Just because the UFL didn’t have any games on Sunday, doesn’t mean that it was any less chaotic. Two blockbuster trades took place in a span of a couple of hours. The Birmingham Stallions have traded QB Matt Corral to the Orlando Storm, for QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Also included in that trade was DL Amani Bledsoe.
After yesterday’s embarrassment in Birmingham, A.J. McCarron made it very clear: changes were coming. He said in a comment post-game that everything was on the table, including potential QB movement or trades.
We’ve gotten exactly that today, as the Stallions have sent off Matt Corral to Orlando, alongside DL Amani Bledsoe. It goes to show the amount of leverage that Anthony Becht possessed while holding onto DTR – as he was able to turn that into a large package in return.
The Matt Corral-A.J. McCarron era in Birmingham was a mess. Even with a win in week one, things have been far from ideal through the last three games, each of which resulted in a loss. Through four weeks, Matt Corral threw for 768 yards and five touchdowns, to go with four interceptions.
Against Orlando, it was evident that Corral lost his spark – stuck in a rut. While Orlando dropped several would-be interceptions, Matt didn’t even throw for 100 yards. The Stallions were shut out, as Corral missed read after read vs. Orlando.
Now, the Storm capitalize. Jack Plummer has led the team to four straight wins, showcasing that he is “the guy” for Colin Thompson’s offense. With Dorian Thompson-Robinson riding the bench, Becht makes a move that brings Orlando serious depth.
While Corral has struggled, there is no denying his arm talent. He will be a strong QB2 in Orlando, and hopefully will regain confidence in a new location. On top of that, Amani Bledsoe has been one of the top interior linemen in the UFL over two years. Bledsoe had a few sacks with the Arlington Renegades last year, and has started in every game for Birmingham in 2026.
Losing Bledsoe is a tough blow for this Stallions front seven. He’s been a key piece to their success getting after the passer, and slowing down the run. With how desperate A.J. McCarron and the Stallions were, though, making this move was necessary to try and save the season. Thompson-Robinson is an NFL-caliber quarterback, one who deserves an opportunity to start at this level. We’ll see how quickly his talents translate over into Tyler Siskey’s offensive schemes.
On the other hand, Orlando acquiring Amani Bledsoe is an intriguing move. One would’ve thought that Becht would target an offensive lineman, as that’s one of the position groups that has shown flaws early on. Up front, the Storm are loaded with quality pieces who can stuff the run, and get after the QB.
The Birmingham Stallions and Orlando Storm will rematch on May 3rd – just two weeks away. The storylines this year have been outstanding, and the hype for that outing should be stellar. Dorian Thompson-Robinson vs. the staff that put him at QB2, plus the continued Anthony Becht-A.J. McCarron rivalry will be epic.
What are your thoughts on this move by the Birmingham Stallions and Orlando Storm? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!
