Each week during the NFL season, I presented the key stats and contributions from former spring football players. For several years, I’ve also done a write-up at the close of the season, summarizing their performances, using data from Pro Football Focus (PFF), and previewing their next season’s role (with contract info from Over the Cap).
This article begins my multi-part series breaking down those key components again, looking back on 2025 and ahead to 2026. It starts with former USFL players in the NFL and will continue with separate columns on former XFL players and then finally UFL players.
WR Maurice Alexander, Chicago Bears (Philadelphia Stars)
2025 stats: 1 game played
In 2025: On and off the Detroit Lions since 2022, Alexander signed a futures contract with their division rival, the Chicago Bears, last January. He was cut at the end of training camp and spent the entire season on the practice squad, elevated for just one game in 2025.
What PFF tells us: Alexander’s playing time amounted to one offensive snap, so there isn’t much for PFF to tell us. For whatever it’s worth, it was a pass play for which he was on the field, though he was not targeted.
2026 outlook: Signed to a futures contract by Chicago, I wouldn’t say it’s even a guarantee he makes it to training camp. Only two Bears receivers are free agents come March. Add in Chicago’s free agent acquisitions of their own at the position plus rookies, and the best Alexander may be able to hope for is a shot at the practice squad once again.
K Brandon Aubrey, Dallas Cowboys (Birmingham Stallions)
2025 stats: 17 games, 47-48 extra points, 36-42 field goals (85.7%), 64 long, 155 points; 1 ST tackle
In 2025: Aubrey’s field goal percentage ticked up slightly, from 85.1% in 2024 to 85.7% in 2025. All six of his misses were beyond 50 yards, where his percentage was just 64.7%. However, due to his leg strength, Dallas had him try some ungodly long field goals, which brought down that percentage. He was voted a second team All-Pro.
What PFF tells us: Aubrey topped all kickers in PFF’s field goal grades at a 94.7; that earned him first team PFF All-Pro honors. On kickoffs, he was in the running for shortest hang time of any kicker in the league (3.38 seconds), which was likely by design. He finished tied for 11th with 17 touchbacks, though again, every team has a different philosophy when it comes to kickoffs, especially in this era.
2026 outlook: A restricted free agent this off-season, look for Dallas to sign Aubrey to a long-term deal that will reset the kicker market and potentially challenge Harrison Butker’s contract for richest at the position in NFL history (four years, $25.6 million). To do this, though, Dallas will have to figure out how to clear some cap space – they’re projected to be $39 million over the cap.
CB Josh Butler, Dallas Cowboys (Michigan Panthers)
2025 stats: 1 game, 5 tackles (3 solo, 2 assists)
In 2025: On the physically unable to perform list most of the year after tearing his ACL last Thanksgiving, Butler was finally activated for the last game of the season. He was thrown right into the fire with 26 snaps on defense and 13 on special teams in the finale against the New York Giants.
What PFF tells us: In his one game, Butler played primarily outside corner. He earned a 56.8 grade on defense (60.0 is considered average). He was targeted just once in the pass game, giving up a reception for six yards. On special teams, he played at least one snap on five different units.
2026 outlook: Butler will be an exclusive rights free agent in 2026, which gives Dallas exclusive negotiating rights. If he’s not tendered, then he becomes an unrestricted free agent and can sign with anyone. Based on Dallas bringing him back for the final game, it does appear they’d at least be interested in having him compete for a job next season. He’s a player that could also excel on special teams.
WR Kaden Davis, Cleveland Browns (Michigan Panthers)
2025 stats: 2 games, 1 KR for 28 yards, 1 assisted special teams tackle
In 2025: Two of Davis’s three career NFL games were played in 2025 for the Browns. Most of his work came on special teams in those two games – he played 23 snaps there compared to just one on offense. Davis was a late season add to the practice squad in 2024, then signed a futures contract, giving him a chance at camp this summer. After being released, he was kept on the practice squad nearly all season, save for a short stint on the active roster.
What PFF tells us: Davis earned a 66.6 grade for his special teams play, buoyed by a 72.1 grade in week three versus Green Bay. Thirteen of his 23 total special teams snaps came on punt coverage
2026 outlook: Davis was not signed to a futures deal by Cleveland and is now a free agent. Any team can sign him to a futures deal between now and the beginning of the new league year in March. Three years removed from his last spring football experience, it would be a surprise – though not a shock – to see him pop up in the UFL.
LS Mitchell Fraboni, Denver Broncos (Pittsburgh Maulers)
2025 stats: 17 games, 4 special teams tackles (3 solo, 1 assist)
In 2025: For the third year in a row, Fraboni snapped in all 17 regular season games for Denver, just missing out on a Super Bowl opportunity. He made four tackles in coverage, the fewest since he began snapping for Denver, but enough to place him tied for second among long snappers in 2025.
