Even after spending the previous two hours in non-stop, sideways rain, Seattle Dragons receiver Keenan Reynolds was all smiles after Friday’s practice at Memorial Stadium in downtown Seattle.
“You gotta love the weather,” Reynolds cracked. “Little bit of drizzle, little bit of wind, right in front of the Space Needle, it don’t get much more Seattle than this. It’s great to be back, great to have another opportunity.”
Reynolds, more than most of his teammates, would know. The former Navy quarterback spent the 2018 season with the Seahawks, appearing in two games while spending the majority of the year on the practice squad.
He was with the Seahawks last summer as well, competing with rookie John Ursua to replace the retired Doug Baldwin in the slot. However, he was cut just before the season began and NFL rules prohibited him from being added to the practice squad, so Reynolds hit free agency.
After a brief stint as a TV analyst for the CBS Sports Network, Reynolds was selected in the fledgling XFL Draft by the Dragons – allowing him to stay close to home.
His familiarity with the city of Seattle, and their rabid fanbase, has him prepared for this upcoming season of games played at CenturyLink Field – a preparedness he is excited to share with his teammates.
“Yeah we kinda talked about it a little bit,” Reynolds said. “Just how loud the 12’s are. I think we’re going to have the best turnout fanwise. There’s nothing else going on in Seattle and Seattle fans are relentless. I think it’s going to be a great opportunity for us to play in front of a great crowd.”
While the depth chart has yet to be released, Reynolds is expected to be a big part of Seattle’s offense, a unit that also features former Seahawks receiver Kasen Williams and quarterback B.J. Daniels, along with Texas A&M running back Trey Williams and Troy quarterback Brandon Silvers.
Reynolds wouldn’t go into detail about his specific role on the team (“I can’t give you too much information,” he joked) but he did express excitement about the kickoff rules in the XFL, which should allow for more returns and excitement in an area of the game that, frankly, has gone stale in the NFL.
Reynolds was also excited about another new rule the XFL is adopting, allowing for two forward passes on a single play. One of the most prolific college quarterbacks of all-time while at Navy, it’s no surprise he’d take an interest in a rule that allows him to throw the ball downfield after making a catch. But, like before, he’s not releasing any part of the playbook just yet.
“That’s top secret, I don’t know if I can divulge,” Reynolds said, when asked if he envisions throwing the ball this year. “But I definitely was smiling when I saw that you get two forward passes, so that’s pretty cool.”
The Dragons will begin their inaugural season on Saturday, February 8 in DC against the Defenders.
Kickoff is slated for 2:00 p.m. PT.
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