Tag: Los Angeles Wildcats

Seattle Seahawks sign offensive lineman Kahlil McKenzie

The addition of McKenzie gives the Seattle Seahawks a whopping 18 offensive lineman on the active roster, just before the 2020 NFL draft.

The Seattle Seahawks continue to hoard offensive lineman at an alarming rate, signing Kahlil McKenzie on Monday afternoon – according to a tweet from NFL Insider Field Yates.

McKenzie becomes the 18th offensive lineman on Seattle’s roster, and there’s a good chance they plan to use at least on of their picks in the 2020 NFL draft on a lineman as well.

McKenzie was with the Seahawks briefly in 2019, signing onto the practice squad just before the season began.

A former defensive tackle in college at Tennessee, McKenzie was taken in the sixth round of the 2018 draft by the Chiefs, who began the process of converting him into an offensive lineman.

He never appeared in a game with Kansas City however, and after spending all of 2019 on Seattle’s practice squad he ended up signing with the DC Defenders of the XFL, where he was traded to Los Angeles and eventually placed on the injured reserve a few weeks into the season.

McKenzie has a ton of competition for a roster spot with the Seahawks, and barring an incredible improvement he seems unlikely to be on the team’s 53-man roster come September. However, the Seahawks are clearly prioritizing depth up front, and McKenzie will be a camp body worth keeping an eye on.

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7 XFL players the Ravens could target

With XFL players free to sign with NFL teams, here are seven names the Baltimore Ravens could be interested in during free agency

The coronavirus pandemic has impacted sports all across the world with several big-name events being delayed or even canceled. One such event was the 2020 debut campaign for the XFL, which stopped after just five games. With the spring league cutting its inaugural season short, any players who took part are now allowed to sign with an NFL team, according to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert.

For many of the XFL’s players, playing a handful of live games this spring has allowed them to put some tape together and hopefully impress both scouts and general managers. Plenty of small school prospects that likely just got missed previously got a chance to show what they could do against some standouts.

With the NFL in the middle of free agency and a whole new market of players opened up to sign, here are seven players the Baltimore Ravens could be interested in bringing aboard.

Mary Holt-USA TODAY Sports

WR Cam Phillips

Phillips played for the Houston Roughnecks and ending up leading the XFL in all three major receiving categories. Phillips finished the season with 31 receptions for 455 yards along with nine touchdown catches.

Phillips was an undrafted free agent out of Virginia Tech in 2018 although he did spend most of that season with the Buffalo Bills. Phillips played two games for the Bills, catching his only target for nine yards.

The Ravens need to get more out of their wide receivers in 2020 and haven’t really addressed the position in the early stages of free agency. Phillips’ production for the Roughnecks makes him a player that should certainly be on the radar of most NFL teams.

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XFL suspends season amid COVID-19 outbreak

The XFL now joins the NBA, NHL, MLB, and the NCAA in halting activities in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

 

The inaugural season for the revived XFL will be cut short as the new league announced on Thursday afternoon they will not be playing the rest of their regular-season games due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The XFL may be done for the year, but they are not alone when it comes to other leagues postponing activities. The NBA and NHL both announced they are suspending their seasons as well, with the MLB delaying the start of their season for at least two weeks, and the NCAA entirely canceling their beloved March Madness tournament.

With the end of the XFL comes the conclusion of the Seattle Dragons 2020 campaign as well. The Dragons were still slated to play their Week 6 game on Saturday versus the Los Angeles Wildcats, albeit in front of an empty stadium due to Washington Governor Jay Inslee’s limitations on crowd sizes of 250 people or more.

The Dragons remained competitive throughout the year, but ultimately came up short and will finish their opening campaign at 1-4, with their lone win coming from a 17-9 victory over the Tampa Bay Vipers – who are similarly 1-4.

Despite the Dragons sharing the XFL’s basement with the Vipers, they enjoyed considerable fan support from the Seattle faithful. Seattle once more proved it was a city in love with football, hungry for more even after a successful season from the Seahawks.

Should the XFL survive such a major setback and resume play in 2021, there is little doubt the Dragons will still have a solid fan-base to return to.

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With XFL now cancelled, what’s next for former Longhorns?

Now that the XFL has followed suit and cancelled their season, what could be the next stop for three former Texas Longhorns?

The XFL was part of every major sports league that cancelled their season due to the outbreak. The XFL released a statement on the cancellation.

It was a great gesture by the league to pay their players the base salary plus benefits despite the league cancelling the remainder of their first season. With their season now in the books, what is in the future for the three former Texas Longhorns who were still on active rosters?

