on third down, with Denver’s 6 of 16 slightly better than Seattle’s 3 of 15, and both teams managed a single touchdown on the day. This was a game of two equally matched teams, both intent on limiting big plays and containing the other’s main threat. For Seattle, that meant pressuring Josh Allen (6 sacks on the day) and backing that up with a complex mix of zones, man coverage, and moving superstar LB Khalil Mack all over the field to confuse and disrupt the Gold protection schemes. For Denver, it was about mixing some 46 Defense concepts into their more traditional 4-3 alignment, sending run blitzers to cut off cutback lanes for the league’s leading rusher, Knowshon Moreno, and using 2-deep safeties on key 3 rd  downs to keep the throws short of the line to gain. The result was a game knotted at 10-10 after regulation and an overtime tug of war that ended with the Dragons producing the win and a matchup of two very different 1 seeds in Summer Bowl 2026.   With Amari Cooper out of the game for Seattle, their passing game certainly struggled, with Brett Hundley dumping down to Kyle Rudolph 9 times, and struggling to get Kendrick Bourne involved. Hundley threw to Bourne 11 times, got 5 catches out of it, but also a key interception. Denver, for their part, saw Phillip Lindsay limited to 1.9 YPC on the day as the run game for the Gold simply did not provide Josh Allen with any cover. The overreliance on Allen led to his 6 sacks, including 2 from former Federals’ DE Chris Long, the subject of a feature article in last week’s recap.   The game was a war of attrition and a battle for field position all game long. By the half it was only 3-0 Denver as the Gold had managed a lone drive into Seattle territory, aided by a defensive holding call on a key 3 rd down. Seattle had entered Denver’s side of the field only twice, and both times they were rebuffed, failing on two key third downs as Hundley just could not find an open receiver. It was a half of football that defensive purists would love, but for the fans at Lumen Field, nearly 60,000 of them, it was a frustrating watch as time and again both teams failed to make plays when they were needed. The second half saw a bit more action, 20 of the game’s eventual 23 points. It also saw Seattle start to make plays. This started with the opening drive of the half in which the Dragons hit on their longest pass play of the game, a 1 st down toss to Bourne that finally paid off, with the young receiver turning a 12-yard out into a 38-yard gainer thanks to a nice spin move. But even that play could not change the nature of the game, and with the offense bogged down at the Denver 19, Coach Riley had no choice but to send Jeffery Harris out for a game-tying field goal.   The two teams would trade defensive stops for the next 8 minutes before Seattle finally got a break. The break came in the form of Hundley escaping a sack attempt from Justice Cole, escaping to his right and finding Kyle Rudolph for a huge 19-yard completion on 3 rd  and 8. That play motivated the Dragon offense, which marched to the red zone on 7 plays. When Cole had his revenge, taking a 2 nd  and 8 from the 14 and sacking Hundley on the 20, Dragon fans could be understood for assuming this meant another field goal was imminent. But on 3 rd  and 14, the Dragons surprised the Gold for the biggest play of the game.   With 3 rd  and 16 from the 20, Denver prepared for Hundley to take a shot at the endzone. What they did not foresee was Gus Edwards, usually in for short yardage and his pass blocking on longer downs, getting the ball in a delayed draw play. As the Gold tried to react to the surprising call, Edwards picked up blocks from TE John Bates and pulling guard Laken Tomlinson, broke into the secondary and essentially rammed his way past safety Marqui Christian and into the endzone. The crowd erupted in cheers with the unexpected touchdown, and the Dragons had their first lead of the game.   As the game moved into the 4 th  quarter, the pressure was firmly on Denver to make a play, put together a drive, and get the game back to a tie at the very least. After a pair of 3-and-outs by both teams, Denver got the ball on a Seattle punt with 12:17 in the 4 th , down 7. The punt return was a solid one, giving the gold the ball at their own 35. After yet another 1 st down run proved pointless, Coach Hufnagel knew he would need to put the game in the hands of his QB. Josh Allen would attempt 8 passes on the drive, complete 6 of them, finding 5 different receivers, and getting the ball to the Seattle 1-yard line. Only then would they give the ball back to Lindsay for the 1-yard TD plunge. On the drive, Allen completed a 14-yarder to Darnell Mooney, but every other pass was for 8 yards or fewer. But in the end, the drive did exactly what the Gold needed, it tied the score at 10 and proved that the Gold could move the ball.   The final 9 minutes of regulation saw both defenses make huge plays. The Gold stuffed Knowshon Moreno on a 3 rd  and 2 run, forcing a punt. The Dragons sacked Josh Allen on a controversial call in which Allen seemed to escape the sack only to have had the Rear Judge blow the play dead when Allen was “in the grasp” of Khalil Mack. Neither team could even reach a range for their kicker to attempt a long field goal to possibly win the game. Resigned and with the ball on their own 27 with 3 seconds to play, Brett Hundley took a knee and sent the game to overtime.   The Dragons won the toss, took the ball, and almost immediately regretted it. On a 2 nd  and 7 from their own 37, Hundley made his one mistake on the day, throwing a ball towards Marshall Newhouse despite his receiver being double covered. Newhouse was smothered on the play, and the ball ended up careening off his hands and his helmet, popping straight up and into the hands of Denver LB Harold Landry at the Denver 48. The Gold were fewer than 20 yards away from range for Greg Zeurlein.   The Denver kicker would get his chance, as Denver moved the ball into Seattle territory on a throw from Allen to his All-USFL receiver, Golden Tate. But just as the small pocket of Denver fans got excited, Allen took another sack, this time from Chris Long, and the Gold were stuck at the Seattle 32. Zeurlein was brought out to try the 49-yarder, but a combination of nerves and swirling wind coming off the Sound sent the ball wide, and gave Seattle another shot, with the ball on their own 39.   Seattle did not miss their opportunity. A nice Moreno run of 9 yards, his second longest on a day that saw him amass only 54 yards on the ground, set up a 2 nd and 1. Hundley used the “free down” to find Rudolph over the middle for 15, then connected with Newhouse inside Denver territory. Denver had allowed the Dragons to reach field goal range in only 3 plays, but what came next was even worse for them. On 1 st  and 10, the Gold overplayed the fake to Moreno, allowing Hundley to roll to his left, where he found Kendrick Bourne on a 20-yard play that took the ball inside the 20. This would be a chip shot for Jeffery Harris. Seattle centered the ball with a dive from Edwards, and Harris came out to end the game and send Seattle down the coast to Santa Clara and Summer Bowl 2026. It took an extra 8 minutes of overtime for the Dragons to settle the game, but as Harris’s kick split the uprights no one was complaining. The Dragons were headed to the USFL Championship for the first time since their miraculous 2005 title run. It would be the league’s lead rusher, Knowshon Moreno, going up against the league’s most dynamic passing attack in the Tampa Bay Bandits with the title on the line.  Bandits Solidly Favored to Defend Title, But Not Taking Seattle Lightly The oddsmakers may like what they see in the Tampa Bay Bandits, making the defending 2020 champions a 7-point favorite in Summer Bowl 2021, but don’t tell that to Coach Trestman. The Bandits’ coach is quick to point out that Seattle gave his club one of their 2 defeats on the season, a 19-17 Dragon victory back in Week 12. Trestman is quick to remind the media that the Bandits were largely at full strength in that game and still could only muster 17 points against the Dragon defense. His point is well taken. In that game, Dak Prescott threw for 408 yards but Dalvin Cook was completely contained, and for all the yardage, the Bandit offense managed only 1 touchdown until the final minutes, when they were trailing by 9 and Seattle allowed the drive as long as it took time off the clock. It was a game in which the Dragons sacked the Bandit QB six times, picked him off once, and thoroughly dominated the line of scrimmage. So, before we look at this week’s results, in which Tampa Bay romped over Orlando while Seattle was taken to overtime by the Denver Gold, and assume that the Bandits are going to cruise to back-to-back titles, we need to slow down for a minute and realize that these Dragons matched up pretty well with the Bandits only 7 weeks ago.   Dragons Hoping Cooper Can Return for Title Game Seattle did what good teams do this past week, overcoming adversity, grinding out a tough win, and advancing. They knocked off Denver without their primary receiver able to go. Amari Cooper, who had 96 receptions, 1,205 yards, and 8 TDs for the Dragons in the regular season, was sidelined with a hamstring strain. His absence was certainly felt, with Brett Hundley largely forced to make throws within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage, unable to take the top off the Denver defense.   Both Cooper and Coach Riley are hopeful that their star wideout can return to action this week. He is being limited in practice, but has been seen running route trees and doing half-speed runs up and down the sideline. With Tampa Bay expected to use primarily man coverage, having Cooper would certainly alter the options available to the Seattle offense and provide them with at least a chance at keeping pace with Tampa’s vertical, big-play offense. Seattle is still likely to use a lot of 2-tight end formations, to work the run game with Moreno as a way to shorten the game and reduce Bandit possessions, but having the option to hit on a deep ball now and again could very much alter their gameplan and their ability to match the Bandits over 60 minutes.   Carr Makes it Official, Thanks Wrangler Fans for the Ride In a press conference at State Farm Stadium, David Carr said his goodbyes to the Wranglers, his teammates, and the fans. The 37-year-old QB thanked Coach Tomsula, his team, and the fans for their support over a 17-year career. Carr had, of course, given the team and its fans plenty to be grateful for themselves, leading Arizona to 5 Summer Bowls (they have recently appeared in 6 but one was during Carr’s lost season). He won the USFL MVP in both 2016 and 2017, and won Playoff MVP in 2016 and 2019. He was a six-time All-USFL player and his Wranglers brought home 3 league titles over his career.   Carr steps away from football after 17 seasons in which he racked up over 4300 pass attempts, covering 40,577 yards. A big-play QB in a big-play offense, Carr averaged only a 59.6% completion rate, and yet retires with an average of 235 yards per game and an amazing TD:INT ratio of 314:93, more than 3 to 1. While we all expect his name to be called out in 2026 as a first ballot Hall of Famer, this day was about saying goodbye. Carr spoke for the gathered press, hugged Coach Tomsula, and waved as he stepped away from the podium, the Wranglers, and a stellar career as a USFL quarterback.   So, what is next for Arizona? Their 2021 backup, Brock Osweiler, is not seen as an heir to Carr’s legacy and is unlikely to step in as the 2022 starter. While there are rumors that Washington has reached out to the Wranglers to see if they would like to make a deal to return Ryan Nassib to the club, the struggles of the former Wrangler QB in D.C. may well convince Arizona to try going in a different direction. With a poor QB class expected in the draft, it seems that either trade or free agency could be the path forward for the Wranglers to find a new signal caller. With nearly $38M in cap space, Arizona is one of the most fluid teams as far as free agent funds, and could certainly take a look at the free agent QB pool, one we believe is headed by former Showboat QB Paxton Lynch, but there are certainly going to be QBs on the trading block as well, whether that is New England’s Ryan Tannehill or LA’s Kyler Murray, both rumored to be on the market. The Wranglers will have choices to be made, but, of course, the odds of finding another superstar and 3-time league champion are not exactly a lock.   Carter Surprises & Upsets General Fans with Retirement Notice Fans of the New Jersey Generals were visibly upset (well auditorily upset) on sports radio this week after HB Delone carter announced that he too would be hanging up his helmet and retiring from the game. Carter, at age 31, had just completed the best season of his career, leading the Generals with 840 yards and 9 touchdowns. He was a major reason why New Jersey was atop the NE Division for much of the year and why they returned to the post-season. But, at age 31, and with 11 years of abuse on his body, it is certainly reasonable that the two-time General would feel that he had proven his worth in 2021 and could now step away.   Carter was drafted out of Syracuse in the 2011 Territorial Draft, spending the first 7 seasons of his career as a backup in New Jersey, solidly behind Maurice Jones-Drew for much of his early career. His best season with the Generals was in 2016, when he finally topped 100 carries, rushing for 398 yards. A free agent in 2018, Carter signed with the Ohio Glory, where he also shared carries, this time with their starter Isaiah Pead. His numbers dropped. This past offseason he returned to New Jersey, expected to back up Tony Pollard, but he outplayed the younger back and finished the season with 40 more touches, 100 more yards, and 4 more touchdowns. That strong production in 2021 had General fans feeling like their HB group was set. The team would enter 2022 with Carter and Pollard splitting carries and hopefully producing similar numbers (over 1,500 yards and 14 TDs between them).   