The XFL’s first season back on the field was cut short, thanks to concern about the global pandemic known as COVID-19.
However – the league proved it can sustain itself thanks to an entertaining brand of football and multiple, lucrative media deals that should allow the league to survive in 2021 and beyond.
One aspect of the XFL that has yet to be fully fleshed out is the idea of the league as a feeder league for the NFL. While that is not currently a functioning relationship between the two entities, it’s clear many of the players who succeed in the XFL will inevitably end up in the NFL – starting with star quarterback P.J. Walker, who agreed to terms with the Carolina Panthers on the first day XFL players were eligible to sign with NFL teams.
Walker won’t be the last XFL player to ink a new deal, and while Seattle’s local team, the Dragons, finished with just a 1-4 record, they too have some potential NFL talent on their roster.
Here are three players who could be of interest to the Seattle Seahawks, all who have previous NFL experience and who have a good chance of winning a job in training camp if they play well over the summer.
Wide Receiver Keenan Reynolds
Perhaps the Dragons player with the most familiarity with the Seahawks, receiver Keenan Reynolds carved out a nice role as a reliable possession receiver for Jim Zorn and the Dragons this season – hauling in 11 receptions for 137 yards and a touchdown.
Reynolds was with the Seahawks for the entire 2018 season, appearing in two games, and spent training camp and the preseason with the team in 2019 before becoming a roster casualty and ending up in the XFL after a brief stint as a broadcaster.
Reynolds is a slot receiver in the mold of Doug Baldwin, and the former Navy quarterback is a known favorite of both Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson.
While he has a good chance of ending up in training camp this year, for the third year in a row, his odds of making the roster will depend on how many receivers Seattle adds via the draft or free agency.
Defensive End Marcell Frazier
Frazier had perhaps the most memorable play of the XFL season – at least for the Dragons – when he recorded a pick-six by snatching a pass right out of the hands of Vipers quarterback Taylor Cornelius and fell into the end zone in the team’s home opener.
The big defensive end finished the five game season with seven tackles, five quarterback hits, one sack, two tackles for loss, one interception and one fumble recovery.
He was a menace at getting into the backfield and getting to the quarterback, a skill that NFL teams are desperately searching for on the open market – perhaps none more than the Seahawks themselves.
Frazier recorded 17.5 sacks in his three years at Missouri before going undrafted in 2017. He was briefly with the Seahawks in training camp, as well as a handful of other NFL teams, but he never managed to make it into a regular season game.
Now, after putting together some strong tape in the XFL, Frazier could get his shot – and a team with the same home stadium is looking for more help rushing the passer.
Linebacker Steven Johnson
Johnson led the XFL in tackles this season, with 48, cementing himself among the best linebackers in the league.
Johnson is no stranger to the NFL, having appeared in 74 games across six seasons from 2012-2017, primarily serving as a core special teamer.
The former Kansas product could be an option to sign with the Seahawks and come into camp to compete for a spot on the special teams and as a depth option in the linebacker corps.
With Bobby Wagner, K.J. Wright, Cody Barton and Ben Burr-Kirven all in the mix, it is unlikely he would find his way into regular playing time on the defense.
However – this team loves their core special teams contributors, and a player with his pedigree in that role and recent success playing football in the city of Seattle make him a solid candidate to compete for that job in camp.
