The UFL playoffs kickoff this weekend. The hometown Michigan Panthers will take on the Birmingham Stallions  on Saturday at 3:00 ET and the St. Louis Battlehawks will take on the San Antonio Brahmas on Sunday at 7:00 ET. 

The Lions will have wrapped up their offseason training program by that time, so they'll be able to keep a closer eye on these games in an effort to find some extra talent. Here's eight players to keep an eye on:

Breeland Speaks, ED, Michigan Panthers

This is the big one. Lots of teams are going to be interested in Speaks. He was a terror on quarterbacks during the 2024 season. He led the league in sacks with 9.5 in 10 games. He led the league in sacks in 2023 as well. 

Speaks does have NFL experience. He was a second-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He's spent time with the Chiefs, Raiders, Cowboys, Giants, Bills and 49ers.  He's never really found his footing in the league though. That's not going to stop teams from giving him a shot at camp. 

Carlos Davis, DT, Birmingham Stallions 

Another lineman that's going to get some looks. He was second in the UFL in sacks and made the All-UFL team. The Lions could still use a little depth on the interior of the defensive line. He's one to keep an eye on. 

Davis has some NFL experience. He was seventh-round pick for the Steelers in the 2020 NFL Draft. He spent three seasons with them and was on the Falcons' practice squad in 2023. 

Jake Bates, K, Michigan Panthers

The guy everyone in Detroit is already talking about. The Lions have already shown some interest. We'll see if they continue to show that after Bates has been dealing with some misses as of late. 

Adrian Martinez, QB, Birmingham Stallions

The Lions are probably likely to bring in a fourth quarterback to compete during camp. Why not bring in the potential league MVP? I mean, he's already been with the Lions anyways. 

Martinez was with the Lions last year and showed some of what he's shown in the UFL during the preseason. It's not crazy to think they'd welcome him back. 

Hakeem Butler, WR, St. Louis Battlehawks

We've been pounding the table on this whole Lions need a receiver thing for a while now. Lions GM Brad Holmes has said that the Lions could look to add one during camp. Butler is one to watch. 

The 6-foot-5 receiver fits the bill of the big bodied guy that the Lions could use and he has the ability to go up and get it. Butler was the best receiver in the UFL in 2024. He had 42 receptions for 652 yards and five touchdowns in 10 games. 

Butler has some NFL experience. The Cardinals took him in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He spent time with them as well as the Panthers, Eagles and Steelers. He's played for the Lions, but it was the British Columbia Lions. Maybe Mathieu Betts can put in a good word for him. 

AJ McCarron, QB, St. Louis Battlehawks

Martinez is an option to come in and play during the preseason, but McCarron is a guy that could come in and find himself a role for the entirety of the season. McCarron is the epitome of a leader on the bench. This is the exact kind of mind you want on your practice squad working with Hendon Hooker. 

The Bengals are probably going to try to get him back for a third time, but the Lions should try to steal here. This guy is a future coach in the NFL. Let him get some player/coach time with a staff that just got David Blough hired for his first coaching job this offseason. 

Andre Szmyt, K, St. Louis Battlehawks

Everyone has been talking about Bates, but Szmyt just finished off the best season of any kicker in the league last weekend. He went 19-21 with a long of 61-yards. He was money all year long. The two misses came from 50 plus and were earlier in the season. He hasn't missed in a while. 

The former Lou Groza award winner should receive serious consideration from many teams in the NFL. The Lions should be one of them. 

Jontre Kirklin, WR, San Antonio Brahamas

Kirklin led the league in receptions in 2024 with 56. The concern with him is that he is a bit undersized in the weight department. He's just 184 pounds at 6-feet tall. He does have some return potential though. 

Kirklin has some NFL experience. He was with the Cardinals in 2022 and the Saints in 2023. 

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