Now, with Carter surprising many with his announcement, there is a huge question as to whether the Generals try to turn Pollard, entering his 3 rd season, into a true lead back, or if they have to add halfback to their list of offseason priorities. Some callers in recent days have demanded that New Jersey make a quick free agency move when the window opens in 9 days, with names like Isaiah Pead, Isaiah Crowell, and Devin Singletary being cited. Others feel the HB group is weak and want the Generals to consider using the draft on a player like Iowa State’s Breece Hall or Michigan State’s Kenneth Walker. Regardless of the path, it does seem like New Jersey will have to find themselves a halfback, whether as complement to Pollard or as a backup.   OBJ Wants Title Shot, Has Short List for Free Agency We are not done with New Jersey yet. Not only is halfback now on the table, but with Odell Beckham Jr. very keen to enter the free agent pool and Nick Foles expected to do the same, the Generals are staring a complete offensive overhaul in the face. It may seem a lifetime ago, but Nick Foles was benched this year, with Teddy Bridgewater given the reins before an injury forced him out and Foles back. So, the fact that the Generals are letting Foles test the waters is not a huge surprise. What has been an issue is the insistence from their elite pass catcher, Beckham, that he wants and deserves top dollar and that the way to do that is through free agency.   Beckham started 2021 a bit slow, and was vocal about his desire to be with a winner. He did not catch his first touchdown until Week 9 of the season, and while his other numbers were consistently strong, finishing the year with over 1,300 yards, 99 receptions, and 5 TDs, his insistence that he has been undervalued and that free agency would prove this means that the Generals are unlikely to retain his services for 2022. Expect a pretty hefty bidding war for OBJ, who turns 30 this year and could still garner a 4-year contract, if not longer, for major dollars, the kind of dollars that a player of his caliber expects and usually gets.   So, going into the 2021-2022 offseason, the Generals, a playoff team this past year, could be looking at a change at QB and the need to acquire a new lead tailback and primary receiver. We feel confident that it will be Teddy Bridgewater under center when the 2022 season kicks off, but just who he will be handing the ball to, or throwing it to, well, that is a mystery right now.   Express Put Their QB Squarely on the Trading Block We mentioned above, in our story about David Carr, that LA had put Kyler Murray out there as a possible trade option. It seems that Coach Lewis and the Express front office are just not satisfied with the numbers their 3 rd  year QB has put up, or the lack of improvement from year to year. Murray finished 2021 with a career best 3,227 yards, and a vast improvement in his TD:INT ratio, moving from 19:18 in 2020 to 19:8 in 2021. The problem, of course, is that the improvement there did not lead to improvement on the scoreboard.   The Express fell from 11-5 in 2020 to 7-8-1 in 2021, and in pretty much everyone’s mind, the issue continued to be the lack of offensive output. LA ended the year as the 29 th  team out of 30 in scoring, putting up only 16.1 points per game. Worse for Murray was that they were 28 th  in passing at only 216 yards per game despite the fact that the Express had brought in some real speed demons in Hollywood Brown, Marquise Lee, and midseason acquisition Jeremy Maclin. If Murry could not create big plays with this high-octane receiver group, then the problem had to be his. And so, the Express are looking to shop Murray, who has 3 more years on his rookie deal. They don’t have a replacement in mind, as backup Matt Gutierrez not only had real bad showings this year, but recently announced his retirement, so it could be a complete overhaul if the Express do find a taker for Murray. Just how they overhaul is yet to be known, but we expect them to potentially look for a QB-for-QB deal if they can find the right combination.   We are looking at a pretty healthy Summer Bowl. Tampa Bay has upgraded center Frank Ragnow, while Seattle has moved DE DeShon Hall from questionable to probable. Of course, with John Brown out for the Dragons and Kawaan Short still doubtful for the Bandits, neither team is truly at 100%, but very few are after 18 games of USFL football.   SEA:    WR J. Brown (IR), T E. Fisher (D), DE D. Hall (P) TBY:   DT K. Short (D), C F. Ragnow (Q)   League Award Winners Include a Surprise Winner The USFL Gala, held last night at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, provided plenty of glitz, plenty of entertainment, and just a few surprises. The league, as it does prior to every Summer Bowl, used the 5-star event to announce each of the league’s 5 major awards and to name the 2021 All-USFL first team. And while many of the names announced over the course of the evening were fully expected, there was at least one award that produced a true look of surprise and a couple of All-USFL team announcements that had folks a bit surprised. Here is the rundown of all the award winners from last night’s big event.   MOST VALUABLE PLAYER By season’s end we all knew it would be a runoff between two stellar quarterbacks. Would it be Josh Allen’s 4,400-yard, 37-TD season, one that propelled the Gold from preseason picks near the bottom of the division to the SW Division title, or would it be Colt McCoy  and his 5,236 yards and 38 TDs that won the night? Well, in the end, the pressure to recognize a full career of success for McCoy was a factor as the Houston signal caller took the trophy with 66 of the 89 votes. Allen, as you would expect, finished second, but after 5 very strong seasons, it was McCoy’s night to be recognized as the MVP.   OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Most expected the voters to reward Knowshon Moreno and the Seattle Dragons for their very strong year by having the Dragon halfback take the OPOTY, but we were thrown a curveball, In the closest vote of the evening, Moreno garnered 41 votes, but 48 votes went to Tampa Bay wideout Dez Bryant  in an upset. Maybe it was the fact that Bryant put up huge numbers (1,547 yards, 15 TDs, and a 23.1 YPC average) despite the absence of Dak Prescott for multiple games this year. Both Moreno and Bryant had astounding years, both helped their teams wrap up the top seed in their conference, and both will be on the field in just 3 days, but on this night it was Bryant who took home the hardware.   DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR A three-way race developed in the DPOTY this year, with Montez Sweat and Calais Campbell essentially splitting the always-key “Sack Master” vote, allowing Khalil Mack to take the trophy with 39 votes. Sweat finished second with 28 and Campbell third with 22. Mack becomes the first linebacker to win the award since Bobby Wagner in 2018 and certainly had the merits to be a DPOTY, finishing in the top 3 on the Dragons in Tackles and sacks while leading the team with 4 interceptions. The versatile linebacker did a bit of everything, from run coverage to QB pressures, and even proved very effective in the secondary, a true Master of All Trades.   ROOKIE OF THE YEAR In a result that surprised no one, Ohio’s Justin Fields walked away with the ROTY, garnering 54 of the 89 votes, with Denver’s Odafe Oweh and Washington’s Travis Etienne a distant 2 nd  and 3 rd . Fields, who dazzled fans all year long, and who was without a doubt the primary factor in Ohio’s rise back to playoff position, only passed for 2,962 yards and 15 TDs, but also led the Glory in rushing with 728 yards, adding another 11 touchdowns to his total. Along the way, Fields set an all-time record for QB rushing yards in a game, absolutely embarrassing the St. Louis Skyhawks with 243 yards in a 45-point explosion against their division foe in Week 8.   COACH OF THE YEAR In what came down to a two-man race, Philadelphia’s Dan Quinn beat Orlando’s Ron Rivera by 12 votes. Quinn likely benefited from late voting as his Stars leapfrogged the New Jersey Generals to win the NE Division on the season’s final week. Rivera produced 1 more win than Quinn, but they also improved from 8-8 to 11-5, a 3-game swing, while Quinn improved the record of the Stars from 2-14 to 10-6, an incredible 8-game improvement in a single season. Both were certainly deserving and both deserve praise for their leadership, but Quinn’s feat in Philadelphia is the one that will put pressure on every coach hired this offseason to repeat his immediate success.   ALL-USFL TEAM Forty-four players were also introduced as the All-USFL First Team for 2021, and as always, with every player named, there is another who fans will cry was snubbed, but that is the nature of the beast. Here is the 2021 All-USFL Team, feel free to debate as you will.   QB: Colt McCoy (HOU), Josh Allen (DEN), Dak Prescott (TBY Outlaw fans wanted to see Jalen Hurts recognized, but with the Outlaws finishing with 10 losses, that seemed unlikely even with his outstanding statistical year.   HB: Knowshon Moreno (SEA), Derek Henry (PHI), Carlos Hyde (HOU) There may be a legitimate beef from Bandit fans as voters chose Hyde over Dalvin Cook as both were outstanding dual-threat backs, but with 7 All-USFL players, the most of any club, Bandit fans cannot be too upset.   FB: Mac Knapp (POR) The lone Stag represented this year, Knapp cleared the way for the Portland backs and also contributed with 233 receiving yards out of the backfield.   TE: Mark Andrews (OKL), Kyle Rudolph (SEA) So odd not to see Coby Fleener here, but both Andrews and Rudolph topped 1,000 yards, a gold standard for receiving tight ends.   WR: Dez Bryant (TBY), Golden Tate (DEN), Mike Evans (HOU), Sammy Watkins (DAL), A.J. Green (ATL) No debate here, though once again Aaron Dobson, the league’s reception leader, is missing, but that is the fate of the possession guy, never quite glitzy enough.   OT: Brandon Scherff (ARZ), Levi Brown (TBY), Brian Bulaga (STL) No surprise at all seeing Scherff and Brown here. Bulaga has been a bright spot for a troubled St. Louis team.   OG: Xavier Su’a-Filo (TBY), Vlad Ducasse (CHI), Jon Asamoah (HOU) Three absolute bulldozers in the run game and three quality defenders against looping or stunting pass rushers.   C: Steve Wisniewski (DEN), Shaq Mason (HOU) Charlotte fans are certainly going to see that Matt Pouncey is missing, but that may well just the lingering effects of a 1-15 season, despite his obvious quality.   DE: Montez Sweat (ORL), Calais Campbell (BAL), J. J. Watt (MEM) Will this be the last time we see Calais Campbell listed, or is the big man returning for 2022? It very likely won’t be the last time for either Sweat or Watt.   DT: Aaron Donald (PIT), Chris Jones (LA), Tyson Alualu (OAK) Two absolute disruptors in Donald and Jones, and perhaps the best “space eater” in the game in Alualu, none of them new to this honor.   LB: Khalil Mack (SEA), Keith Rivers (LA), Devin Kennard (TBY), Alex Anzelone (JAX), Brian Orakpo (PIT), and Tim Williams (NOR) The DPOTY heads up a pretty scary lineup of linebackers, with the newest face in the bunch Jacksonville’s big hitter, Anzelone. Rolando McClain and Luke Kuechley are the surprising snubs here, but there are only 6 spots to give out.   CB: Patrick Peterson (DAL), Joe Haden (ARZ), Josh Norman (CHI), Leodis McKelvin (HOU) Peterson tied Haden with 8 picks apiece, but when 4 of those go for scores, it is no surprise that you get the most votes. The surprise here is McKelvin, who finished with only 4 picks, but that is because he had the lowest throw rate in the league. Teams just did not want to test him.   S: Derwin James (TBY), Jordan Poyer (CHI), Calvin Pryor (MEM), Lonnie Ballentine (LA) No surprise to see James or Pryor here. Ballentine is a first timer, as is Poyer, who converted from corner to safety this year in a move folks are praising Coach Smith in Chicago for making.   ST: Harrison Butker (TBY-K), Jeff Locke (CHA) Opposite ends of the team success spectrum, as Butker’s league leading 167 points and 36 field goals is a sign of Tampa Bay’s offensive firepower, while Locke’s 92 punts show how troubled the Charlotte attack was, though certainly his 41 punts inside the 20 and his 48.4 YPK average was the reason he got the honor, the league’s best punt average.   Vrabel Expected to “Return Home” with Bulls It is not official yet, and cannot be as Coach Vrabel has one more relatively important game to coach for the Seattle Dragons, but the full expectation is that he will be made an offer as soon as Monday to become the next head coach of the Jacksonville Bulls. Vrabel met with Jacksonville during the Dragons’s bye week, and while the Bulls did bring in several other candidates over the past 2 weeks, it seems very obvious that they are just doing their due diligence and are hoping to announce that a team legend on the field is coming back to Duval County to hopefully turn around the fortunes of his former club.  Vrabel spent 15 seasons occupying the middle linebacker spot, a free agent acquisition of the Bulls after three largely uneventful seasons with the then-Portland Thunder. Uneventful is not a word we would use to describe his time in Jacksonville. He retired in 2014 with 1,882 career tackles, and an amazing 12 seasons with 100 or more tackles credited to him. Of course, many of those tackles were due to the sub-par defenses that Vrabel was surrounded by in Jacksonville. In his 15 years with the club, the Bulls only reached the playoffs 5 times and finished with 10 or more losses 6 times, including his final season, an 0-16 disaster. No one blames Vrabel, an 11-time All-USFL nominee and the 2004 DPOTY. With Vrabel developing an equally impressive resume first as a LB position coach and now as the DC for a rejuvenated Seattle defense, led by another All-USFL and DPOTY linebacker in Khalil Mack, Vrabel is seen as a players’ coach, but one who understands discipline and accountability, who will develop a system that puts players in a position to win, but which asks them to take ownership of their responsibilities. With Jacksonville coming off yet another losing season, 5-11 in 2021, Vrabel’s experience may well be just what the Bulls need.   