After 10 months in the UFL, Michael Barrett had roughly 24 hours to prove he belonged back on an NFL roster. Following months outside the NFL spotlight, the former Michigan national champion is officially back in uniform with the Baltimore Ravens. His spring season in St. Louis provided the exact tape and condition needed to force open that NFL door late in the preseason.

The United Football League announced that St. Louis Battlehawks linebacker Barrett signed with the Ravens on August 26, 2026, following a successful team workout the previous day.

The Ravens were severely short-handed at inside linebacker heading into joint practices and their preseason finale. Teddye Buchanan is still ramping up after a December 2025 ACL tear, having only been activated from the PUP list on August 14. Meanwhile, Carl Jones Jr. missed joint practices and a preseason game, and Danny Pinter’s placement on injured reserve created an immediate roster spot.

Barrett already knows Baltimore head coach Jesse Minter from Michigan, where Minter served as defensive coordinator during the Wolverines’ 2022 and 2023 campaigns. The two won a 2023 national championship together, establishing Barrett as a proven “Minter guy” who understands the defensive scheme without needing weeks of adjustment. Taking advantage of familiarity with trusted former players is a signature trait of coaches running Minter’s system, giving Baltimore full confidence in a late-August addition.

Barrett played at Michigan from 2018 through 2023 as a six-year letterman, 2023 team captain, and two-time third-team All-Big Ten selection. He holds the record as the winningest player in program history with a 61-14 record.

The Carolina Panthers selected Barrett in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft before trading him to Seattle on August 22, 2024. He subsequently spent time on practice squads with the Seahawks, Browns, Packers, and Raiders. In 2025, he signed with the Raiders on May 21 and was waived on August 25, 2025, without making a regular-season appearance.

That leaves a compelling question: How did a player with no NFL regular-season snaps get back on an NFL roster after nearly 10 months in the UFL?

How a UFL Spring Reset Re-Opened the NFL Door

Barrett spent roughly 10 months on UFL rosters from October 3, 2025, through August 26, 2026, spanning an offseason window and one 10-week spring season. The 2025 UFL season ended in mid-June, meaning his October 2025 signing with the Birmingham Stallions was strictly a roster-building move for 2026.

After moving to the St. Louis Battlehawks on January 27, 2026, Barrett played the 2026 UFL regular season from March 27 to May 31. St. Louis finished 6-4 and reached the playoffs before losing in the semifinal round to the Louisville Kings. Barrett served as a key rotational linebacker before Baltimore called him in for a workout.

Baltimore offered a contract immediately following the August 25 workout, executing the classic spring-to-fall transition. Spring leagues allow fringe roster candidates to stay in football shape and maintain game tape for NFL front offices seeking immediate injury relief. Inside linebacker injuries created the vacancy, and Barrett’s prior background under Minter gave him a clear advantage over unfamiliar free agents.

With final 53-man roster cuts taking place in days, Barrett is not projected to start. Starting inside linebackers are set with Roquan Smith at MIKE and Buchanan at WILL, backed up by Trenton Simpson. Other inside linebackers competing on the roster include Jay Higgins IV, Jones, Dominic DeLuca, Jamon Dumas-Johnson, and Reid Williford.

Barrett’s main competition lies in special-teams execution and earning a spot on the practice squad. Baltimore sits at 2-0 in the preseason heading into their Friday, August 28 matchup against the Washington Commanders, where Barrett could make his Ravens debut before the regular-season opener on September 13 against the Indianapolis Colts.