It flew under the radar for most football fans, given it was sandwiched between Super Wild Card Weekend and the Divisional round of the playoffs, but just a couple of weeks ago, the United Football League-- the premier American football spring league-- had its draft in preparation for its upcoming season that begins on March 27th.
Unsurprisingly, there were a lot of former NFL players, young and old, that have migrated to the UFL in hopes of reviving their careers and getting another shot at the highest level of professional football.
Lewis Cine, Andrew Booth Jr., Rodrigo Blankenship, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and Lamar Jackson just to name a few. Not the quarterback Lamar Jackson, but the undrafted corner out of Nebraska who spent five years in the NFL.
Unsurprisingly, there are also a few notable former Bengals who will be playing (and even coaching!) in the UFL this spring, so let's take a look and find out what familiar faces you may see if you decide to tune in to the United Football League for their 2026 season.
Rosters provided by the official UFL website for each team.
Multiple ex-Bengals find work as UFL practice squad players
Before we get into the more recognizable names, there are a few players who most Bengals fans may not recognize, mostly because they spent the majority (if not all) of their time in Cincinnati on the practice squad, maybe getting elevated once or twice.
Oddly enough, a lot of these former members of the Bengals' practice squad play defensive line, such as Domenique Davis (Dallas Renegades), Isaiah Thomas (Columbus Aviators), Raymond Johnson III (St. Louis Battlehawks), and Devonnsha Maxwell (DC Defenders).
The only non-defensive line player in this group is cornerback Allan George (Orlando Storm), who is a little more known simply for the fact that he hung around on the practice squad for roughly two whole seasons.
There isn't too much to say about these players, at least regarding their time in Cincinnati. Only Domenique Davis and Allan George saw any real action in stripes, both playing back in 2022, where they played two and four games, respectively, and only recorded five tackles between them. We'll see if they can revive their careers with strong seasons in the UFL and perhaps re-sign with the Bengals in a much bigger role.
A.J. McCarron transitions from pro QB to Birmingham Stallions head coach
Now let's move on to a name that most Bengals fans will recognize immediately: A.J. McCarron, who has spent his last few springs slinging the rock for the St. Louis Battlehawks. McCarron is most known for filling in for an injured Andy Dalton at the end of his rookie season during the Bengals' 2015 campaign that ended in playoff heartbreak.
He most recently played for Cincinnati in 2023, where he completed four of his five passes for 19 yards-- and having a ten-yard touchdown pass to Tee Higgins called back against the Colts.
However, McCarron isn't returning to the UFL to play quarterback this time around; he's returning to coach. Going back to the state that brought him football fame, McCarron was named head coach of the Birmingham Stallions. It'll be interesting to see how McCarron does in his first head coaching stint, and if this will open up an alternate career path back to the NFL for him.
Who knows? Maybe he's next up in Cincy after the Zac Taylor era finally comes to a close.
Read More: Potential Bengals head coach after Zac Taylor might've foretold his own destiny
The Headliner: Jackson Carman goes from Bengals second-round pick to UFL Draft Day 2 selection
If there's one pick in the Joe Burrow era that continues to haunt Bengals' fans to this day, it's taking Clemson offensive lineman Jackson Carman at Pick 46. Not only was the second-round pick off the team after three seasons, but he was taken before center Creed Humphrey, who has gone on to make four Pro Bowls and has been named a First Team All-Pro in back-to-back seasons with the Chiefs.
It's no secret that Carman struggled during his time in Cincinnati, a weak point on a bad offensive line, who played only five games in his second and third seasons after playing all 17 in his rookie year. He then went to the Miami Dolphins, where he'd be juggled between the practice squad and active roster, playing a total of eight games and being waived in the lead-up to the 2025-26 NFL season.
Now, Carman will get a shot in the UFL with the Birmingham Stallions with former Bengals QB and teammate for a brief stint, A.J. McCarron, as his head coach.
And to think, in the Bengals' last playoff win, a 27-10 Divisional Round road rout of the Buffalo Bills, Carman was the starting left tackle.
Kwamie Lassiter II - Louisville Kings
Technically, Lassiter belongs in the "practice squad players" list, but he is a little more known in the fanbase than that group of former Bengals.
Still, Kwamie did spend most of his time in Cincinnati on the practice squad, only playing in two games across two seasons, and only being on the field for 13 snaps. He did have a solid preseason in his rookie year as a UDFA back in 2022, where he caught 13 of his 16 targets for 138 yards across three games.
Lassiter's most notable play as a member of the Bengals was one that doesn't look all too memorable on the stat sheet without the context behind it. Just one catch for two yards against the Cardinals back in 2023, late in the 4th quarter in a decisive 34-20 victory that ultimately didn't have any impact on the game.
It was bigger than that for Lassiter, though. It wasn't just a two-yard catch; it was a two-yard catch against his late father's (Kwamie Lassiter) former team. Understandably, this was a big moment for the former Jayhawk, but unfortunately, it would be his only catch in the NFL as he didn't see the field the rest of the season and was waived before the 2024-25 NFL season.
However, Kwamie Lassiter II may get another shot at playing the highest level of American football-- if he's able to impress this spring after being taken by the Louisville Kings, where he'll be playing just an hour and a half away from the team that picked him up as an undrafted free agent back in 2022.
There are quite a few former Bengals who will be playing in the United Football League this March. Who will you be rooting for?