USFL 2023 Season

[gosioux76]

I'm really curious as to what might make a player choose one league over the other. 

 

Looking over the USFL rosters, particularly the QB position, I can see a few holdovers from last year (Case Cookus in Philly, Kyle Lauletta jumping from Pittsburgh to NJ, De'Andre Johnson with NJ). And I also see some notable names from last season that jumped to the XFL, especially Jordan Ta'amu (XFL2020 STL to USFL Tampa to XFL 2023 DC) and Luis Perez (XFL2020 NY to USFL NJ to XFL2023 Vegas). 

 

Anyone have any idea what might prompt so many jumps from league to league? 

 

I mean, I understand why an XFL 2020 QB like Ta'amu or Perez would jump to the USFL last year; it was the only alternative. But I wonder what prompts them to then ditch the USFL for the XFL this year? 

[CS85]

15 minutes ago, gosioux76 said:

I'm really curious as to what might make a player choose one league over the other. 

 

Looking over the USFL rosters, particularly the QB position, I can see a few holdovers from last year (Case Cookus in Philly, Kyle Lauletta jumping from Pittsburgh to NJ, De'Andre Johnson with NJ). And I also see some notable names from last season that jumped to the XFL, especially Jordan Ta'amu (XFL2020 STL to USFL Tampa to XFL 2023 DC) and Luis Perez (XFL2020 NY to USFL NJ to XFL2023 Vegas). 

 

Anyone have any idea what might prompt so many jumps from league to league? 

 

I mean, I understand why an XFL 2020 QB like Ta'amu or Perez would jump to the USFL last year; it was the only alternative. But I wonder what prompts them to then ditch the USFL for the XFL this year? 

 

Opportunity to start, benefits, and pay.  I have no idea which league would be better.

[Ferdinand Cesarano]

23 minutes ago, gosioux76 said:

I mean, I understand why an XFL 2020 QB like Ta'amu or Perez would jump to the USFL last year; it was the only alternative. But I wonder what prompts them to then ditch the USFL for the XFL this year? 

 

Is signing with the XFL tantamount to ditching the USFL?  It could be characterised in that manner only if there is something in the XFL contract that prevents a player from playing in the USFL.  If there is no such clause, then presumably an XFL player (especially a high-quality quarterback) could catch on with a USFL team after the XFL season is over.

[MJWalker45]

38 minutes ago, gosioux76 said:

I'm really curious as to what might make a player choose one league over the other. 

 

Looking over the USFL rosters, particularly the QB position, I can see a few holdovers from last year (Case Cookus in Philly, Kyle Lauletta jumping from Pittsburgh to NJ, De'Andre Johnson with NJ). And I also see some notable names from last season that jumped to the XFL, especially Jordan Ta'amu (XFL2020 STL to USFL Tampa to XFL 2023 DC) and Luis Perez (XFL2020 NY to USFL NJ to XFL2023 Vegas). 

 

Anyone have any idea what might prompt so many jumps from league to league? 

 

I mean, I understand why an XFL 2020 QB like Ta'amu or Perez would jump to the USFL last year; it was the only alternative. But I wonder what prompts them to then ditch the USFL for the XFL this year? 

I think having to stay in the same area with all 8 teams, AND the fact that unless Birmingham was involved it looked like a scrimmage because there were more players and staff at games than fans at times. The ability to start, or work in a system they prefer probably helped a few quarterbacks choose one over the other.

[gosioux76]

30 minutes ago, Ferdinand Cesarano said:

 

Is signing with the XFL tantamount to ditching the USFL?  It could be characterised in that manner only if there is something in the XFL contract that prevents a player from playing in the USFL.  If there is no such clause, then presumably an XFL player (especially a high-quality quarterback) could catch on with a USFL team after the XFL season is over.

 

Yeah, I'll be interested in seeing if this happens, like if Ta'amu will decide he wants more playing time and pick up a half-season with the USFL. 

 

I guess I only equated it as ditching one league for the next because there were a handful of quarterbacks who opted to stay with the USFL rather than test the waters with the XFL. Unless they weren't wanted by the XFL, then they definitely made a choice to stay put. 

[MJWalker45]

1 minute ago, gosioux76 said:

 

Yeah, I'll be interested in seeing if this happens, like if Ta'amu will decide he wants more playing time and pick up a half-season with the USFL. 

