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[Washington Commanders]

Daily Slop - 23 Mar 25 - What happens if the Commanders trade out of the first round of April’s draft?

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A collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders

Commanders links​

Articles​

Washington Wire​

What could the Commanders receive for the 29th pick in the 2025 NFL draft?​

The Commanders received three offers for the 29th selection:

• WASH trades picks 29 & 245 for picks 35 & 103 from the Titans
• WASH trades pick 29 for picks 33 & 179 from the Browns
• WASH trades picks 29 & 128 for picks 55 & 86 (2025) and 2nd & 3rd (2026) from the Chargers

Paulsen pointed out that the Commanders need some more draft capital, having traded a fifth-rounder for Deebo Samuel. They are down three selections after the Laremy Tunsil trade. Paulsen felt the Chargers trade was valuable because it would recoup two more selections for the Commanders next season.

Hoffman and Paulsen accepted the deal with the Chargers, which meant that though the Commanders did not now have picks at 29 and 128, they did move...to picks 55 and 86, plus they would have the Chargers’ round two and round three picks for 2026.

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Bullock’s Film Room (subscription)​

State of the Roster Update: Commanders Offense​

Breaking down where things stand with the Commanders offense after the initial wave of free agency

Running Back​

On the roster: Brian Robinson, Austin Ekeler, Jeremy McNichols, Chris Rodriguez, Kazmeir Allen, Demetric Felton, Michael Strachan.

Short term need: Low/Medium.

Long term need: Medium/High.

Analysis: As of today, the running back room remains the same from last season. Brian Robinson is set to be the starter again with Austin Ekeler playing his role as the third down back. Jeremy McNichols re-signed with the team in free agency after impressing last year as a back up to Ekeler, with his skills as a pass protector standing out. Chris Rodriguez is also back to recreate the room that ended last season. They also have three more guys from the practice squad/futures contracts in Allen, Felton and Strachan that will likely be camp bodies.

I know there is a clamoring from the fan base for some more explosion from this position and I don’t disagree with that idea. Adding an explosive back that can rip off some long runs when the defense is too concerned about Daniels keeping the ball on a read-option run or a guy that can be a threat catching passes out of the backfield would definitely add a big dimension to the offense. But I think there are other priorities to address first and if they go into the 2025 season with the same running back room as 2024, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. So short term, I don’t think the need is that high.That being said, I do expect them to look to add a running back in the draft, especially given the apparent strength of the running back class. I’m not sure they’d take one at 29, but after the first round I think it’s certainly an option on the table.

Looking longer term, the need does become more significant. All four running backs at the top of the depth chart are entering into the final years of their contracts, which means currently they have no running back under contract beyond this season. That makes the long term need a lot higher, but running backs are so undervalued that they could probably replace the entire running back room next offseason and get a similar level of performance from a group made up of free agents and a draft pick. By that point, they might have built up the roster enough to make running back more of a priority too. But still, I expect they will add a running back in the draft and probably an undrafted free agent or two to try out in camp as well.

State of the Roster Update: Defense​

Breaking down where things stand with the Commanders defense after the initial wave of free agency

Defensive End​

On the roster: Dorance Armstrong, Deatrich Wise, Clelin Ferrell, Jalyn Holmes, Jacob Martin, Javontae Jean-Baptiste, Viliami Feheko, Andre Jones.

Short term need: High.

Long term need: High.

Analysis: After all the talk of a big trade for Myles Garrett or Trey Hendrickson, or signing a high profile free agent like Josh Sweat, the Commanders opted against a high profile addition at defensive end. They might not have had much choice in the matter given the Browns weren’t trading Garrett, the Bengals appear to be trying to retain Hendrickson and Sweat went to Arizona to play for his old defensive coordinator. So in the end, the Commanders focused on retaining most of their own. Only Dorance Armstrong and Javontae Jean-Baptiste were under contract for 2025, so the team re-signed Clelin Ferrell and Jalyn Holmes to help fill out the group.

