Each week during the NFL season, I presented the key stats and contributions from former spring football players. For several years, I’ve also done a write-up at the close of the season, summarizing their performances, using data from Pro Football Focus (PFF), and previewing their next season’s role (with contract info from Over the Cap).
This is part two of my multi-part series breaking down those key components again, looking back on 2025 and ahead to 2026. This feature focuses on former XFL players. Part one, on former USFL players, can be found here.
WR Michael Bandy, Denver Broncos (Houston Rougnecks)
2025 stats: 4 games, 4 receptions, 50 yards (12.5 avg.), 1 TD; 5 PR, 29 yards, 5.8 avg.
In 2025: Briefly a member of the active roster in November, Bandy otherwise spent the rest of the season on Denver’s practice squad for the third year in a row. He was elevated for four games in 2025 and memorably hauled in the first touchdown catch of his career. A few of the times he was elevated, he handled punt return duties in place of the regular returner, who was injured.
What PFF tells us: In limited offensive snaps (16), Bandy carried an 80.0 grade on the year, based largely upon his touchdown. Fourteen of his 16 snaps came on pass plays. He predominantly lined up as a slot receiver – 11 of his 16 snaps came on the inside. Bandy’s special teams snaps garnered him a 60.7 grade. He only played on the punt return unit.
2026 outlook: Not one of the players initially signed to a futures contract by Denver after their playoff loss, Bandy is now a free agent. The 28-year-old could end up back in Denver at some point. His punt return skills and experience could make him more attractive to teams elsewhere around the NFL, too.
WR Chris Blair, Atlanta Falcons (D.C. Defenders)
2025 stats: 3 games, 1 special teams tackle
In 2025: Like Bandy, Blair spent his third season in a row on a practice squad, and for the third season it was on the Atlanta Falcons. He played in three games, but a minimal amount of snaps in those contests – 12 total on offense, 11 on special teams. Blair has consistently produced in exhibition games and has shown to be a productive deep reserve with special teams capabilities, which is why he keeps getting work.
What PFF tells us: Blair earned a below-average offensive grade (45.1), in large part because of a penalty on one of his few snaps. Two-thirds of his snaps came when lined up out wide, the other third from the slot. His ST work graded much more strongly, at a 77.5, as he had a tackle on his only kick coverage snap of the season. The rest of his opportunities on that unit came on the kick return team.
2026 outlook: Blair was signed to a futures deal following the season and he’ll likely get another shot to make the team in training camp. Atlanta brings in a new staff, including a new general manager, and none of their current receivers are unrestricted free agents. That just increases the difficult road Blair has ahead of him.
DT C.J. Brewer, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Houston Roughnecks)
2025 stats: 5 games played, 4 tackles (2 solo, 2 assists), 0.5 sacks, 1 QBH
In 2025: After playing 12 games for the Bucs in 2024 amid injuries to their defensive line, Brewer spent two-and-a-half months on the Bucs 53-man roster in 2025, mostly as a weekly inactive. He was promoted from the practice squad in late September, only to be waived and re-signed to the practice squad in early December.
What PFF tells us: Mostly playing against the run, Brewer’s 53.1 overall grade was actually the highest of his three-year NFL career thus far. Eighty percent of his snaps had him lined up over the “B” gap (between the guard and tackle). Though he played in five games, that amounted to 40 total defensive snaps, just eight per game. Brewer did not play on special teams.
2026 outlook: Despite spending a fair amount of time on the team’s active roster, Brewer was not signed to a futures contract after the season. Now a journeyman, Brewer has enough on tape to perhaps intrigue a team looking for depth at defensive tackle as training camp approaches or during the summer.
S Elijah Campbell, Miami Dolphins (D.C. Defenders)
2025 stats: 10 games, 5 special teams tackles (4 solo, 1 assist)
In 2025: After missing just three games over the previous three seasons, Campbell battled injuries throughout 2025, eventually landing him on IR near the end of the year. His special teams usage was right in line with his career numbers up to this point, though he played significantly less of a role on defense than his last three years in South Florida.
What PFF tells us: In only 16 total snaps on defense this year, Campbell’s grade was a 29.8. That was heavily weighted by a 29.7 score in 13 snaps against Baltimore. He was charged with two missed tackles on defense against zero actual tackles. Ten of his 16 snaps came lined up in the true free safety position; three were as a box safety and three were as a slot defender. Campbell saw plenty of action on five of the six special teams units – the only one he wasn’t involved with was the field goal team. Despite missing parts of the season with injury, he still tallied the fifth-most special teams snaps on the team.
2026 outlook: An unrestricted free agent this off-season, I’d be surprised if the 30-year-old Campbell returns to Miami, which will have an all-new coaching staff. Campbell will likely be had for cheap by a team looking for veteran special teams help.
LS Scott Daly, Chicago Bears (N.Y. Guardians)
2025 stats: 17 games, 2 special teams tackles (2 assists)
In 2025: Chicago’s full-time snapper for the second year in a row, Daly beat out rookie Luke Elkin, who provided a training camp challenge to his spot. Daly snapped for Cairo Santos’s kicks and Tory Taylor’s punts, even getting down the field to make two tackles at 31 years of age.
