San Antonio Brahmas Sign Four Players, Cut 10
NewsUFLXFL

San Antonio Brahmas Sign Four Players, Cut 10

·

It was a busy weekend for the San Antonio Brahmas. On Friday, the team signed/re-signed four players to the roster, while waiving ten – making openings to bring in some new additions.

OL Derrick Kelly II

Derrick Kelly has been with the San Antonio Brahmas for two seasons now. He began his spring career under the Hines Ward administration, starting in three of four games played with San Antonio in 2023.

Kelly was one of the few Brahmas players who impressed enough to maintain a roster spot, when Wade Phillips took over. Derrick started in three games for the Brahmas in 2024 – but an injury that put him on the IR list put an end to his season in week four. Kelly had a 60.5 Offensive Grade via PFF across those three games.

DL Caeveon Patton

Caeveon Patton has been one of the top DT’s in spring football the past couple of years. In the XFL, he played with the Orlando Guardians, earning All-XFL honors with 40 tackles (1st for all DT’s), and five TFL’s. This earned Patton a preseason stint with the Atlanta Falcons.

After his release, Patton ended up signing with the San Antonio Brahmas, with the Guardians having folded in the merger process. As a Brahma, Patton posted 16 tackles and 1.5 sacks in 2024. He was a part of a defense that had tremendous depth, so Caeveon’s role wasn’t as large as it was with Orlando. Additionally, he missed a couple of games with injury.

LB Robert Barnes

A depth piece defensively for the Brahmas this past season was Robert Barnes, who made the most of his minutes. Robert had 19 tackles on the year, seeing action in nine games. The former Colorado standout was an important piece to their special teams unit, with nine tackles on that end this year. Barnes is a young prospect with plenty of upside, and someone who could see a larger role next season with more development.

DB Chris Steele

Chris Steele is an interesting signing. He originally signed a LOI with the Houston Roughnecks – when it was under the Phillips/Lillibridge regime – last summer. Steele was selected by the Brahmas in the Dispersal Draft, but didn’t show up to UFL Training Camp and was not with the team at all this season.

Chris played his college football at USC, where he posted 94 tackles, three interceptions, and 15 PBU’s across his career there. As a senior, he was named to the Phil Steele All-Pac-12 Second Team. This led to a couple of NFL opportunities with the Steelers, Dolphins, and Seahawks. Chris actually signed with the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts this winter, but was released in June.

Releases

The San Antonio Brahmas cut ten players, with a couple of the names on this list being a surprise. San Antonio did make a Championship run in 2024 with some of these pieces playing important roles, which makes these decisions rather interesting.

RB Morgan Ellison: This release is one that certainly is confusing. Morgan Ellison joined the Brahmas midseason, and immediately made an impact. He rushed for 206 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 4.4 YPC. With McFarland injured for a time, Morgan was someone who stepped up in a big way for San Antonio. He belongs on a UFL roster, and should be picked up by a team sooner than later.

RB Pooka Williams Jr.: Pooka Williams is one of the most electrifying returners in the spring scene. Surprisingly, he was cut by DC early in the season, and landed with the Brahmas towards the end. He didn’t see the field much offensively, but was utilized as a kick returner for a few weeks. Williams is a speedster, and one that should get another look in the UFL at some point.

See also

WR Calvin Turner: Calvin Turner was a player with tremendous upside and potential, who didn’t quite get the opportunity to prove himself this year. He was on IR for the 2023 season, and this year, got stuck behind players like Jontre Kirklin, Marquez Stevenson, and Justin Smith to name a few. Turner was released in Training Camp, but returned later in the year. He had three catches for 36 yards in 2024.

WR Kade Warner: Kade Warner, similar to Turner, was cut in Training Camp – being brought back at the end of the year to replace an injured Cody Latimer. Kade did not record any receptions with the Brahmas this season.

WR K.D. Cannon: Cannon came over to San Antonio from Orlando, alongside QB Quinten Dormady. Cannon was another WR who had the talent necessary to play, but with the depth in this room, didn’t get too many opportunities. He had one catch for 32 yards in the regular season, and posted two receptions for 26 yards in the Championship game against Birmingham.

WR Tavonn Salter: The least surprising of these offensive cuts is Tavonn Salter, who did not play with San Antonio at all. He was a last minute signing prior to the Championship game, having spent some time with OC A.J. Smith in The Spring League with the Conquerors.

DT Trevon Coley: Coley is another player who was added to the roster late in the season, due to injuries. He only saw the field for several snaps during the Championship game, totaling one tackle against Birmingham. Coley is an experienced vet with years of playing time in the NFL – and he was also with the Arlington Renegades this past UFL Training Camp.

LB Kelechi Anyalebechi: The former standout at Incarnate Word is now a free agent again. Kelechi Anyalebechi was primarily a depth piece in Will Reed’s defense this season, totaling eight tackles on special teams. Anyalebechi only saw the field on defense in four games – with just 10 total snaps.

DB Quincy Wilson: Quincy Wilson was a big offseason addition for this defense, but unfortunately wasn’t able to see the field at all due to injury. Wilson’s got plenty of NFL experience, and should get another look, but with his lack of playing time with the Brahmas this year – it isn’t shocking to see him on the waiver wire to free up a roster spot.

DB Teez Tabor: What is a surprise is the fact that Teez Tabor has been cut, again. He was a starter for San Antonio to begin the year – then got released – and was brought back in week six. Tabor ended up being a key piece in the secondary, starting the final three games. He also was responsible for the game winning interception against the Stallions in week nine. Tabor finished the year with 27 tackles, two interceptions, and three PBU’s. There are multiple UFL teams who could use him, no doubt.

Final Thoughts

While the San Antonio Brahmas were a team who appeared in the Championship this past season, they aren’t satisfied after the 25-0 shutout loss to Birmingham. General Manager Marc Lillibridge is clearly looking to make some changes for 2025. With 10 players having been released, there’s a chance we’ll see more cuts from the Brahmas in the near future.

What are your thoughts on these re-signings for San Antonio? Will Chris Steele make the roster in 2025? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!

XFL, USFL, UFL, CFL Retro Jerseys, Shirts, Hats & more