USFL training camp is only a few weeks away, so it's time to go through the Showboats roster and see where some cuts may be made as the teams will go from 58 players down to 50 going into season 2 of the USFL. Below, this article will list the roster by position groups, and project how many cuts could come from that group to get us down to the 50 active roster spots necessary for the regular season. Cuts will only be projected by group, not specific players.
*At the time of writing this the Showboats currently have 57 players on the roster so I will only be projecting 7 cuts as opposed to 8*
Quarterbacks:
Brady White / Memphis / Re-Sign
Cole Kelley / SELA / Free agent signee
Ryan Willis / VA Tech / Free agent signee
Barring a late signing before camp this will be the QB room in 2023 for Memphis. Now as to who will be QB1/QB2/QB3 that will be decided in camp as the QBs battle for top spot. In my opinion this is Brady White`s job to lose as he will most likely be the week 1 starter for the Boats. He has the Memphis connection and was with coach Haley when the Showboats were announced to be coming back to Memphis, and was with the team last year when they were the Bandits so he should have the most familiarity with Todd Haley's offense. Boats fans hope that Brady absolutely kills it, and puts on a show week in and week out for his hometown crowd but we have two pretty talented QBs to take over should he start to struggle.
Projected Cuts: 0
Running Backs:
Alex Collins / Arkansas / Free Agent signee
Justin Stockton / Texas Tech / Free Agent signee
David Hamm / McNeese State / Free Agent signee
Kerrith Whyte / FAU / Free Agent signee
The Boats are going into season two with a brand new RB room that they hope will help improve their lackluster rushing numbers from last year. The most notable here is Alex Collins, a former Seattle Seahawks draft pick and Baltimore Raven in the NFL. Collins NFL stats look like this: 1997 rushing yards with a 4.1 yards per carry average alongside 18 rushing TDs, as well as 59 receptions for 467 yards and 1 receiving TD. Coach Haley used mostly two RBs last year so it's safe to say Collins will be RB1 as the other 3 battle it out for RB2.
Projected Cuts: 1
Wide Receivers:
Rashard Davis / JMU / Re-Sign
Derrick Dillon / LSU / Re-Sign
John Franklin III / FAU / Re-sign
Jon`Vea Johnson / Toledo / Free Agent signee
Ryan McDaniel / N.C Central / Free Agent signee
D.J Myers / Midwestern State / Free Agent signee
John Mitchell / FAU / Free Agent signee
Vinny Papale / Delaware / Re-Sign
Showboats have a good mix here of some re-signed players and free agent signings going into training camp for what should be another good battle as the new blood mix with some proven talent from last year. Dillon and Davis were the Bandits top receivers last year with Dillon finishing 6th and Davis at 10th in the league in receiving yards. Dillon and Davis also handled return duties for the most part last year with Davis handling punts and Dillon handling kickoffs. D.J Myers is a WR I'm highly interested in seeing if they make the team. Myers was a DAWG in the NAL(National Arena League) getting first team “All-Pro” honors and “Ironman of the year” award as the NAL has players playing both ways, offense and defense.
Projected Cuts: 1
Tight Ends:
Darrell Adams Jr / Azusa Pacific / Free Agent signee
Daniel Helm / Duke / Free Agent signee
Jay Jay Wilson / Arizona State / Free Agent signee
Memphis has a brand new TE room that unfortunately does not feature the “Grady Train” Mr. Cheyenne O'Grady, who was tied for first among TEs in receiving yards with Philadelphia Stars stud Jordan “Bug” Howard. Nonetheless GM Dave Razzano has found some solid looking talent to hopefully replace O'Grady for the 2023 season. One such player that can help fill that void is Darrell Adams Jr , a 6`3 225-pound monster of a man that absolutely lit it up in the Austrian Football League with the Graz Giants before finding his way to the Boats. He finished an 8 game season with the Graz Giants with 823 yards and 11 TDs, did I mention that's in only EIGHT GAMES!! He also had 3 receptions for 95 yards and a TD in the Giants playoff loss.
Projected Cuts: 1
Offensive Line:
Dustin Burns / Northwestern State University / Free Agent signee
Matt Burrell Jr / Ohio State / Re-Sign
Malik Clark / Kansas / Free Agent signee
Sadarius Hutcherson / South Carolina / Free Agent signee
Jarron Jones / Notre Dame / Re-Sign
Corbin Kaufusi / BYU / Re-Sign
Kwan Stallworth / Valdosta State / Free Agent signee
Syrus Tuitele / Fresno State / Trade via Panthers
When it comes to the USFL, or any football league for that matter, the offensive line play can make or break your season very quickly. Unfortunately we have lost our star Center and all around spring football icon Bruno Reagan, but we do get back All-USFL Tackle Jarron Jones and a couple other guys from last year to hopefully have some sort of continuity and chemistry along the OLine. Matt Burrell Jr filled in at center for Bruno after he went down with an injury so expect to see him slide into that role unless they give it to Dustin Burns who has the most experience playing center through his football career out of the current lineman. We are a huge fan of depth along the trenches, offensively and defensively, hope we don't see too many cuts to either of those groups as depth is crucial at those positions.
