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3 XFL Players who Deserve a Shot with the Cincinnati Bengals

By Hunter Bittinger

HOUSTON, TX - FEBRUARY 16: DeMarquis Gates #47 of the Houston Roughnecks runs on to the field before the game against the St. Louis BattleHawks at TDECU Stadium on February 16, 2020 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Thomas Campbell/XFL via Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX - FEBRUARY 16: DeMarquis Gates #47 of the Houston Roughnecks runs on to the field before the game against the St. Louis BattleHawks at TDECU Stadium on February 16, 2020 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Thomas Campbell/XFL via Getty Images) /
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HOUSTON, TX – FEBRUARY 16: DeMarquis Gates #47 of the Houston Roughnecks runs on to the field before the game against the St. Louis BattleHawks at TDECU Stadium on February 16, 2020 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Thomas Campbell/XFL via Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX – FEBRUARY 16: DeMarquis Gates #47 of the Houston Roughnecks runs on to the field before the game against the St. Louis BattleHawks at TDECU Stadium on February 16, 2020 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Thomas Campbell/XFL via Getty Images) /

DeMarquis Gates’  professional career doesn’t begin with the XFL, but rather the AAF, another league that also attempted to fill the NFL’s off-season void. The 6’2″, 220-pound linebacker made his presence known out of the gate, leading the AAF in tackles and forced fumbles before it’s collapse.

Now, with his new opportunity in Houston, he’s accumulated 28 tackles through 4 weeks, good for 5th in the entire XFL.

It’s well known the Bengals plan on completely overhauling their linebacker room this off-season. After the unit continued to be the Achilles heel of the team in 2019, Duke Tobin and company seem determined to get the position up to par.

Unfortunately, the only sure piece they currently have in place is Germaine Pratt. That means they’ll likely bring in many new faces through the draft and free-agent market, but there’s no reason Gates can’t be among the new blood.

Related Story. 4 Under-the-Radar Linebackers the Cincinnati Bengals can Target. light

He’s proven on two separate occasions he can be one of the top linebackers at the level below the NFL. That should at least earn him a shot to prove he contribute on special teams for Cincinnati, where his nose for the ball can help them in their quest to remain one of the best in the league in the third phase.

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