Pittsburgh Maulers Re-Sign Five Key Players For 2024
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Pittsburgh Maulers Re-Sign Five Key Players For 2024

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The Pittsburgh Maulers are bringing back some important pieces for the 2024 USFL season. After coming up just short in the Championship game a month ago, the team now looks to rebuild and retain for next year.

Last night, the team officially re-signed five players:

RB Madre London
DT Will Miles
DE Nasir Player
DB Keith Gipson Jr.
S Malcolm Elmore

Let’s take a look at what each player has accomplished in the USFL so far, and what they bring to the organization.

RB Madre London

Madre London is officially set to be in Pittsburgh for a third season. He’s been part of a one-two punch with Garrett Groshek for two years, posting 669 rushing yards and two touchdowns between 2022-2023.

In 2023, London had a bit of an off year from a numbers perspective. He rushed for only 254 yards, averaging 3.8 YPC. There are a couple of reasons for this – firstly, the offensive line struggled, especially during the early weeks of the season.

Secondly, Garrett Groshek averaged only 2.7 YPC. Pittsburgh’s backfield as a whole was underwhelming in 2023, with QB Troy Williams carrying most of the weight in that department.

That being said, London is a talented back who led the ELF in rushing yards just two years ago. With a couple of seasons under his belt in the USFL, maybe this is the year he breaks out.

DT Will Miles

Will Miles has re-signed with Pittsburgh for 2023, which is excellent news. Pittsburgh’s defense was one of the toughest through two years, largely due to vital role players such as Miles.

During the USFL’s inaugural season, Miles hardly saw any playing time. In 2023, he posted impressive numbers, finishing with 14 tackles and two sacks in ten games played (zero starts). He also notched a sack in the USFL Championship game.

DE Nasir Player

Another important re-signing for Pittsburgh is defensive end Nasir Player. Player does not get enough credit for what he brings to the table, serving as one of the quieter forces in the USFL.

Nasir joined the Pittsburgh Maulers in 2022, and finished that season with 14 tackles and a sack. However, in 2023, he took a major step forward – starting all ten games for Pittsburgh.

He was excellent, racking up 28 tackles, three TFL, and 3.5 sacks. Throughout the season he made countless plays for the team, many of which went unnoticed. One play in particular sticks out, in week ten. Nasir forced a fumble on New Jersey Generals QB De’Andre Johnson, with safety Eli Walker returning it for a score.

This ultimately changed the game, allowing the Maulers to clinch a playoff berth. With Nasir Player returning for 2024, expect plenty more out of him next season.

DB Keith Gipson Jr.

Through two seasons, Keith Gipson Jr. has been a consistent playmaker for Jarren Horton’s defense. Gipson has posted quality numbers in both 2022 and 2023:

See also

2022: 25 tackles | 1 INT
2023: 26 tackles | 2 TFL | 2 INT | 7 PD

Having him back for another season is exactly what Pittsburgh needs. Firstly, he’s clearly an outstanding defender. Secondly, seeing players sticking around for more than two seasons helps with team chemistry and cohesiveness.

S Malcolm Elmore

The team captain has returned. Malcolm Elmore has been a key veteran presence for the Maulers defensively through two years, and now returns for 2024.

While his minutes were down in 2023, Elmore is a quality defender who has natural leadership abilities. Despite not seeing the field often outside of special teams, Malcolm made an impact both on and off the field.

In 2022, Elmore posted 27 total tackles. Considering star DB Mark Gilbert is now in the NFL, the door reopens for Malcolm to make his way back to the field next season.

Final Thoughts

Generally speaking, each re-signing for the Pittsburgh Maulers is a valuable one. Not only does it help the team, but it’s also beneficial for the fans, who get to watch some of their favorite players once again.

General Manager Lonnie Young has done an impressive job in Pittsburgh so far. He helped bring the team to the Championship game, after a 1-9 record in 2022. With a full season of coaching under Ray Horton’s belt, the Maulers will be an intriguing team to follow in 2024.

What are your thoughts on these re-signings for the Pittsburgh Maulers? What will they accomplish in the USFL 2024 season? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!

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James Larsen
James Larsen
Growing up, football was one of the few things that brought me joy. It's always played a major role in my life, and continues to do so. As I've delved into sports reporting/writing, spring football has become my passion. Covering the XFL & USFL is a dream come true, and I look forward to plenty of excellent seasons in the years to come.
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2 Comments

  1. I think it is great that there are teams weighing what they have vs what they could get. I agree that it is nice to be able to root for some guys year after year vs the thought process that 768 players are about to be free agents. To know where your guys fit in in a group of pending free agents is excellent. To me, rooting for players and teams in this league is awesome. Being someone that lives in the very real world is something I share with most of these players. This is a game, but it’s also a very big part of a story that becomes their lives. Just like for the rest of us.

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  2. One of the things that makes this great. Madre London has talent for sure and a high ceiling. He didn’t really hard until late in the year. I would like to see him run next year, but also, I love Garrett Groshek. The #s don’t show what a grwat season he had, but I would really love for them to sign Benny Snell Jr. if healthy. The fans would love it. Someone mentioned Trey Williams turmoil, maybe Trey Williams and De’andre Johnson for Bailey Gaither and James Morgan. This is all on paper. I really have no idea if these are good trades, but if Trey Williams is unhappy and if Bailey Gaither is under-used, which he may feel he is. The Maulers line did not block well for Morgan, hut when he was in rhythm he had a few moments in a row where he looked good. Kyle Lauletta had those moments to so they have to do the scouting. The Generals could use a receiver so I am on the Bailey Gaither bandwagon. Riley will ask his wideouts to block, just ask Alonso Moore, so Gaither may want to hit those blocking dummies this offseason. I will leave it to the pros, but a lot of fun to be had in the speculation zone.

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