Memphis Showboats Re-Sign Daylon Mack & Jeff McCulloch
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Memphis Showboats Clean House, Cut Eight Players

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With new management in place for the Memphis Showboats, it was only a matter of time before we saw the team make some adjustments. This week, the Showboats released eight players – freeing up space for changes to be made to their UFL roster.

RB Titus Swen

To be honest, the most surprising of these cuts is Titus Swen. Swen was an offseason addition for Memphis, as a free agent signing. He primarily played behind Darius Victor in the backfield, starting in just one game this year. Swen posted 75 rushing yards on 26 carries, averaging 2.9 yards per carry. Titus also caught 13 passes for 69 yards out of the backfield.

What made him so valuable to this team, though, was his Special Teams prowess. Titus ended up finishing the UFL season in fourth place in All-Purpose Yards, with 1,035. Most of these yards came on kickoff returns, as Swen had 35 returns for 891 yards. With the film he put on tape this season, Titus should be in a position to earn another opportunity somewhere.

DT Daylon Mack

Daylon Mack has been in the spring scene for three seasons. He began his career in the USFL with the Tampa Bay Bandits, posting 28 tackles and 0.5 sacks in the league that year. Mack made the jump over to the Memphis Showboats when the rebrand went down. Unfortunately, he spent most of the 2023 campaign injured, totaling just one tackle.

In 2024, Daylon had an impressive Training Camp, earning a roster spot once again. He started in four of 10 games played this season, with 15 tackles to his name. Mack was primarily utilized as a run defender, which is what he does best. According to PFF, Daylon had a 73.7 Rush Defense Grade in 2024.

DL Connor Christian

Connor Christian is another player who’s spent quite a bit of time in the spring landscape. He played in The Spring League in 2021, with the Linemen. After a Championship season there, Connor was picked up by the New Orleans Breakers in the USFL. Christian spent two seasons with the Breakers, posting 33 tackles and 3.5 sacks. This past campaign in Memphis wasn’t productive for Connor, though, as he played just 10 snaps defensively all year.

EDGE Jeff McCulloch

Jeff McCulloch is no stranger to spring football. He played in The Spring League, with the Sea Lions in 2021. After that, he made the move to the USFL, posting seven tackles and a sack with the Tampa Bay Bandits in 2022.

Jeff proved to be an important piece to Carnell Lake’s defense in 2023, with 21 tackles and three sacks to his name. McCulloch only got to play in two games this year, suffering a season ending injury in week six. With Jeff still needing time to recover from that injury, heading in a different direction makes more sense for the franchise at the moment.

LB Anthony Butler

Anthony Butler is one of the veterans on this football team, who’s been with the organization since their debut in the USFL as the Tampa Bay Bandits. In 2022, Butler posted 50 tackles and two interceptions, as one of the leaders for Todd Haley’s defensive unit that year.

Anthony joined the Showboats in 2023, seeing action in nine matchups that season – starting three of them. He totaled 47 tackles and an interception, continuing to make an impact with Carnell Lake at the helm defensively.

Butler’s role diminished this past campaign, though, playing in just six games (starting three). He had 25 tackles with the Showboats this year. While he’s been a big part of the defense for three seasons, as an aging player who saw his production and overall play decrease in 2024, it’s not surprising to see Memphis move on.

LB Malik Lawal

Malik Lawal has been with the Showboats for the past two seasons. He joined Todd Haley’s team in 2023, starting in six of 10 games that year – totaling 27 tackles.

This past season, Malik started in all seven games he played in at middle linebacker. He had 40 tackles in 2024, and impressed with a 90.7 Pass Rushing Grade via PFF. That said, Lawal was a piece to a defense that struggled to defend much of anything in 2024, especially in the middle of the field.

LB Terrill Hanks

Terrill Hanks is another cut that isn’t much of a shocker. Hanks has been in spring football for three years, with the Stallions, Brahmas, and Showboats. At every stop, he’s primarily been a depth/rotational piece. It was a bit intriguing to see Terrill re-signed in the first place, as he didn’t play much for Memphis in 2024 – joining late in the season. With the releases at linebacker, it’s clear that Memphis is going in a different direction at the position for 2025.

S Jarey Elder

Seeing Jarey Elder without a team is a shame. Elder has been in this scene for a few years, and has been one of the veteran leaders defensively with each stint. He began his career with the New Orleans Breakers, totaling 94 tackles and an interception across two seasons there.

Elder made the jump to Memphis with DeFilippo at the helm, starting in nine games at free safety. Jarey had 39 tackles and a PBU this season. With the addition of safety Eli Walker, though, the room was getting a bit crowded in Memphis. Ultimately, Elder will now have to look to find a new home, after three seasons with the Breakers and Showboats.

Final Thoughts

We knew it was only a matter of time before the Memphis Showboats made some cuts. General Manager Jim Monos has quite a bit of work to do alongside Ken Whisenhunt, restructuring this roster for 2025. Considering that DC Carnell Lake is not returning, most of these releases make sense. Mack, McCulloch, Butler, etc. – those were all guys who had worked with Carnell for quite a while. Now that the Showboats will have a new Defensive Coordinator for 2025, those pieces are a bit more expendable.

In addition, the Showboats defense is one that needs a serious overhaul. They were the worst unit in the UFL in 2024, allowing over 30 points per game during their eight game losing streak. With the recent additions of Boogie Roberts, Nasir Player, Izayah Green-May, and Eli Walker, the message is clear from Monos: this will not be the same defense in 2025.

What are your thoughts on these moves from the Memphis Showboats? Which players should Monos & Co. bring in? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!

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