The DC Defenders have decided to let go of safety Matt Elam on Tuesday afternoon according to Jake Russell of the Washington Post. As of now, it is unclear if the team is releasing Elam or placing him on the Reserve/Left team list. Elam has played all four games this season for D.C., while also recording an interception in Week 2 against Matt McGloin and the New York Guardians.
Source: The #Defenders signing former Army cornerback Josh Jenkins from #XFL's Team 9, making safety Matt Elam the odd man out.
Not yet clear if Elam is being released or placed on the reserve/left squad list.
— Jake Russell (@_JakeRussell) March 3, 2020
This move comes as a bit of a surprise after Elam recorded a team-high 12 tackles against the Tampa Bay Vipers this past Sunday.
Matt Elam had 12 combined tackles for the @XFLDefenders pic.twitter.com/eMeX1ghfGv
— XFL (@XFL2023) March 2, 2020
This is a tough break for Elam, who was a first round pick of the Baltimore Ravens in the 2013 NFL Draft. Elam’s NFL career was short lived as he was cut by the Ravens in 2016. Soon after his release from Baltimore, he was arrested for possession of marijuana in Miami. This incident led to a string of legal troubles for Elam in 2017, including an altercation with his girlfriend.
As we know, the XFL thrives off of giving opportunities so this may not be the last time we see Elam suit up in the XFL. Most likely there will be many teams interested in Elam’s services as a strong safety that you can rely on to make plays inside and outside of the box.
