Birmingham Stallions add 2 Alabama alumni in free agency

Birmingham Stallions add 2 Alabama alumni in free agency

After two dispersal drafts to merge 16 USFL and XFL teams move into eight franchises for a new spring-football league, the United Football League began signing free agents this week.

On Friday, the new league announced 42 players had agreed to terms, including two Alabama alumni who are signing with the Birmingham Stallions.

On the list of nine free agents joining Birmingham are wide receiver Slade Bolden and guard Deonte Brown. Bolden and Brown were Crimson Tide teammates in the 2018, 2019 and 2020 seasons.

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A prep standout at Austin High School in Decatur, Brown was a sixth-round selection in the 2021 NFL Draft. He’s spent most of the past three seasons on the Carolina Panthers’ practice squad. Brown played in three NFL regular-season games in 2021.

Bolden went to NFL training camp with the Baltimore Ravens in 2022 but ended up on injured reserve. In 2023, Bolden was in training camp with the Atlanta Falcons but was released when the team reduced its preseason roster to the regular-season limit.

The other players signing with the Stallions are wide receiver Kevin Austin, defensive linemen Owen Carney and Carlos Davis, defensive back Mark Gilbert, running back Larry Rountree III, offensive lineman Josh Sokol and tight end Jordan Thomas.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.