Vance Joseph Takes DC Position with Federals In case you were wondering what is happening with the 4 men who no longer had a USFL position after Black Monday, we have an update on one of the four for you. Vance Joseph, who took the fall for Charlotte’s 1-15 season, still has a lot of friends in the league, and a lot of respect as a defensive coach, and that reputation has already landed him a new position. Joseph will move up the coast a bit and is set to start his new position as the Defensive Coordinator for the Washington Federals. The Feds came alive in the second half of the season, with rookie HB Travis Etienne and former Seattle QB Jacoby Brissett leading the offense. The defense still had some major issues (28 th  in yards allowed), so Coach Gilbride, known more for offensive schemes than defense, turned to Joseph and invited him in to help the Feds return to a winning tradition in the Northeast Division.   Joseph becomes the first of the 4 coaches released this offseason (we are not including Wade Phillips’ retirement, as you would expect.) While Winston Moss (JAX), Matt LaFleur (POR), and Dick LeBeau (SD) are not yet on anyone’s staff, we expect each to get their share of offers. For LeBeau, who has been a head coach since taking over in Michigan in 2004, it may be more likely he chooses to retire than to return to a coordinator position, while the offensive-minded LaFleur and the former DC Winston Moss are likely looking to return to the Coordinator ranks, that is unless either a USFL team in the next few months, or an NFL team starting in January, reaches out to give them a 2 nd  shot at leading a franchise. Not impossible, but we think both will be up in the booth calling plays before they take the headset on the sideline.   San Diego Search Remains Hush Hush Of all the searches underway, the one where we have heard the least is without doubt the San Diego Thunder. No known on-site interviews, no rumors or leaks. No confirmation that they are going to wait out the offseason with their GM in place and hire someone from the NFL in January. A lot of nothing, and that is very rare these days. Now, this is not to say that no one in San Diego has an opinion. Check out the message boards and listen to the local sports radio and the list of coaching candidates is quite extensive, everyone from Nick Saban to Jake Plummer gets named. One message board poster had to be reminded that Lindy Infante was not an option because he passed from the mortal coil in 2015. And yet, despite all the options and all the murmuring outside of the team, there is almost nothing going on within the team or between the team and the press. It is just odd, but, sooner or later, San Diego will name someone, and we expect it will not be Nick Saban or Jake Plummer, and almost certainly someone who is still among the living.   Summer Bowl Preview From 30 franchises in March, all hoping for a shot to play football in August, we are down to two teams. The two top seeds, representing the Eastern & Western Conferences, ready to battle it out for the John Bassett Trophy and the title of Kings of the Spring. The Summer Bowl is only days away, so here is your primer, your guide to the two clubs, the Seattle Dragons, champions of the Pacific Division and the Western Conference; and the Tampa Bay Bandits, defending champions and 2021 champions of both the Southeastern Division and the Eastern Conference. Will the Bandits land their 5 th  title, joining Houston in the exclusive 5-Rings Club and matching the 2002-03 Ohio Glory as the only teams to ever repeat as champions in the league’s 39 year history? Or will it be the Seattle Dragons claiming their 2 nd  title and bringing the John Bassett Trophy back to the Pacific Northwest for the first time since 2005? Let’s look at how both teams got here, what they do well, and how they can win this one. Then we will, with all humility, make our pick.   How Seattle Got Here & What They Do Well The Dragons represent the Western Conference having racked up an 13-3 record despite losing their first two games of the year. After an 0-2 start, Seattle rattled off 10 straight wins before dropping a 28-21 decision in Los Angeles. They rebounded with 3 straight wins to finish the season atop the Pacific Division, earning the 1-seed and a bye. Two weeks later they took on the Arizona Wranglers and absolutely deconstructed a very veteran team to the tune of 42-16. Things were quite a bit tougher in the Western Conference Title Game as the Denver Gold took Seattle to overtime, but in the extra period the Dragons held off Denver and put up a game-winning field goal to earn their spot in the USFL title game, Summer Bowl 2021.   So, what does Seattle do well? Quite a bit actually. On offense, Seattle had the 2 nd rated run game, but also boasted the league’s leading rusher in Knowshon Moreno. Averaging 111.4 YPG, Seattle was able to control the clock and the possession in most of their games. When they did give up the ball, their defense was among the best in the league in getting the ball back, producing 33 takeaways and a +16 turnover margin. The defense also proved to be one of the toughest to score against, allowing only 15.4 points per game and limiting teams to barely 72 yards per game on the ground. So, a team that likes to run the ball, control the clock, produce takeaways, and keep the score low.   How Tampa Bay Got Here & What They Do Well The Bandits wasted no time asserting that the Champions were not suffering from a title hangover, coming out of the gates with a 47-point show against Jacksonville and racing to a 7-0 start that included wins over Orlando, Oakland, and Atlanta. They suffered a surprising 30-16 defeat at home to New Jersey, but came right back with yet another big win over in-state punching bag Jacksonville, this time a 43-6 “angry game”. They would lose only their second game of the year to their Summer Bowl opponent, traveling out to Seattle and suffering a tough 19-17 defeat. After that game, however, the Bandits have looked unstoppable, winning 5 in a row, and scoring 34 or more points in each game, including a whopping 44-3 win over Atlanta in the season finale, a game in which many of the team’s stars were sidelined to avoid injury.   In the postseason they used their bye to prepare for a rematch against the New Jersey Generals. This time there was no trap, no upset, with Tampa Bay holding off New Jersey 24-23, their closest game in nearly 2 months. They followed that up with another display of domination, taking out division and in-state rival Orlando with a humiliating 52-20 annihilation of the Renegades.   No real surprises in examining what the Bandits do well. They move the ball, they put points on the board, and they make more big plays than anyone. Tampa Bay finished the season with the league’s best scoring offense, averaging over 33 points per game. They throw the ball better than almost anyone, over 300 yards a game, but they are not one dimensional on offense, rushing for 102.2 yards per game, 6 th  best in the league. On defense they are better than last year’s title team, finishing 4 th  in points allowed (15.7) and were top 10 in yards, passing, and rushing. In other words, they tend to win and win big, putting nearly 18 points between themselves and their opponents.   Keys to the Game: Seattle Seattle will try to do what they did at home against Tampa Bay in Week 12. In that game, the Dragons held the ball for over 33 minutes, mixed the run and the pass effectively, and pressured Dak Prescott, producing 6 sacks on the day. Expect to see Khalil Mack moved all over the front 7, pressuring at times, dropping back at others, and working in concert with DE Chris Long to disrupt and confuse the Bandit line. On offense, expect a heavy dose of Knowshon Moreno early, in hopes of forcing Tampa Bay to creep their safeties up so that Amari Cooper, who is expected to play, can get past the deep defender.   Keys to the Game: Tampa Bay The Bandits will play it very differently, likely mixing in only enough run plays to keep Seattle’s pass rush honest, though, if he can find some seams, Dalvin Cook could be a game-changer in this one. If Tampa Bay finds success on the ground, it makes it that much harder for the Dragons to overload the passing game. Expect Dak Prescott to take his shots, after all, he is an outstanding deep ball passer and he has two receivers who can get deep in a hurry, Dez Bryant and Ryan Grant. On defense we think Tampa will try to pressure with only 4, leaving the LBs available should Seattle try to use draws and delays to free up Moreno. They will count on Jalen Ramsey to blanket Cooper and keep their safeties in the middle of the field in hopes of neutralizing Seattle’s other big weapon, TE Kyle Rudolph.   Our Pick This feels very much like a game that will be defined by the Over-Under. If this game is in the high teens or low 20’s that almost certainly means that Seattle has again frustrated Prescott and the high flying Bandit deep game. If the game creeps into the 30’s, that may mean that the Bandits have found their offensive groove and Seattle may well struggle to keep pace. We are going to split the difference, hoping for a close but entertaining game, and say that the game stays close throughout, but with a score that keeps creeping higher until the Bandits put the game away late and reach that 30-point threshold. We are going with the Bandits to repeat, with a final score of 31-27.

Eight teams entered the weekend with Summer Bowl dreams, and 4 leave it with the Summer Bowl still in reach and their club one step closer. The divisional round produced only 1 upset, with both 1 seeds advancing and only Birmingham dropping their home game. We will recap the 4 divisional games, preview next week’s Conference Championships with Orlando headed just down the road to face Tampa Bay and Denver traveling up to Seattle to face the Dragons. We also have our first two coaching hires, our Big Story for the week, and we have a look at one 2021 playoff team that is going to have to start rebuilding as 3 team members announce their retirement within the past few days. All this, plus a look at 10 players who may just find themselves on the wrong side of the salary cap this offseason. It’s all right here in our Divisional Round Recap edition.   Harbaugh Heading to Stags The Portland Stags saw what they wanted to see and heard what they wanted to hear in their interview with former Philadelphia Stars’ head coach Jim Harbaugh. Within 24 hours of the coach’s visit to the Rose City an offer was made, and yesterday the Stags held a short press conference to welcome their new head coach. Harbaugh, who had also met with the Monarchs and Bulls, signed up to move his family across the country from their Philadelphia home, setting up shop in the PNW and getting ready to start fresh with the Stags after a year away from coaching.  Coach Harbaugh better invest in some rain gear for his new gig. Harbaugh inherits a team that has some decisions to make. Among the top issues in Portland is the future of Marcus Mariota, the team’s starter at QB since 6 years. Mariota has had some strong seasons and some troubling ones, not to mention the injury issues that cost him games every year since 2017. The Stags also have some spots to fill this offseason, including 2 tackle spots, at corner, defensive tackle, and kicker. All this plus a desire to both upgrade the run game, the pass rush, and the LB group. Harbaugh, who took the Stars to two Summer Bowls and regular playoff appearances is certainly no stranger to roster turnover or to rebuilding. With Portland he inherits a team that was seen as a potential up-and-comer after turning a 4-12 season in 2019 into a 9-7 campaign in 2020, only to fall flat this year, finishing 5-10-1 and costing Brian LaFleur his position.  Coach Cotrell moves to the big chair. And while Portland’s hire takes one of the bigger names off the coaching prospect board, it was not the only hire this week. Houston, just one week after being knocked out of the Wild Card run, made it official that they will hire from within, with Defensive Coordinator Ted Cotrell taking the helm while OC Zach Taylor remains in his position as the mastermind behind Houston’s explosive attack. News of Cotrell’s hire leaked from Houston this week, as the team planned to make an announcement after the Summer Bowl, part of a celebration of Wade Phillips’s outstanding career as the leader of the Gamblers. The party will still happen, but the surprise is now no surprise at all.   The official announcement of Harbaugh’s hire and the leak regarding Ted Cotrell means that there are now 3 positions left to be filled, all with teams that are facing major overhauls: Charlotte, Jacksonville, and San Diego. Many see the Bulls’ position as the most desirable if for no other reason than the new coach will have 2020 rookie QB Trevor Lawrence to build around, while both Charlotte and San Diego have major questions at the quarterback position. Expect all three teams to continue to interview candidates, but also to look very closely at the coaching staffs of the 4 teams left in contention in the playoffs, as they likely each have at least one coordinator who might be primed for a head coaching position.   NEW JERSEY GENERALS 23  TAMPA BAY BANDITS 24 There are two types of people who are really ecstatic about the Bandits’ 1-point victory over New Jersey this week, folks who like a last second win, and folks who like to bet the underdog. In a game that was far closer than most expected, and one in which the Generals shockingly had a 23-6 lead midway through the 3 rd quarter, Tampa Bay stormed back late, scoring the final 18 points in a flurry of late heroics that ended with a 33-yard field goal from Harrison Butker with only 10 ticks left on the clock. For fans of late game comebacks and those who bet on a close game, this was one for the record books.   New Jersey had some huge performances, particularly in a first half that they dominated. Tony Pollard and Delone Carter combined for 29 carries and 143 yards, with Pollard extending the Generals’ 16-6 halftime lead by another 7 on the Generals’ first drive of the second half. But something happened after that drive. Tampa Bay, who had been rusty, careless, and uncharacteristically inefficient, suddenly found their groove. And it wasn’t just the offense, as the Bandit defense picked up both of their takeaways in the game’s final 18 minutes. So, how did it happen?   