The Houston Roughnecks are active once again. On Friday, they signed QB Jalen Morton, DT Robert Cooper, and CB Chris Steele to contracts for the 2026 UFL season.
QB Jalen Morton
In a rather intriguing free agency move, the Houston Roughnecks have opted to sign QB Jalen Morton. Morton is no stranger to the UFL, or spring football. He’s been a backup for the Birmingham Stallions sparingly over the past couple of years, signing for a couple of weeks this past season. Jalen was QB2/QB3 for Birmingham throughout the 2023 USFL season.
After being beat out in camp in 2024, Jalen has been absolutely crushing it in the arena scene. Most recently, Jalen was with the AF1’s Southwest Kansas Storm.
With the Southwest Kansas Storm, Jalen earned AF1 Rookie of the Year honors in 2025. He threw for 2,314 yards and 40 touchdowns – while also rushing for 488 yards and 17 scores.
Now, Jalen will finally get the opportunity to battle it out in camp again – this time with the Houston Roughnecks. He’s the second quarterback the team has signed for 2026, alongside Jalan McClendon. Morton fits the mold of the QB that Houston targets. He’s mobile, has a strong arm, and understands how to play the game the right way. For GM Will Lewis, this is an excellent low-risk, high-reward signing for camp.