Tag: XFL

XFL and USFL announce intent to merge

The XFL and USFL announce plans to merge

If you can’t succeed on your own, why not try and merge?

The XFL, which has already failed twice, and the USFL, which fell apart once decades ago, announced Thursday they are planning to merge.

It looks like the new league will be called the National Spring Football League.

The XFL is run by Dwayne Johnson and Co.

While this is a significant step, there is no guarantee a second league, even in the Spring, will succeed.

It is worth a try, as they say.

XFL, USFL holding significant merger talks

The XFL and USFL are on the verge of merging

Two “other” football leagues are looking to become one.

Axios.com reported Tuesday that the XFL and USFL are in advanced talks to merge. An announcement could come later this week.

Per the report:

The merger would be structured as a merger of equals and would require regulatory approval, one of the sources said. The leagues hope to combine before the 2024 seasons.

  • Fox Corp. owns the USFL, while the XFL is owned by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, his business partner Dany Garcia, and RedBird Capital Partners.
  • Game broadcasts of the combined league are likely to be split between Fox and XFL media partner Disney, according to the source. The USFL also has a broadcast agreement with NBC, although it’s not yet been determined if that will continue.

The XFL is on its third attempt to succeed with the first two failing under WWE boss Vince McMahon.

The USFL had a much stronger run decades ago before failing in part due to a legal flop that included Donald Trump.

The USFL filed an antitrust lawsuit with the NFL and won the case for just $1. The three-year court battle added to the league’s financial woes and the USFL was forced to close operations in 1986.

 

Cody Latimer hints that he would like another chance with Broncos

Now converted to tight end, could Cody Latimer give the Broncos depth after Greg Dulcich’s injury?

The Denver Broncos played their first game of the year without Jerry Jeudy (hamstring), suffering a loss to the Las Vegas Raiders 17-16. Now, the Broncos will be without their starting tight end Greg Dulcich (hamstring) for their Week 2 matchup against the Washington Commanders.

With the team lacking depth, former Broncos wide receiver Cody Latimer hinted on social media that he could return and play tight end in Dulcich’s absence. Latimer played four seasons for the Broncos from 2014-2017 and was on the 2015 Super Bowl champion team.

Latimer played as a tight end in the XFL this spring, hauling in 50 receptions for 593 yards and four touchdowns. Never hurts to add Super Bowl pedigree to your team, right?

Dulcich’ hurt his right hamstring in the second quarter as Denver faced Las Vegas in Week 1. The tight end is now expected to miss several weeks. 

Assuming Latimer won’t be signed, the Broncos’ tight ends this weekend are set to be Adam Trautman, Chris Manhertz and Nate Adkins.

Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=482983128]

Seahawks 90-man roster tracker: Preseason Week 3

Here’s the full 90-man roster going into Week 3 of the NFL preseason.

The Seahawks are visiting the Packers today for an early kickoff (10:00 a.m. Pacific) in Green Bay. Our 90-man roster tracker is updated with jersey numbers for wide receiver Malik Flowers (No. 37), tight end Sal Cannella (No. 46) and defensive end Jordan Ferguson (No. 42).

Here’s the full 90-man roster going into Week 3 of the NFL preseason.

Broncos signing XFL wide receiver Josh Hammond

The Broncos are signing wide receiver Josh Hammond, a former XFL player.

Story update: The Broncos had an open spot on the roster for Josh Hammond after placing Jalen Virgil on injured reserve on Tuesday. See our original post below. 

The Denver Broncos are signing former XFL wide receiver Josh Hammond, according to the XFL’s official Twitter page.

Hammond (6-0, 194 pounds) played in 10 games for the DC Defenders this spring and totaled 34 receptions for 331 yards and one touchdown.

After playing college football at Florida, Hammond signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2020. After two seasons in Jacksonville, Hammond went on to spend time with the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots in 2022.

After failing to stick with three NFL teams, Hammond spent one season in the XFL this spring. He’ll now get another chance in the NFL, this time with the Broncos. Hammond worked out for Denver in July before training camp.

The Broncos are signing Hammond to add depth at wide receiver following Jalen Virgil’s meniscus injury. Denver will need to make a corresponding move to make room for Hammond on the 90-man offseason roster. The team will trim the roster down to 53 players next Tuesday (Aug. 29).

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=482983128]

Saints backups Niko Lalos, Jack Heflin benefiting from XFL experience

Saints backup defensive linemen Niko Lalos and Jack Heflin are using the benefits of XFL experience in pursuit of coveted roster spots:

The rejuvenated XFL has sold itself as a spring league where players on the fringe of NFL rosters can hone their craft and develop themselves for future pro opportunities, and it’s tough to argue with the results that New Orleans Saints defensive linemen Niko Lalos and Jack Heflin have found.

Both young players had starring roles in the XFL last season — Lalos with the Seattle Sea Dragons, Heflin on the Houston Roughnecks — and now they’re making compelling cases as the Saints look ahead to roster cuts on Aug. 29. Saints head coach Dennis Allen was very complimentary of the growth he’s seen from Lalos in particular when asked about his progress.

“He’s a guy that’s worked extremely hard, he was on the practice squad last year,” Allen recounted. “He went and played in the XFL this year. I think that was good experience for him to get out there and play. He’s been putting some good stuff on tape. It’s a position that we’re pretty deep at so there’s a lot of competition there. We’ll evaluate where that tape was, but he did do some good things tonight.”

Lalos just bagged 3 sacks and a few other pressures against the Los Angeles Chargers. Heflin has consistently generated pressure in both of their preseason games. Their arrows are trending up. So how can they make the roster?