Let’s start with New Jersey’s first half success. The Generals not only held the Bandits to a pair of Butker field goals, but their offense ate up over 17 minutes of the first half, with Carter and Pollard finding success on the ground and setting up Nick Foles for some pretty easy throws from a solid protective pocket. Included in the easy throw category was a 56-yard completion to Muhamed Sanu, a play made possible by Tampa Bay’s overreaction to the run fake. Sanu, who would finish with only 2 receptions, but an average of 60.5 between them, was in single coverage and Foles had all the time in the world for him to get open. The score took the Generals’ advantage from 6 points to 13.   On the first drive of the second half, Sanu would catch his 2 nd  pass, a 65-yarder on an almost identical fly route. That play did not go for 6, but only 3 plays later Pollard broke a tackle at the 7 and rumbled into the endzone, shocking the Bandit crowd of 59,721 as the Generals took a 17-point lead. But it would be the last great moment for the Generals, who started fraying just as Tampa Bay started to build confidence. It started when Tony Pollard took a swing pass, rumbled around the edge, but lost control of the ball. De Brian Burns was Johnny on the spot, falling on the ball at the New Jersey 22 and giving Tampa Bay the spark they needed to mount a comeback. Only 2 plays later Dak Prescott finally connected on a big play to one of his outside receivers, in this case Ryan Grant, and 17-yards later the Bandits’ gap was 11 (a missed PAT kept it from being 10)   The Bandits’ D started to assert themselves in the 4 th  quarter, first with a sack to end a New Jersey drive, then with a pick of Nick Foles that again gave the Bandits a short field. On their first drive of the quarter, Butker connected to bring the gap to 8. After the Jalen Ramsey pick, the Bandits did one better, with Prescott finding Dez Bryant for a 43-yard play that put the ball inside the New Jersey 5. 2 plays later Dalvin Cook lept over the pile and Tampa Bay was only a 2-point conversion from a tie game. The Bandits failed on the attempt and with 5:34 left to play New Jersey was a good 4-minute drill away from a shocking upset.   The problem was that New Jersey, who had found success on the ground all game, could not find it when it mattered most, with Tampa Bay forcing a 3-and-out after only 73 seconds had melted from the clock. They would get the ball back on their own 27 with 4:21 left to play. Dak Prescott and the Bandit offense went to work, no urgency, just consistent positive plays in what would become a 12-play drive that got the ball as far as the New Jersey 16. With time running down. Prescott would spike the ball on 1 st  and 10, then take a knee right behind the center to set up Butker with a straight kick down the center of the field. With 10 seconds left, the Bandits took their final timeout and sent their kicker in to pull victory from the Generals’ clutches. Coach Saleh used his last timeout to ice Butker, but, as we so often see, it proved fruitless, as the Bandit kicker easily split the uprights.   From down 17 to a 1-point victory, from a shocking one-and-done exit to a return next week in the Conference Title Game, the Bandits turned lead into gold, while New Jersey, shellshocked and disheartened, headed home on the longest Florida return flight to Newark in the history of Jet Blue. CHICAGO MACHINE 27   DENVER GOLD 37 In what was beginning to look like a weekend of 4 th  quarter comebacks, the Denver Gold put up 27 of their 37 points in the final period, turning a 10-point deficit into a 10-point win with 4 consecutive TD drives in the span of only 7:32. Once again, turnovers were the key, that and late game weakening of one of the league’s best defenses.   Chicago, like New Jersey, had played very solid football for 3 quarters, but they wore down as the Gold kicked into high gear in the final 10 minutes. To their credit, Denver fans never really quieted down, even after the Machine put up the game’s first 17 points, with Sam Bradford connecting with TE Tyler Eifert in the first quarter and then doubling the Machine advantage midway through the 2 nd  with a short TD toss to Chase Claypool. By the time the game reached the half, it was Chicago up 17-0 and Denver fans both troubled and eager to see a very different Gold team in the 2 nd  half. They got their wish as Denver, who took the 2 nd  half kickoff, went to work right away. Their big adjustment from the first to the second half was a decision to run far fewer spread formation plays and far more 2-TE formations, using a combination of max protect and 2-3 receiver routes to keep Josh Allen in the pocket and the Machine pass rush off him. Allen, who had been sacked 6 times in the first half, would go to the turf only once in the second. On his first drive of the half, he would connect with 4 different receivers, including a 28-yard catch and run on 3 rd  and 11 that clearly deflated the Chicago defense. When Allen found Golden Tate from the 9 for Denver’s first points of the game, you could feel the energy come back to Empower Field. 17-7 felt a lot different from 17-0.   Chicago would respond on their next possession with a field goal, but something had definitely changed. Allen, who had been held to only 5 of 11 in the first half, and only 81 yards, would put up 237 yards on 14 of 16 in the second half, in a display of momentum shift like few we have seen this year. Down 20-10 as the 4 th quarter started, following a Greg Zeurlein field goal, Allen found Darnell Mooney on a perfectly executed slant & go route. The play covered 41 yards and pulled the Gold within 4 (another missed PAT. Why?). That would be the first of 4 consecutive TD drives in the quarter.   The second came only 2 minutes later after FS Camryn Bynum had the first of two 4 th quarter picks. The first was a ball tipped up in the air by Chicago receiver Michael Floyd, a classic tip drill ball that Bynum caught and returned to the Chicago 17. Five quick plays later, Phillip Lindsay followed the left guard into the endzone from the 1 and Denver was up 23-20. Chicago seemed shell-shocked, and after a drive of only 6 plays, they were forced to punt the ball back to Denver. The Gold were now in rhythm, with Allen gaining 44 yards on only 2 completions before Phillip LindsHocay caught the Machine in a pass rush, the delayed handoff leading to a wide-open hole in the line and a 20-yard scamper for another Gold TD. They now led by 10 themselves, up 30-20 with only 3:03 to play.   Desperate to get back in the game, Chicago had to take risks, and one of those risks was a throw by Bradford into double coverage. With corner Artie Burns staying underneath, with Bynum behind him, Bradford forced the ball to Floyd again, and this time Bynum did not wait for a tip, he undercut the route and stole the ball away before diving out of bounds at the Chicago 44. Once again Denver was in position with a short field. It would take them less than a minute to score, this time David Wilson running the ball in from the 3, and now, down 17, Chicago knew that the cause was lost. They would add a late score in the final minute to create a 10-point deficit, but with the onside kick finding Denver TE T. J. Hockenson, the game was now officially out of reach. Denver had looked unprepared in the first half, but came on strong after the break, outpacing the Machine 37-10 over the final 30 minutes. The Central Division champs were out, and the Southwest Champs were headed to the Conference finals, but would it be a home game against the veteran Wranglers, or a road trip to 1-seed Seattle? ORLANDO RENEGADES 16  BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS 13 Orlando came into their game in Birmingham quite a bit banged up, with David Njoku joining DT Ego Ferguson, safety Richie Grant and guard Amini Silatulo on the list of missing players for the game. They would find themselves even more shorthanded only 8 minutes into the game, when their deep threat, Brashad Perriman, had to leave the game after his 2 nd  catch. The 7-year vet landed hard after bringing in a high pass from Wilson. He held on, but was immediately taken into the locker room. The verdict would be a dislocated shoulder with a possible chip of the joint now floating free. In other words, Perriman, who had 10 receptions for 139 yards in Orlando’s Wild Card victory, would be done for the remainder of the playoffs.   Orlando was down their top 2 receivers, a combo that had racked up 257 targets, 168 receptions, 2,166 yards and 14 touchdowns in the regular season. Their offense would have to lean more heavily on the run game, the defense, and a receiver group now led by Hunter Renfrew, Nelson Agholor, and tight ends Chris Herndon and Crockett Gilmore. Not exactly a Murderer’s Row of a receiver group. Yes, Orlando led 6-0 after the first quarter, a pair of Mason Crosby field goals the only points, but the Birmingham fans had to feel good about their chances. Cam Newton had returned for the start, and while he went 3 for 8 in the opening quarter, he certainly would heat up as the game moved along.   Newton did heat up a touch early in the 2 nd , connecting with Devanta Smith for a 27-yard completion that would put the ball in Orlando territory and eventually lead to a Chris Boswell field goal to halve Orlando’s advantage. But in an omen of things to come, Newton was sacked on the penultimate drive, caught trying to scramble by DE Arthur Moats. Moats, who would finish the game with 7 tackles, including 5 for a loss (3 being failed Newton run plays) impressed, but so did the league’s sack co-champion, Montez Sweat, who racked up 3 sacks and 5 tackles on the day. And it was not that Orlando was focusing on pressure. They rarely sent any blitzers, and their two DE’s were as involved in run coverage as pass rush. The issue was that Newton looked indecisive all game, like the time away with injury had wiped out some of his instincts. He opted to run too late into plays, he opted to throw into coverage when other receivers had found gaps in the Orlando zone. It was just not a good game.   Newton would finish the game with a very uncharacteristic stat line of 47.2% completion rate (17 of 36), a TD, a pick, and 6 sacks. Meanwhile, even with his top two pass catchers out of action by the 5-minute mark of the first quarter, Russell Wilson also played uncharacteristically. He completed 23 of 34 passes, one of his best results all year. Yes, he threw a pick, but it was a late throw in the half that was almost a punt by default.   Both Orlando and the Stallions would add another field goal to a game that had yet to see any endzone forays by the half. Down 9-6, Birmingham was certainly still in the game, but they would need to find their offense sooner rather than later. With a run game that produced only 40 total yards in the game (including 7 rushes for -3 yards by Newton), that offense never arrived. Orlando hardly blew the doors off the game, but when Russell Wilson found Nelson Agholor for a 3-yard TD late in the third quarter, it gave the visitors a 10-point advantage against a Stallion squad that simply was not in synch on offense.   Birmingham would finally find the endzone in the 4 th  quarter, but they did so with 49 seconds left to play, newton finally making a play, but far too late. The Stallions attempted the onside kick, failed to recover the ball, and were forced to watch as Russell Wilson ended their playoff hopes with a pair of kneel downs. Orlando had hardly been impressive on offense and were certainly limping into a showdown with in-state rival Tampa Bay, but they had proven effective in pressuring Newton, containing him, and flustering the entire Birmingham offense despite blitzing only 4 times the entire game.   ARIZONA WRANGLERS 16  SEATTLE DRAGONS 42 The final game of the week was really the only game we would call completely one-sided, and that is not something anyone expected with a veteran squad like Arizona facing the Dragons. Arizona started strong, putting the first 6 points on the board, but when Brett Hundley found Kendrick Bourne for 6 early in the 2 nd quarter, Arizona’s early success started to fade. Despite the Wrangler defense containing Knowshon Moreno, with the league’s rushing king held to only 67 yards, they could not contain him when it mattered most. Moreno ripped a 12-yard TD run just before the 2-minute warning, giving Seattle a 14-6 lead at the half. He would add 2 more touchdowns in the 2 nd  half as Seattle went from 14-6 to 42-9 by the midway point of the 4 th  quarter.   They did it with solid defense, including a huge play from potential DPOTY Khalil Mack, a 51-yard pick-six that all but ended the game with Seattle up 35-9. They also did it with consistent, balanced offense against a pretty well-respected Wrangler D. The numbers were not huge, with Brett Hundley going 17 of 25 for only 207 yards and no Seattle receiver topping Marshall Newhouse’s 85 yards on the day, but they just kept drives alive and kept adding points to the scoreboard until Arizona’s hopes were simply too far gone to be of concern.   This was one of those games where most of the stats don’t tell us the story. Seattle only outgained Arizona by 40 yards, were marginally better on 3 rd down, had only 1 fewer penalty than the Wranglers, and lost the time of possession race 34:20 to 25:40, and yet, when they had the ball, they found ways to add points to the scoreboard, while Arizona did not. The final result was a resounding win for the Dragons, who now will prepare for their final home game of the year, a Western Championship against the SW Division Champs, the Denver Gold.   Seattle & Orlando Lose Key Playmakers Ahead of Conference Title Games The Dragons and Renegades are moving on to their respective Conference Title Games, but not every member of the team will be there this weekend as both teams suffered a considerable loss at the wide receiver position, an injury that could impact their ability to advance to Summer Bowl 2021. Orlando will be without their top 2 receivers as WR Brashad Perriman joins TE David Njoku on the injury list. In Seattle, Amari Cooper is doubtful after suffering a hamstring injury in this week’s win over Arizona.  