Building a championship football team involves more than assembling a roster and creating a depth chart. Each week of a season, even a short 10-week one like in the UFL, can bring unexpected challenges. For the 2026 Orlando Storm, that list has grown to include a growing number of defensive injuries.
Inside linebacker Andrew Parker Jr., defensive tackle Willie Yarbary, and defensive back Brandon Sebastian have all suffered injuries. However, the Orlando Storm have consistently identified the "next man up" to fill gaps and maintain defensive integrity. Now, as the Storm prepare to face the Dallas Renegades, another setback emerges: coaches have moved inside linebacker Tavante Beckett to the injured reserve list.
Termination Via Waiver System:
Columbus
S, Leon O'Neal Jr.
DT, Perrion Winfrey
Free Agent Signing:
Birmingham
T, Brian Dooley
Columbus
K, Jonah Dalmas
Moved to Reserve/Injured:
Orlando
ILB, Tavante Beckett— UFL Communications Department (@UFL_PR) May 13, 2026
Linebacker Tavante Beckett is a multiple-time all-star during his Spring football career. He was honored as both an All-XFL and All-UFL performer. Beckett also helped bridge the gap when the San Antonio Brahmas became the Orlando Storm. He started the 2026 season strong, recording 17 solo tackles and 8 assists in the first 5 games. However, over the last two weeks, Beckett has been sidelined by injuries, keeping him out of practices and games. While the Storm have held off on moving Beckett to the injured reserve list, they finally made the decision to open up a roster spot to add linebacker Kana'i Mauga. The decision to transfer Beckett to the IR officially ends his 2026 season due to the UFL's policy that states that if a player is added to the IR, they must miss a minimum of four games. On the other hand, if the Orlando Storm can find a way to get to the UFL championship game, then there is an outside chance that Beckett could return if he recovers from his injury. To clarify, for Beckett to have any chance of returning to the field this year, the Storm must first win another game during the regular season and then win a playoff game against another top-tier UFL team. Meanwhile, the addition of Mauga gives the Storm a fighting chance to maintain the top defensive unit in the UFL despite the absence of their top two inside linebackers.
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