The team did lose Dante Fowler in free agency. Fowler was expected to be a role player as a pass rush specialist when he signed last year, but ended up becoming a starter and playing a significant role due to injuries. He took his chance and had one of the best years of his career, getting double digit sacks. He clearly felt his production merited a bigger contract than what the Commanders were willing to offer and tweeted as such before free agency officially began. In the end, Fowler opted to return to Dallas and the Commanders lost their sack leader from last season.

I don’t blame the Commanders for holding their ground with Fowler. He did take a step forward as a pass rusher last year, but will be 31 in August and wasn’t a well-rounded player. He struggled against the run and while he took a step forward as a pass rusher, his history suggests he won’t replicate that type of production again. It would have been good to have him back, but at a set price and clearly Fowler wanted more, which is completely fine for him too. Losing Fowler does mean the Commanders have to replace his sacks, and as a unit they need more pass rush production than what they got last year anyway. An upgrade is needed but as of now has yet to be found.

The team did add some free agents. Deatrich Wise is a veteran pass rusher with a nice variety of pass rush moves available to him. He’s also got the size and positional flexibility to kick inside and rush from different spots, something the Commanders like from their defensive ends. That could lead to some of his pass rush potential becoming unlocked more than it was in New England, but ultimately he’s unlikely to match Fowler’s output last year, let alone surpass it. Jacob Martin was also brought in to see if his raw traits can be tapped into a little more, but he’s still more of a depth piece with no guarantee to make the roster, not a starting option.

So all of that leaves the Commanders with a significant need of quality at defensive end. At this point in the offseason, that’s probably only like to come in the draft with a high draft pick. Fortunately, it appears to be a deep class of defensive ends so the Commanders should be able to land one in the first round if they want to. Asking a rookie to step in and be the top pass rusher on the team straight away is a tough position to put them in, but I do think the Commanders can help lessen that burden.

Dan Quinn’s philosophy with the Cowboys was to play man coverage and free up extra defenders to join the rush and blitz more. That meant that the Cowboys could generate pressure up front almost regardless of who they had rushing. Now they also had Micah Parsons, one of the best pass rushers in the NFL, but he was helped by this strategy rather than hindered by it. By committing so many extra rushers, offenses typically had to try and block everyone one-on-one, meaning they couldn’t get extra hands on Parsons. If Quinn can replicate that this season, then any rookie pass rusher would be helped by getting more one-on-one situations rather than having protections slide his ways and chippers doubling up on him.

Having an explosive rookie rusher to add into the mix would take the defense forward a step by enabling the Commanders to feature him and move everyone else down on the depth chart. Dorance Armstrong could then take his place as the second rusher, which he fits nicely after stepping up from being the third man in the rotation in Dallas. Then guys like Wise and last year’s seventh rounder Javontae Jean-Baptiste can mix in as part of the rotation and play their particular roles without being exposed to situations they aren’t ready or suitable for. It’s still not the strongest unit on the team and one or two injuries would be quite troublesome, but a first round rookie and Dorance Armstrong wouldn’t be a terrible pair of starting defensive ends. It is definitely a position they need to add in the draft unless another surprise trade candidate becomes available.

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Riggo’s Rag​

Stacking the Commanders’ 2025 recruitment against NFC East rivals so far​

Cowboys​

Dallas averted disaster by re-signing sought-after defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa shortly before free agency. They still lost significant defensive players in DeMarcus Lawrence, Jourdan Lewis, and Chauncey Golston. Payton Turner and Solomon Thomas will attempt to fill in the holes, and edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr. returns to the Cowboys after a year in Washington.

Backup quarterback Cooper Rush, who started much of 2024 in relief of the injured Dak Prescott, is gone. So is leading rusher Rico Dowdle.

The Cowboys effectively swapped running backs with the Carolina Panthers, bringing in Miles Sanders to share the backfield with Javonte Williams. Both have been very good in the past and neither is particularly old. But they haven’t impressed of late.

Most of the Cowboys’ moves have been at the margins for limited performers like Parris Campbell and Robert Jones, or backups and role players. With several massive contracts still on the books — Prescott alone carries a cap hit of over $50 million in 2025 — Jones still seems unwilling to spend the money necessary to bring in real difference-makers.

Giants​

[T]hey have brought in a lot of new players and lost very few to other teams.