What PFF tells us: Daly had a decent year with a 66.3 grade. They nicked him with one missed tackle, the second of his career.
2026 outlook: Chicago brought back Elkin on a futures contract and Daly is an unrestricted free agent. They probably won’t hand the job to Elkin, but whether it’s Daly that will vie to retain his spot, or another veteran is brought in, remains to be seen. He’s relatively inexpensive (25th-highest contract among snappers) and I can’t imagine he’ll be due for a huge raise. Maybe that’s exactly what he’ll be seeking on the open market, though, as a proven veteran at that position.
QB Ben DiNucci, Denver Broncos (Seattle Sea Dragons)
In 2025: After spending eight days with the Atlanta Falcons late in training camp, DiNucci all but hung up his cleats, turning to a career in broadcasting. He was on the call for college football on CBS Sports this fall. However, when a surprise injury to Bo Nix necessitated insurance for the playoffs, Broncos head coach Sean Payton turned to DiNucci, who was familiar with the offense from a stint with the team in 2023 and 2024. His time on the practice squad amounted to one game, a loss to New England in the AFC Championship.
2026 outlook: DiNucci seemed content to move on from football and probably wouldn’t have come back if it were any other situation. I’d be shocked if we saw him on the field – without holding a microphone – in 2026.
DT Jack Heflin, Los Angeles Rams (Houston Roughnecks)
2025 stats: 1 game, 1 solo tackle
In 2025: Heflin had to wait until the final week of the regular season to make his 2025 (or rather, 2026) debut. A late addition to the Rams’ practice squad in December 2024, Heflin was re-signed to a futures contract for 2025. He was cut at the end of camp and re-signed to the practice squad, where he remained for the entirety of this past season.
What PFF tells us: Playing nine snaps in week 18 against Arizona, all against the pass, Heflin earned a PFF grade of 49.5. Seven of his snaps came over the tackle from the defensive end position. In limited NFL snaps over the course of four seasons, this was Heflin’s second-highest grade earned per PFF.
2026 outlook: The Rams did not sign Heflin to a futures contract after the season, though recently the New York Jets did. It’s his third team since playing for the Roughnecks in the spring of 2023 and he’ll try to crack the Jets’ defensive line rotation this summer.
TE Tyree Jackson, Washington Commanders (D.C. Defenders)
In 2025: Jackson hoped to finally show the athleticism at tight end that teams have been on the lookout for since his transition from quarterback. That hope fizzled when he was placed on injured reserve on August 2 before the exhibition season even began.
2026 outlook: Most players in Jackson’s position would’ve been waived/injured at some point and let go with an injury settlement. Instead, Washington kept him on IR all season, indicating a desire to bring him back in 2026. He is an RFA so he will need to be tendered a contract before the new league season begins if in fact Washington wants to retain his services.
QB Josh Johnson, Washington Commanders (L.A. Wildcats)
2025 stats: 5 games, 2 games started, 34-for-54 (63.0%), 372 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT; 12 rushes, 55 yds (4.6 avg.), 1 TD
In 2025: With starter Jayden Daniels and backup Marcus Mariota both getting hurt in 2025, third-stringer Johnson was called upon to start two games, his most since 2018. The performance bar for third stringers in the league is pretty low, and Johnson easily cleared them, even leading Washington to a win and improving his career win-loss record as a starter to 2-9. Suffice it to say, if you’re third string QB gets this much work it probably wasn’t a successful season. And it wasn’t for the Commanders, who failed to make the playoffs.
What PFF tells us: Johnson’s offensive grade of 52.9 included 22 snaps against Philadelphia in relief that cratered the score. In his two starts, his average was 61.2. Interestingly, he graded higher on snaps in which no play-action was involved versus play-action. His best passing concept was the screen pass, with a 66.4 score. Only two of his 54 pass attempts traveled beyond 20 yards. Two passes were graded as turnover-worthy plays, and interestingly, both were short attempts no longer than 10 yards. When blitzed by the defense, Johnson had a 69.8 grade and a touchdown throw.
2026 outlook: No one is signing Johnson to a multi-year contract at this stage of his career, so yet again the 39-year-old finds himself to be a free agent in March. His base salary was $1.255 million in 2025 and he won’t get much more than that in 2026. Based on his season, he earned a chance to at least compete for someone’s number three job in camp. Look for a playoff-caliber team to want the kind of veteran arm Johnson brings to the table.
LS Christian Kuntz, Pittsburgh Steelers (Dallas Renegades)
2025 stats: 17 games, 2 solo special teams tackles
In 2025: Pittsburgh’s long snapper the last five years, Kuntz has been an iron man during that time, playing in all 17 games in each of those seasons. He’s learned to snap in all kinds of weather that playing in the Steel City brings.
