Week 4 of the 2026 UFL season may mark the moment the Orlando Storm took the lead in the playoff race for a spot in the 2026 UFL playoffs. By picking up their first win of the season, a dominant 16-0 victory over the Birmingham Stallions during the Stallions' 2026 home opener, the Storm positioned themselves as the only undefeated team in the league, improving their chances of playoff qualification by widening the gap with other contenders.
While the Storm celebrated their win against the Stallions, another victory for Orlando was materializing in the background. That victory was the result of first-year Stallions head coach A.J. McCarron's frustration with the inconsistent performances of starting quarterback Matt Corral over the last three weeks. McCarron's frustration became a big opportunity for the Storm as the Stallions executed a trade to add Storm backup quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson by sending Matt Corral to the Storm, but in addition, the Storm upped the ante and acquired defensive lineman Amani Bledsoe, who has started 14 games in the last two seasons.
The trade between the Orlando Storm and Birmingham Stallions gives the Storm a backup quarterback in Corral, similar to Jack Plummer, and another starting-quality defensive lineman in Bledsoe.
🚨 WE’VE GOT A TRADE 🚨
The Birmingham Stallions are trading QB Matt Corral and DE Amani Bledsoe to the Orlando Storm for QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson. pic.twitter.com/YgIstbRDhS— United Football League (@TheUFL) April 19, 2026
The addition of Matt Corral gives the Orlando Storm a backup quarterback behind Jack Plummer. Plummer is one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the UFL. Over the past few seasons, Corral had also been one of the most successful UFL quarterbacks. This year, though, he failed to develop cohesive chemistry with head coach A.J. McCarron and the Stallions' offense. From the outside, the Stallions could be seen as a winner in this trade by adding former Cleveland Browns quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson. However, that is based solely on Thompson-Robinson's perceived potential. So far this season, Thompson-Robinson has only thrown 3 passes for 19 yards and 6 rushing yards.
In addition, the Storm added defensive lineman Amani Bledsoe, who started all four games for the Stallions' defense this season, recording 6 solo tackles, 7 assists, and 1.0 quarterback sacks. The 6'4", 280-pound Bledsoe also started 10 games for the Arlington Renegades during the 2025 UFL season, registering 7 solo tackles, 11 assists, and 2.5 quarterback sacks. The Storm currently has the top-ranked defense in the UFL, and the addition of Bledsoe gives them even more depth on their defensive line.
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