The 2026 UFL season officially came to a close this weekend, with the Louisville Kings taking down the DC Defenders 27–20 in the third annual United Bowl—capping their inaugural campaign with a championship. The contest reportedly averaged nearly one million viewers on ABC, and put football’s marquee professional spring league on full display as it continues to build momentum on a year-over-year basis.
“I think it’s kind of becoming that, ‘O.K., where’s the next market?’” Broncos coach Sean Payton said of the UFL this week when speaking about the group of players they signed. “They’re getting developed somewhere. Where are they if they’re not in our league? I think to their league’s credit, it’s helping us.”
Overall, 23 UFL players signed NFL contracts this week after the league’s offseason signing period opened last Monday. Here’s a look at each, along with their chances of making a 53-man roster this summer.
Gottlieb Ayedze, offensive tackle
UFL team: Houston Gamblers
NFL team: Miami Dolphins
After going undrafted out of Maryland (following a standout career at Division II Frostburg State), Ayedze was selected with the No. 4 pick in the 2024 UFL draft by the Defenders. He instead signed with the NFL’s Eagles as a UDFA, but failed to make their final roster out of training camp. After spending time on Raiders’ practice squad, Ayedze was waived during 2025 roster cuts and was then allocated to DC in January before being traded to the Houston Gamblers last March.
Now back in the NFL, he’ll compete with Jamaree Salyer, Marques Cox, Charlie Heck and Kevin Cline for a depth tackle spot behind incumbent starters Patrick Paul and Austin Jackson.
Chance to make 53-man roster: 15%
Keshawn Banks, defensive end
UFL team: Orlando Storm
NFL team: Atlanta Falcons
Banks spent the 2026 UFL season in Orlando with the Storm, playing in 10 games while registering 24 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, five sacks, two pass breakups and a forced fumble.
He’ll now head to his fourth NFL team after previous stints with the Packers, Patriots and Cardinals, and look to make his mark in a loaded edge defender room with the Falcons. Atlanta notably selected both James Pierce Jr. and Jalon Walker in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft, and also signed both Azeez Ojulari and Samson Ebukam this offseason—making Banks’s chances at cracking the roster rather bleak at this point in time.
Chance to make 53-man roster: 10%
Tarik Black, wide receiver
UFL team: Louisville Kings
NFL team: Detroit Lions
A 28-year-old pass-catcher who played collegiately at both Michigan and Texas, Black hauled in 27 receptions for 388 yards and three touchdowns this season while winning the UFL championship with the Kings. He stands at 6'3", weighs 213 pounds and will bring a big-bodied presence to Lions training camp.
All that said, Black is one of four UFL wide receivers who signed with Detroit this week—and with Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Isaac TeSlaa all but locked in as the team’s starting trio, will have an uphill climb to playing on Sundays this NFL season.
Tanner Brown, kicker
UFL team: Louisville Kings
NFL team: New Orleans Saints
Brown broke records in the UFL this season, knocking through a league-best 25 of 28 regular-season field-goal attempts on his way to an All-UFL Team nod, UFL Special Teams Player of the Year honors and a championship victory with the Kings.
He’ll now head to the Saints to compete with Charlie Smyth, a former soccer player from Ireland who played six games in New Orleans while making 12 of his 16 field-goal attempts and going a perfect 13-for-13 on extra points. It’ll be quite the battle, with Brown having a realistic opportunity to win it.
Chance to make 53-man roster: 70%
Major Burns, safety
UFL team: Houston Gamblers
NFL team: Miami Dolphins
An undrafted free agent out of LSU in 2025, Burns signed with the Bears last May. An injury during training camp eventually saw him placed on IR and then waived—in turn, nobody picked him up for the remainder of the campaign.
Burns then signed with the Gamblers in March and over nine games played, logged 35 tackles, eight passed defensed and a league-leading four interceptions on his way to an All-UFL Team nod. He’ll now join a Dolphins defense that’s lacking in the backend with Lonnie Johnson Jr. and Dante Trader Jr. listed as their starting safeties.
