Former New England Patriots offensive lineman Yasir Durant thrived in the UFL this past season.
Durant was one of two former Patriots offensive linemen to start Saturday’s UFL Championship Game, which saw the DC Defenders blowout the Michigan Panthers.
Durant, who was named to the All-UFL team this year, got the start at left tackle. Meanwhile, fellow former Patriots offensive lineman Liam Fornadel got the start at right guard.
The Patriots acquired Durant in a September 2021 trade with the Kansas City Chiefs. Durant appeared in seven games this season and got one start at tackle that season. The results were not great as New England struggled to find a stable presence at right tackle after losing Trent Brown to an injury.
Durant wasn’t long for New England, as he was cut at the end of training camp in 2022. He then had a practice squad stint with the Saints and a brief stint with the Broncos before landing in the UFL with the Defenders in 2024.
Fornadel was in New England more recently. After going undrafted in 2022, he landed with the Defenders (who were in the XFL at the time) in 2023 and had a strong run. He left the team in 2024 to pursue a spot in the NFL.
Fornadel spent training camp in New England before being cut and spending the rest of the season with the practice squad. He returned to the Defenders in April of 2025.