Cedric Reed and Patrick Vahe of the Los Angeles Wildcats and Kent Perkins of the St Louis Battlehawks will now have an opportunity to get another shot at the NFL if a team should look their way for training camp rosters in the 2020-21 NFL seasons.

Vahe was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Baltimore Ravens following the 2019 NFL Draft. He spent the entire offseason and training camp with the team prior to the beginning of the season. He was a roster cut casualty before being picked up the following October for the XFL Draft. He should garner some interest this offseason.

Perkins was a part of the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals as part of their practice squad, moving up to the active roster late in the 2017 and 2018 seasons. He, much like Vahe, was an undrafted free agent after not being selected in the draft. He was released after announcing retirement from the NFL. He resurfaced in the XFL, so could he apply for re-instatement into the NFL? That will be one situation to monitor.

Both Vahe and Perkins could provide interior depth for the upcoming seasons provided they are brought onto training camp rosters. Both should still be eligible to be on practice squads for the upcoming season.

The third member of the former Longhorns who could make the jump back to the NFL is Cedric Reed. He was an undrafted free agent from the 2015 NFL Draft class. Reed signed with the Buffalo Bills and spent the 2015 season as a member of their practice squad.

He was released the following July and picked up by the Miami Dolphins. He would be released prior to the 2016 season as part of roster cuts. Reed didn’t play football again until he was picked up in the XFL Draft. As a member of the Wildcats, Reed accumulated 13 tackles, three sacks, three tackles for loss and five quarterback hits in five games.

The hope for Reed, Vahe and Perkins is that they put enough quality tape together for NFL teams to become interested. The possibility for the former Longhorns is there, just a matter of monitoring the situation at this point.

 

Former Jets camp standout thriving in the XFL

Former Jets wide receiver Tre McBride is thriving with the Los Angeles Wildcats in the XFL.

A former Jet is making his presence known in the XFL.

Tre McBride, a wide receiver for the Los Angeles Wildcats, is enjoying a ton of success in the rebooted league. He was inactive for the Wildcats’ first game of the season and didn’t record any catches the following week, but McBride has been on a tear ever since.

Against the DC Defenders, McBride had five receptions for 109 yards and two touchdowns. The following game, against the New York Guardians, McBride had eight catches for 127 yards and one touchdown. Then, last week against the Tampa Bay Vipers, McBride added another three catches for 35 yards and a touchdown.

In four games with the Wildcats, McBride has totaled 16 catches for 271 yards and four scores.

The Jets signed McBride to their practice squad in December 2017. He later signed a reserve/future contract with the team. That summer, McBride became a training camp darling before going on to catch five passes for 49 yards in the preseason. However, the Jets cut him before the start of the 2018 season.

McBride, originally a seventh-round pick by the Titans in 2015, has also made stops with the Bears, Redskins and Jaguars. In the XFL, McBride was drafted by the Defenders in the second round before being traded to Los Angeles for Rashad Ross.

If McBride continues his strong play in the XFL, there could be a chance he ends up back in the NFL.

Tampa Bay Vipers at Los Angeles Wildcats odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Sunday’s Tampa Bay Vipers at Los Angeles Wildcats sports betting odds and lines, with XFL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Los Angeles Wildcats (1-3) host the Tampa Bay Vipers (1-3) Sunday of Week 5 in the XFL at Dignity Health Sports Park. Kickoff is set for 9 p.m. ET and will be televised on ESPN. Below, we break down the Vipers-Wildcats Week 5 matchup, with XFL betting picks and tips.

Vipers at Wildcats: XFL Week 5 preview, betting trends and notes

  • The Wildcats and Vipers rank sixth and seventh, respectively, among the futures odds for the XFL Championship April 26. Los Angles is +1200, while Tampa Bay is +2000.
  • Tamp Bay shut out the DC Defenders 25-0 last week at home. Los Angeles lost 17-14 on the road against the New York Guardians. The Wildcats beat the Defenders 39-9 in LA the week prior.
  • Wildcats QB Josh Johnson ranks third in the XFL with 788 passing yards. Vipers RBs DeVeon Smith and Jacques Patrick rank first and third, respectively, in rushing yards.
  • Vipers QB Quinton Flowers has requested a trade, citing his timeshare under center with Taylor Cornelius and Aaron Murray. Flowers, who has taken the least snaps of the three, has completed 8 of 15 pass attempts for 106 yards and no touchdowns against one interception.

Get some action on this XFL matchup or other games by betting at BetMGM. New customer offer: RISK-FREE First Bet (up to $500!) paid in free bets; visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Vipers at Wildcats: Odds, betting lines and prediction

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday at 2:45 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Wildcats 32, Vipers 24

Moneyline (?)

