Potential Quarterbacks For XFL Cities

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MikeMitchell
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Potential Quarterbacks For XFL Cities

Post by MikeMitchell »

The original XFL had territorial drafts and a series of other drafts as well. Oliver Luck in interviews has stated that the league will be following the 1996 MLS model.

So there could be territorial drafts initially. Followed by league signings once The CFL free agency period begins. Luck has also hinted at a draft with college players. Specifically where players who were not drafted or signed as undrafted free agents, would be put in a pool for teams to draft them. That would probably be around minicamp time in The NFL. Maybe as early as May. With Optimum Scouting on board and Doug Whaley still running the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. There are going to be some college players/pro rookies in The XFL in 2020. Guys who didn't make or didn't get invited to participate in NFL camps. It's all about finding hidden gems and that's why Optimum and Whaley are in the league.

Let's speculate on which players could be potentially signed or drafted to play in particular markets.

Tampa is the lone Florida team in The XFL and has a leg up in this department. It's not like Houston and Dallas, those two will be competing for Texas talent. Pro, college and maybe some high school or 1 or 2 year college players who want to become pros earlier than the NFL 3 year rule allows. A territorial draft favors Tampa.


Tim Tebow

As of this moment, this is a long shot. Tebow still has dreams of playing major league ball. He is a cash cow for The Mets and all of minor league baseball. By 2020, who knows where his career will be. Both spring pro football leagues want him but The XFL's pay scale reported by Oliver Luck favors them. 300k a season for 10 games, not counting bonuses. The XFL could sweeten the pot for Tebow. Can they entice him to join the league and play in Florida. It might depend on who the coach is.

EJ Manuel

The FSU star and former 1st round pick by current XFL VP Doug Whaley could be headed to Tampa in 2020. Manuel has been on the NFL team workout circuit but hasn't gotten a job yet. He may get on an NFL roster before long but with NFL teams only carrying 2 QB's on their active rosters. It's possible Manuel doesn't find his way back into the league. He could be a fallback player if Tampa doesn't get Tebow.

One of the biggest oversights by the original XFL was not having a Texas team. They now have two. Dallas and Houston are going to be battling it out for players. The league will have to determine how to divy up all The Texas talent, perhaps by region. The next few players on this list could be qb's they both go after.

Johnny Manziel

His CFL contract expires in February of 2020. Any Texas team might have to wait for him to become available after the season has already started. 300k a season playing in his home state is tempting, especially if the NFL doesn't come calling. Manziel had a so-so season up in Canada and will have his option picked up for this season. If he has a great 2019 campaign, he could stay in The CFL. A league that pays their quarterbacks well even in Canadian dollars.

Vince Young

Young seems ear marked for Houston. His hometown. Before laughing at this notion. Consider the fact that Vince Young tried to make a CFL roster last summer and got injured. His agent Drew Rosenhaus got him that chance. The fact that he attempted a comeback tells me that he still has the itch and has what he feels is unfinished business. Playing for an XFL team in Houston for 250 to 300 k for 10 games is not a bad gig. He is still a hero in those parts.

Bo Levi Mitchell

This is probably a bigger longshot than Manziel and Tebow. Bo is one of the highest paid players in all of Canada. He just won a Grey Cup. He is a free agent and he has openly stated that he wants to check out his NFL options before deciding if he is going to return to Calgary. Bo played high school football in Katy, Texas. That's near Houston. He also played college ball at Eastern Washington, which could open the door for XFL Seattle potentially. It would take a serious amount of convincing to get him to consider The XFL. My guess is that he gets an NFL job and tries his hand there first before making any future pro football decisions.

Mike Reilly

Another star CFL quarterback for The Edmonton Eskimos. He signed a 3 year deal back in 2016, averaging roughly 500 k a season. That translates to 376k American. Reilly would make sense for XFL Seattle. He was born and played in the state of Washington. He is also a free agent this coming February. I wouldn't dismiss CFL qb's off hand. The XFL had Doug Flutie be a part of their reimagination committee and one of the things they focused on was the potential 25 second play clock in the new XFL. QB's who have experience playing that style in both college and the CFL could have a chance to stick in the league. Reilly hasn't gotten a sniff from NFL teams probably because of his age (33). I wouldn't rule out The XFL giving him a call and a chance to play pro football in his home state.

Josh Freeman

The original XFL was made for guys like him. He could be a target for Tampa or his hometown state of Missouri with St.Louis. XFL 1.0 had a former 1st round pick who washed out of the NFL in Tommy Maddox, who ended up being the league MVP and revitalizing his pro career. Freeman is 30 years old and i wouldn't rule out a comeback.


Paxton Lynch


Yet another former 1st round pick. The 24 year old Lynch like EJ Manuel is trying to get back into the NFL but has no suitors as of this moment. No guarantee that he makes an NFL roster in 2019 either. He still may have practice squad eligibility but this is where the XFL's player pay scale comes into play. An NFL practice squader, if they stay on there the entire season makes roughly 125k a season max. Being on an NFL ps has it's benefits. You practice with the team and could be elevated to the main roster or be signed by another team. Once that happens, you start getting paid the league minimum on a weekly basis. Lynch obviously wants back in The NFL but 125k vs potentially 300k or more getting reps and reviving your career is something for players like Lynch to consider. That's the benefit of spring football. It doesn't compete with The NFL. If you have a great season in The XFL. You can be a free agent in early May and sign on with an NFL team that you have impressed with your performance. So where would a Paxton Lynch be allocated in a territorial type draft?... He was born in Texas, grew up and played high school ball in Florida and then ended up playing college ball in Memphis. This is one of those grey area players where the league might tilt it to wherever he wants to go.


Joe Callahan

Who?..... I know. He's far from a household name. Joe Callahan was born and raised in New Jersey. He played college ball at Division III's Wesley in Delaware. Where he won The Gagliardi trophy, considered the Heisman Trophy for Division III, and became the first D-III player to throw for over 5,000 yards in a season. The 25 year old was undrafted, made The Packers 53 man roster and then bounced around being claimed by both The Saints and Browns before returning to The Packers. Callahan spent the next two seasons on and off the Packers active roster and practice squad. He signed on with The Eagles earlier this season and then failed to make the final 53 man roster in September. This is the type of player, the XFL should and probably will sign. An undersized (6'1) small school superstar who can't stick on an NFL roster. Callahan needs a place to play and hone his craft. Having the NY/NJ connection doesn't hurt.
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