Chance to make 53-man roster: 45%
Hakeem Butler, wide receiver
UFL team: St. Louis Battlehawks
NFL team: Denver Broncos
For the second time in three seasons, Butler led the UFL in receiving yards in 2026—logging 641 on 29 receptions while scoring three touchdowns and earning UFL Offensive Player of the Year honors. The 30-year-old was a fourth-round pick by the Cardinals in 2019 and has spent time with the Panthers, Eagles, Steelers and Bengals—but has yet to latch onto an NFL roster for the long haul.
Instead, what Butler has done is tear up both the XFL and UFL over the last four years as a member of the St. Louis Battlehawks. He’ll join a Broncos wide receiver room equipped with a two-headed monster in Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle, with depth pieces in Marvin Mims, Troy Franklin and Pat Bryant also in the mix. It won’t be easy, but Butler now has another opportunity to prove he’s an NFL-caliber receiver.
Chance to make 53-man roster: 25%
Kaden Davis, wide receiver/kick returner
UFL team: Houston Gamblers
NFL team: Chicago Bears
Though listed as a wide receiver, Davis caught just four passes for 32 yards with the Gamblers last season and failed to score a touchdown. That said, he’s a special teams machine who ranked second on the team in return yards with 275 yards on 10 attempts while adding four tackles in kick/punt coverage.
Davis now joins a top-heavy Bears receiving corps led by Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III, making special teams his clearest path to a roster spot. He’ll compete alongside veteran Kalif Raymond and rookie Zavion Thomas to be the team’s top return specialist.
Chance to make 53-man roster: 15%
Hunter Dekkers, quarterback
UFL team: Houston Gamblers
NFL team: New Orleans Saints
Dekkers went undrafted out of Iowa State in 2025, but a successful rookie minicamp tryout last spring saw him sign with the Saints as a UDFA. He then spent much of last season boomeranging on and off New Orleans’s roster and practice squad before signing with the Gamblers ahead of the 2026 UFL season. Dekkers started four games with Houston this spring, leading them to a 2–2 record while scoring five total touchdowns and throwing two interceptions.
Back with the Saints again, Dekkers will compete with Spencer Rattler and Zach Wilson for the backup quarterback job behind incumbent starter Tyler Shough.
Chance to make 53-man roster: 25%
Erik Ezukanma, wide receiver
UFL team: DC Defenders
NFL team: Philadelphia Eagles
A former fourth-round pick out of Texas Tech in 2022, Ezukanma spent three NFL seasons with the Dolphins before being cut ahead of the ’24 season. He was then signed to the Jaguars practice squad in 2025, was released in mid-October, and joined the Defenders for the ’26 UFL campaign.
Ezukanma did just about everything for DC, hauling in 15 receptions for 227 receiving yards and a touchdown while adding 79 rushing yards on nine carries and 459 kick return yards on 18 attempts. That said, he’s entering a revamped Eagles wide receiver room following the A.J. Brown trade, and will have to compete alongside 12(!) other pass catchers for a roster spot.
Chance to make 53-man roster: <5%
Tony Fields II, linebacker
UFL team: Columbus Aviators
NFL team: Chicago Bears
Fields was a constant presence in the middle of the Aviators’ defense in 2026, racking up 77 total tackles (tied for second in the UFL) and an interception while earning a spot on the 2026 All-UFL Team. A former fifth-round pick of the Browns in 2021, Fields is no stranger to the NFL. He played in Cleveland for four seasons, starting 10 of the 45 games he appeared in while tallying 88 tackles, an interceptions, a forced fumble and two defensive touchdowns.
Given the uneasy state of Chicago’s linebacker room—T.J. Edwards’s season-ending fibula injury in 2025, D’Marco Jackson getting hurt at OTAs and the volatile nature of Devin Bush’s play—Fields should have as good of a chance as anyone to compete for a roster spot throughout training camp.