Both teams stumble into Week 5 at or near the bottom of their respective divisions. The WILDCATS (-121) get the nod in what’s projected as the tightest game of the week. They’re 1-1 at home and have a touchdown differential of plus-2 on the season, while the Vipers (+100) are 0-2 on the road and minus-2 in touchdown differential. Home teams are 11-5 straight up through four weeks of XFL play.

The Wildcats are much more stable at the quarterback position, while the Vipers are left with a disgruntled Flowers, Murray and Cornelius.

Against the Spread (?)

Get the better value on the WILDCATS (-1.5, -110) by backing them to win by a minimum of 2 points. There hasn’t been a game decided by fewer than 3 points in the XFL. Los Angeles has scored five more touchdowns than Tampa Bay, while allowing just one more score.

Over/Under (?)

Back the OVER 40.5 (+100) at even money. The Wildcats are just two weeks removed from a 39-point outburst on their home field. The Vipers have put up 52 points over the last two weeks after being held to a total of 12 points in their first two games.

Want action on this game? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Updated XFL Championship Odds: Roughnecks, Battlehawks pulling away

Assessing the 2020 XFL Championship odds through the inaugural season’s first four weeks. Can anyone catch the Houston Roughnecks?

The XFL is four weeks of games into its inaugural season and the Houston Roughnecks and St. Louis Battlehawks have emerged as heavy favorites as division leaders. We look at the 2020 XFL Championship odds with contenders pulling away entering the mid-point of the season.

2020 XFL Championship Odds

Odds via BetMGM, last updated March 4 at 1:40 p.m. ET.

TEAM PRESEASON ODDS UPDATED ODDS
Houston Roughnecks +750 +175
St. Louis Battlehawks +1000 +250
Dallas Renegades +250 +600
DC Defenders +750 +700
New York Guardians +350 +800
Los Angeles Wildcats +450 +1200
Tampa Bay Vipers +550 +2000
Seattle Dragons +1200 +3300

2020 XFL Championship Odds: Risers

Houston Roughnecks

The Roughnecks are the only remaining undefeated team through four games, winning twice at home and twice on the road. Their plus-five touchdown differential and 16 TDs scored also lead the league.

QB Phillip Walker leads the XFL with 987 passing yards, Cam Phillips leads with 333 receiving yards and Deatrick Nichols leads with three interceptions. Three of their four wins have come by at least 7 points.

St. Louis Battlehawks

The Battlehawks’ odds have dropped to 1/4 of what they were in the preseason. They sit atop the XFL East at 3-1 and are undefeated at home at 2-0. The defense leads the league with only seven touchdowns allowed.

QB Jordan Ta’amu ranks second to Houston’s Walker with 876 passing yards, while RB Matt Jones is second with 244 rushing yards. Their only loss was a 28-24 setback at the Roughnecks in Week 2, and only Houston has scored more than 16 points against St. Louis.

2020 XFL Championship Odds: Fallers

Los Angeles Wildcats

The Wildcats entered the season with the third-best championship odds and are now one of the three teams buried at the bottom with odds worse than 10-1 to win the championship.

They’re 1-1 at home and 0-2 on the road, but they have a touchdown differential of plus-2, thanks to a 39-9 home rout of the Defenders in Week 3. They fell right back to Earth in Week 4, however, with a 17-14 road loss at the New York Guardians.

Tampa Bay Vipers

The Vipers entered the year with hope led by former Chicago Bears head coach Marc Trestman. They’ve started the season 0-2 on the road and have a minus-2 touchdown differential.

They may have started a turnaround in Week 4 with a 25-0 home win over the Defenders, a club with a pattern of helping opposing teams turn things around, apparently.

Seattle Dragons

Things have only grown worse for the Dragons, who started the year with the worst XFL Championship odds. Their touchdown differential is just minus-1 – they haven’t lost by more than 12 points.

They’re unlikely to win it at all, but they’re much closer to being in the middle of the pack and represent a reasonable long-shot value.

Want action on the XFL? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Los Angeles Wildcats at New York Guardians odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Friday’s Los Angeles Wildcats at New York Guardians sports betting odds and lines, with XFL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Los Angeles Wildcats (1-2) will travel to MetLife Stadium to take on the New York Guardians (1-2) Saturday of Week 4 in the XFL. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. ET. (on FS1). Below, we break down the Guardians-Defenders Week 4 matchup, with XFL betting picks and tips.

