J.P. Losman Signs with the UFL
Rather than sitting on the bench and being a back-up in the NFL, J.P. Losman has chosen to sign a one year deal to be a starter in the new UFL (United Football League). On Tuesday, he announced that he signed to play quarterback for the Las Vegas franchise and will be coached by former Giants head coach Jim Fasssel. In doing so, he now becomes the face of the league (as long as Michael Vick doesn’t sign in the UFL) because he’s a former first round pick who started 33 games in the NFL. Losman stated he will go through free agency again after the season but this year he just need somewhere were people could see him play. “I’m trying to get back on the field as soon as possible,” Losman said. “I love the game. I want to play this game. I don’t want to be waiting for somebody to get hurt or not play well. We’re trying to have as much success as possible here [UFL], try to create some buzz … and then go through [NFL free agency] again next year.”
Losman was very inconsistent in the NFL throwing one more INT than TD in his six year career. So, going to the UFL for one season could actually benefit him. He’ll actually have time to play and develop better skills, though against far inferior talent, in an NFL type environment. Another good thing going for him is he will be tutored by a veteran coach and coordinator in Fassel, who once reinvigorated the careers of John Elway in Denver, Boomer Esiason in Arizona and Kerry Collins in New York. Fassel said this about the situation J.P. is in, “Listen, if he’d have went back to the NFL and sat on the bench this year, then he’d have been no better off next year. Whatever anybody thought about him, they’d still say the same thing. Nothing would’ve changed….Instead, you go in this league and you play. The risk you take is you don’t play well. But if you’re an aggressive person, you say ‘I’m going to play well, people are going to see me, and maybe I can erase some of those negatives that were in the past, and a lot of people will say, wow, look at him play now. He’s a new guy.”
We’ll see in November if NFL coaches agree, as after the six game season ends he will immediately be able to sign with an NFL team. The UFL might be pretty interesting and entertaining if each team could land a player as talented as Losman. If Vick ends up playing in it than I will definitely be watching to see what he still has left. If I were a 3rd string QB on an NFL team with a star QB, I think I would rather get playing time and publicity in the UFL than ride the bench in the NFL. Just can’t wait for football to start!
Source: Getty Images, ESPN.com