Chance to make 53-man roster: 45%
Sean Fresch Jr., cornerback/return specialist
UFL team: St. Louis Battlehawks
NFL team: Denver Broncos
Fresch spent the past two seasons in the UFL, playing for the Brahmas in 2025 and the Battlehawks in ’26 as both a cornerback and a return specialist. This past campaign with St. Louis saw him tally 43 total tackles, five passes defensed, two sacks and a forced fumble while also averaging 10.5 yards per punt return and 21.8 yards per kick return.
It won’t be easy for Fresh to crack Denver’s cornerback rotation, as Patrick Surtain II, Ja’Quan McMillan, Riley Moss and Jahdae Barron have that on lock (no pun intended), but with fellow return man Marvin Mims currently in a contract squabble, he could potentially get an early look on special teams and help his final roster outlook.
Chance to make 53-man roster: 10%
Chris Glaser, offensive lineman
UFL team: Columbus Aviators
NFL team: Dallas Cowboys
Glaser went undrafted out of Virginia in 2022 and signed with Chiefs following a successful rookie minicamp tryout. After being waived mid-training camp, he signed with the Jets and spent the next two seasons on and off their active roster—appearing in eight games and starting one—and also made a brief appearance on the Cowboys’ practice squad.
Back in Dallas again this summer, Glaser will look to make his mark in a crowded interior offensive line room that includes Tyler Smith, Tyler Booker, T.J. Bass and Trevon Keegan, among others.
Chance to make 53-man roster: <5%
Lucky Jackson, wide receiver
UFL team: Louisville Kings
NFL team: Detroit Lions
The second of two Kings wide receivers to sign with the Lions after winning the UFL championship, Jackson now returns to the NFC North after a two-plus-year stint with the Vikings from 2023 to ’25. He caught 32 passes for 293 yards and two touchdowns for Louisville last season.
As mentioned above, Detroit signed four UFL pass catchers this week in Jackson, Black, Lawrence Keys III and Tay Martin (both of whom we’ll get to next), and all four of their chances to crack the roster are slim thanks to an already top-heavy depth chart.
Chance to make 53-man roster: <5%
Lawrence Keys III, wide receiver
UFL team: Houston Gamblers
NFL team: Detroit Lions
Keys did it all for the Gamblers in 2026, logging over 1,000 all-purpose yards with 349 (and two touchdowns) as a wide receiver and 652 as a return man. He’ll now return to the NFL after a stint with the Bills following his collegiate career at Tulane.
Though he’s certainly an intriguing player, Keys is entering a room that already has nine wide receivers—not including his three UFL counterparts that also signed this week.
Chance to make 53-man roster: <5%
Tay Martin, wide receiver
UFL team: Columbus Aviators
NFL team: Detroit Lions
Martin entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent back in 2022, signing with the 49ers and spending several seasons on their practice squad. He also has logged stints with the Titans and Commanders, and caught 42 passes for 483 yards and two touchdowns with the Aviators in the UFL last season.
Given his 6'1" frame and past NFL experience, Martin probably has the best chance of the four UFL receivers signed by the Lions to make the roster—though it’s still far from likely.
Chance to make 53-man roster: 10%
Devonnsha Maxwell, defensive line
UFL team: DC Defenders
NFL team: Atlanta Falcons
Maxwell has been dominant in the trenches for the Defenders over the past two seasons, totaling 43 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and four sacks while helping DC to the UFL championship in 2025.
Originally signing as an undrafted free agent with the Bengals in 2023, Maxwell is now headed to his second NFL team in the Falcons. He’ll compete with Brandon Dorlus, DaShawn Hand and Anterio Thompson in Atlanta’s defensive tackle room.
Chance to make 53-man roster: 15%
Denzel Mims, wide receiver
UFL team: Dallas Renegades
NFL team: Dallas Cowboys
A former second-round pick of the Jets in 2020, Mims is headed back to the NFL once again after playing with the UFL’s Renegades in ’25. He’ll stay in the Dallas area and join the Cowboys ahead of training camp.
