In the flurry of transactions we’ve been seeing throughout training camp, Marc Trestman and the Vipers just pulled off a big one. Amid an NFL suspension over a CBD oil supplement, former Cleveland Browns receiver and 2018 4th round pick Antonio Callaway has signed with the Tampa Bay Vipers.
Callaway has fantastic tools, with 4.41 speed, quick feet and explosive route running. The 23-year-old receiver had a highly productive rookie year in Cleveland two seasons ago with 43 receptions, 583 yards, and 5 scores. Marc Trestman just got himself a young, dynamic playmaker who can thrive outside and in the slot. He’s been cited for character issues in the past, but if he can conduct himself well off the field in Tampa, he could very well be one of the XFL’s best young receivers.
The Vipers are reshaping their WR corps, as they just traded for Renegades burner Stacy Coley, who was a wildly productive target at Miami from 2013-2016. They also feature NFL vets like Tanner McEvoy, Donteea Dye, and Jawill Davis, who all have significant production logged in the pros. With wideouts like this outside, budding star TE Nick Truesdell in the middle and Callaway in the slot, the Vipers offense could have something really special brewing here. It all comes down to how Aaron Murray runs the game.
The Callaway signing is a big deal because this is one of the most exciting young talents that the league has brought in, late in the process. The precedent is set, and the XFL could be posed to bring in even bigger names as players look for alternatives to the NFL.