 

I guess I only equated it as ditching one league for the next because there were a handful of quarterbacks who opted to stay with the USFL rather than test the waters with the XFL. Unless they weren't wanted by the XFL, then they definitely made a choice to stay put. 

I think playing in the XFL gets him the opportunity to be brought in for mini-camps where he might be able to get a backup job going into training camp, while having more time off between both seasons. If he just slides into the USFL after the first couple weeks, that may be what he and other members of XFL teams decide to do, kind of like what WNBA players do and old school baseball players did before they started making more money in MLB. 

[McCall]

Yeah, it seems from a player's perspective, especially those who were on an NFL roster or practice squad, is that the XFL starting immediately after the Super Bowl means they're already in game playing shape and can get going right away rather than having to sit around and wait for a few months only to then be possibly too close to NFL training camp.

[IceCap]

It's just gonna come down to opportunity, which is different for everyone. 

[gosioux76]

2 hours ago, MJWalker45 said:

I think playing in the XFL gets him the opportunity to be brought in for mini-camps where he might be able to get a backup job going into training camp, while having more time off between both seasons. 

 

This is a really interesting point. If these league are all about second-chances, or getting a first chance, then players are probably trying to figure out which one gives them the best opportunity to land in an NFL camp.

 

Unlike XFL, the USFL schedule would overlap with NFL mini-camps, but that didn't seem to preclude several of its players from eventually landing on NFL rosters. I'd guess it remains to be seen whether one league's schedule has an advantage over the other as it comes to NFL readiness. 

 

I think what I'm really trying to gauge is whether one of these leagues has demonstrably less-talented players than the other. Very few of these guys are household names — and many I only recognize because they've toiled in these second-tier leagues for several seasons  — so it's tough to ascertain quality on name-recognition alone. 

[GDAWG]

 

[MJWalker45]

13 hours ago, GDAWG said:

 

Last year they did things differently by being crap. So hopefully this is a change from that. 

 

[GDAWG]

25 minutes ago, MJWalker45 said:

Last year they did things differently by being crap. So hopefully this is a change from that. 

 

 

Ray Horton is their head coach now.  He's a part of the Brian Flores lawsuit, but the only one who is not in the NFL.  

[DCarp1231]

I find it rather interesting that both Spring leagues are basically competing against each other for prominence. The USFL even had a superbowl commercial this year saying “REAL football starts in April”. Meanwhile, the XFL has put out a better product.

 

 

If the leagues decided to merge, would it be the USXFL or XUSFL?

[MJWalker45]

1 hour ago, DCarp1231 said:

I find it rather interesting that both Spring leagues are basically competing against each other for prominence. The USFL even had a superbowl commercial this year saying “REAL football starts in April”. Meanwhile, the XFL has put out a better product.

 

 

If the leagues decided to merge, would it be the USXFL or XUSFL?

I think they'd probably run with a new name and use the current names as the conferences. Regardless I think they keep it a 10 game season. And I'd like them to keep the XFL kickoffs.

[McCall]

1 hour ago, MJWalker45 said:

I think they'd probably run with a new name and use the current names as the conferences. Regardless I think they keep it a 10 game season. And I'd like them to keep the XFL kickoffs.

XFC and USFC.

[Skycast]

13 hours ago, McCall said:

XFC and USFC.

 

I've wondered about that as well, but since it's always been said that the X doesn't stand for anything (I've read countless times that it is not in fact Xtreme) what is that conference? Just the X Football Conference?

 

[Sec19Row53]

13 minutes ago, Skycast said:

 

I've wondered about that as well, but since it's always been said that the X doesn't stand for anything (I've read countless times that it is not in fact Xtreme) what is that conference? Just the X Football Conference?

 

The eX-FL Football Conference 

[McCall]

20 minutes ago, Skycast said:

 

I've wondered about that as well, but since it's always been said that the X doesn't stand for anything (I've read countless times that it is not in fact Xtreme) what is that conference? Just the X Football Conference?

 

Yes.

[gosioux76]

It actually seems sort of silly at this point to have these teams feign competition with each other yet never actually compete on the field. 

 

If they don't eventually merge, I'd enjoy seeing them at least align their schedules in a way that could build into a shared playoff/Super Bowl-esque structure a la the old pre-merger AFL-NFL. 

[Cruhawk7975]

TBH given the relatively niche market that Spring pro football is, I think a merger between both leagues is not inevitable but the most likely optimal outcome just from a market consolidation perspective. Would love to see a unified nationwide 16 team league form from it at some point.