ELF: 2024 Wroclaw Panthers: A Roster Breakdown

After a 2023 European League of Football season in which they surprised some preseason doubters by making it to the playoffs, the Wroclaw Panthers will look to build upon that to take the next step in 2024.  Here is a look at their roster, which includes some familiar faces and exciting new additions.

Offense

Quarterback

At 6’6” and 235 pounds, offseason signing Steven Duncan has great size for a quarterback and is a problem for opposing pass rushers to bring down.  Last season with the Dresden Monarchs in the GFL, he led the league in passing yards and touchdowns with 4,703 and 58, respectively, in 14 games.  If his success can translate into the ELF, the Panthers may have one of the best quarterbacks in the league.

Running Back

The Panthers bring back Dawid Brzozowski, who led the league in rushing last season with 1,116 yards in 11 games.  It is hard to say that he is not the best homegrown running back in the league. 

Wroclaw also brought in Russian/American Gennadiy Adams, who was the 7th leading rusher in the GFL last season.  With Brzozowski in the fold, it was a curious decision, but perhaps we could see them both on the field if Adams lines up at receiver.

Wide Receiver

Joining the team this season is American receiver Matt Cole, who is one of the few players in league history to have taken NFL regular season snaps.  The Panthers also bring back Kacper Jaszewski, who finished second on the team in receiving yards last year with 521.  

Tight End

Wroclaw made a big splash when they signed Spanish tight end Adria Botella Moreno, who has been an all star in each of the league’s first three seasons.  With the Paris Musketeers last season, he led all tight ends in receiving yards with 619.

Offensive Line

The Panthers have an offensive line that is solid but not necessarily elite.  The most notable players are Keanu Ebanks, a Brit, and Otavio Amorim, a Brazilian, both of whom have experience in the ELF and the CFL.

Defense

Defensive Line

This is likely the weakest unit on the team, as Wroclaw’s top returning sack leaders among defensive linemen had just one sack each.

Linebacker

If the defensive line is a weakness, then this strong linebacker corps can help fill in any gaps.  Leading the way is American import A.J. Wentland, who joined the team midway through last season after his Leipzig Kings ceased operations.  Despite missing three games last season, Wentland still finished in the top 3 in the league in tackling.  Krzysztof Wis is another strong linebacker who returns from last season.

Defensive Back

Wroclaw brings back a pair of strong defensive backs in Daniel Piatkowski and William James, who combined for over 100 tackles and 3 interceptions last season.

But the star of the secondary might be Devan Burrell. In addition to his abilities at defensive back (he had 63 tackles and 3 interceptions last season), he is also the deadliest return man in the league, as he returned a whopping 5 kickoffs for touchdowns and 2 punts for touchdowns as well.  

Wrapping Up

This team is full of impact players across the board, and should be in line for an even stronger campaign than their 8-4 season last year.  Do not be surprised if they challenge the Vienna Vikings for the Eastern Conference crown.

Offseason Grade: A