Two days ago on May 18th, 2022, the USFL announced a statement on Twitter that beginning this weekend for week six games, they would be expanding the game-day active rosters from 38 players to 40 players, and practice squads would increase from seven to ten players.

The Pittsburgh Maulers and other teams did not take much time to announce their new signings with this announcement. The Maulers signed free agents Isiah Hennie, a wide receiver from Sacramento State, and Cornerback Prince Charles Iworah from Western Kentucky, Linebacker Blaze Alldredge from Missouri / Rice, and Offensive tackle Jerrod Brooks from The University of Texas at El Paso over the two day period.

They also announced the release of wide receiver Brandon Mack leaving the door open for more signings going into the weekend.

A change by the USFL that fans and sports analysts across the board were criticizing from day one finally saw a change, though it was only a two-player on the active roster and an increase of three on the practice squad. The change still falls short of the NFL’s 53 men active roster with 47 players eligible, and then the NFL’s current 16 men roster for practice squads.

While this is at least a step in the right direction, this can help with depth issues that teams have been dealing with over the first five weeks of the season, with substantial amounts of injuries and players playing extended downs.

While this is a temporary fix for the USFL rosters, it does guarantee forty new roster spots throughout the league, and many teams were quick to jump on the hiring process throughout the company. Will the Pittsburgh Maulers, who are currently sitting at 1-4 and still sitting in last place in the north division, sign more players before their game on Sunday against the New Orleans Breakers?

Pittsburgh Maulers Four New Players

WR Isiah Hennie, Sacramento State; 5’7, 160 Pounds, from San Diego, California, played for Sacramento State from 2014 to 2018, where he would play in 43 games, complete 139 receptions for 1,523 yards with 11 touchdowns. During his time at Sacramento State, being praised by the coaching staff for his leadership, energy, and competitiveness, and he was always willing to bring the juice when needed.

While he was an NFL Free Agent in August of 2021, he was never signed; Hennie would have tried out for the AAF and CFL but never made a roster, but he will finally get the opportunity with the Maulers to show off his talent while coming to a team that has a fresh new hot off the press Quarterback Vad Lee.

CB Prince Charles Iworah, Western Kentucky University; 5’11, 192 Pounds, from Nashville, Tennessee, played for Western Kentucky. He converted to the cornerback position and recorded 42 tackles, 2.5 tackles-for-loss with five interceptions, one forced fumble, and 21 pass breakups. The San Francisco 49ers selected him in the seventh round of the 2016 draft going at the 249th overall pick. 

Iworah would only play in one NFL game for the 49ers, recording one tackle. He would spend time with the Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins, and Atlanta Falcons in the 2018 season but never made any of their rosters. After not making it to the NFL, he would appear on XFL’s team 9 practice squad in 2020 and then signed with the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes last April 8th, 2021. He would then be placed on the suspended list a month later to play with Conquerors of the Spring league in May of 2021.

LB Blaze Alldredge, Missouri / Rice; 6’2, 220 Pounds, from Kissimmee, Florida, played for Missouri Tigers just as of last year. During his first three years he played at RICE and then transferred to Missouri for his senior year, during his four year college career Alldredge recorded 10.5 sacks, recovered 2 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions, 165 solo tackles, and 138 assisted tackles he looks to assist the Maulers defense in changing up the attitude with his unique name.

OT Jerrod Brooks, The University of Texas at El Paso; 6’5, 330 Pounds, from Dallas, Texas, who played recently in the Spring League for the Linemen in 2021. Jerrod Brooks played all of his sophomore games as a starting tackle and was used as a run-blocking schemes helping out Aaron Jones gain a program record of 1,179 yards in a season.

All four players signed over the past two days look to bring their unique style and hard hitting action to both the Maulers defense and offense to try to get the team back on track, it will remain to be seen if any of the four new signees actually play in Sunday’s game or not with the short time frame.