Which former Packers are playing in the XFL in 2023?

DC Defenders

Based out of the nation’s capital, the DC Defenders have the most amount of Packers connections amongst all eight XFL teams.

Notably, the starting safety for the Defenders is Kentrell Brice, who played for the Packers between 2016 and 2018. Although Brice was not drafted out of Louisiana Tech in the 2016 NFL Draft, he made the 53-man roster as a backup safety.

As his rookie season went on, Brice’s role continued to expand. His best performance in his first year came in the playoff victory against the Dallas Cowboys, in which Brice recorded seven total tackles and one pass defensed.

In his sophomore season, Brice ended up playing in six games, starting in three of them, before sustaining a season-ending ankle injury. Brice registered his first career interception in a Week 4 win against the Chicago Bears.

With Mike Pettine coming in as the defensive coordinator the following season, Brice was named one of the starting safeties. However, Brice’s play in 2018 was disappointing and problematic. According to Pro Football Focus, he missed 12 of his 57 total tackle attempts on the season and allowed a passer rating of 150.1 on 29 throws into his primary coverage.

Tackle Kyle Murphy was drafted by the Packers in the sixth round, with the 200th overall pick, of the 2016 NFL Draft. Murphy made three starts for the team in 2017 before being released at the end of 2018.

Defensive end Fadol Brown played in eight total games for the Packers across the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Wide receiver Chris Blair spent much of the 2021 season on the Packers practice squad.

In addition, TE Ethan Wolf, RB Ryquell Armstead, OL Cody Conway, OL Ty Clary, and CB Nydair Rouse have all spent time with the Packers in training camp or on the practice squad.