Football fans, we have some wonderful news to share today. It was announced last night that two of the XFL’s star players have signed with the Denver Broncos. They have both successfully completed their three-day rookie minicamp tryouts.

One will hopefully look to now beat out a long-time veteran who is currently the incumbent starter at quarterback, and the other will look to be taking starting running back snaps. When we talk about building the XFL as a league of opportunity, we mean signing players from the XFL to the NFL.

 

Former Seattle Sea Dragons QB Ben DiNucci (6) – Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports

(QB) Ben “Gucci” DiNucci

Former quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys and now Seattle Sea Dragons Ben DiNucci, who is 6’2″, 222 lbs., was one of two players who was invited to the Denver Broncos rookie minicamp after his XFL season was done in the North Divisional Championship game.

The Broncos will be led by first-year head coach Sean Peyton and will need another quarterback in case starter Russell Wilson can’t make it through another 17-game season.

The 26-year-old signal caller struggled in his first and only start in the NFL on Sunday Night Football as a rookie back in 2020 with the Cowboys against the Philadelphia Eagles.

After the last two seasons of not playing pro football, the XFL came knocking in 2023, and Sea Dragons head coach Jimmy Haslett provided him with the opportunity to start in a revamped league that was in its third version. It’s now ownership group promised a new “opportunity” for stability.

Things looked rough for DiNucci after an 0-2 start with two close losses to the D.C. Defenders and the St. Louis BattleHawks. The team then went 7-1, and the quarterback developed a new confidence. He built a new swagger as a pro quarterback that carried with him into the playoffs and into making the Denver Broncos roster.

Now that the Broncos signed him, DiNucci is a new man who will look to compete and win the starting job in Denver. He will look to take it from Wilson and become the guy in Peyton’s first year as head coach.  If he does, it will all be thanks to the “League of Opportunity,” known as the XFL.

This season playing for the Seattle Sea Dragons, DiNucci passed for 2,671 yards, threw for 20 TDs, and had 13 ints.

 

(RB) Jacques Patrick

This guy is a battery ram at 6’3″, 234 lbs. Patrick is literally a sled and a treadmill built into one. He can move his feet to push a large pile for the first down and keep a drive going. The astonishing running back also can extend short drives by falling forward for three to five yards every play. He is also a culture guy in that he will bring a locker room together and is a team leader.

While playing for the San Antonio Brahmas, he was the XFL’s number-two rusher. He ran 115 times for 443 yards and five touchdowns. Additionally, he reeled in 30 catches for 238 yards.

Patrick is originally from Orlando, Florida, where the top recruit signed with Florida State in 2015. In his first two years, he was behind current Minnesota Vikings star Dalvin Cook.

In his last two seasons, he earned more playing time, but yet it wasn’t nearly as much as current Los Angeles Rams back Cam Akers. Nevertheless, Patrick gained 1,790 yards in his college career and averaged a decent 4.9 yards per carry.

Final Thoughts

Today is the first day that players from the XFL can be signed to NFL teams. Both players must pass a physical before they can be officially signed.

The Denver Broncos don’t have any open spots on their 90-man roster. That means that two players will need to be cut to make room for DiNucci and Patrick. The pressure is on.

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