For Orlando, the loss of Perriman one week after David Njoku was lost for the entire playoffs is a major concern. The Renegades lose over 160 receptions and two essential pieces of their offense. This will certainly impact the way Coach Rivera approaches a very tough matchup against the high-powered offense of the Tampa Bay Bandits. Even at full strength Orlando dropped both regular season games against their in-state rivals, losing 38-9 in Week 4, and then falling 24-13 in Week 11. Now, without his club’s top two receivers, the strategy has to become one focused on shortening the game, centering the run game of Chris Carson, and leaning heavily on the defense to contain the Bandits, pressure Dak Prescott, and avoid giving up quick strikes.   For Seattle, the news is slightly better. Amari Cooper’s hamstring issue is a strain, not a tear, and while he is listed as doubtful this week, there is hope that if the Dragons can knock off Denver at Lumen Field, they could see Cooper back in action for Summer Bowl 2021. This week, the most likely set up for Coach Riley is that Kendrick Bourne slides out from the slot to take over Cooper’s spot opposite Marshall Newhouse, with both Frank McClintock and Nick Westbrook stepping in on the inside when the Dragons go to 3-receiver sets. The other clear option, and one we expect to see quite often, is for Seattle to switch their use of 3-receiver sets to more 2-tight end formations. While there is a pretty big drop off from 1,000-yard receiver Kyle Rudolph to TE2 Charlie Worner, having Worner in as extra protection for Brett Hundley would allow Rudolph to become a factor over the middle. At least that is the thinking among the Seattle optimists.   Stallion Nation Second Guessing Haley's Decision Color us not surprised at all, but the banter all across Stallion Nation, online, on talk radio, on the EFN talking head shows, has been about Coach Haley sticking with Cam Newton during Birmingham's tough Divisional Round loss to Orlando. On the surface it seems absurd, after all Newton was an MVP candidate until injury took him out of the final 6 weeks of the season. He is a deadly combination of size, strength, escapability, and a rocket arm, but he was clearly rusty after nearly 2 months away from the game. Maybe he was not truly back to 100% or maybe he just was not in synch with the rest of the team. But, whatever the reason, the Stallions did not get Newton at his best, and with a backup ready to go, and one who led the Bandits to 4 consecutive wins to lock up the Division title and a Wild Card bye, it starts to make sense why there is now so much questioning of Haley's choice. Tim Tebow came in for Newton in Week 12 and surprised many with his game. He was not as prolific as Newton, but he certainly made his share of plays as the Stallions defeated foe after foe on their way to the playoffs. In 6 starts, Tebow threw for 10 TDs and no picks, and helped the Stallions go 3-0 against division foes Memphis, New Orleans and San Antonio to clinch the division. But ask anyone prior to this week's game and we don't think you would find many who believed that keeping Tebow under center if a healthy Cam Newton was back to 100% was the way to go. This is a classic case of Monday morning quarterbacking. It is easy to say that Tebow would have put up better numbers than Newton's 17 of 36 with 1 TD and 1 pick, but maybe we should just respect Orlando's defensive effort and gameplan and say that Tim Tebow likely would have had the same fate as Newton. It's a hard pill to swallow for Stallion fans, but maybe lay off of the coach who just got you your first Division title in over 20 years. Carr Mum on Whether This Week’s Loss Will Be His Final Game With Arizona’s exit from the 2021 post-season, the questions for David Carr about his future have begun in earnest. Wrangler Nation was antsy about Carr after his season ending injury in 2020, but the 2-Time MVP returned with a very solid season in 2021, though it was one that saw him leave several games with the kind of injuries we so often see from players in the latter years of long careers.   Carr started 14 games this year, which is certainly not bad for a QB who will turn 38 in the offseason. However, in 4 of those games, he had to take a seat on the bench and let Brock Osweiler finish out the game. Those nagging and lingering injuries are one reason why many in the Wranglers’ sphere are questioning Carr on his 2022 intentions. When you add to that the fact that the Wranglers appear to be a team whose championship window may be closing, a window that has produced 3 titles and 5 trips to the Summer Bowl, and the possibility that Carr will step away from the game seems even more likely. After all, this was the first year in almost a decade when the Wranglers did not win their division, and their exit at the hands of Seattle this week may well be a sign that the team needs to retool for the future. Will that be a factor in Carr’s thinking? Will the bruises and physical toll of a 13 th  USFL season be the bigger factor? We won’t know until Carr answers questions about 2022, and as of right now, he is not open to doing so.   Bandits Open as 14-Point Favorite in Las Vegas With Orlando down two major offensive weapons, and with Tampa Bay looking very much like the team that captured a title last year, the gambling world is very much looking like they feel the Eastern Finals will be a coronation, not a competition. The sports books in Las Vegas, as well as the online gambling sites, have all more or less agreed that the Eastern Conference Finals will not only be a Bandit win, but an impressive one. The opening line is hovering between 14 and 15 points, which tells us that the money is heading Tampa’s way in large numbers and the books need to inflate the spread to try to encourage some wagering in favor of Orlando.   The disparity is certainly not unexpected. Tampa Bay defeated Orlando twice, by a combined 62-22 margin in the regular season, and now, without David Njoku or Brashad Perriman, it feels very much like the Renegades will need an immaculate defensive game to even stay in the park with the Bandits. Stranger things have happened, but rarely are the sports books this tilted towards one team only to have the other win outright. Cover the spread? Possibly. Win outright? It seems a tough hill to climb for a gutsy, but potentially overmatched Orlando club.   Chris Long Looking Like Shrewd Acquisition for Dragons The 2021 season had its fair share of midseason deals, many of which did not produce huge results. From the 3-way deal that sent Eddie Lacy to Oklahoma, Pacman Jones to Birmingham, and Jameis Winston to New England, to the deal that made WR Justin Blackmon a Panther, there have been big name deals, but few big name results. The one clear exception to that trend is the deal that sent DE Chris Long from the Washington Federals to the Seattle Dragons. Long, who came to Seattle with 8 sacks in 10 games, found immediate success in his new home. The 13-year veteran added 6 more sacks in his final 6 regular season games, not going a single week without one entered into the books. This week, against Arizona, he had his first multiple-sack game, with 2 sacks and a forced fumble against the Wranglers. He finished the season as the Dragons’ sack leader with 14 sacks, one more than All-USFL linebacker Khalil Mack. And we should also mention that Long’s presence helped Mack accelerate his sack haul, with the talented linebacker securing 7 of his 13 sacks after Long’s arrival for Week 12. He did not have a sack this week against Arizona, though we think his pick-six certainly makes up for that, but with Chris Long at DE, Seattle has seen a combined 13 sacks from their top two producers in just a 6-week span, and now, in the postseason, they are cashing in on the investment they made on a player who may well be using the 2021 playoff run as his final act in the USFL.   Two games, both impacted by injuries. We have already outlined the impact of the Njoku and Perriman injuries for the Renegades, but we should also note that Tampa Bay will be without center Frank Ragnow, something Coach Rivera and the Renegades will almost certainly try to exploit with inside pressure. Expect some stunts and loops from Montez Sweat as the Renegades try to pressure Dak Prescott and contain Dalvin Cook.   In the Western Final, the absence of Amari Cooper will certainly be an issue for Seattle. They were already dealing with the absence of their slot specialist, John Brown, and now find themselves without their deep ball specialist. It seems safe to say that Marshall Newhouse and Kyle Rudolph will need to step up against Denver if the Dragons hope to return to the Summer Bowl.   ORL:  TE D. Njoku (IR), DT E. Ferguson (IR), SS R. Grant (IR), WR B. Perriman (Out) TBY:  DT K. Short (Out), C F. Ragnow (D)   DEN:  FB W. Nelson (Out), HB J. Ward (P) SEA:   WR J. Brown (IR), T E. Fisher (Out), WR A. Cooper (D), DE D. Hall (Q)   Ohio Loses 3 Playmakers to Retirement in 1 Week It is the ebb and flow of pro football. One week you have everything working for you, like Week 17 when the Glory went into New Jersey, got the win and punched their playoff ticket. The next, it all goes south, first losing in the Wild Card round to rival Chicago and then getting a quick succession of retirement announcements sure to impact the offseason. While not totally unexpected, the impact of Ohio losing safety LaRon Landry, CB Syd’Quan Thompson, and G Brandon Brooks all within the span of 3 days has to shake things up. With several other significant contributors like DE Robert Quinn and HB Isaiah Pead about to enter free agency, the reality for the Glory is clear, their 2022 roster could look very different from their 2021 edition.   That said, the good news is that Ohio has a solid core still very much in place, including potential Rookie of the Year Justin Fields at QB, Terry McLaurin leading an improving receiver group, and two outspoken leaders on defense in LB Ryan Shazier and SS Tyran Matthieu. It also does not hurt that the Glory have one of the best options in all of the USFL when it comes to their Territorial Draft, with Ohio State regularly cranking out topflight talent. In this year’s draft alone, Ohio will have some big time players to choose from, including two All Big-10 receivers in Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, and a beast of a tackle in Nicholas Petit-Frere, and that is not even taking into account that perhaps the best corner in the draft, Cincinnati’s Sauce Gardner, is also within Ohio’s protected pool of players. So, don’t cry for them, Argentina. The Glory could well be ready to reload and get right back into the fight in 2022.   Charlotte Not Waiting, Approaches Steamrollers & Vipers about QB Options We will say this for the 1-15 Charlotte Monarchs, they are not taking a slow route to rebuilding. They may not have found their next head coach yet, but they are already hot on the trail to fixing one of their most glaring issues, the lack of a quality starter at the QB position. Looking at QB competitions across the league, the Monarchs have already reached out to both the Las Vegas Vipers and the New England Steamrollers, trying to get a bead on whether either team might be in a mood to trade away one of their QB contenders and avoid a February competition.   The Vipers were pretty settled at QB with Matt McGloin, but an injury midseason gave NFL import Gardner Minshew a chance to show his stuff, and he raised a few eyebrows with some nice performances, throwing for 353 against Oakland and putting up 299 yards and 4 touchdowns in a season finale against Dallas. Minshew finished the year with an 84.4 QB Rating and a 13:10 touchdown/interception ratio, both slightly better than McGloin’s pre-injury numbers. Would the Vipers be open to a deal on Minshew, or are they perhaps more prone to deal the older QB with 2 fewer years on his deal, Matt McGloin?   For New England it is also a question of two quarterbacks who could be solid but who have not been able to lock up the starting position. New England made a mid-year deal to bring Jameis Winston over from Birmingham, a sign that they are not satisfied with the 2-year results from another NFL import, Ryan Tannehill. The Steamrollers gave Winston the final few starts, but with 6 picks and only 1 TD, Winston’s final numbers were not impressive. He finished the year with a 50.3 QB Rating, well below Tannehill’s 79.5. And yet, we have seen what Winston can do during his time in the NFL, and perhaps Charlotte is willing to take the risk. In a year where there is not projected to be a clear cut 1 st  round talent among the QBs in the 2022 draft, perhaps taking a shot at an NFL import who needs a new start is the path forward for the Monarchs.   Ten Potential Cap Cuts Ahead of Free Agency When the offseason rolls around, we tend to focus on two roster-impacting realities, the wave of retirements that we tend to see each fall, and the players opting to test the free agency waters instead of extending or agreeing to a new deal with their current teams. And we certainly will be exploring both this year, but we should also look at a third type of roster movement, the salary cap casualty. We have several teams this year who could struggle to get under the cap. Yes, they will certainly all work to restructure some deals, move money around or kick the can down the road, but it is certainly possible that we will also see some players who are just too expensive for their teams to keep, and that could mean some pre-free agency cuts in the next few weeks, helping teams avoid balloon payments, guaranteed pay outs, and cap holes that would make new player acquisition tough. So, who could be a victim of the cap? Here are 10 names we are watching very closely. DT Jason Hargrave (ARZ) The 6-year vet is a solid player, but his contract is back-heavy and that makes him an expensive player at his position on a team that could be looking for a new QB.   TE Hunter Henry (BIR) Henry is a very solid contributor, but not a superstar at the position, not yet at least. His salary makes him Top 5 at the position, but with 4 more years on the deal, he is not likely to agree to a restructuring, so will that cost him the position altogether?   