Even so, they lost a better player in developing edge rusher Azeez Ojulari than any of the free agents brought in. The Giants are hoping that Paulson Adebo and Jevon Holland can help solidify the secondary and that Golston can help the pass rush. Almost all of their other moves, both on offense and defense, have been for marginal players who have never produced beyond the backup level.

The single best move they have made thus far has been to re-sign deep-threat wide receiver Darius Slayton. Now they just need to figure out who will be throwing him the ball [in addition to Jameis Winston].

Eagles​

As expected, the Eagles lost several key members of their Super Bowl-winning squad, including starters Josh Sweat, Mekhi Becton, and Darius Slay. However, they also proved why Roseman is playing chess while most other general managers are stuck in Chutes and Ladders.

He proactively re-signed breakout linebacker Zack Baun and extended offensive line anchor Lane Johnson. Earlier, he extended All-Pro running back Saquon Barkley. Roseman made a couple of trades that added two fifth-round draft picks as well as a developmental quarterback (Dorian Thompson-Robinson) and offensive lineman Kenyon Green.

Green was a major disappointment with the Houston Texans, but he is still just 24 years old and has a huge potential upside.

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Podcasts & videos​

Welcoming New Commanders, Deebo Samuel Sr. Exclusive & 2025 NFL Draft Prep | Command Center | NFL​

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NFC East links​

Big Blue View​

New York Giants free agency: WR Zach Pascal signs with Giants​

Pascal, 30, is a seven-year veteran who spent four seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, one with the Philadelphia Eagles and the last two years with the Arizona Cardinals. Giants wide receivers coach Mike Groh was was Pascal in Indianapolis in 2020 and 2021 when he caught a combined 82 passes.

Pascal, 6-foot-2, 215 pounds, played only 68 offensive snaps for the Cardinals in 2024. He was never targeted.

‘Things I think’ after the Giants’ signing of QB Jameis Winston​

The Winston Experience is always a thrill ride

The 31-year-old Winston wasn’t the best quarterback on the market. Given where the Giants are, though, signing him always made sense. He is a former No. 1 pick who has had well-chronicled ups and downs during what has become a journeyman career. He profiles not only as a quarterback Brian Daboll will appreciate for his (sometimes questionable) willingness to push the ball down the field, but also as a player who should be an excellent mentor for a young quarterback. Former teammates love Winston.

In a poll earlier this month, Big Blue View readers chose Winston over Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson as the veteran quarterback they wanted the Giants to sign.

Mike Garafolo wrote “This does not change the #Giants’ pursuit of Aaron Rodgers or alter any other possible QB routes.”

Paul Schwartz of the New York Post wrote of Rodgers that “The Giants still want him and will not close the door on him.”

I have always thought Rodgers to the Giants was both unlikely and a comically bad idea. Still do.

If Winston ends up being the only veteran quarterback signed, the necessity of drafting a young quarterback early is obvious. Winston, at this point in his career, isn’t a long-term answer at the position.

A trade up for Cam Ward at No. 1 seems unlikely as of now. Will that be Shedeur Sanders at No. 3? Jaxson Dart at No. 34 or via trade back into Round 1?

It is clear the Giants are not done at quarterback. They can’t be.

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The Athletic (paywall)​

Jameis Winston is just a placeholder; the Giants’ fate rests on their next QB decision​

The Giants landed on Winston after flirting with a trio of aging Super Bowl champions. The 31-year-old Winston has had a roller-coaster career, but he should be an upgrade over the abysmal quarterback play the Giants have received over the past two seasons from Daniel Jones and a cast of others.

But this isn’t the end of the Giants’ quarterback quest this offseason. In some ways, it’s just the beginning. The Giants were always going to add a veteran quarterback, whether it was Winston, Matthew Stafford, Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson or Joe Flacco. But landing the future quarterback was always the top priority of the offseason. Co-owner John Mara said as much when he announced his decision to retain general manager Joe Schoen and coach Brian Daboll after last season’s 3-14 abomination.

“Obviously, the No. 1 issue for us going into this offseason is to find our quarterback of the future,” Mara said on the first day of the offseason.

It’s hard to give this regime the benefit of the doubt since their handling of the quarterback position landed them in this position three years into their tenure.