Mims has yet to truly take off as a pro since his days as a first-team All-Big 12 member at Baylor, and given Dallas’s loaded wide receiver room led by CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, will have a tall order in front of him if he wants to make the team.
Chance to make 53-man roster: 5%
Jalen Moreno-Cropper, wide receiver
UFL team: Houston Gamblers
NFL team: New Orleans Saints
The Saints are continuing to tinker with their wide receiver room heading into their second season under coach Kellen Moore, with their latest move being the signing of Moreno-Cropper from the Gamblers. The 25-year-old out of Fresno State caught 22 passes for 291 yards last year with Houston and also logged 213 kick return yards.
Entering a crowded New Orleans wide receiver room that includes Chris Olave and first-round pick Jordyn Tyson, Moreno-Cropper’s best chance to make the roster will be on special teams—where he’ll likely compete with fellow rookie Barion Brown for a spot as the team’s kick returner.
Chance to make 53-man roster: 15%
Ameer Speed, defensive back
UFL team: Houston Gamblers
NFL team: Dallas Cowboys
Speed was selected by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL draft, and after being waived in mid-October, was claimed by the Colts. He’s since spent time with the Bears, Browns and Texans—and signed with the UFL’s Gamblers this past April.
A long, 6'3" defensive back, Speed heads to the Cowboys for 2026 training camp with a shot at vying for a depth role in Dallas’s secondary behind DaRon Bland and Cobie Durant. He also has the tools to be a core special teamer should they need it.
Chance to make 53-man roster: 20%
Shaun Wade, cornerback
UFL team: Dallas Renegades
NFL team: Philadelphia Eagles
Wade starred at Ohio State from 2017 to ’20, earning both All-American and Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year honors in his final season. He was then drafted by the Ravens in the fifth round in 2021, was traded to the Patriots, and has since bounced around to the Chargers, Bears and most recently the UFL’s Renegades.
The Eagles, as they tend to do, have now added another intriguing defender to their roster that will compete in a loaded cornerback room alongside Quinyon Mitchell, Riq Woolen, Cooper DeJean and Jonathan Jones.
Chance to make 53-man roster: 10%
Antwane “Juice” Wells Jr., wide receiver
UFL team: Columbus Aviators
NFL team: Atlanta Falcons
The Juice is loose! After a 2026 stint with the Aviators, where he caught 25 passes for 237 yards and two touchdowns and added 205 punt return yards, Wells signed with the Falcons during their mandatory minicamp this week.
Originally an undrafted free agent out of South Carolina, Wells returns to the southeast and will join an Atlanta wide receiver room led by Drake London—but with not much else in between. Pairing his special teams versatility with a strong summer could give him a decent chance to make the club.
Chance to make 53-man roster: 30%
Ian Wheeler, running back
UFL team: Louisville Kings
NFL team: Buffalo Bills
Wheeler not only won the 2026 UFL championship with the Kings last weekend, but was also named the game’s Most Valuable Player after rushing for 81 yards and a score (and also returning a kick for 28 yards).
After spending 2024 with the Bears and some of the ’25 season on the Saints’ practice squad, he’ll now head to the Bills and—alongside Ty Johnson, Ray Davis and Frank Gore Jr.—vie for carries behind James Cook.
Chance to make 53-man roster: 10%
Jacoby Windmon, linebacker
UFL team: Columbus Aviators
NFL team: Pittsburgh Steelers
Windmon signed with the Steelers as a UDFA out of Michigan State in 2024, and bounced back and forth between them and the Panthers over the past two seasons before being released by Carolina in early May.
Following a brief stint with the Aviators, Windmon is now headed back to Pittsburgh for a third time. While a great story, he’ll be competing for a roster spot in an edge room already manned by T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig and Jack Sawyer—not necessarily a recipe for success.
Chance to make 53-man roster: <5%
