The United Football League’s dispersal draft wrapped up on Monday, but one big local name remained undrafted and transitioned to free agency on Tuesday.

In a spring football merger that brought the XFL and USFL together to create the United Football League (UFL), Gulf Shores alum and former Houston Roughneck quarterback Brandon Silvers was not selected in the two rounds of the dispersal process. The Troy alum threw for the fifth-most passing yards (1,551) and fourth-most touchdowns (13) in the XFL last season over eight games.

Spanish Fort alum and D.C. Defenders long snapper Trae Barry was protected ahead of the draft and secured his roster spot in the new league. The former Jacksonville State Gamecock and Boston College Eagle helped the Defenders to the XFL Championship last season.

“Each team selected from a pool of players, regardless of previous league, who were not protected or selected in the Jan. 5 dispersal process. Players selected will have the opportunity to be amongst the 75 roster spots allotted to each team for training camp, which begins on Feb. 24 in Arlington, Texas, the hub of the UFL,” a Monday press release says. “Free agency for players who were not selected in the dispersal process, or who did not play in the USFL or XFL in 2023, begins on Tuesday, Jan. 16. The deadline for teams to finalize their 75 training camp roster spots is Feb. 14.”

More on the merger

When the two spring football leagues announced their intent to merge on Dec. 31, 2023, the leagues announced the UFL would kick off a 10-game schedule on March 30. Former XFL President and CEO Russ Brandon was appointed the same positions in the new league, as was Daryl Johnston who served as USFL’s President of Football Operations.

“From day one, our mission has been to expand the game of football and be a league of opportunity, culture and innovation,” said Dwayne Johnson, Founder and CEO of Seven Bucks Companies and an XFL owner. “As we come together to create the UFL, we can build something powerful, exciting and very cool for football fans — a spring league with lasting impact for all the players with a dream to play pro football and the ‘hardest workers in the room’ mentality to make their dreams come true.”

Four teams from each league were retained although Houston, Texas was the lone city that had teams from both leagues so the Houston Gamblers rebranded as the Houston Roughnecks and they’ll play in the USFL Division alongside the Birmingham Stallions, Memphis Showboats and Michigan Panthers. Remaining in the XFL Division will be the Arlington Renegades, D.C. Defenders, San Antonio Brahmas and St. Louis Battlehawks.

Games will be broadcast on ESPN, ABC, FOX and Fox Sports 1.