What PFF tells us: Fraboni’s grade of 72.1 was the worst of his four-year NFL career. PFF’s charting had him with three tackles and one missed tackle.
2026 outlook: Long snappers can perform their duties well into their 30s so at just 29 years old, Fraboni doesn’t seem in danger of aging out of the position. He’s under contract until 2028 with a middle of the road deal among snappers. The biggest thing to worry about at this spot is getting cut as a way to save cap space. Denver’s cap is relatively healthy so that shouldn’t be a concern here. Expect Fraboni back in 2026.
DT Jeremiah Pharms, Pittsburgh Maulers (New England Patriots)
2025 stats: 3 games, 3 tackles (1 solo, 2 assists), 1 QBH, 1 TFL
In 2025: Despite playing in 28 games over the previous two seasons, Pharms was relegated to bouncing on and off New England’s practice squad all year. A new coaching staff may have had something to do with the change. He managed to play in three games for a total of 47 defensive snaps, with 15 more coming on special teams.
What PFF tells us: Carrying an overall 59.7 grade, Pharms graded out best as a tackler, where he registered a 78.0. Though he has end-tackle flexibility, Pharms mostly played end. He lined up outside the offensive tackle more times than ever in his career. The bulk of his special teams snaps came on the field goal block unit.
2026 outlook: As New England is in the Super Bowl, an official decision on Pharms’s future hasn’t been made. It would not be a surprise if he were to sign to a futures deal after the season. He’ll also turn 30 during next NFL season and may be a bit older than what the Patriots are looking for in their futures signings. It all depends on their philosophy, as each team operates differently in this area.
DE LaBryan Ray, Carolina Panthers (Philadelphia Stars)
2025 stats: 13 games, 13 tackles (7 solo, 6 assists)
In 2025: Ray spent the first few weeks of the season on injured reserve and was activated ahead of week five. From there on out, he was a reserve along the defensive line. He was not in the starting lineup at all this season after starting nine games last year. His playing time also decreased pretty significantly – after playing more than 50% of the defensive snaps last year, he was under 20% this year.
What PFF tells us: Ray’s 45.7 grade was better than last year’s 33.0, but still below average for the position. His best game this year came against the New York Jets, where he earned a 70.4 score. Sixty percent of Ray’s snaps had him lined up in the “B” gap, the area between the guard and tackle. PFF had Ray with two pressures on the quarterback in addition to his other stats.
2026 outlook: Scheduled to become a restricted free agent this off-season, it’s not guarantee that Ray is tendered by the Panthers. If he is, he’ll enter 2026 competing for another back of the roster role. If he isn’t, there are a number of teams who could bring him in either before or during camp as a veteran body with plenty of experience to play a similar role that he did this year.
WR Kavontae Turpin, Dallas Cowboys (New Jersey Generals)
2025 stats: 15 games, 2 starts, 26 receptions, 396 yards (15.2 avg.), 2 TD; 17 att., 89 yards (5.2 avg.); 69 KR, 1,814 yards (26.3 avg.); 10 PR, 55 yds (5.5 avg.)
In 2025: A yearly tease as a breakout offensive weapon, Turpin once again left onlookers wanting in 2025. He had fewer receptions and yards than in 2024, even with injuries striking the position for Dallas. He was also less effective as a runner, getting more carries on jet sweeps and motions, but averaging a career-low 5.2 yards per rush. The kickoff return unit is where he continued to shine, leading the NFL in kick returns and return yardage. His punt return opportunities were limited to just 10 on the entire season, a career low as punters work to avoid kicking to him because of how dangerous he is on runbacks.
What PFF tells us: Turpin’s overall offensive grade of 61.6 is down 10 points from last year, matching the ebb of many of his counting stats. For a player like Turpin, the interesting thing is always where he lines up in the formation. As expected, the majority of his snaps came from the slot (256), but he was also split out wide on a fair number of snaps as well (113). He saw 11 plays from the backfield. While his backfield and slot opportunities were similar to 2024, he was utilized out wide much more often than in 2024 (67 snaps). Of Turpin’s 37 targets in the receiving game, about a quarter of them came behind the line of scrimmage. That was down from over 30% last season. Turpin’s overall special teams grade, as well as his grade on kickoff and punt return units, were all lower than in ’24. He didn’t play on any of the coverage units during the season.
2026 outlook: With a salary of $3 million in 2026 and a cap hit of over $4 million, Turpin probably isn’t in danger of being cut, especially with the new kick return rules that make players like him more valuable. He won’t be an unrestricted free agent until 2028. However, with the Cowboys projected to be well over the cap, if they’re looking for space and feel that Turpin has hit his ceiling as an offensive player, they may decide he’s expendable, special teams prowess be damned.
