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Matt Elam

Vic Beasley, Martavis Bryant, Josh Gordon, Marquette King On XFL Rosters

February 9th, 2023 at 3:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

The XFL will begin its third try next week. The rebooting league’s latest season will begin Feb. 18, nearly two months before USFL 2.0’s second season is scheduled to start.

This setup will make for a strange winter-spring period in which two minor leagues of sorts will be in operation. Considering the short tenures of XFL 2.0 (2020) and the Alliance of American Football (2019), this will be one of the more interesting years for non-NFL football.

Numerous former NFLers line the XFL’s season-opening rosters. Here are some of the players who will be part the league’s latest eight-team configuration. The full rosters can be found here.

Arlington Renegades

King has not punted since the 2018 season, when the Broncos waived him not long after signing the veteran specialist to a multiyear deal. King, 34, punted for the Raiders for five seasons.

D.C. Defenders

Armstead received workout opportunities and landed with multiple teams, but the former Jaguars backup has been unable to regain his footing since missing all of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 complications. A former Packers second-round pick, Murphy has six NFL seasons under his belt. Reid, 31, played eight NFL seasons — most recently suiting up in 2021 — and was a regular for the Lions early in his career. Brice started 10 games for the Packers in 2018; he has not played since.

Houston Roughnecks

Davis started 42 games for the Steelers from 2017-19; he played with three teams during the 2021 season. A

Orlando Guardians

Elam logged 26 starts for the Ravens, but his NFL run stopped after the 2016 season. A former Broncos second-round pick, Latimer played six NFL seasons and ended up a 10-game starter for the Giants in 2019. Lynch was part of the 2016 and ’17 Broncos squads along with Latimer but, despite his first-round status, flamed out of the league after two seasons. He has since spent time in the CFL and USFL.

San Antonio Brahmas

Ballage did not play in the NFL this season but saw action in 17 games for the Steelers in 2021. Wing served as the Giants’ punter for three seasons. Sinnett was with the Dolphins this season, joining the team following Tua Tagovailoa‘s Week 4 concussion.

Seattle Sea Dragons

The biggest name in this XFL edition, Gordon became a journeyman in recent years. He was most recently with the Titans, catching on with Tennessee this year before being released in October. The former All-Pro spent the 2021 season with the Chiefs. Suspensions hijacked the 31-year-old pass catcher’s career. The Cowboys cut DiNucci just before this season, and while workout opportunities came, the former emergency Dallas starter will try his hand in the XFL.

St. Louis BattleHawks

Although McCarron’s most recent action came with the Texans, he was on the 2021 Falcons. A path toward being Matt Ryan‘s final backup in Atlanta closed after a preseason ACL tear. Workouts in 2022 did not lead to a signing.

Vegas Vipers

A former top-10 pick and NFL sack leader, Beasley has been out of the league since the 2020 season. The ex-Super Bowl starter’s one-year, $9.5MM deal did not work out for the Titans, who cut the edge rusher during the ’20 campaign. Bryant has been out of the league longer, with suspensions altering his path. The talented ex-Steeler spent time in Canada recently. Hundley was on the Ravens’ practice squad until season’s end this year, signing with the team after Lamar Jackson‘s ankle injury.

Dolphins, Colts Work Out Matt Elam

July 23rd, 2019 at 10:33am CST by Zachary Links

The Dolphins and Colts worked out Matt Elam, according to Ben Volin of The Boston Globe (on Twitter). The former Ravens-first round pick auditioned for Miami on Monday and his Colts workout took place sometime before that. 

Elam, a former first round pick of the Ravens, hasn’t done a whole lot on the field. Elam struggled as a starter in his first two NFL seasons and he missed the entire 2015 campaign thanks to a biceps tear in training camp. Then, after losing much of 2016 to a knee injury, Elam showed very little in the nine games that he did appear in.

Elam is perhaps better known to football fans for his missteps off of the field. Elam’s was arrested in February 2017 when police say he was caught while holding 126 grams of marijuana and three grams of oxycodone. Then, in May, he was arrested for grand theft and battery. Eventually, Elam had all charges against him dropped and he has already served a six-game ban from the NFL as a free agent.

Across three seasons with the Ravens, Elam has 130 career tackles, 41 appearances, and 26 starts to his credit.

QBs Mallett, Daniels To Work Out For XFL

June 29th, 2019 at 10:02am CST by Ben Levine

Ryan Mallett and B.J. Daniels are eyeing another shot at professional football. The two former NFL quarterbacks (along with a long list of hopefuls) are participating at this weekend’s XFL Summer Showcase in Tampa Bay (full list via Emoy Hunt of The Athletic on Twitter).

The XFL Summer Showcase will take place in eight major cities through June and July. The invite-only workout is for players who recently completed their college eligibility, previously participated in the NFL, or played in an “alternate football league.” The event, which operates similarly to the combine, is intended for those seeking “potential XFL opportunities.”

