Michigan Panthers bring back QB Brian Lewerke, set roster for Ford Field opener

Brian Lewerke is getting another shot with the Michigan Panthers.

The Panthers, set to start their second season playing in Detroit and their first as part of the new United Football League, announced their final 50-man roster Saturday, and Lewerke's name was on it. The former Michigan State quarterback was cut by the team earlier this month.

The Panthers are keeping three quarterbacks, and they were expected to be E.J. Perry (Brown), Danny Etling (LSU) and Davis Cheek (Elon), but Cheek recently announced his retirement. So the Panthers circled back to Lewerke.

Perry is expected to start, with Etling backing up. Lewerke will start the season as the emergency third quarterback.

The first season of the UFL, set up by a merger of the United States Football League and the XFL, starts next weekend. Michigan opens at Ford Field on Saturday, March 30, against the St. Louis Battlehawks.

Here's the rest of the Panthers' opening 50-man roster: S Adonis Alexander (Virginia Tech), S Corrion Ballard (Utah), K Jake Bats (Arkansas), CB Nate Brooks (North Texas), OL Jacob Burton (Baylor), OC Cohl Cabral (Arizona State), EDGE Ron'Dell Carter (James Madison), DT TJ Carter (Kentucky), RB Matthew Colburn II (Wake Forest), ILB Noah Dawkins (Citadel), TE Derrick Deese Jr. (San Jose State), OT Josh Dunlop (UTSA), LB DeGabriel Floyd (East L.A. College), ILB Frank Ginda (San Jose State), CB Keith Gipson Jr. (Mary-Hardin Baylor), WR Devin Gray (Cincinnati), CB Kiante Hardin (Pittsburgh State), WR Josh Hightower (Boise State), TE Cole Hikutini (Louisville), RB Wes Hills (Slippery Rock), OT Jarrett Horst (Michigan State), OC Noah Johnson (Kansas State), SS Sean Mahone (West Virginia), SS Sean Mahone (West Virginia), DT Garrett Marino (UAB), RB Mate McCrary (Saginaw Valley State), P Brock Miller (Southern Utah), FS Kai Nacua (BYU), OT Ryan Nelson (Virginia), TE Gunnar Oakes (Eastern Michigan), LS Jordan Ober (Nebraska), OT Chim Okorafor (Benedictine), DT Walter Palmore (Missouri), OT Ryan Pope (San Diego State), WR Trey Quinn (SMU), WR Devin Ross (Colorado), WR Marcus Simms (West Virginia), DE Breeland Speaks (Mississippi), WR Jordan Suell (Southern Oregon), DE Mika Tafua (Utah), CB Levonta Taylor (Florida State), S Bryce Torneden (Kansas), OT James Walker (SE Oklahoma State), LB DaShaun White (Oklahoma), LB Javin White (UNLV), EDGE Kenny Willekes (Michigan State), DB Kedrick Whitehead Jr. (Delaware) and DT Daniel Wise (Kansas).

Players among the Panthers' final cuts Saturday were: MLB Jerod Ferndandez (N.C. State), DE Vantrel McMillan (Tennessee-Chattanooga), DT Jamal Milan (Illinois), WR Samson Nacua (BYU), OLB Nasir Player (East Tennessee State), T Gene Pryor (Hawaii), RB Toa Taua (Nevada) and CB Alex Thomas (Ferris State).

Lewerke, 27, played for Michigan State from 2015-19, before spending time on the practice squads of the NFL's New England Patriots and New York Giants from 2020-22. He joined the Seattle Sea Dragons of the XFL in 2023, before he was cut and signed with the Panthers last May.

Lewerke didn't play for the Panthers in 2023, and hasn't played in a game since the 2021 preseason with the Giants.

The Panthers, led by second-year head coach Mike Nolan, will play a 10-game schedule, with five games at Ford Field. Individual and season tickets are on sale at TheUFL.com/tickets.

tpaul@detroitnews.com

@tonypaul1984