Technically speaking the Virginia Destroyers are an expansion team. They did however gain the rights to 40 or so players who played in the United Football League as members of the Florida Tuskers in 2010. It now looks like beyond a few Tuskers vets the Destroyers will be a very different team that what the Tuskers were in 2010. Head Coach Marty Schottenheimer has brought in a lot of new talent both to this league and to his team.
Right now there are 36 players on the Destroyers roster. Of those only 10 played in the UFL as members of the Florida Tuskers in 2010. The most significant of those is QB Chris Greisen who went 3-0 as the Tuskers starter and has a chip on his shoulder about coming up just short in the 2010 UFL championship game. Having a motivated player like that on the field is a big plus for this so called expansion team.
Of the new people to be brought in the most significant may be former Chicago Bear Adrian Peterson (no not that one). If the Tuskers could resign Dominic Rhodes, which they are reportedly very interested in, a backfield featuring Peterson and Rhodes would be very formidable. Of course if Rhodes as any shot at a NFL gig we will not see him back in the UFL.
Since UFL roster will expand to 7- for training camps we hardly know what the final composition of the Destroyers roster is going to be, but the early indicators seem to indicate that this team could be a very special one.
Related Links:
- Virginia Destroyers news and notes
- Joshua Lobdell.com