The real work begins now for Schoen and Daboll. Armed with a capable NFL quarterback, they can focus all of their energy on evaluating the quarterback prospects in this year’s draft class.

If the Titans stay at No. 1 and take Ward, then what for the Giants? If they loved the other quarterbacks in this class, would they have tried so desperately to land Stafford, who would have been expensive (in cap space and draft capital) and would have been expected to start for multiple years?

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NFL league links​

Articles​

Deadspin​

Titans sign edge rusher Lorenzo Carter​

The Tennessee Titans have signed edge rusher Lorenzo Carter, the team announced Thursday.

Carter, a third-round pick by the New York Giants in 2018, spent four seasons with the franchise while appearing in 49 games. During that span, the 29-year-old amassed 153 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, and 14.5 sacks.

The edge has spent the last three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. In 2024, he played 13 games (11 starts) and posted 32 tackles, two tackles for loss, one forced fumble and a career-low zero sacks.

‘It’s a lot of hate’: Shedeur Sanders postpones workouts but remains positive​

The Big 12 Conference’s inaugural Pro Day had its share of standouts Thursday, but one thing it did not have was Shedeur Sanders working out.

The Colorado quarterback elected not to participate in workouts, though he was in attendance at the event in Frisco, Texas, highlighting the top NFL prospects in the Big 12, and he told NFL Network (broadcasting the event) that he isn’t letting critics get to him.

“It’s a lot of critics, it’s a lot of hate,” Sanders said. “But we know what to do. We know how to handle that in every way, so we remain happy.”

The showcase, which continues through Friday, features more than 200 football players from the conference. Among the notable participants on Thursday included Arizona’s Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who posted the best 40 time of all running backs (4.45), and Utah’s Caleb Lohner, who bested all tight ends with a 37-inch vertical jump.

Perhaps the highest-profile athlete in attendance, Sanders chose instead to work out at Colorado’s “CU Football Showcase” on April 4.

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Discussion topics​

Barstool Sports​

Rapoport Makes it Sound Like Aaron Rodgers is Once Again Prepared to Take His Sweetass Time Deciding Where He Signs​

I’ll admit that at times I’ve been somewhat critical of Aaron Rodgers. But it’s at times like this that I respect the hell out the man. How can I not? There’s something admirable about a guy who’s willing to do what he’s doing right now.

We’re halfway through March. He’s an unemployed 41 year old professional athlete who plays the most demanding position in all of sports. He’s just been humiliatingly rejected by the most laughably incompetent franchise in existence who had pinned all their hopes on him over the past two seasons of failure that saw them hand total control over to him. The GM who recruited him and bankrupted the organization to get him got fired, followed by the head coach. The first order of business for the new braintrust was to cut all ties and move on without him. Sources around the league have said there’ll be no market for him:

He’s coming off his worst statistical season. And after all his years in the league, he’s still only made one trip to the Super Bowl, albeit winning a ring. But even that was a decade and a half ago. If you’re old enough to have memories of that championship, congratulations on your recent college graduation.

Any average, garden variety human in Rodgers’ situation would either retire, or gladly accept a sort of ceremonial backup position. A QB Emeritus role of mentoring some younger, more qualified starter. Still drawing a paycheck, but without all the heavy lifting. Think Doug Flutie or Randall Cunningham. In Rodgers’ case, as a Hall of Famer in Waiting.

But not him. Even with the QB1 market drying up around him, he’s reportedly in no hurry whatsoever to find employment.

[Y]ou can’t help but be amazed at the self-confidence. True, it’s sad. But at the same time it’s ballsy. Like that old guy who still hitting on college chicks at the bar. You feel that secondhand embarrassment for him, but still appreciate the fact he’s got no quit in him. And in a million-to-one shot, might actually luck out and find himself a dance partner. The ones you don’t respect are whoever is willing to leave with him at the end of the night.

So keep doing you, ARod. There’s no shame in still trying. If it works out, I’ll admire him even more. It’s whatever team is willing to accept the sloppy seconds of the Jets, of all people, that we should really feel embarrassed for.

