Now that the Alliance of American Football has folded before the conclusion of its first season, there is a new pool of players with professional experience looking for jobs. The AAF level of play was generally equivalent to the 4th NFL preseason game, but that’s still a higher plane than any college contest or all-star game.
Here are six AAF veterans who showed enough in the brief season to merit serious interest from the Detroit Lions.
Luis Perez, QB, Birmingham
The Lions desperately need quarterbacks behind Matthew Stafford. Right now the depth chart after No. 9 is Connor Cook. That’s it.
Perez wasn’t the best statistically in the AAF, but he has the best arm and most NFL upside of any of the passers. He’s an ideal developmental backup, better than anyone the Lions could possibly draft in this year’s rounds 4-7.
Just 24 years old, Perez was the best player in D-II in 2017 and won a national championship at TAMU-Commerce. He needs to work on getting the ball out quicker and not locking onto his primary target, but there’s a lot of arm talent and natural ability there to work with.
Jayrone Elliott, OLB, San Antonio
Elliott, a former Green Bay Packer and Dallas Cowboy, led the AAF in sacks with 7.5 in 8 games. He’s developed strength as an EDGE since his days in the NFL and at Toledo, helping him bull through blocking like this:
The Packers used him more as an all-around OLB, but the Lions can concentrate his efforts as a pass rusher into being a situational EDGE who brings power-to-speed and good awareness to the table. He appeared to figure out in the AAF that he’s not a speed guy, to his own benefit.
Terrance Garvin, LB, Orlando
Garvin showed range all over the second level for the Apollos. The inside backer has 75 games of NFL experience, bouncing around from team to team and primarily seeing action on special teams.
In the AAF, Garvin showed he could do more than that. He won the Defensive Player of the Week in the very first week, picking off two passes and returning one for a TD. He ended with 3 INTs as well as a sack and registered a game with 11 tackles.
New Lions offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell knows him from their one season (2017) in Seattle together. Garvin has experience playing in both a 3- and 4-man front, too.
Wes Saxton, TE, Birmingham
Saxton fits the bill of supersized WR-as-tight end, a role he played very well for South Alabama in college. He only had a brief cup of coffee with the Jets as a rookie in 2015 before bouncing around as a practice squad and tryout player.
Saxton was even a Lion for 10 days last June, but he never got a chance to put on a uniform. A strong turn as a receiving-only tight end for the Iron, where he led all AAF TEs in yards and was second in receptions, should at least earn him another chance to get into training camp.
Derron Smith, safety, San Antonio
A sixth-round pick out of Fresno State in 2015, Smith never got more than special teams sniffs in two years with the Bengals and a half-season with the Browns. His stellar play with the Commanders proves he deserves another long look as a coverage-oriented safety with ball skills and decent pop for a 5-10, 200-pound guy with some experience.
Listen to the broadcast commentary on the video of his pick-6 off Aaron Murray in San Antonio’s romping victory to get an idea of how great he played in the AAF:
Jalin Marshall, WR, Orlando
Marshall finally proved himself capable of staying on the field and contributing in the AAF. Injuries and suspensions have dogged the former 5-star recruit since his days at Ohio State, including a stint with the New York Jets in 2016. He showed NFL ability in that rookie preseason but tore his labrum in his shoulder and never got back on the field.
For the Apollos, Marshall proved the capable and versatile weapon his impressive athletic profile hinted at. Heck, he even threw a TD pass. Quicker than fast, Marshall has electric moves in tight spaces. Ball security was a big issue in his past. If he’s beyond that, he’s an NFL-caliber receiver.
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