With both the UFL and NFL in their offseason lulls, it's the perfect time to dive into some offseason content. As the UFL awaits the next wave of NFL signings for the 2026 player acquisition cycle, we're taking a look back at how each NFL team has utilized spring football as a developmental pipeline during the modern era of spring football since 2022. We continue the series with the Arizona Cardinals, highlighting every spring league player the organization has signed over the past four years.
2022 Cycle:
After earning the USFL championship game MVP, the Cardinals were hoping they found their own version of KaVontae Turpin in WR/KR Victor Bolden (Birmingham Stallions). Unfortunately for both parties, Bolden was unable to provide that spark for the Cardinals and was released after several weeks on their practice squad.
2023 Cycle:
In 2023, the Cardinals would sign six players from spring football with one from the XFL, and five from the USFL. Brandon Smith (D.C. Defenders), Braylon Jones (Houston Gamblers), Cohl Cabral (Birmingham Stallions), and Stevie Scott (Michigan Panthers) all would be released at the conclusion of training camp but wide receivers Davion Davis (Birmingham Stallions) and Kaden Davis (Michigan Panthers) would find success on their practice squad.
Davion Davis would spend about a month on the practice squad before bouncing around several NFL teams, and Kaden Davis would spend the whole 2023 season on the Cardinals practice before his release in April of 2024.
2024 Cycle:
In 2024 with the merger of the USFL and XFL the Cardinals would sign four players from the newly merged UFL. Delonte Hood (Arlington Renegades), T.J. Carter (Michigan Panthers), Sage Surratt (Memphis Showboats) and Chris Garrett (St. Louis Battlehawks) would all earn opportunities with all four players being released. TE Sage Surratt would be released in September due to an injury settlement effectively ending his career.
2025 Cycle:
In 2025, the Cardinals would once again sign four players from the UFL with the hope of finding a diamond in the rough. Dohnovan West (St. Louis Battlehawks), Steven Gilmore (Birmingham Stallions), Keni-H Lovely (Michigan Panthers), and Kyon Barrs (Arlington Renegades) would all be released during training camp at some point.
It is worth noting that DB Keni-H Lovely would find a home with the Jacksonville Jaguars after his release from Arizona spending the whole season on their practice squad. The team would sign DL Kyon Barrs to the practice squad for a week as well before his release.
While the Cardinals have brought in fifteen spring league standouts over the last four years, the on-field impact has been somewhat marginal for the franchise. As organizations across the league prepare for training camp, the next wave of UFL players are expected to find their way onto NFL rosters towards the end of July.