Former Saints Players Who Are In the UFL Right Now

At least 18 Saints players are in the new United Football League that will debut on March 30. Here's who's on each team.

The United Football League is right around the corner. It will at least help fill some of the void left behind from the NFL season wrapping up, and there's certainly some intrigue to the combined forces of the XFL and USFL. The UFL Rosters are taking shape, and with there being just over a month to go, there's some Saints flavor to some of them. Here's some of the New Orleans ties on the current rosters of the eight teams.

Arlington Renegades

• Sy Barnett, WR - Was picked up as an undrafted rookie free agents following last year's draft. Unfortunately, his time with the Saints lasted less than a month.

DC Defenders

• D.J. Swearinger, S - The now 32-year-old safety joined the Saints late in the 2019 season and then signed the following year. He certainly made an impact and was one of the many players who found themselves on the COVID list during the season.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Emmanuel Butler (17) during training camp practice at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Houston Roughnecks

• Emmanuel Butler, WR - A true training camp hero for the Saints that never latched on despite making his mark as an undrafted rookie in 2019. He hung around the practice squad and then signed a reserve/future deal for the 2020 season. The same story happened during camp and he was waived in early September.
• Cyril Grayson, WR - A local product from Kenner who played at LSU. He joined the Saints in May 2019 after spending time with five other clubs. After his signing in mid-May, he was waived in late August and didn't resurface until the Cowboys picked him up in early December.
• Kirk Merritt, WR - Another local athlete who went undrafted in 2020 and joined the Saints in 2022 on a reserve/future deal after spending the first two seasons with the Dolphins. He'd hang around until New Orleans released him from the practice squad on Sep. 26, 2023.

Aug 26, 2017; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Darius Victor (34) runs with the ball during the second half of the game against the Houston Texans at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Memphis Showboats

• Dee Anderson, WR - Strong HBCU product who got an invite to Saints rookie camp and latched on in May 2022. He didn't get an opportunity to keep it going, however, and went to the USFL in early June.
• Josiah Bronson, DE - Originally added to the team as an undrafted rookie and was given a fairly high amount of guaranteed money at $165,000. He'd make the practice squad and was elevated to his first career game in Week 7 of the 2021 season. A day after being waived on Dec. 14, the Browns picked him up. He'd spend time with the Cowboys and Dolphins until Miami waived him on Aug. 28, 2023.
• T.J. Green, DB - Joined the Saints in late July during 2019's training camp. He'd get waived and then brought back to the practice squad. He later got a promotion to the active roster in mid-December, but was waived a few days later for D.J. Swearinger.
• Darius Victor, RB - He made some preseason noise in 2017 after landing with the team a few months after attending a rookie minicamp. He was waived on Sep. 2 and later landed with the Cardinals in late November. Victor was in Arizona until Sep. 1, 2018. He'd play in the CFL, AFL and USFL, making the All-USFL team in 2022 as well as being named the Offensive Player of the Year. He'd get a workout with the Saints on July 19, but nothing ever materialized.

Jun 2, 2022; Metairie, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints Bryce Thompson (31) during organized team activities at the New Orleans Saints Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

San Antonio Brahmas

• Jalen Dalton, DT - Joined the Saints late in 2019 and was around until May 3, 2022. Injuries prevented him from ever hitting the field in his four seasons. He was certainly on his way to cracking the final roster in 2021.
• Prince Emili, DT - Emili was a later add to the practice squad in 2022 and signed a reserve/future deal following the season. He was waived on Aug. 29 as part of final cuts.
• Chuck Filiaga, OL - After being with the Packers, New Orleans claimed him off of waivers in early August. He was cut just over three weeks later.
• Derrick Kelly, OL - Kelly was added as an undrafted rookie after the 2019 draft. He'd be on the practice squad and stayed in New Orleans all the way until Oct. 12, 2021. After some time with the Giants and Jets in between, he was claimed off waivers by Saints in mid-August 2022. He was waived just 11 days later and was later signed to the practice squad a couple of months later.
• Jontre Kirklin, WR - Another local who went to LSU who went undrafted in 2022 and landed with the Cardinals. Two months after being waived, Kirklin went to the USFL and signed with the Saints in early August 2023. He had two separate stints with the practice squad.
• Alize Mack, TE - A lone draft pick of the Saints that is on this list, Mack was a 7th-Round choice in 2019. He wouldn't make the final roster, but end up on the practice squad. His run in New Orleans ended on Sep. 20 and would land with the Steelers five days later. He bounced around several clubs over the past few years and was with the XFL Brahmas last year. 
• Bryce Thompson, DB - Joined the team as an undrafted rookie in 2021. He got hurt in camp and was later released with an injury settlement only to return to the team. He got a chance to make his season debut late in the year against the Dolphins and returned on a reserve/future deal. He had an unfortunate injury during training camp in 2022 after impressing early and wound up on injured reserve but once again got an injury settlement to jump on and off the Saints roster until late November. 

St. Louis Battlehawks

• Sage Doxtater, OL - Doxtater was signed as an undrafted rookie and landed on injured reserve in mid-August due to an elbow issue. An injury settlement was later reached. He resurfaced after the XFL season and received an invite to rookie minicamp in May 2023.
• Koda Martin, OL - Joined the league in 2019 and didn't get with the Saints until getting a reserve/future deal in January 2023. He got waived on July 25 only to get re-signed five days later due to the Trai Turner injury. He was waived/injured on Aug. 9.

The UFL inaugural game between the Birmingham Stallions and Arlington Renegades will be at noon CT and will air on FOX. There will undoubtedly be some NFL scouts watching this league for potential talent.