Week 1 of UFL training camp is underway, and the Dallas Renegades look poised to get back into the postseason for the first time since 2023.
On Wednesday, the Renegades opened their practice to the media for the first time, giving us a chance to check out the new-look team led by new head coach Rick Neuheisel, replacing Bob Stoops. There are still familiar faces at practice with quarterback Luis Perez, linebacker Donald Payne, and many others from last year's team still on the roster.
In the 80-degree weather, the Renegades spent the hour the media was there working on kickoff return, seven-on-seven drill, and regular 11-on-11 action. Here are some of the observations from the practice.
Dallas Renegades Week 1 Wednesday Practice Observations
Overall Assessment of Renegades QBs
Renegades fans won't be surprised to hear that Perez looked solid in practice. He was very much in command of the offense and was constantly talking to his teammates. He had two really solid passes that stood out: one was a 20+ yard completion to tight end Seth Green to the right side of the field, and the highlight of the day was a beautiful deep ball down the field to Deontay Burnett that got the Renegades players fired up.
Austin Reed looked solid as well in his first practice. The biggest thing with him is that he's got a quick release on his passes. Overall, it was a good practice for him.
Luke Lehnen struggled at times, mostly when he was under center. A few times, the Renegades ran play-action, and Lehnen felt pressure and had to run for his life, so that could be a combination of the offensive line protection and Lehnen. When he was in shotgun formation, it seemed as though he was more comfortable with that.
Other Key Notes From Dallas's Offense
At running back, Keegan Jones really stood out in the passing game, showing good hands and a ton of speed. There was a clear rotation with the running backs that will take time to sort out who will be the main guys, but Dae Dae Hunter should still be the favorite to start so far.
Burnett and Tyler Vaughns were the standouts at wide receiver, as they will once again be the main starters. Silas Bolden also looked really solid, shifty with the football in his hands, and looks to be a perfect slot receiver alongside Drake Stoops, son of former Renegades head coach Bob Stoops.
A notable player who struggled was Denzel Mims, who had one pass go through his hands and another that he was diving for on the sidelines, only for the ball to bounce off his hands. This is only noted because, while he might have had a rough day at the offense, when the media spoke with Neuheisel, Mims was one of the few receivers who stayed behind after practice to work on a few sideline routes he was catching. Renegades fans should take this as a guy who is looking to prove himself and will do whatever it takes to end his work on a high note; a good thing to see from a reporter's perspective.
The offensive line struggled when the quarterback was under center in protection, but did well in shotgun. One lineman who stood out was Chim Okorafor, who was lining up at right tackle and bullied a defensive lineman to the ground in perfect form. Okorafor looked really good and very much should be favored to start at right tackle.
The Renegades' Defense Stood Their Ground
It's hard not to notice him, but Payne is always one guy who is all over the field. He looked really good in coverage of short passes up the middle, as he never let anyone pass him.
Dallas' defensive line had several players who made plays, but none really stood out. One note was that Renegades nose tackle Siaki Ika made a nice effort play with Lehnen, who was running around; Ika stayed with him the whole time and got him near the backfield. Impressive effort play from a 347-pound lineman.
Outside of the Burnett deep ball pass, the Renegades' secondary was overall pretty good in coverage. While guys like Myles Dorn and Ajene Harris are always solid, it was Chris Steele who really stood out at cornerback as he almost had an interception on Lehnen.
Other Miscellaneous Notes From Practice
Neuheisel looked in command of the practice, and players were very engaged with him throughout. While some head coaches have not been as hands-on in practices, Neuheisel has multiple times talked with players individually and coached them up. This isn't just a side job for him; Neuheisel is serious about helping his players, and his excitement and enthusiasm were fun to watch.
A quick side note: Payne's leadership was very noticeable as he was also talking to players individually and motivating them. It's clear that Payne is one of the vocal leaders on this defense.
Unfortunately, by the time the media arrived for practice, the special teams session had just ended, so not much was seen. One of the kickoff returners was Keegan Jones.
When Neuheisel spoke with the media, he did mention that wide receiver Greg Ward had been banged up, but Wednesday's practice was the first time he had done so this week.
While Neuheisel was talking to his players in the huddle at the end of practice, he mentioned that they would have a joint practice with the Louisville Kings on Tuesday. This would be the first noted joint practice of the 2026 UFL, which could very much mean that other teams will follow suit.