Former Eastern Washington University quarterback, Eric Barriere, has signed with the Michigan Panthers out of The United States Football League (USFL), as announced today (May 20).
 
Barriere was invited to the Denver Bronco's mini-camp last weekend before signing with the Panthers, where he will wear #22. As announced yesterday, former EWU wide receiver Andrew Boston will make his way to the Canadian Football League (CFL) and has signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats after receiving a tryout with the Kansas City Chiefs earlier in May. Boston has been invited to the Tiger-Cats' training camp where he will wear #86.
 
The USFL is in its inaugural season in the Spring of 2022, providing a 12-week (10 regular season weeks, two postseason) alternative to the National Football League (NFL) during the offseason. Games are played in one centralized location (Birmingham, Ala.) and the league includes eight teams that carry a 38-man active roster and a seven-man practice squad.
 
The Panthers are currently 1-4 overall, and while it is unclear when Barriere will take his first snaps, the Panthers take on the Birmingham Stallions tomorrow, May 21, at 4:30 p.m. Pacific time on NBC. Week seven's game is set for 6 p.m. PT on Saturday, May 28 against the New Orleans Breakers on FS1.
 
While Barriere is the first Eastern Washington player to sign with a USFL team, Boston joins a long list of current and former Eagles to make their way through the CFL. Currently, defensive backs Victor Gamboa (2014-17) and T.J. Lee III (2010-13) play for the B.C. Lions, and quarterbacks Bo Levi Mitchell (2010-11) and Vernon Adams Jr. (2012-14) play for the Calgary Stampeders and the Montreal Alouettes, respectively.
 
Cooper Kupp (LA Rams), Samson Ebukam (San Francisco 49ers), Nsimba Webster (Chicago Bears), Kendrick Bourne (New England Patriots) and Taiwan Jones (Buffalo Bills) are on NFL rosters. Former wide receiver Talolo Limu-Jones recently signed with the Carolina Panthers and Tristen Taylor joined the Chicago Bears, both as UDFAs after the 2022 NFL draft.
 
Barriere leaves Eastern as the all-time leader in yards of total offense (15,394), passing yards (13,809) and passing touchdowns (121) which are also Big Sky Conference records. He holds EWU all-time records in completions (1,007), attempts (1,623), rushing yards by a quarterback (1,585), touchdowns responsible for (143) and points responsible for (882), among many other categories. His 42 starts in 51 games at the quarterback position is the second-highest mark in school history. He won the prestigious Walter Payton Award in the 2021 season, also finishing as the runner up in 2020-21 and fifth in 2019. Barriere had 17 games with 400 or more yards of total offense, also an Eastern record, and he won Big Sky Conference Player of the Week honors 12 times. He was named the Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Year in each of his final two seasons. Barriere was named All-American by eight different publications in 2021. He ends his career ranked 11th in rushing touchdowns (22), third in yards of total offense per game (301.8), fifth in completion percentage (62.0%) and fourth in passing efficiency rating (154.5).
 
In his four seasons as an Eagle, Boston racked up 188 receptions (eighth in school history) for 2,621 yards (10th) and 20 touchdowns (T-11th) in 45 career games (35 as a starter). He holds an average of 4.18 receptions per game, which places him in the top seven in EWU history. The 2021 season saw Boston earn second team All-Big Sky honors and was also named second team All-Big Sky by Phil Steele Publications. He played in all 13 games during the 2021 season, starting in 11. He caught 69 passes (tied for second in the Big Sky) for a total of 969 yards (fourth). Boston racked up 106 receiving yards in a double overtime win against FBS opponent UNLV on 9/2/21, and he scored Eastern's first two touchdowns in a nationally-ranked matchup against Montana on 10/2/21. The most explosive outing of his career came against Idaho on 10/16/21, as he caught five passes for 175 yards (35.0 per reception) and a touchdown. His career-long reception of 73 yards was also set in that game. Boston's 14 receptions against Montana (12/3/21) is tied for a school record in the FCS Playoffs, alongside teammate Talolo Limu-Jones, and it ranks as the sixth-highest mark for any game in EWU history. In the preseason, he was named by Phil Steele Publications as a third team All-Big Sky Conference selection.