QB Ryan Nassib (WSH) This one should be pretty obvious. Washington overpaid to win the “Nassib Derby” after the QB put up huge numbers in his one season leading Arizona. He came to Washington, could not repeat the output from the Wranglers, and lost his job to former Dragon Jacoby Brissett early in 2021. The Feds would love to find a trading partner for Nassib (Maybe back to Arizona), but if not, they may well just cut the rest of his contract loose to free up more space for other needs.   DT Star Lotuleilei (DAL) Once perhaps the best player on the Roughneck roster, Lotuleilei is now 30, and his production has not kept pace with his seniority. Lotuleilei had only 36 tackles in 2020, and only 4 for a loss. With a deal like his, those numbers need to be a lot higher. With Dallas already underwater on their cap thanks to the deals cut with QB Justin Herbert, OT Tytus Howard, and WR Courtland Sutton, the Roughnecks may cut their early-year star Lotuleilei loose with 1 year left on his deal.   FS Calvin Murray (MEM) If I asked you who the most expensive player on the Showboats was, you might think it had to be HB Todd Gurley or DE J. J. Watt. You almost certainly would not jump to safety Calvin Pryor. Kudos to Pryor’s agent who got him a very nice progressive deal with a lot of backloaded payout, but that final year deal in 2022-2023 could well be the reason Memphis parts ways with the safety.   TE Dennis Pitta (NE) Pitta made a name for himself in Seattle, but the numbers have just not been sustained in New England. Yes, a lot of that is the Steamroller offense as a whole and QB issues as well, but we also are just not seeing Pitta making himself an unmissable target. With his salary for 2022 second only to All-USFL DT Aaron Donald, and with New England potentially looking to bolster the roster in several expensive positions, we could see them jettison Pitta just for the cap space.   WR Mike Williams (JAX) A lot will depend on who the Bulls tap as their next head coach, but with the emergence of Tee Higgins as the clear primary receiver and with Williams producing solid, but hardly spectacular numbers as more of a possession receiver, the Bulls may be able to free up his sizable salary and find an equivalent talent and skill set in free agency at considerably less cap impact.   CB William Jackson III (OAK) Let’s be blunt. Williams got himself a great deal out of college, but with only 2 picks in 5 USFL seasons, he is just not worth the money. Oakland is almost certainly looking to replace Jackson with a free agent or a rookie, and if they feel good about those prospects, they likely cut Jackson loose in time to avoid his bubble payment this October.   QB Kyler Murray (LA) Perhaps the first surprise on our list. Yes, Murray was the undisputed starter at QB for the Express this year, as he has been since coming into the league 3 years ago. But with LA’s offense being a constant topic of derision and concern, and with Murray staring a career 75.5 QB rating in the face, would we really be shocked if LA cut him loose? It may make more sense to try to trade Murray to another QB-needy team, but will there be takers? And who will LA have available to add if they do send Murray off?   QB Andy Dalton (PIT) This one has been rumored for a while now. Dalton had some very strong years, and he can still produce some great games, but the consistency is just not there, evident in the 4-game slump that cost the Maulers a shot at the playoffs this year. Dalton has only 1 year left on his deal with the Maulers, which may make him a quality trade candidate, and with Pitt QB Kenny Picket looking like perhaps the best option in a very thin draft class, we could see the Maulers either letting Dalton go cleanly, as a way to give him a say in where he ends up, or, perhaps more likely, cutting a deal with a Charlotte, San Diego, LA, or even Memphis to create the space to draft Pickett and still get some talent in free agency.   Two games on the schedule for this Conference Championship Weekend, both on Sunday so that neither winner has a day of extra rest before next week’s trip to Santa Clara and Summer Bowl 2021. So, who do you like? Are you ready to go out on a very thin limb and pick the Renegades to dethrone Tampa Bay? Are you picking Josh Allen’s arm over Knowshon Moreno’s legs in the West? Here is our breakdown, and, we hate to say it, but we may be playing it a little safe by predicting a battle of 1 seeds in the Summer Bowl, but we call them as we see them and that is what we see.   4- Orlando Renegades (11-5) @ 1- Tampa Bay Bandits (14-2) Sunday, August 8 @ 2pm ET Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL Bandits -14   Not to downplay the season that the Orlando Renegades have put together, but they are looking a lot like the Rodney Dangerfields of the 2021 USFL playoffs: no respect, no respect at all. Admittedly, having lost their two top receivers over a span of 2 weeks has largely overshadowed the fact that they have defeated both the Houston Gamblers and Birmingham Stallions, making them the de facto champions of the USFL Southern Division. Those two wins have just not turned into a surge in confidence for the Renegades’ chances as they prepare to face the 2020 USFL Champions and 2021 Eastern Conference top seeds in Tampa Bay. As we reported above, the Bandits open as 2 touchdown favorites over their in-state rivals. The Bandits certainly present an imposing task, healthy, experienced, and supremely talented, but as we saw this week, they are not invulnerable. The New Jersey Generals nearly pulled out a major upset over the Bandits, losing by a single point after largely collapsing in the final 15 minutes. Could a motivated and undervalued Orlando defense cause Tampa Bay even more trouble and actually help the Renegades shock the USFL world?   OUR PICK:  Let’s answer the question we just asked. No. We just don’t see it. Not without their top 2 targets. Not with the USFL leader in picks thrown as their QB. Not with all the weapons the Bandits bring to the table. We are going to say that the Renegades will find a way to cover the spread, but we just cannot help but place Tampa Bay right back in the Summer Bowl with a chance to equal the 2002-2003 Ohio Glory as the only teams to win back-to-back titles. We say it will be Bandits 28, Renegades 20 .   2- Denver Gold (12-4) @ 1- Seattle Dragons (13-3) Sunday, August 8 @ 6pm ET Lumen Field, Seattle, WA Dragons -4 ½   One win separates the Dragons and the Gold. Had Seattle taken it easy on the season’s final week, it very well could have been Denver hosting this game, and while the two did not meet this season, when we look at some common opponents (Dallas, Arizona, San Diego, Portland, Michigan, and St. Louis), we find two teams that look very similar. Against those opponents Seattle went 6-1 while Denver put up a 5-2 mark, so do we still have only 1 game of difference between them? What about stats? Well, Denver certainly has the edge in passing, with Josh Allen throwing for about 500 more yards and 12 more touchdowns, but in the run game it is all about Seattle, with Knowshon Moreno leading the league in rushing with nearly 1,400 yards, while Denver’s lead rusher, Phillip Lindsay did not crack 900. On defense Seattle has the edge in scoring, giving up 246 points to Denver’s 311. Seattle gave up only 300 fewer yards than the Gold, so they look pretty even there as well. Where there might be a huge differential is in takeaway margin, where Seattle is +16 while Denver is only +6.   OUR PICK: As much as we like what Josh Allen has done this year, Denver does not have the balance that we see in Seattle’s offense. He may well have to do something extraordinary to overcome the advantages the Dragons have with their run game, more aggressive defense, and big play makers like LB Khalil Mack, DE Chris Long, and CB Richard Sherman. We think Seattle contains Allen and grinds out a close one with Moreno and the D coming up big. Dragons 21, Gold 20.

The USFL playoffs are here and they are once again a showcase for the league. Four games this week and each featuring big performances, compelling storylines, and each one setting up some big Divisional Round matchups. From divisional clashes between Northeast and Central rivals to clashes of styles between Houston and Orlando and even a classic Western Conference clash, this year offered early in the postseason. This weekend had a bit of everything. We will break down each game, take a look at how New Jersey, Chicago, Orlando and Arizona advanced, preview the upcoming Divisional Round, where the 4 top seeds in the league make their debuts, and we won’t skimp on the off-field news around player retirements or coaching searches either. It’s all here, so let’s get to it.   Retirement Announcements Bring Few Surprises The first week of postseason football in both U.S. leagues brings several predictable news items. You will have Wild Card game results, Black Monday coaching changes, and retirement announcements. At times the latter can contain some surprises, like when a star back like Barry Sanders or Michael Turner decides to step away at the peak of their game. Other years the list of offseason retirements is somewhat predictable and offers few surprises to teams and their fans. The 2021-2022 offseason is proving so far to be one of the more predictable retirement cycles.   Of course, there are the retirements which have been announced prior to the end of the season, as we saw with Houston Head Coach Wade Phillips and Oakland QB Tom Brady. Some are known to the team, but not made public until now, while others are predictable simply based on age, performance, or attitude. So, who is on the list of immediate retirement announcements? A lot of names that will get an nod of acknowledgement rather than an expression of shock. Here is the current list, with the player’s age in parentheses.   Invader QB Tom Brady (44) Express QB Matt Gutierrez (38) Monarch WR Marques Colston (37) Express WR Eric Weems (36) Bulls WR Jeremy Kerley (32) Breaker OT Marcus Gilbert (33) Viper OT Tyson Clabo (36) Viper OT Chris Williams (35) Roughneck DT Domato Peko (33) Fire DT Jarron Gilbert (36) Mauler LB Brian Orakpo (34) Fire LB Dannell Ellerbe (34) Outlaw LB Odell Thurman (36) Roughneck LB Brandon Spikes (35) Viper LB Ahmad Brooks (35) Steamroller LB Travis Goethel (35) Monarch CB Zachary Bowman (36)   No real surprises here, though Las Vegas has to be concerned about losing 2 of their 4 rostered tackles. The departures most likely to be hardest to replace seem to be at the linebacker position, including Orakpo in Pittsburgh, Thurman in Oklahoma, Spikes in Dallas, and Ellerbe in Atlanta. Looking at replacement strategies, we already know what Oakland will be doing at QB, with Davis Mills essentially handed the offense 4 weeks early. In LA, we expect the Express are reevaluating the entire QB room, and even starter Kyler Murray could be out if the Express think they can upgrade across the depth chart at that key position.   Among the receivers, Charlotte had already been looking at options, whether that is Austin Proehl, former Panther Calvin Ridley, or possibly a free agent or rookie addition. LA had largely considered the Weems acquisition to be a bit of a bust, with Hollywood Brown, Jeremy Maclin and Marquise Lee all seeing more snaps by season’s end. New Orleans has some big shoes to fill at LT and are unlikely to move Dennis Kelly over from the RT position, preferring instead to bring in a new option at the position. Likewise, Las Vegas, who are losing both their 1 st  and 2 nd  string LT, are going to be in the market for sure, though they may also consider shifting Jamarco Jones from the right to the left.   Looking at that big LB group, we know that Pittsburgh could move Brian Cushing over to MLB, but a lot will depend on who they are able to either sign or draft. Our best guess is that they would prefer to get an outside LB who can add to the pass rush and move Cushing inside to focus on the run. In Oklahoma, Vontez Burfict seems a likely choice to step in for Thurman, having shifted to the inside this past season. Expect Oklahoma to draft for depth, but not necessarily for an immediate impact player. Finally, Atlanta will certainly be hoping to get a young, aggressive outside backer who can chase down the run, cover a tight end, and still contribute on blitz packages.   The list after 1 week is growing, and while it is not offering many surprises, even the known departures are still players that will be missed. We should add as well that the list will certainly grow longer as we see teams eliminated from the post-season and we often see a small wave of announcements as well in January, when players preparing for camp realize that the fire is just not burning the same way. Players we still have a watch on include Arizona WR Victor Cruz (34), LA corner Dominique Rogers-Cromartie (35), Ohio FS LaRon Landry (35), Tampa Bay DT Marcel Dareus (34), and Denver OT Ryan Clady (36).    NEW JERSEY GENERALS 24  PHILADELPHIA STARS 12 The opening game of the week saw a classic rivalry match between two NE Division titans. The Stars leapfrogged the Generals on the final week of the season to reclaim the division title and get the opportunity to play this game in front of a much friendlier Lincoln Financial Field crowd than if they had been forced to head up the Turnpike to the Meadowlands. New Jersey, losers of 4 in a row in a classic “backing into the playoffs” scenario, had a lot to prove, and they did it, doubling up the Stars by playing outstanding defense and making big plays on offense, even as their ability to maintain drives was questionable at best. New Jersey only converted 8 first downs and was 1 of 10 on third down, showing that the Stars’ defense was ready to shut down the long, time-killing drive. But in doing that, they forgot to shut down the big play. Case in point, New Jersey’s first score of the game, a 71-yard catch and run by TE Jonnu Smith that turned a 3-0 deficit into a 7-0 lead that would mark the first of only 3 lead changes in the game. Nick Foles, who only attempted 18 passes, completed 11, but none bigger than the seam route to Smith, who brushed off the safety and rumbled his way for 6.   