It’s going to be very difficult for Lalos to unseat anyone at defensive end, but he’s done everything possible to try it. Cameron Jordan, Carl Granderson, Payton Turner, and Isaiah Foskey are locks for the roster, barring an unforeseen injury or trade. Tanoh Kpassagnon signed an extension earlier this offseason. He may have some trade value but it’s not likely any of the top five players will be moved. The Saints typically keep five defensive ends on the active roster and often one of them is a healthy scratch on game days. Lalos needs to make Kpassagnon look expendable. It’s too soon to say whether he’s accomplished that.

What about Heflin? His chief competition is Malcolm Roach, a longtime Saints backup who has steadily developed and climbed the depth chart. Nathan Shepherd, Khalen Saunders, and Bryan Bresee are roster locks. The team rarely keeps more than four of them on the 53-man lineup at a time with another interior lineman or two stashed on the practice squad. Roach has had a productive summer too, so Heflin needs to keep it up while pushing him.

Odds are good that both guys will end up on the practice squad. We tend to overrate players we watch every day and each week compared to others around the league, and all 32 teams have players like Lalos and Heflin they’re hoping to sneak through the waiver wire so they can return to the practice squad. It’s always possible one or both of them gets claimed. At the same time, one or both of them could clear waivers and stay in New Orleans.

But it would be easier if they won roster spots outright. Continuing to fight off competition like Kyle Phillips, Prince Emili, and Jerron Cage while pressuring Roach and Kpassagnon will do a lot of good. Iron sharpens iron, and the Saints have a nice competition brewing at the bottom of their depth chart. Maybe that energy can continue to rise to the top.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Report: Former XFL linebacker expected to sign with Patriots

The Patriots are reportedly making a move at linebacker.

Former XFL linebacker Carson Wells is reportedly expected to sign with the New England Patriots. The Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed reported the news on Monday.

Wells, who played college football at Colorado, spent some time with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2022, before he ended up with the St. Louis Battlehawks in the XFL.

He compiled 45 total tackles last season with the Battlehawks in 10 game appearances. The Patriots have been moving talent around on their roster in recent days with the team signing running back C.J. Marable and offensive lineman Micah Vanterpool over the weekend.

Of course, that also led to the team releasing linebacker Olakunle Fatukasi and safety Jourdan Heilig.

With the reported Wells signing, the Patriots will have to make room once again by cutting a player already on the roster.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Former LSU wide receiver, special teams ace Jontre Kirklin signs with Saints

Former LSU wide receiver, defensive back, special teams ace, and bowl-game quarterback Jontre Kirklin has signed with the Saints | @DillySanders

Here’s an interesting move: NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill first reported that the New Orleans Saints signed former LSU Tigers playmaker Jontre Kirklin after a successful tryout. One of the most versatile football players in school history, Kirklin did everything at LSU.

Nominally listed as a wide receiver (though he totaled just 313 receiving yards and 3 touchdown catches in four years), Kirklin covered punts and kickoffs while also returning them and sometimes lining up in the backfield. He even played defensive back earlier in his career. But his most impressive feat came in his final game as a Tiger, when Kirklin was a surprise starter at quarterback against Kansas State in the Texas Bowl, where he went 8-of-12 for 151 passing yards, scoring 3 touchdown passes against a pair of interceptions.

“He’s a god,” gushed Dylan Sanders, our own contributor here at Saints Wire who also covers LSU athletics for 247 Sports. “I’m joking, but he was like one of those guys that was around forever and never really broke out but was an amazing locker room guy and super consistent depth piece.”

Kirklin weighs in at 5-foot-11 and just 184 pounds, so he’s not likely to see a Taysom Hill-style role offensively (Hill maintains a playing-weight at around 230 pounds0. He’s an intriguing athlete, though, with a passable 6.08 Relative Athletic Score and very impressive numbers in the jumps — leaping 42 inches vertically and 11-foot-6 broad. After initially signing with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2022, Kirklin played for the XFL’s Houston Roughnecks.

We’ve seen special teamers catch on with the Saints before. Backup free safety J.T. Gray has earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro recognition in that role while rarely playing many minutes on defense. Other reserves like running back Dwayne Washington, linebacker Andrew Dowell (who was recently lost for the season with a torn ACL), cornerback Justin Hardee Sr., and defensive back Chris Banjo have also earned roster spots for their work in the kicking game. So keep a close eye on Kirklin when he gets his shot at Saints training camp. He’ll be wearing jersey No. 85.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Minnesota Vikings sign RB Abram Smith

After a workout with the team, the Minnesota Vikings agreed to terms with last season’s leading XFL rusher, Abram Smith.

Following a workout earlier today, the Minnesota Vikings have agreed to terms with running back Abram Smith, according to a tweet from the XFL.

Smith signs after a successful season with the XFL’s DC Defenders, where he league in rushing with 791 yards and 7 touchdowns. He was also the first overall pick in the skill positions portion of the XFL Draft before the season.

Before his stint in the XFL, Smith spent a brief time as an undrafted free agent with the New Orleans Saints in 2021. Smith was cut after a few months on the roster.

Before making the NFL, Smith, 24, was a standout at Baylor University. In 2021, he led the team in rushing with 1,601 yards and 12 touchdowns and proved to be an integral part of a Baylor team that was crowned Big 12 Champions.

Smith’s signing comes days after running back Alexander Mattison left training camp with a leg injury. While the injury does not appear serious, the Vikings may keep him out of practice for an extended period. As a result, there’s a possibility that Smith is nothing more than a depth body.

However, Smith’s signing could also indicate uneasiness from the current running back room. Outside of Mattison, the room lacks much experience, and while Smith doesn’t offer much experience, he is fresh off of a 150-carry campaign in a professional league.