Pirates Suffer Big Losses in Off Season

by Rob Disario - Add linebacker Nick Haag to the list of Pirates lost to other National Arena League teams. The all-NAL linebacker is the latest in a string of star players to say goodbye to Worcester, Massachusetts. Early in the off season, Pirates wide receiver Bones Bagaunte signed with the Columbus Lions creating a big, receiver vacancy. In addition, the loss of their head coach, Ameer Ismail to the Cobra’s this week would surely cripple any professional football team.  

Pirate ownership reassures Arena Football Talk the off season gains will surely make up for any roster loss. A possible replacement for Nick Haag is recently signed All Pac-12 linebacker David Luafatasaga. The University of Utah alumnus participated in rookie mini-camps with the Washington Redskins and San Francisco 49ers this past off-season. Another big addition is offensive lineman Kenny Lacy out of UCLA. The 6’4” 310 pound lineman is excited to join the swashbucklers after missing out on the 2017 UCLA season due to hip injury (according to Mick Moninghoff and the Mass Pirates website). 

Pirates re-signed wide receivers Devonn Brown, Mardy Gilyard and Lavon Pearson to return for the Pirates second season. The addition of wide receiver Jhajuan Seales could finish off the wide-out targets for returning NAL MVP quarterback Sean Brackett. Following the 2017 season with Oklahoma State, Seales signed as a free agent with the Chicago Bears and then the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He should fit in well with the Pirates’ powerhouse offense. 

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