Most of the first half was about stalled New Jersey drives and failed Philadelphia red zone trips. The Stars first half field goals were chip shots of 26, 34, and 25 yards, which, for those of you paying attention, means that the Stars had the ball at the New Jersey9-, 17-, and 8-yard lines and were unable to punch it in. This despite having Dereck Henry carry the ball 23 times. New Jersey, for their part, had a major breakdown in the red zone as well, settling for a 21-yard kick from the 4 after an apparent Foles to OBJ touchdown toss was ruled offensive pass interference due to the General receiver’s push off move.   Leading 10-9 at the half, New Jersey would fall behind early in the 4 th  on yet another chip shot from the Stars, an Eddie Pineiro kick from the 17 once again. The kick came with 2:37 left on the clock and gave the Stars a hard-fought 12-10 lead, but it was not meant to last. Still angry from the OPI call, Odell Beckham Jr. had his revenge as Nick Foles found him on a perfect corner route to produce a 17-yard TD with 1:17 left to play. New Jersey now led by 5, forcing Philadelphia to go for a touchdown with only 1 timeout left to use.   The Stars quickly moved the ball from the 20 to the 37, but Carson Wentz made a fatal mistake on 1 st  and 10, forcing the ball to Randall Cobb only to have General LB Jamin Davis dropping back in zone and right into the path of the ball. The athletic linebacker tipped the ball as it went overhead and caught it on the way down. With a convoy of Generals in front, Davis returned the pick 43 yards for a game-securing score. Now up 24-12, with only 54 seconds left, the victory and a bit of revenge belonged to New Jersey, who now move on to face the Conference’s top seed, the Tampa Bay Bandits. MICHIGAN PANTHERS 20   ARIZONA WRANGLERS 24 A good one in the desert as two teams very accustomed to deep playoff runs faced off in the Wild Card round for the first time since 1994. In a game that Michigan would lead for more than a half, the Wranglers would find the late game heroics they needed to get the win and advance to the next round, even with veteran starter David Carr sidelined by a mid-game concussion.   The two teams did what they do best, for Michigan, that meant running the ball with LeVeon Bell, who finished with 135 yards on 21 attempts, a very healthy 6.4 YPC average. For Arizona it was about the dual threat of Crowell and Carey, who combined for 98 yards and 2 scores, but also the ability of both Carr and his understudy, Brock Osweiler, to connect on big plays, plays like a 68-yard throw to Victor Cruz, a 59-yarder to TE Robert Tonyan, and a 37-yarder to slot receiver Brandon Aiyuk.   Despite the offensive firepower of both clubs, the game was locked up at 3-3 after 1 quarter, but it started to heat up in the 2 nd . Michigan started off the quarter’s fireworks with a 26-yard run from Bell, followed by Kirk Cousins hitting Donavan Peoples-Jones from the 9 with the game’s first TD. The 7-point advantage was short-lived as Arizona responded with a 7-play drive, Cruz’s big catch putting the ball at the 1-yard line for Isaiah Crowell, who dove in to level the game at 10. Michigan again took the lead before the half, with Cousins finding midseason acquisition Justin Blackmon for a 17-yard score. The former Monarch outfought A. J. Bouye for the 50/50 ball in the endzone, giving the Panthers a 17-10 halftime advantage. That advantage grew to 10 points after Michigan’s first drive of the 2 nd  half produced a 50-yard field goal, but Arizona cut it back to only 3 when Brock Osweiler, in for Carr, who suffered a big hit on the first play of the 2 nd  half, found Victor Cruz for the score. It was a modest 3-yard pass at the end of a 12-play drive for the Wrangler backup, but it was a big play in that it pulled the Wranglers within 1 score of Michigan.   In the final period, Arizona’s D found its way, limiting Michigan to only 2 first downs in the period and forcing them to go 0 for 3 on third down. Meanwhile, Arizona did what it needed to do, putting together a mid-quarter drive that saw 4 different receivers catch balls from Osweiler before Isaiah Crowell found the endzone a 2 nd  time, another 1-yard plunge. Now up 24-20, Arizona locked down the Panthers, forcing them to go for a 4 th  and 13 in the game’s final minute. The play failed, the Wrangler fans celebrated, and Arizona advanced.   HOUSTON GAMBLERS 13   ORLANDO RENEGADES 20 It has been a mystery all season long, and it was a mystery in this game as well. How can the Renegades keep winning games when their QB is the most prolific interception producer in the league this year. Russell Wilson threw a whopping 25 picks in the 2021 regular season, and Houston snagged another 3 in this game, and yet, despite the miscues and bad decisions, Wilson found a way to win the game in the 4 th , putting together a go-ahead drive in the early minutes of the quarter, and then a field goal drive to secure the win in the final 3 minutes.   It certainly was not a pretty game for the Renegades, but it did what needed to be done, survive and advance. Where Orlando did excel was on defense, containing Houston’s explosive offense and limiting Houston to a lone offensive TD, a Carlos Hyde 3-yard run in the 1 st  quarter. After that it was field goals alone for the Gamblers, with Colt McCoy unable to find the endzone and no Houston receiver going over 55-yards receiving. The Renegades forced Houston to dink and dunk on long drives and more times than not the Gamblers could not sustain the drive.   Brett Perriman was without doubt the star of the game and largely took over after Orlando TE David Njoku was injured on his first and only reception of the game. Njoku suffered a leg injury, later diagnosed as a partially torn quad, early in the game, and without that safety blanket, Wilson pressed, producing the 3 picks. But Perriman was there in a big way, catching 10 of 11 targets for 139 yards and both Orlando touchdowns. The Renegades will need more from him and more from others like HB Chris Carson and WR Hunter Renfrew, if they are going to go into Birmingham next week and get a W. OHIO GLORY 13   CHICAGO MACHINE 26 The final game of the weekend, like the first, was a divisional showdown, with upstart Ohio taking on the Central Division Champion Chicago Machine. The game proved to be one of the more one-sided affairs of the week as Chicago did as they had done in both regular season outings, forcing Ohio’s rookie QB Justin Fields to stay in the pocket instead of sprinting free, and forcing him to throw into an ever-changing array of zone coverages. The result was only 7 yards rushing for the dual threat QB, and a reasonable, but not sufficient passing line of 21 of 38 for 207 yards with a TD and a pick.   On offense, Chicago found great balance, rushing for 123 yards, with Marion Mack’s inside game leading the way with 51 yards and a TD. Rookie Tony Jones Jr also scored and added 32 yards on only 4 touches. Meanwhile, Sam Bradford was untouched, no sacks, in the game, and the outstanding play of the Chicago line allowed him to complete 25 of 33 throws, racking up 270 yards and a very nice 24-yard strike to his new favorite receiver, Chase Claypool.   Chicago scored the first points of the game, expanded to a 10-0 lead in the first, and never trailed as they kept Ohio at arm’s length all game and limited the Glory to a lone TD in the game. The Machine now head on the road in a very intriguing 3 vs. 2 matchup as they travel to Denver to face the Gold at Empower Field.   Chicago Mixes it Up to Keep Ohio on the Back Foot The Chicago offense was unpredictable and consistent at the same time on Sunday. Unpredictable in that Ohio never really seemed to know where the ball was going. The Machine used 4 different backs on running plays, including 5 carries for FB Jakob Johnson. Sam Bradford threw to 7 different receivers, with TE Tyler Eifert leading all receivers with 110 yards receiving (including a rumbling bumbling 56-yarder that would have made Keith Jackson proud—the announcer and the Hall of Fame Tight End too.) Chase Claypool also had 8 catches for 82 and a score, while Bradford did what few quarterbacks do these days, staying upright the entire game. Ohio depended on pressure from their front 4, concerned that blitzes would expose their defense to quick hitting throws, but the front 4 simply could not get enough pressure on Bradford, who completed 75.8% of his throws, averaging 8.2 yards per attempt. It was a solid, diverse, and effective game plan, one Chicago hopes they can repeat against a more aggressive Denver Gold defense, with rookie sensation Odafe Oweh hoping he can get Bradford’s jersey considerably dirtier.   Takeaways the Key to Generals’ Win Typically, when you see a scoreline in which one team controlled the ball for 39:49 of 60 minutes, had 14 more first downs and nearly 100 more offensive yards, you expect that the more dominant team got the W. But, when you also see that the turnover battle went 3-0 the other way, well, then you may have a surprise on your hands, and that is exactly what the Generals-Stars game produced. Stars fans, nearly 55,000 of them at the Linc, had to be frustrated by an offense that moved the ball well, but far too often either settled for a short field goal or gave the ball away. Carson Wentz had 2 picks, including the late game pick-six that locked up the W for the visiting Generals. Marcus Lattimore, often used as a change of pace for Derek Henry, coughed the ball up on his 4 th carry of the game, and that would be his last touch of the day.   New Jersey was outgained, could not sustain drives, performed horribly on 3 rd down (1 of 10) and only saw their QB throw for 182 yards, but they protected the ball and took advantage of Philly mistakes, scoring, obviously, on the pick-six, but also putting up 3 points after the Lattimore fumble, a 10-point swing that would have made the game a lot closer had it not benefitted the Generals. For many, the only way New Jersey has a chance to upset Tampa Bay next week is to turn that takeaway machine up to 11, no easy task against a very dangerous Bandit offense.   Carr Cleared for Divisional Matchup in Seattle After being knocked out of the game against Michigan by a head hit with the turf, David Carr has cleared the concussion protocol and has been cleared to start when the Wranglers head up to Seattle for the 2 nd  time in a month to face the Dragons. While Brock Osweiler has played well in relief, pretty much everyone believes that Arizona’s chance to get the upset of the West’s 1 seed depends on Carr being 100%.   Arizona fell to Seattle 18-17 just 2 weeks ago in a Week 16 clash. Now the two face off again, with the loser sent home and the victor headed to the Western Conference Championship. And while Carr avoided an injury designation by getting clearance on Tuesday, the Wranglers are not without injury concerns, starting with LB A. J. Klien, who could be a game-time decision with a hamstring injury. Another potential concern is WR DeMarcus Robinson, 2 nd  on the team with 1,204 yards receiving, and part of a dynamic duo with Victor Cruz that saw both receivers top 1,200 yards and combine for 21 touchdowns. Robinson is the go-to guy in the red zone, leading the team with 12 touchdowns, but he is listed as doubtful after aggravating a neck injury that he suffered in Week 17. It is a muscular issue, but one that could very much his ability to go on Sunday, and Arizona knows they need all hands on deck if they are going to get a win in Seattle against the favored Dragons.   Orlando Loses Njoku in Bittersweet Win over Houston The game went Orlando’s way, with a 4 th  quarter TD giving the ‘Gades a lead they would not relinquish, but not everything was champagne and high fives. Early in the game, after only 1 catch, star tight end David Njoku suffered a torn quad that will keep him out of action for the duration of the 2021 playoffs. Njoku, who finished the year with 74 receptions for 766 yards and 7 touchdowns, has been a key producer for the Renegade offense, and certainly a security blanket for QB Russell Wilson. His absence will take away a key weapon in a somewhat limited Orlando offense. Njoku suffered the injury in Renegades’ second drive, coming up lame after making a short 4-yard catch. It was a non-contact injury, which can often be the scariest kind, and in this case, it will require several weeks before he would be able to play again, far too long in a short postseason. The pressure will now be on Chris Herndon, who had only 7 receptions all season, to step up and offer an option for Wilson when the outside receivers are covered. That is a huge drop off in experience and talent, and one that could make life tough for an Orlando team that rarely has a wide margin for victory.   We have already updated you on a few key injury issues. Here is our quick breakdown of the full injury list for each team as we prepare for the Divisional Playoff Round in just a few days.   NJ: T D. Stephenson (IR), QB T. Bridgewater (IR), DE K. Ealy (Q), LB M. Milano (Q) TBY: DT Kawann Short (IR), C Frank Ragnow (Q) Short’s injury could be an issue for the Bandits if New Jersey can use their 1-2 halfback punch to secure solid inside runs, freeing up potential play action for Foles. But New Jersey also has issues on defense, with the absence of Kony Ealy and MLB Matt Milano making New Jersey less capable of putting pressure on Dak Prescott at a time when you need to be able to pressure the former MVP.   CHI: G N. Allegretti (Q), DE J. Pierre-Paul (Q), CB J. Verritt (P) DEN: LB J. Houston (IR), FB W. Nelson (Out), HB J. Ward (P) No major issues for Denver, while Michigan is hoping that all three of their injured players are able to suit up. Losing Jason Pierre-Paul would certainly force Michigan to blitz more than they are accustomed to, while offering Denver a chance to potentially give Josh Allen time for some deeper throws.   ORL: TE D. Njoku (IR), DT E. Ferguson (IR), SS R. Grant (IR), G A. Silatulo (D) BIR: T G. Robinson (Q) The Stallions are the healthiest team in the field this week, with the obvious upside being the return of Cam Newton after more than a month of inactivity. For Orlando, the loss of Njoku is huge, but not having Silatulo inside could also impact the Renegade offense, and not in a way that Russell Wilson or Chris Carson will want to see.   