On Friday, the XFL had its first big trade. According to Jake Russell of the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Wildcats are sending linebacker and defensive captain Anthony Johnson to the DC Defenders for cornerback Bradley Sylve.
This is not the first big move the Wildcats have made following their 37-17 Week 1 loss the Houston Roughnecks. Earlier this week, they parted ways with defensive coordinator Pepper Johnson. In Saturday's loss, Anthony Johnson made two combined tackles.
Reports surfaced on Monday that Johnson was going to be released, and he even tweeted that he was a free agent. Johnson was apparently unhappy about Pepper's firing. On Friday, reporters started to suspect something was going to happen when Defenders wideout Rashad Ross and Johnson began tweeting at each other.
👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀 https://t.co/yvvvElJIBr
— Anthony Johnson (@AXJ76) February 14, 2020
Reports then came out within the hour that Johnson had been traded. The LSU product spent time with five different NFL teams after going undrafted in 2014. He also had a stint with the Memphis Express of the Alliance of American Football, and the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League.
The Wildcats could be getting good return for their former defensive captain, as Sylve recorded a pick-six in the Defenders' 31-19 win over the Seattle Dragons on Saturday.
PICK SIX!! @XFLDefenders CB Bradley Sylve picks off Brandon Silvers and takes it to the house.
— XFL WorldWide (@XFLWorldWide) February 8, 2020
31-19 DC Defenders 🌩 🔥@b_sylve3 pic.twitter.com/YshqoRn1Yb
Sylve attended the University of Alabama, where he won two BCS National Championships. He went undrafted in 2016, and had short stints with the Buffalo Bills and New Orleans Saints before finding some success with the Birmingham Iron in the AAF.
Sylve will play in his first game with the Wildcats this Sunday against the Dallas Renegades, while Johnson and the Defenders will host the New York Guardians on Saturday.