USFL, CFL teams restocking rosters for 2023 seasons
The XFL has built eight team rosters from scratch as it prepares to relaunch on Feb. 18 after the previous iteration of the league folded halfway through the 2020 season.
But the USFL and Canadian Football League haven’t left all the player acquisition to the newcomer. Those football circuits are restocking their rosters as the USFL prepares for its second season to kick off on April 15 and the CFL heads toward its preseason opener on May 22.
This month, CFL teams have signed 68 free agents and USFL teams have added 38.
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Among the latest signings was former Alabama running back BJ Emmons, who joined the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders on Tuesday.
Since leaving Alabama after his freshman season, Emmons’ football journey has taken him to Hutchinson Community College, Florida Atlantic, the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks (twice), Las Vegas Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars, the USFL’s Tampa Bay Bandits and back to the NFL with the Houston Texans.
Although Emmons has not played in an NFL regular-season game, he had 244 yards and one touchdown on 97 rushing attempts and 105 yards on 19 receptions in nine games with the Bandits last year during the USFL’s Birmingham-based season.
Other CFL signings this month included linebacker Shaheed Salmon (Samford) with the Ottawa Redblacks and cornerback Keith Washington II (Prattville) with the Toronto Argonauts.
The most recent reported set of signings in the USFL included former Alabama long snapper Cole Mazza. After snapping for the Alliance of America Football’s Birmingham Iron, Mazza spent two seasons with the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers. Mazza joined the USFL’s Houston Gamblers last week after not playing in the past two seasons.
Other players with Alabama football roots joining USFL rosters this month include cornerback Trae Elston (Oxford) to the New Jersey Generals, linebacker Zakoby McClain (Auburn) to the New Orleans Breakers and tight end Brandon Barnes (Russell County, Alabama State) to the Houston Gamblers,
The Memphis Showboats traded wide receiver Austin Watkins (UAB) to the Birmingham Stallions on Jan. 11.
There also have been players losing their USFL roster spots. In January, the Philadelphia Stars released defensive tackle Tony Fair (UAB/Auburn) and the Showboats released cornerback Christian Campbell (Central-Phenix City), running back Tra Minter (South Alabama) and offensive lineman Dallas Warmack (Alabama).
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.