Like many who don’t make the cut, Pittsburgh Steelers S Trenton Thompson began prepping to play in the UFL. A 2022 college free agent, he signed in Pittsburgh on August 2 last year, waived on August 29. The Steelers did quickly re-sign him to the practice squad the next day, but that was not his ambition.
A practice squad job is good, make no mistake. The minimum salary in 2023 was $12,000 per week. But these days players on the fringe need to get tape. And to do that they have to play in the spring leagues. And now there’s only one in town.