Wildcats at Guardians: Week 4 preview, betting trends and notes

  • The Wildcats had an offensive explosion in Week 3, scoring 39 points in a home win over the DC Defenders. It was the most points scored this season in the XFL.
  • Wildcats QB Josh Johnson had a monster performance in Week 3, throwing for 278 yards and three touchdowns. He finished the game with a passer rating of 148.
  • For the third straight week, the Guardians struggled on offense as they had three different quarterbacks attempt at least five passes in a 29-9 loss to the St. Louis Battlehawks.

Get some action on this XFL matchup or other games by betting at BetMGM. New customer offer: RISK-FREE First Bet (up to $500!) paid in free bets; visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Wildcats at Guardians: Key injuries

Wildcats

  • RB Martez Carter (hip) doubtful
  • WR Nelson Spruce (knee) out
  • DB Mike Stevens (thigh) questionable
  • TE Brandon Barnes (knee) probable
  • DE Latarius Brady (knee) questionable
  • QB Josh Johnson (thigh) questionable
  • QB Chad Kanoff (shoulder) questionable
  • DB Harlan Miller (thigh) questionable
  • RB Larry Rose (foot) probable
  • DB Jaylen Dunlap (ankle) probable
  • WR Tre McBride (thigh) probable

Guardians

  • QB Matt McGloin (thorax) out
  • OL Avery Young (shoulder) probable
  • LB Garret Dooley (ankle) probable
  • LB Jawuan Johnson (head) probable
  • OL John Kling (shoulder) probable
  • RB Darius Victor (ankle) probable

Wildcats at Guardians: Odds, betting lines and prediction

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated 12 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Wildcats 26, Guardians 16

Moneyline (?)

Both of these teams are looking to win their second game of the season and get back to .500. The Wildcats (-333) are big moneyline favorites despite being on the road. This actually says more about the Guardians (+260), who have been pathetic on offense all season long. PASS on a moneyline bet and look to the spread for proper value on the Wildcats.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Wildcats to win outright returns a profit of just $3.

Against the Spread (?)

The WILDCATS (-7, -125) open this game as more than a touchdown favorite over the Guardians (+7, +105).  After a dominant Week 3 game against the DC Defenders, the Wildcats offense looks like it’s back on track after two subpar games to start the season. Meanwhile, the Guardians have scored just nine total points over their last two games as they have struggled to find any consistancy at quarterback. Trust the Wildcats offense to continue to put up points and to cover the 7-point spread Saturday.

Over/Under (?)

The total for this Week 4 XFL matchup is set at 39 points, which feels about right given how bad the Guardians offense has been this season. For the Over to hit in this game, the Wildcats will need to do most of the heavy lifting, but they have proven that’s not a problem as long as Johnson is healthy. Don’t expect this to be a high-scoring contest, but for the OVER 39 (-115) to hit in MetLife Stadium.

Want action on this game? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship, and there is no influence on news coverage.

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XFL Week 3: Ex-Titan Tre McBride has huge game in Wildcats’ win

Los Angeles, he loves you.

The DC Defenders and the Houston Roughnecks were the only two undefeated teams in the XFL.

But that all changed in Week 3, as the Los Angeles Wildcats downed the Defenders, 39-9, at Dignity Health Sports Park.

Former Tennessee Titans wide receiver Tre McBride was a huge part of that, recording five receptions for 109 yards with two touchdowns and a long catch of 40 yards.

The first came early in the first quarter on a 40-yard pass from quarterback Josh Jones.

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The second sent the Wildcats up, 20-0, about midway through the second quarter.

By the end of the first half, McBride had 73 receiving yards and the two scoring receptions.

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Los Angeles, he loves you.

The Wildcats and McBride will look to even out their record to 2-2 as they face the New York Guardians (1-2) on Saturday at 1 p.m. CST in MetLife Stadium.

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Titans in the XFL: 3 standouts from Week 3

Here’s a look at just three players who spent time in Nashville and showed up on the stats sheet last weekend.

The XFL finished out its third week of action on Sunday, with June Jones’ Houston Roughnecks remaining the only undefeated team in the league.

This week’s games were highlighted with performances from former Tennessee Titans players, some of which saw more time in the NFL than others.

Here’s a look at just three players who spent time in Nashville and showed up on the stat sheet last weekend.

1. WR Austin Proehl, Seattle Dragons

Proehl only spent one day with the Titans, but has made much more of a splash in three weeks with the XFL’s Dragons.

He finished out Seattle’s 24-12 loss to the Dallas Renegades with six receptions on seven targets for 81 yards and a touchdown, with a long of 29 yards.

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