The Experienced and Undrafted Player Pool And Priorities
The pecking order for those American players not playing in the NFL is as follows:
- CFL (for those Americans who will consider playing in Canada)
- XFL 3.5 (still to launch anew with much still to be worked out after the draft)
- USFL 2.0
- Any given other professional or semi-professional football league
Our next checkpoint for the CFL is what the XFL 3.5 does or does not do for its launch.
Right there are some players otherwise who have not signed for the CFL for whatever reason(s).
Below is some evidence in these regards.
So it's interesting that there are CFL signings for 2023 already right after the Grey Cup, which have been reported across the street at 3DownNation like usual during the season.
Note the following statistics via the linked article:
Three days of the XFL draft have come and gone with USFL on the outside looking in. With 55 USFL players earning NFL contracts the USFL was most likely hoping that those who were cut would be en route back to their former employers. While I’m sure the brass at Fox is more than happy to “lose” players to the NFL, losing them to the XFL was not a part of the plan.
Please note, as cited previously, this count is flawed and high.
When any of the players once were in the NFL AND playing on game day, they are former NFL players no matter where else they go to play.
Sometimes the USFL and associated authors count players with prior NFL game-day experience who ended up in the USFL as "USFL players," which they are not. These players are former NFL players.
Note that in the article is also evidence in this regard provided by the author so as to substantiate my point here and refute their inflated count of "former USFL players."
Another overlooked reason for players ditching the USFL for a shot at the XFL 3.5 is because they know a hub league is not going to carry them farther in their game.
Under the covers sure Fox and that undercover NFL certainly can continue to contain costs with a hub league, but the market and the players are not having it when there are alternatives.
As I have covered separately above, if the USFL is to have 4 hubs for 8 teams as appears on the way, well that math sort of messes up the hub concept doesn't it? Just have regular venues for 8 teams if you dare to call yourself a real football league.
The incorrectly high count of "55" is already down to 21 USFL players in the NFL, which is quite good minus also those remaining who were once in the NFL of course.
Currently there 21 USFL players that are currently on NFL payrolls, throughout the last three days the USFL had 18 of their former players get drafted to XFL teams. While the USFL had three of its players return to their teams (Tucker Addington LS, Matt Colburn RB, and Devin Gray WR), I’m sure the Brian Woods and company were hoping to retain players like Sal Cannella, Kyle Sloter, and Channing Stribling in effort to maximize name recognition, competition, and continuity for the league. Right now, there are 13 former USFL players currently as “free agents”, either waiting for an NFL to call, or maybe for the supplemental XFL draft in January of 2023.
I can't see that happening until CFL announces a new American network deal with FOX. Rest easy.