Mallett, a 2011 third-round pick out of Arkansas, was once considered to be the heir apparent to Tom Brady in New England. That didn’t end up being the case, and the quarterback ultimately bounced between the Texans and Ravens. In 21 career NFL games, Mallett completed 55.1-percent of his passes for 1,835 yards, nine touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. His last NFL appearance came in 2017 with Baltimore.

Following a standout career at South Florida, Daniels was selected by the 49ers in the seventh-round of the 2013 draft. The former signal-caller was a practice squad mainstay until 2017, although the Seahawks gave him a handful of appearances in 2015. That season, Daniels earned snaps at wideout, and assuming his NFL career has come to an end, he’ll have finished with as many career receptions as pass attempts.

Other notable participants include running back Matt Jones, who had 950 rushing yards with the Redskins between 2015 and 2016. Former Colts linebacker Antonio Morrison, former first-round safety Matt Elam, and former Buccaneers defensive end George Johnson will also be in attendance.

Saints Work Out Matt Elam

May 10th, 2018 at 9:00am CST by Zachary Links

The Saints are briniging safety Matt Elam in for a tryout, according to Ben Volin of The Boston Globe (on Twitter). Elam will join the team for its rookie minicamp this weekend. 

Elam, a former first round pick of the Ravens, hasn’t done a whole lot on the field. Elam struggled as a starter in his first two NFL seasons and he missed the entire 2015 campaign thanks to a biceps tear in training camp. Then, after losing much of 2016 to a knee injury, Elam showed very little in the nine games that he did appear in.

Elam is perhaps better known to football fans for his missteps off of the field. Elam’s was arrested in February 2017 when police say he was caught while holding 126 grams of marijuana and three grams of oxycodone. Then, in May, he was arrested for grand theft and battery. Eventually, Elam had all charges against him dropped and he has already served a six-game ban from the NFL as a free agent. If Elam were to sign with the Saints, he would be free to play right away.

Across three seasons with the Ravens, Elam has 130 career tackles to his credit. He started in 26 of his 41 games for the Ravens.

The Saints project to start Marcus Williams and Vonn Bell at safety with veterans Kurt Coleman and Chris Banjo in support.

Free Agent DB Matt Elam Suspended

October 13th, 2017 at 6:11pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Free agent safety Matt Elam has been suspended six games for violating an NFL policy, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).Matt Elam

While there’s no word as to exactly how Elam earned his ban, the former Ravens defensive back has been linked to plenty of legal hot water this year. Elam, 26, was arrested on drug charges in February before being detained for grand theft and battery in May. Both sets of charges have since been dropped, but as we’ve seen in the past, the absence of formal, legal ramifications won’t prevent the NFL from handing down a suspension.

Elam can serve the six-game ban as a free agent, and it’s unlikely that any club will show interest in the four-year pro while he’s on suspension (or potentially after the ban has concluded). A former first-round pick, Elam missed the entirety of the 2015 campaign with injury and was demoted when he returned to the active roster the following season. After missing the first half of 2016 with an knee issue, Elam appeared in nine games for Baltimore but never started a contest.

Because the Ravens declined Elam’s 2017 fifth-year option, he became an unrestricted free agent this spring. But with multiple arrests hanging over his head, Elam hasn’t generated any known interest on the open market.

Drug Charges Against Matt Elam Dropped

June 26th, 2017 at 2:46pm CST by Zachary Links

Former Ravens safety Matt Elam has been cleared of drug charges stemming from his February arrest, according to ESPN.com. After also recently being cleared of theft and battery charges, Elam is now free of all the criminal charges that were hanging over him this offseason. Matt Elam (vertical)

[RELATED: Theft, Battery Charges Against Elam Also Dropped]

Police said that Elam had 126 grams of marijuana and three grams of oxycodone in his possession when he was arrested in Miami this winter. He was charged for possessing upwards of 20 grams of cannabis, possession of cannabis with the intent to sell/deliver, and possession of a controlled substance. Now, he’s off the hook for each of those.

Legally speaking, Elam is in the clear, but NFL teams will be thinking long and hard before getting into business with the safety. Even before the two arrests, the former first round pick didn’t do much for the Ravens. Elam struggled in his first two NFL campaigns and he missed the entire 2015 campaign thanks to a biceps tear in training camp. After losing much of last year to a knee injury, Elam didn’t do much in his nine games on the field.

It also seems likely that Elam will face discipline for the league office for his missteps.

Latest On Ex-Ravens S Matt Elam

June 21st, 2017 at 12:02pm CST by Zachary Links

Some good news for former Ravens safety Matt Elam as the grand theft and domestic battery charges against him have been dropped (Twitter links via Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun). The charges stemmed from an incident back in May. Matt Elam

According to court documents, there was insufficient evidence exists to prove the charges against Elam. Apparently, the victim did not cooperate with the state’s investigation and there was a lack of independent evidence to verify the allegations.