What PFF tells us: Kuntz held a 49.5 snapping grade by PFF, behind a 54.0 he had last year. His season was pretty consistent save for two poor games, against Baltimore and Miami in weeks 14 and 15.
2026 outlook: Kuntz inked a three-year deal back in 2024, tying him to the Steelers through next season. His cap number is a mere $1.3 million next season. However, Pittsburgh signed Cal Adomitis to the practice squad late in the season when Kuntz found himself on the injury report. They then signed him to a futures deal. Four years younger than Kuntz, if Adomitis makes it to camp, he could provide real competition for Kuntz. That’s nothing new for Kuntz as he beat out Tucker Addington to retain his job last summer.
DT LaCale London, Atlanta Falcons (St. Louis Battlehawks)
2025 stats: 13 games, 5 games started, 30 tackles (17 solo, 13 assists), 5 sacks, 7 tackles for loss, 4 QBH, 1 FF, 1 PD
In 2025: It was a tale of two seasons for London, who had just three tackles at the midway point of the season. As the year went on, his playing time increased, even starting five games. Zach Harrison started the first seven games before getting hurt. He was placed on IR for the rest of the season. That seemed to coincide with London’s uptick in action. He set career highs in all statistical categories, entering 2025 having played in just eight career games in two previous seasons.
What PFF tells us: Of those with enough snaps to qualify, London finished with the sixth-highest defensive grade of all Falcons with a 70.4. He lined up in the “A” gap (between the center and guard) and “B” gap over 100 snaps each. Half of his tackles were graded as “stops,” defined by PFF as a play that constituted a failure for the offense. London was docked for three missed tackles and two penalties. He was also a frequent contributor on the field goal/extra point block team.
2026 outlook: This off-season, London is a restricted free agent. Atlanta has a new head coach in Kevin Stefanski, a new general manager and a completely new front office structure with Matt Ryan as President. Based on London’s production and expected 2026 salary, one would think he’d be a candidate to be offered an RFA tender. But it’s unclear how he’ll fit in with the new coaching staff.
LS Nick Moore, Baltimore Ravens (Tampa Bay Vipers)
2025 stats: 17 games played
In 2025: Now two years removed from an off-season Achilles injury that cost him all of 2023, Moore continues to show no ill-effects from that ailment. He snapped in all 17 games for the fourth time in his career and for the second consecutive season. Moore was one of five full-time snappers who did not record a tackle on punt coverage in the NFL in 2025.
What PFF tells us: Moore upped his PFF grade year-over-year: He had a 46.7 last year, raising it to 53.9 this year. That’s after two years of grades north of 70. Though he didn’t make a tackle, PFF had him with two missed stops.
2026 outlook: Baltimore handed out several contract extensions late in the season, and Moore was the beneficiary of one of them. He signed a four-year extension through 2029, worth $6.4 million and $2.7 million guaranteed. That puts him in the top five of richest long snapper contracts in the NFL as it stands today. Baltimore will have a new head coach for the first time in almost two decades, but they won’t have a new long snapper.
OT Storm Norton, Atlanta Falcons (L.A. Wildcats)
In 2025: As final training camp cuts took place, Norton was placed on injured reserve. Late in the season, he began practicing so as to be activated for the stretch run; however, he suffered a setback and ended up spending the entire year on I.R.
2026 outlook: Norton is under contract for 2026 and still holds value as a swing tackle, pending recovery from his injury. Like all other Falcons, he’ll have to win over a new coaching staff and front office to reclaim his spot.
TE Donald Parham, Pittsburgh Steelers (Dallas Renegades)
In 2025: At one time, Parham looked like a future starter at tight end for the Los Angeles Chargers. His star has fallen significantly since those days. Pittsburgh took a flier on him last February, only for Parham to tear his Achilles at OTAs. He was placed on IR in June.
2026 outlook: Parham is an unrestricted free agent. Recovery from a torn Achilles can take about a year so teams won’t be in a hurry to sign him. He may have to take on workouts to show he’s healthy and perhaps sign around training camp time.
P Daniel Whelan, Green Bay Packers (D.C. Defenders)
2025 stats: 17 games, 49 punts, 2,533 yards, 51.7 avg., 44.3 net, 8 TB, 9 Inside the 20
In 2025: There was good news for Whelan just before the season began, as Green Bay signed him to a two-year contract extension. From there, Whelan lived up to that contract and more, leading the NFL in gross punting average, finishing fourth in net punting. After being consistently middle-of-the-pack in his first two seasons in the league, Whelan increased his gross punting average by 5.6 yards and his net by 4.1 yards over 2024. Whelan’s 51.7 gross average was third-most in a season in NFL history.
What PFF tells us: A punting grade of 88.2 put Whelan third in the NFL according to PFF’s grading system. There aren’t any other major takeaways from the site.
2026 outlook: Whelan’s base salary bumps up from $1 million to $1.4 million next season and includes a $100,000 per game roster bonus and workout bonuses. In 2027, his base grows to $2.25 million with a cap hit of $3.15 million. As long as Whelan continues to produce at the level of his 2025 season, he should be worth that contract.