ARZ: T M. Van Dyck (IR), CB J. Harris (IR), L A. J. Klien (D), WR D. Robinson (D) SEA: WR J. Brown (IR), T E. Fisher (Out), DE D. Hall (Q) Arizona breathed a sigh of relief when David Karr was cleared, but without DeMarcus Robinson, they are without one of his best targets. Losing Klien is also an issue for a Wrangler defense that needs to contain Knowshon Moreno. For Seattle, Erick Fisher’s absence will mean that Ezra Cleveland, the 2 nd  year backup, will be asked to take on Bud DuPree. How is that for a thought to keep you up at night?     Coaching Roundup Just a week after Black Monday and the interview circus has begun. Here are the early stories of teams seeking the right man and coaches seeking the right opportunity. Jim Harbaugh Takes Meetings with Charlotte, Jacksonville & Portland No shocker here. We all knew that former Stars’ coach, who many feel was a shocking dismissal last year, would be one of the hottest prospects in the coaching field. No surprise then that he has already met with two teams, the Monarchs and Bulls, and has a trip to Portland up next. Harbaugh, who won two Eastern Conference Titles and took the Stars to the playoffs consistently before last year’s horrendous 2-14 crash, is highly respected around the league, considered one of the best schemers in the game, and could well be a good fit for any of the three teams already visited. Of course, the question is, with each of these teams looking like a major roster overhaul is on tap, do any of the jobs appeal to the veteran coach? Perhaps dangling some GM duties in front of Harbaugh will be enough, but if he is going to turn one into a winner, which has the best skeleton to build on? Vrabel “Meets” with Jacksonville & San Diego During Bye Another pretty obvious move was for the Jacksonville Bulls to reach out to their former All-USFL linebacker turned hot coaching prospect. The Seattle DC is absolutely a target for the Bulls, using his bye week to visit (virtually) with both his former team the San Diego Thunder. While a deal for the Dragon DC is not possible before Seattle finishes their playoff run, the bye week does permit some phone and zoom meetings with the candidate. From Seattle, Vrabel was able to meet with the two clubs while still preparing his defense for a divisional matchup. Expect Vrabel’s name to be back in the news as soon as Seattle’s post-season is finished, though we know he certainly hopes that particular moment can be as delayed as possible.   Charlotte Interviews LaFleur & Daboll It appears that Charlotte is locked in on getting an offensive-minded coach, and one with some QB development credentials. In their first official week on the search (though we suspect they have been exploring options for quite a while), Charlotte flew both former Stag head coach Brian LaFleur and Oklahoma OC Brian Daboll to the Queen City for in person meetings this week. Daboll, credited for the 2021 success of Outlaw QB Jalen Hurts, would be looking at his first head coaching job after building a reputation as an innovative play caller in Oklahoma and, before that, in New Orleans. LaFleur had some success in Portland but struggled to get consistent play (and health) from Marcus Mariota. He too is seen as an innovative offensive coach, though we suspect that he is more likely a hire if Charlotte has their eyes on a veteran QB and not a rookie who will be thrown to the lions in 2022.   Houston Expected to Promote from Within The Gamblers, who are not speaking with the media about a new coach while they are still watching Wade Phillips lead the team, now, after their loss in Orlando, are going to be fielding a lot of questions about the successor to their legendary coach. While they certainly will explore their options, and while their position with a playoff-caliber team will absolutely make the job a desirable one for any coach in the market, the general expectation among those with insight within the building is that Houston is more than likely to promote from within. The only real question is whether they will lean towards OC Zach Taylor or try to keep their young phenom in the OC slot while promoting defensive coordinator Ted Cotrell. Cotrell certainly has seniority, both with his 9 seasons working under Phillips, and as a 73-year-old, compared with the practically juvenile 37-year-old Taylor. Many speculate that if the Gamblers can retain Taylor with a more lucrative OC contract, they will promote Cotrell to take on the head coaching tasks as he is certainly very familiar with the way Phillips guided, prepared, and motivated the Gambler players, creating a smooth transition and one that would retain the two key coordinators, though Cotrell likely would hand over the DC playcalling duties to current LB coach Ted Pagano.   ESPN & EFN to Rework Deal with USFL The word out of Bristol is that it is time for the training wheels to come off. Despite the success of the dual broadcast of USFL night games on both ESPN and EFN, it appears that the sports network is hoping to provide EFN with its own weekly game and a chance to expand into streaming in 2022. ESPN is expected to set up the ESPN Football Network as the exclusive home for its 2022 Friday night games and to offer fans a streaming service through EFN that would allow for online viewing of all ESPN, EFN, and ABC games, roughly 7 of the 15 USFL games each week. With FOX and NBC already streaming their live broadcasts through monthly streaming services, the EFN+ system that ESPN is hoping to expand this year could become yet another monthly charge for USFL fans. What makes the EFN deal very different from the NFL’s Sunday Ticket is the scheduling in the USFL, which allows for 11 of 15 games (in non-bye weeks) to receive national broadcasts. There is no cluster of Sunday afternoon games with regional broadcasts as you see in the fall. That, in part, is due to the spring and summer schedule of the USFL, which has allowed them to occupy Friday nights as well as Saturday, with no competition from high school or college football.   While streaming is certainly catching up with standard television viewing among sports fans, the reality that any fan with a solid cable, satellite, or online package such as Amazon Prime or Youtube TV can already receive the live broadcasts on their phones, tablets, and computers, we have seen growth in services like Peacock (NBC), Fox One, and Hulu (covering ABC content) as alternative viewing options. What ESPN, through the EFN network, are proposing is both a streaming hub that would allow for everything from unlimited memory for replays, team-specific channels, and alternative broadcasts. The hope, of course, is to capture those eyes that are already dropping cable and satellite television and expanding viewership across both broadcast and streaming platforms to expand revenue. For fans, what it offers is an alternative, but one which may only appeal to those who are hard core followers of the USFL since nearly every game each week is already available both online and through broadcast media.   Four playoff games completed, four more on tap. As we move into the 2 nd round of the USFL postseason the action moves to the home stadiums of the top two teams in each division. Will we come out of this week with a pair of 1 v. 2 battles on tap for the Conference Title Games, or will we see upsets keep some of the Wild Card participants in the mix? Here is our look at each of the upcoming Divisional games and our analysis of the odds for an upset.   3- Chicago Machine (11-5) @ 2- Denver Gold (12-4) Saturday, July 31 @ 3pm ET Empower Field, Denver, CO Gold -4   The Machine come into this one after a solid defensive performance kept Justin Fields in check. Can they do the same against a very different quarterback in Josh Allen? Allen had what could be an MVP season, throwing for 4,473 yards and 37 touchdowns as he led an undervalued Denver team to the SW Division title. Denver’s issue is that while Allen, Golden Tate, and former Bandit Darnell Mooney have had outstanding seasons, the Denver run game has been somewhat underwhelming. Phillip Lindsay averaged only 2.7 YPC this season and was still the lead rusher by over 500 yards. If Denver wants to keep the Machine off Allen, they will need a viable rush threat. As for Chicago, the balance they showed against Ohio has to be the key to keeping Odafe Oweh and Justice Cole (33 combined sacks) from shattering Sam Bradford’s day. That means they too need to show a strong run game.   OUR PICK:  We see Chicago as a viable upset option this week. They have offensive balance, which keeps Denver from teeing off on their QB, and they have the league’s top scoring defense, allowing only 14.6 points per game. We think Denver challenges them and will put up more than their average, but we believe the combination of tenacious and disciplined D and a more structured offense can overcome the sheer playmaking ability of Josh Allen. We are going Chicago in this one. Machine 24, Gold 21.     6- New Jersey Generals (9-7) @ 1- Tampa Bay Bandits (14-2) Saturday, July 31 @ 7pm ET Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL Bandits -8 ½   The Generals got a measure of revenge against Philadelphia this week, but we don’t see a lot of paths forward as they now have to head to the Gulf Coast to face one of the defending champions with the best chance of repeating we have seen in the past 20 years. Tampa Bay has looked and felt like a juggernaut for a good part of the season. But, here is the thing. The Bandits’ first loss was at the hands of the Generals, a shocking 30-16 showing in Tampa just before their bye. New Jersey, in that game, put up 161 yards rushing and Nick Foles did not turn the ball over. They will need that kind of production to have a shot here, because unlike Week 8, there is no chance this is a “looking ahead” trap game for the well-rested, and very motivated Bandits.   OUR PICK:  We just don’t see it. We don’t see New Jersey repeating their midseason performance and knocking Tampa Bay off again. The Week 8 game was played without Dak Prescott, and that alone has us thinking that the Bandits will put on a very different game this time. We are going with the defending champs, by a pretty healthy margin: Tampa Bay 28, New Jersey 17.     4- Orlando Renegades (11-5) @ 2- Birmingham Stallions (11-5) Sunday, August 1 @2pm ET Protective Stadium, Birmingham, AL Stallions -4 ½   The Stallions welcome back Cam Newton, which has to make Orlando nervous. Tim Tebow has been phenomenal in relief, but he is not the threat that Newton can be. Newton’s size and speed have the potential to minimize the impact of the league’s co-leader in sacks, Montez Sweat. And yet, if Birmingham is overdependent on their quarterback, they can be susceptible to a let down. They need to see more from rookie HB Najee Harris to keep Orlando honest on defense. As for Orlando on offense, we all know the issue. They need a clean game from Russell Wilson. They escaped against Houston despite three Wilson picks. They cannot expect to do the same against Birmingham.   OUR PICK:  We like the Stallions at home. They will have a large and loud fanbase behind them. They are well rested. Their All-USFL quarterback is ready to go, and they are facing a team that was inconsistent on offense even when winning games with their pass rush. We think Newton finds a way to offset Montez Sweat’s impact, and that gives the Stallions a ticket to the next round. Birmingham 24  Orlando 16   4- Arizona Wranglers (10-6) @ 1- Seattle Dragons (13-3) Sunday, August 1 @ 6pm ET Lumen Field, Seattle, WA Dragons -3   Seattle may well be feeling disrespected by the Vegas line of only 3, but that tells us that the public is also nervous about the upstart Dragons as they face a team that has been to the Summer Bowl more in the past decade than the Dragons have been to the playoffs in the past 20 years. Seattle is certainly a talented team, and if they can get Knowshon Moreno some success early, that will make Amari Cooper, Marshall Newhouse, and 1,000-yard TE Kyle Rudolph all the more dangerous. Arizona for their part, and likely without DeMarcus Robinson, will again likely be focused on the big play. They have a playmaker in Victor Cruz, but will need either Brandon Aiyuk or TE Robert Tonyan to step up, otherwise the Dragons will blanket Cruz and force Arizona to work their way down the field slowly.   OUR PICK: If the Wranglers had Robinson available, they would pose a real threat to the Dragon secondary, but with Cruz as their only proven deep threat, we think Seattle will force them to sustain long drives, which has not been a strength of the Wranglers this year. We think Arizona will focus on Moreno, but that could well make life just a bit easier for Brett Hundley, who has been quietly efficient all year, completing 68.9% of his throws. The greater variety of options for Seattle on offense cause us to favor the less experienced Dragons, though we think they will need to earn it in a close one.  Seattle 26, Arizona 24.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: This is a tough one because so many players stepped up to help their teams this week, but we have to go with an outstanding performance from a player who has given us a few of those this season, his rookie campaign. Ohio QB Justin Fields all but wrapped up Rookie of the Year by helping his Ohio Glory lock up a Wild Card this week. New Jersey focused on keeping Fields in the pocket and forcing him to use his arm and not his legs. He obliged them, completing 30 of 46 pass attempts and racking up 336 yards and 4 touchdowns as the Glory handed New Jersey a 4th consecutive loss and earned the 6-seed at the same time. PLAYOFF PICTURE: When it was all said and done, we had our 12 playoff teams. Thanks to Week 17 results Chicago and Philadelphia earned the final two division crowns, while Arizona, Ohio, Houston and the Stars picked up the final playoff births. Philly went from fringe Wild Card hopes to NE Division Champs, while Losses by both Michigan and Chicago meant that the Machine hold onto the Central title. Seattle earned the 1 seed in the West thanks to their final week victory and the Denver Gold get the 2, and a bye. Here are the final seedings with both Conference 1 and 2 seeds getting Wild Card byes. EAST: 1-TBY 2-BIR 3-PHI 4-ORL 5-HOU 6-NJ WEST: 1-SEA 2-DEN 3-CHI 4-ARZ 5-MGN 6-OHIO