Seattle Surge CDL roster washes away as rumors swirl around team’s stars

The Seattle Surge officially parted ways with every player on its Call of Duty League (CDL) starting roster today, as well as its head coach, analyst, and general manager.

More than 12 hours after CDL free agency officially began, the Surge thanked Pred, Sib, Accuracy, Mack, and coach Sam “Fenix” Spencer in separate tweets, clearing out the roster that made a surprise run to fourth place at the 2023 CDL Championship. Additionally, general manager Revan tweeted that “all of the contracts on the Surge” had ended, including his, making him a free agent for the second straight offseason. Analyst Nicholas “Equuip” Viera also announced his contract is complete.

While it is theoretically possible that each of the players and its coach will return, rumors have engulfed Seattle’s players all season. Pred, in particular, has been the subject of rumors and reports since early in the season, when OpTic Texas made strong efforts to acquire the Australian superstar to replace retiring legend Scump. Despite receiving the “biggest buyout offer that has ever been,” according to OpTic founder H3CZ, the Surge ultimately decided to keep Pred the entire season despite the team never reaching the same heights they experienced in Major One, a tournament in which the team finished in second place.

Sib has also been rumored to be leaving Seattle, although his destination seems less clear. Throughout the season, many fans blamed Accuracy and Mack for the team’s lackluster performances, although both played admirably at CoD Champs at different moments.

Related: CDL rostermania: All confirmed CoD roster changes after 2023 Call of Duty League season

With the foursome of Accuracy, Mack, Sib, and Pred, the Surge experienced the most success in franchise history. In addition to a grand finals appearance at Major One and a fourth-place finish at the 2023 CDL Championship, Seattle won Major Three in 2022, its first and only title to date, and finished third at the 2022 CDL Championship.

Fortunately for the Surge, there are likely to be plenty of free agents to pursue this offseason. Several teams have completely or mostly gutted their respective rosters, freeing up many talented players. With no GM or head coach, however, it remains to be seen how Seattle will approach roster construction for next season.