The Alliance of American Football has reportedly suspended operations. If true, the Washington Redskins should look into signing a few players to audition for NFL roles this offseason.
The Alliance of American Football suspended operations on April 2. The upstart spring league was thought to be doing fairly well, but as of Tuesday, they are reportedly ceasing operations.
At the moment, it’s unclear exactly what the reasoning behind the suspension of the AAF. But Tom Dundon, the owner of the Carolina Hurricanes who bought a controlling share of the league just about two months ago, has decided to cancel the rest of the season. And that spells the end of the upstart league.
Without the AAF, there are now hundreds more players available on the free agent market. These guys are likely back-end roster candidates, but some performed well enough in the AAF to get a chance in the NFL once again. Teams aren’t necessarily going to land a top-end contributor, but adding the players that shined in this new league would certainly be a sensible move for teams.
Here’s a look at some players the Redskins could have interest in adding to their roster now that the AAF is done.
Remember him? Rashad Ross spent a few years with the Redskins as a depth receiver. He carved out a small role for himself and showed some upside early in his career.
Ross’ best season in Washington came in 2015. He served as the team’s primary kick returner, averaging 24.4 yards per return and logging a 101-yard touchdown. He used his speed and elusiveness to find success in that role and also found some success as a receiver, catching eight passes for 184 yards and a touchdown.
There was some hope that Ross could turn into a quality burner as a result of his success. That never panned out. He was waived in the early stages of the 2016 season and after bouncing around four practice squads, he landed in the AAF.
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With the Arizona Hotshots, Ross found success and was arguably the league’s best receiver. He totaled 36 catches for 583 yards and a league-leading seven touchdowns. He showed great separation skills and speed, and that’s part of what led him to average 16.2 yards per catch.
Ross showed enough in the AAF to warrant a return to the NFL. And going back to Washington could make sense. The team is very weak at receiver and could use some depth that knows the system. Ross would qualify. And considering that the team brought back Brian Quick after cutting him midway through last season, it’s reasonable to think that they could consider Ross as an option.
Also, Ross would immediately give the team depth in the return game, something that they are lacking in the wake of Jamison Crowder‘s departure. For that reason, Ross would make even more sense for the ‘Skins.
The Redskins need help at quarterback. So, why not target the best quarterback from the AAF who might have had a shot at being the league’s MVP?
Gilbert was a former sixth-round pick by the then St. Louis Rams in the 2014 NFL Draft. Gilbert split his college career at Texas and SMU, and he eventually developed into a quality passer, throwing for 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions during his final collegiate season. It took a long time for him to reach that level, but he did get there.
Gilbert never got a chance to play much in the NFL, as he bounced around on offseason rosters and practice squads prior to landing a backup job with the Carolina Panthers for the 2017 and 2018 seasons. However, after the 2018 campaign, Gilbert elected to play in the AAF to get a chance to start. And he played extremely well.
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As the quarterback for the league’s best team, the Orlando Apollos, Gilbert put up 2,152 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, and just three interceptions. He also completed 60 percent of his passes. He did a lot to give the Apollos one of the league’s only great passing attacks and proved that he may have what it takes to compete for a backup job at the NFL level.
Gilbert could be a low-cost option to provide some extra competition at the quarterback position, which they desperately need in the wake of Alex Smith‘s injury. And notably, Gilbert is only turning 28 in July, so there may still be a chance for him to grow a bit. He would be a low-risk addition and may afford the Redskins an opportunity to wait a bit longer in the draft to get a quarterback.
One more note on the potential of Gilbert signing in Washington: Gilbert started his college career at Texas as the backup to…Colt McCoy. Gilbert replaced McCoy when he got hurt in the 2010 BCS National Championship against Alabama. This has no impact on Washington’s ability to sign Gilbert, but it is an interesting note.
Jayrone Elliott is the guy the Redskins should really target if they want to bring in a member of the AAF. Elliott had a four-year NFL career from 2014-2017 after going undrafted out of Toledo. The edge rusher would help shore up some depth of the edge of the Redskins defense.
Elliott carved out a role as a situational pass rusher for the Packers in his first three seasons in the NFL. All told, he logged four sacks during that time with his best year coming in 2015 (three sacks, one interception). Elliott was thought to have upside, but never grew into a bigger role despite the Packers’ need on the edge.
However, Elliott was the league leader in sacks in the AAF, notching 7.5 for the San Antonio Commanders. That’s impressive, especially considering that the AAF only allowed up to five players to rush the quarterback on one play. So, he didn’t get the benefit of working with blitzers to generate the pressures. He got them partially on his own.
Elliott is the perfect candidate to come in and serve as a depth player on the edge for the ‘Skins. Right now, Ryan Kerrigan, Ryan Anderson, and Cassanova McKinzy are the only players the team has at the position. Elliott would provide experienced depth and upside. He won’t turn 28 until November, so he still has time to improve his game.
The players from the AAF likely wouldn’t be anything more than depth. But still, upside does exist, so targeting these players on the cheap would certainly be a smart move for Washington.