Three former Green Bay pass-catchers hope to bring home a four-peat for Birmingham
The United Football League kicks off next week, which means that the UFL’s eight rosters just went through their roster cutdown process. Many notable Green Bay Packers ended up making it through cuts, most of which were also members of the league last season.
Here’s your quick rundown on some of the top former Packers in the league:
Danny Etling, Michigan Panthers, QB
The former LSU quarterback was a member of the Packers’ roster from 2021 to 2023, but he never appeared in a regular season game for Green Bay. Last year, he started four games for the Michigan Panthers, going 3-1 in those contests. The starter for the majority of the Panthers’ games last year was E.J. Perry, who was released by the Panthers and later picked up by the Memphis Showboats in February, a sign that Michigan could be clearing the runway for Etling to start in 2025.
Manny Wilkins, St. Louis Battlehawks, QB
Manny Wilkins only spent a short time in Green Bay, signing on as an undrafted free agent in 2019, a season which he spent on the team’s practice squad. He was released by the Packers the next spring and resurfaced with the St. Louis Battlehawks in 2023. The Battlehawks do not return their 2024 starter in AJ McCarron, so the likely starter will either by Wilkins or Max Duggan, a 2023 seventh-round pick by way of the Los Angeles Chargers, in 2025.
Alex McGough, Birmingham Stallions, WR
That’s right, Alex McGough has made the full transition to wide receiver. McGough was brought to the Packers as a quarterback after he was named the USFL MVP. Over two years in Green Bay, McGough spent time at both quarterback and receiver on the Packers’ practice squad. Two years removed from his last spring league season, McGough is now coming back to Birmingham as a receiver.
Amari Rodgers, Birmingham Stallions, WR
Speaking of Stallions receivers, Birmingham also has former Packers third-round pick Amari Rodgers. This will be the second year that Rodgers spends in the UFL after failing to catch on with the Houston Texans or Indianapolis Colts following his release from Green Bay. Last year, he recorded 196 receiving yards, which was good for 34th in the league. He also posted 283 punt return yards, which was good for 20th.
Jace Sternberger, Birmingham Stallions, TE
Hey, even more former Green Bay pass-catchers for the Stallions, who have won three straight spring league championships. After becoming the USFL’s receiving touchdowns leader in his first stint with the Stallions back in 2023, Sternberger returned to the NFL with the Buffalo Bills, though, he failed to make it through cutdowns. In 2024, the Packers’ former third-round returned to Birmingham and was named to the All-UFL team last season. He’s considered to be the top tight end in the league.
Sal Cannella, Arlington Renegades, TE
Since Sal Cannella’s shot on the Packers’ roster in 2022, he’s bounced between Renegades and the NFL. He got a chance with the Seattle Seahawks in 2023 and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2024, but neither opportunity stuck. The true pass-catching tight end returns this year after leading all UFL players in receiving touchdowns in 2024. Prior to his stint in Green Bay, he was an All-USFL tight end with the now defunt New Orleans Breakers.
Chris Odom, Arlington Renegades, DE
Chris Odom is one of the few players on this list who actually played regular season football for Green Bay. In 2017, he suited up for seven games with the Packers, including his NFL debut. Since Green Bay, he’s played for the Salt Lake Stallions in the AAF, the Calgary Stampeders in the CFL, the Houston Gamblers and Roughnecks in the XFL and UFL, the Renegades in the UFL and the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, Washington Redskins and Cleveland Browns. In 2022, he was named the USFL’s defensive player of the year. Last year, with the Roughnecks, he was named to the All-UFL team.
Tariq Carpenter, San Antonio Brahmas, LB
Back in 2022, the Packers drafted hybrid athlete Tariq Carpenter out of Georgia Tech to play a special teams role. At 6’2”, 225 pounds with a 4.52-second 40-yard dash, Carpenter was caught in between the linebacker and safety positions. As a rookie in Green Bay, he was used as a safety before converting to linebacker the next year. He did not make it through final games his second year in the league and ended up signing to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ practice squad in 2023, where he was activated for three games. After his activations expired, though, he was released from the team. Two years after his last NFL game, he’s now resurfaced in the UFL, where he’s listed as a linebacker for the San Antonio Brahmas.