The United Football League (UFL) is full of surprises. On Sunday, the Louisville Kings have executed a trade which sent QB Jason Bean to the DC Defenders, league sources confirmed to Pro Football Newsroom.
Nothing has been made official by the UFL quite yet, but barring that everything goes through, the DC Defenders are sending Mike DiLiello over to the Kings. It’s an even, 1-for-1 swap at QB.
It’s a move that is unprecedented in the modern UFL era, for both organizations. For Louisville, their plan is to roll with Chandler Rogers moving forward. Rogers saw legitimate action in week two, completing 13 of 20 passes for 151 yards and an interception against Orlando. He’s accurate, and has plenty of raw, untapped potential – something Chris Redman has spoken about throughout the year.
The Jason Bean experience has been a roller coaster for Louisville the last four weeks. He’s been quite inconsistent, completing only 47.5% of his pass attempts, which is the second lowest % in the league. The upside has been on display from time to time, as Bean has one of the most beautiful deep balls of any quarterback in the UFL.
That said, it hasn’t necessarily translated into wins. Bean has thrown for 819 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions through four games. The Kings are 1-3 through that span. He’s had zero support on the ground, and it’s been a rough outing for the O-Line; but this offense clearly hasn’t gelled with Bean at the helm.
This past Thursday, it was evident that Bean wasn’t pleased with the offensive play-calling. On top of that, his slide at the goal-line has some wondering if he lost the respect of the locker room.
For the Shannon Harris and the DC Defenders, this was an opportunity for them to acquire a starting-caliber QB at a low price. Bean is a prospect who fits Fred Kaiss’ system well. It gives them depth in case anything happens to Jordan Ta’amu this year. Plus, Ta’amu won’t be playing forever, either – this also provides the Defenders with someone to develop for the future.
Mike DiLiello is a quality quarterback to make his way to Louisville. If things don’t pan out with Rogers, Mike has all the tangibles needed to start. He saw action in a couple of games for the Defenders last season, throwing for 356 yards and two scores, with no interceptions.
While we wait official news from the UFL – keep an eye out for more coming down the pipeline out of Birmingham. A.J. McCarron hinted at potential trade news yesterday following the loss to Orlando.
What are your thoughts on the Louisville Kings trading Jason Bean to DC? Was this the right move for both teams? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!
