You may have clicked on this link thinking to yourself, “UFL free agency? The league has announced no such thing!” And while that’s true, UFL Newsroom’s James Larsen has reported that it is, indeed, a thing. A thing that is set to begin as early as October 1, in fact.
Despite the UFL’s silence on the matter, and silence in general on player movement – they’ve not posted a transaction report in almost a month until today – I wanted to dive into what needs teams may address in free agency, and what players they should make it a priority to re-sign. For the rules of free agency and players that may qualify to be free agents, see the link to Larsen’s report above. We’ll start with the USFL Conference teams.
Must Keep: TE Jace Sternberger: Despite a down year statistically in 2025 that can be blamed partially on inconsistent quarterback play, Sternberger is still one of the top tight ends in spring football. Adept at both blocking and receiving, Sternberger has been an iron man, playing in all 30 regular season games the last three years for Birmingham. It’s important to have someone like him who knows what head coach Skip Holtz expects out of his offense and can help guide the newcomers. For whomever is under center next year, Sternberger can still be a quality security blanket in the pass game.
Should Sign: OT James Tunstall, Memphis: Birmingham should have no shortage of players wanting to join the most successful spring football franchise of this era. They should leverage that goodwill to add some offensive line help. Birmingham’s O-Line struggled uncharacteristically last year. While OT Armani Taylor-Prioleau was solid at one tackle spot, the Stallions had issues on the opposite side. That could be rectified by signing James Tunstall from Memphis. There isn’t a lot of quality OL help out there in UFL free agency and Tunstall may be the best of the bunch.
Must Keep: LB Marvin Moody: Houston has been one of the busiest teams re-signing their players this off-season, resulting in them having the fewest free agents of any UFL squad. Moody played the most snaps for Houston’s defense last year and was the second-highest graded player on their D per Pro Football Focus. Not only that, but Moody plays extensively on special teams coverage units as well. He’s been a steadying presence for Houston and his improvement from 2024 to 2025 was a big reason Houston was able to make the jump they did in the win column.
Should Sign: DT Niles Scott, D.C.: Provided Houston runs the same defense as last year (no guarantee with coordinator Chris Wilson now at Arkansas as interim defensive coordinator), they need some more playmakers on their defensive line. They like to have big bodies up front and the 320-plus pound Scott would provide that. He can stuff the run and when needed, can find his way into the backfield to pressure the quarterback. Houston needs more from its line in 2026.
Must Keep: C Alec Lindstrom: Memphis has had its struggles along the offensive line the past two seasons, but Lindstrom has largely been immune to those issues. The team’s best lineman, Lindstrom would provide consistency year-to-year, even if the coaching staff changes. He spent some time in the NFL this summer for the second consecutive year. Re-structuring the line should again be a priority for the Showboats; that restructuring should take place around Lindstrom in the middle.
Should Sign: TE Jordan Thomas, Birmingham: Big bodies are the name of the game at tight end for the Showboats, and Thomas would fit that bill. He would also offer pass-catching upside that Memphis tight ends currently do not. A backup in Birmingham, Thomas could be tempted by a starting job in Memphis (or wherever the team ends up). The level of physicality we’ve seen from Thomas and the mismatches he creates in the passing game is something the Showboats could desperately use.
Must Keep: QB Bryce Perkins: Perkins simply makes plays that no one else in the UFL can make. That added dimension provides Michigan with additional offensive support and allows coordinator Marcel Bellefeuille to be creative. Perkins is a fun player to watch and likely contributed at least in small part to Michigan’s attendance improvement in 2025. If they stay in Michigan, it would be a blow to the franchise and the fanbase to lose their best player. The only question comes with Perkins’s playing style, which puts him at a higher risk for injury (especially his willingness to take on defenders – or leap over them – in the open field). When he’s healthy, though, he’s arguably the best in the UFL. That would be difficult to replace.
Should Sign: CB Ajene Harris, Arlington: For as good as Michigan was last season, they were minus-2 in turnover differential, next-to-last in the league. No one has taken the ball away from opponents as often as Harris, who has nine interceptions over the last three spring seasons. Some players just have a nose for the ball, and it appears that quality is intrinsic in Harris. He’d provide a lockdown-level corner on Michigan’s defense, taking away one side of the field. Michigan has a decent pass rush which could be improved by stronger play on the back end.