Elam is not out of the legal woods yet, however, as he is still facing charges from his February arrest in Miami. Elam was cuffed while allegedly holding 126 grams of marijuana and three grams of oxycodone. He was charged with possession of more than 20 grams of cannabis, possession of cannabis with the intent to sell or deliver, and possession of a controlled substance.

Elam struggled as a starter in his first two NFL seasons and he missed the entire 2015 campaign thanks to a biceps tear in training camp. After losing much of last year to a knee injury, Elam showed very little in the nine games that he did appear in. The Ravens made no attempt to re-sign the safety for the 2017 season and everyone else in the league stayed away from him following the arrest for drug-related charges.

Even if Elam is found not guilty for the remaining charges against him, he is still not off the hook in the eyes of the league office. The free agent may receive a suspension from the NFL, which will further hurt any efforts to return to football.

Former Ravens S Matt Elam Arrested Again

May 22nd, 2017 at 3:46pm CST by Zachary Links

More bad news for Matt Elam. The former Ravens safety was arrested on Monday morning in Florida for grand theft and battery, according to TMZ. This marks his second trip to jail in 2017. Matt Elam

[RELATED: Why The Ravens Are A Possible Fit For WR Victor Cruz]

Elam’s first arrest came in February when he was cuffed while holding 126 grams of marijuana and three grams of oxycodone. The former first round pick hurt his chances of signing somewhere after that incident and the odds have only gotten worse with this week’s arrest.

Elam struggled as a starter in his first two NFL seasons and he missed the entire 2015 campaign thanks to a biceps tear in training camp. After losing much of last year to a knee injury, Elam showed very little in the nine games that he did appear in.

Matt Elam Arrested On Drug Charges

February 26th, 2017 at 10:48am CST by Rory Parks

Ravens safety Matt Elam was arrested in Miami earlier this morning and charged with possession of more than 20 grams of cannabis, possession of cannabis with the intent to sell or deliver, and possession of a controlled substance, as Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk reports. Police say they initially stopped Elam for reckless driving, but they arrested him when they found 126 grams of marijuana and three grams of oxycodone in his vehicle.

Matt Elam

The Ravens selected Elam in the first round (No. 32 overall) of the 2013 draft. Although his struggles in his rookie campaign were largely chalked up to growing pains and the fact that he was playing free safety when his skill-set is better-suited to strong safety, he continued to play poorly when he was moved closer to the line in 2014. Though he played in all 16 of Baltimore’s regular season games — including 11 starts — and both of the team’s postseason contests in 2014, he led the team in missed tackles and struggled mightily in coverage. He was ultimately bumped from the starting lineup in favor of Will Hill.

However, he seemed to demonstrate some improvement in offseason workouts and in training camp prior to the 2015 campaign, but a torn biceps forced him to miss the entire season (it should be noted that he did receive a one-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on substances of abuse in 2015, but he did not miss any action because he was already on season-ending IR).

The Ravens still had high hopes for him going into the 2016 season, but he was forced to undergo arthroscopic surgery to repair a chip in his knee last August and missed roughly half of the season as a result. He appeared in only nine games and recorded a total of one tackle.

The Ravens declined Elam’s fifth-year option for 2017, so he will be eligible for unrestricted free agency in March. Given his draft pedigree and relative youth, Elam surely would have found work somewhere but today’s arrest, combined with his prior drug-related suspension, could change that.

The Ravens issued a brief official statement on the matter. Via Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link):

“We are aware of the arrest of Matt Elam. Matt is not in our plans for the 2017 Ravens.”

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler tweets that the league is “looking into” the incident.

Ravens Activate Matt Elam

November 5th, 2016 at 12:03pm CST by Ben Levine

Matt Elam is back. According to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), the Ravens have elevated the safety to the active roster. To make room on the roster, the team has waived Robertson Daniel. Zrebiec also notes that the team has waived tight end Nic Jacobs from the practice squad.

Matt ElamElam started practicing with the Ravens in late October, and the team had three weeks to activate the defensive back from the injured reserve. The team originally placed the 25-year-old on the IR in September after the safety was forced to undergo knee surgery. The Florida product was the team’s first-round pick back in 2013, and he started 26 of his 32 games between 2013 and 2014. Elam missed all of the 2015 campaign with a biceps injury, so he’ll be taking an NFL field for the first time in nearly two years. The safety has collected 127 tackles and seven passes defended during his career. Elam will presumably slide into a reserve role behind safeties Eric Weddle and Lardarius Webb.

“It’s a blessing, man. I can’t wait,” Elam said after Friday’s practice (via Zrebiec). “To come back [with] the first game against the Steelers, it’s very exciting. I’m so excited to get back out there and happy to get back out there if I get a chance.”

As the Ravens welcome back one defensive back, they’ve cut bait with another. Daniel, an undrafted free agent in 2015, was promoted to the active roster in late October. Meanwhile, it’s a bit of a surprise that the team decided to waive Jacobs as opposed to promoting the former McNeese State standout. As Zrebiec notes, the team will only have two healthy tight ends (Dennis Pitta and Darren Waller) for their upcoming game against the Steelers.

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