Projected Cuts: 1
Defensive Line:
DT John Atkins / Georgia / Re-Sign
DE Big Kat Bryant / UCF / Free Agent signee
DE Kahzin Daniels / UCWV / Free Agent signee
DT Dillon Faamatau / Oklahoma / Free Agent signee
DE Drew Jordan / Michigan State / Free Agent signee
DT Daylon Mack / Texas A&M / Re-Sign
DE Jeff McCulloch / Texas / Re-Sign
DT Viane Moala / Utah / Free Agent signee
DE Jeremiah Valoaga / UNLV / Re-Sign
DE Jordan williams / VA Tech / Free Agent signee
Showboats currently have 4 guys listed at DT and 6 at DE for a total of 10 defensive lineman. The defense last year for the Bandits was middle of the road for the most part. Their biggest problem to me was the offense not sustaining drives long enough to give them a break in between series. Also playing in that Birmingham heat last year did no favors for the big boys up front as we saw field temps break 100 degrees. One guy here I am very interested to see is Viane Moala, a DT from Utah who suffered a terrible injury his senior year in 2021 having to be carted off the field only 3 games in. He is listed at 6`6 300+ pounds so he would be a massive force in the middle of the defensive line if he can stay healthy. He was also a noted leader at Utah that his teammates rallied around and genuinely cared for, adding some great character to this Showboats defensive line room.
Projected Cuts: 1
Linebackers:
Anthony Butler / Liberty / Re-Sign
Nate Hall / Northwestern / Free Agent signee
Aaron Hansford / Texas A&M / Free Agent signee
Malik Lawal / Arizona State / Free Agent signee
L.B Mack III / Rhode Island / Free Agent signee
T.J Neal / Wofford / Re-Sign
Greg Reaves / USF / Re-Sign
Showboats lost their stud LB Travis Feeney but once again Dave Razzano found some solid guys to compete for his job and the other LB spots in training camp. This could be the position group that could see one more free agent signing before camp so the Boats reach their 58 player limit. Reaves and Butler were both solid LBs for the Bandits last year with Reaves having 3 sacks and Butler with 2 INTs along with 51 tackles between the two. I am SO high on L.B Mack III, I mean how can I not be when he's literally named after the position that he is playing!! But seriously this man tore it up at the University of Rhode Island finishing his career there second in program history for TFL(39) and 4th in sacks (21). Unfortunately he has never got an NFL opportunity but I think we can see him get his chance if he puts together a great USFL season!!
Projected Cuts: 0
Defensive Backs(Safeties included):
DB Delrick Abrams Jr / Colorado / Re-Sign
DB Karheem Darrington / Bethel University / Free Agent signee
S Stephen Griffin / N.C State / Re-Sign
DB Jermaine Kelly Jr / San Jose State / Re-Sign
S Lamont McPhatter II / California Pennsylvania / Free Agent signee
DB Josh Nurse / Utah / Trade via Stallions
S Antonio Reed / Nebraska / Re-Sign
S Lamont Wade / Penn State / Free Agent signee
DB Troy Warner / BYU / Free Agent signee
S Kyree Woods / San Diego State / Free Agent signee
S Jeff Ejekam / Army / Free Agent signee
So the one name here that will differ from the Fox Sports roster page is Jeff Ejekam as he is listed at WR but he has told multiple people that he will be playing Safety. He played primarily WR during his time with the Army Black Knights in college and did everything he could to finally get his professional football career going with the Vegas Knight Hawks of the Indoor Football League. I believe he will have a good shot to make the team as versatility is the name of the game in the spring football landscape. One cornerback I want to highlight as well is Troy Warner out of BYU. Troy comes from a football family as his older brother is star LB Fred Warner of the San Francisco 49ers! When a guy has seen the blueprint to the NFL like Troy has got to see his older brother lay out, I always think that guy is just slightly more ahead of the curve than others just due to the fact that you have seen what greatness looks like and how to achieve it.
Projected Cuts: 2
I do not envy Coaches/GMs at all when it comes to making cuts as I can find something in each guy that I want on my team, but that is the business of football. I think some folks are sleeping on the Showboats and their “lackluster” signings in comparison to what some other teams have done, but we will take all that criticism in and keep receipts like Gary Vee when Memphis clinches that playoff berth this year!! #GoBoats