While the Louisville Kings won last week, they aren’t afraid to make necessary moves after a 1-3 start. It’s been a rough go for their offense to begin the year, which has been addressed aggressively this week. QB Jason Bean was traded to DC, while a few other moves have been made up front.
First and foremost, the team has released RB Benny Snell. It was first reported by Kent Taylor, and then later confirmed by Snell himself on social media.
Seeing Snell released is unfortunate, especially with his ties to football fans in Kentucky. However, the production from Benny was far from ideal. On 31 carries, he rushed for just 72 yards through four outings. Week three showed a bit of promise after a 12 carry, 50 yard performance, but week four it went back to what we saw in the first two games. Against Houston, Snell rushed for six yards on eight carries.
The offensive line did him no favors, but Snell was clearly not someone who elevated this team to another level. He did make an impact out of the backfield, with six receptions for 50 yards. Snell got banged up towards the end of their win vs. Houston, and has been released as a result.
Offensive Line Changes
What has been evident from the very first snap: Louisville’s offensive line has struggled. Their run blocking is the worst in the UFL, grading out at 34.7 via PFF through four games. The Kings are averaging just 45.0 rushing yards per game – by far the lowest of any team in the league.
Jason Bean has used his mobility to escape multiple sacks (sacked four times) – but the Kings have allowed 54 pressures through just four weeks. That’s tied with the Aviators for the most amount of pressures.
This leads us to why certain cuts were made. Leroy Watson came into the UFL as a prospect with legitimate upside, having played in the NFL. However, his play has been subpar at best. Watson has allowed 16 pressure and three sacks on the year so far.
Meanwhile, the Kings also let Nash Jensen go. He was tremendous with the Showboats last season, and while he hasn’t allowed a sack yet this year, his run blocking grades have suffered.
As replacements, Louisville signed two pieces who were cut by the Gamblers. OT Kellen Diesch has signed with the team, after being cut by Houston late last week. Diesch played 23 snaps for Houston this season, allowing a sack and three pressures. He was with the Showboats and Renegades last year.
Finally, the Kings added OG Dohnovan West to the roster. West has experience in spring football playing both center and guard. He began his career with the Vegas Vipers, and was a reserve piece in St. Louis from 2024-2025. West was released by Houston at the end of UFL Training Camp this year.
For Chris Redman, he’s figuring it out the hard way: putting together a cohesive roster is not easy. The Louisville Kings have talent, but they haven’t consistently done their job to ensure that said talent has been put in positions to make plays often enough. With a bit of a regime change offensively, the hope is that will change sooner than later.
What are your thoughts on these moves by the Louisville Kings? Should they have kept Benny Snell? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!
