St. Louis Battlehawks Makes Major Significant Announcement

March 21, 2025 Excoba Bayano UFL 0

St. Louis Battlehawks Announce Major Roster Changes for 2025 Season

As UFL roster cuts approach this Thursday, the St. Louis Battlehawks made some surprising decisions. Fans were caught off guard by the release of a few high-profile new signings and some familiar faces as Training Camp came to a close.

Here’s a breakdown of the players let go and the potential reasons behind these decisions.

Offensive Cuts:

  • WR Andy Isabella
  • WR Jelani Baker
  • WR James Bostic
  • TE Kemari Averett
  • OL Eric Magwood
  • OL Teton Saltes

The biggest shock here is the release of WR Andy Isabella, a former second-round NFL draft pick. Many expected him to be a key contributor to the Battlehawks’ offense in 2025, but with the team bolstering their wide receiver depth this offseason, Isabella didn’t make enough of an impact in camp to earn a spot.

Also released were WRs Jelani Baker and James Bostic. Baker, a UFL College Draft pick, is a young talent who could still get another chance elsewhere.

TE Kemari Averett’s release wasn’t unexpected after the signing of Chase Allen to the tight end room. Averett didn’t show significant development last season, so he’ll now look for a new team. OL Eric Magwood, a valuable depth piece over the past two seasons, was another tough loss, while OL Teton Saltes fell victim to a crowded offensive line room, with new players like Cole Spencer and Bradley Ashmore impressing enough to make the cut.

Defensive Cuts:

  • DL Albert Huggins
  • DL Curtis Brooks
  • EDGE Kemoko Turay
  • LB John Petrishen
  • DB D’Angelo Mandell
  • DB Keylon Kennedy
  • S Avery Young
  • S Dravon Askew-Henry

Defensively, the Battlehawks made some head-scratching cuts. They added substantial talent to the defensive line but decided to part ways with Albert Huggins, Curtis Brooks, and Kemoko Turay. The cut of Turay is especially surprising, but injuries during camp appear to have played a role in his release.

The only linebacker released was John Petrishen. His departure likely comes down to the presence of another young linebacker, Callahan O’Reilly, who had the advantage of previous experience in the Battlehawks’ defensive system.

The secondary saw some notable cuts as well. Dravon Askew-Henry, a standout safety in 2024 with 33 tackles and 4 pass breakups, was let go, which surprised many. Keylon Kennedy’s release won’t raise too many eyebrows, given his limited role last season.

Avery Young and D’Angelo Mandell, two offseason additions, couldn’t secure spots in a secondary already brimming with talent. The Battlehawks retained key contributors from 2024, along with standouts from 2023, such as Nate Meadors and Lukas Denis.

Final Thoughts:

The Battlehawks’ cuts raised some eyebrows, particularly with big names like Andy Isabella and Kemoko Turay being left off the roster. At the same time, players like Blake Jackson, Carson Wells, and T.J. Pesefea—who had limited roles in 2024—retained their spots, which might raise some questions. It appears the team is confident in their roster and sticking with what they’ve got. This strategy could either lead to great success or backfire in a highly competitive league.

Head Coach Anthony Becht shared his thoughts:
“We’ve made great progress over the last two seasons and to take that next step, we really wanted to raise the level of competition in training camp…We feel like we did that throughout the roster. Our staff had some tough decisions to make, but we are very excited about the collection of talent our team has moving forward and can’t wait to kick off the season.”

The Battlehawks are now focused on their season opener against the Houston Roughnecks on March 28th.

What are your thoughts on these roster cuts? Share your opinions in the comments or join the discussion on Discord!

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