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All aTwitter​

The best of Deebo (so far)@19problemz | #RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/nAhWcUrScK

— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) March 22, 2025​

.@BrianR_4 top plays for his birthday pic.twitter.com/SDBIb2Kw61

— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) March 22, 2025​

Red Zone QB Pin & Pull is an underrated play. pic.twitter.com/tWr7PXH3HQ

— Coach Dan Casey (@CoachDanCasey) March 23, 2025​

if your team is drafting a RB in a few weeks, watch these videos

First 8 prospect profiles are posted. Hitting the top WR names next weekhttps://t.co/Csv6XFYF5o pic.twitter.com/gqiG9IuOiz

— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) March 22, 2025​

Yesterday's conversation led to two interesting 4th Round prospects I was unfamiliar with.

WR Tory Horton Colorado State
RB Brashard Smith SMU

I'm looking forward to learning some more about them. pic.twitter.com/0RUZM7gVvx

— George Carmi (@Gcarmi21) March 22, 2025​

TreVeyon Henderson pass pro is the football version of “if he wanted to he would”. If the 5’10/202-pound RB is blocking like this no one has any excuse pic.twitter.com/ogUWqIfXLc

— James Foster (@NoFlagsFilm) March 22, 2025​

The Jaguars are the only team that hasn't re-signed an unrestricted free agent this year. https://t.co/uWJrIzTLiR

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) March 23, 2025​

Juju Watkins and QB Jayden Daniels watching the Tournament together pic.twitter.com/CUHas8yJQN

— TMSPN.com (@sportsgossip) March 23, 2025​

The Commanders hired former JBG Smith executive vice president Andy VanHorn as their head of real estate, as @WBJonline noted. He oversees all real estate-related work with the team’s properties and is the lead on their stadium development project. He started in January.

— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) March 22, 2025​

posting a photo from last season every day until OTAs pic.twitter.com/NuHq8L4DGa

— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) March 22, 2025​

I can confirm that Reggie Barlow is stepping down as head coach of the D.C. Defenders to become the next head coach at Tennessee State, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.

QBs coach Shannon Harris is expected to be the Defenders’ interim head coach. pic.twitter.com/f9tpwVrzw2

— Jake Russell (@_JakeRussell) March 22, 2025​

CAPS TODAY: The Capitals’ +111 goal differential improvement from last season is currently the fourth-highest season-to-season improvement in NHL history among teams who qualified for the playoffs both seasons: https://t.co/EwA0dwZwZb pic.twitter.com/VS7IzILFL3

— Capitals PR (@CapitalsPR) March 22, 2025​

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Source: https://www.hogshaven.com/2025/3/23...-trade-out-of-the-first-round-of-aprils-draft

 

[Washington Commanders]

Grading the NFC East offenses pre-draft: Who is the top dog?

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

There is no doubt the Commanders significantly upgraded their offense so far this offseason. The additions of Deebo Samuel and Laremy Tunsil were two huge moves. Acquiring Tunsil also allows second-year lineman Brandon Coleman to move to either right tackle or guard, thus strengthening another position along the offensive line. Both Zach Ertz and John Bates were re-signed and both figure to play key roles in 2025. Still, significant holes remain at running back, wide receiver and on the offensive line.

Washington currently holds just two top 100 picks in next month's draft. It remains to be seen which side of the ball Adam Peters will focus on, and if he trades back in round one to get some more picks.

Below is how each NFC East team's offense looks on paper prior to the NFL Draft, with corresponding grades for each position and an overall grade for their current offense.

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Washington Commanders ​

QB: Daniels - A

RB: Robinson - C+

WR: McLaurin - A

WR: Samuel - B+

WR: Brown - C+

TE: Ertz - B

LT: Tunsil - A

LG: Coleman - B-

C: Biadasz - B+

RG: Cosmi - B+

RT: Wylie - C

____________________

Grade: B+

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The Rest of the NFC East​

Philadelphia Eagles​

QB: Hurts - B+

RB: Barkley - A+

WR: Brown - A

WR: Smith - B+

WR: Dotson - C

TE: Goedert - B+

LT: Mailata - A-

LG: Dickerson - B+

C: Jurgens - B

RG: Steene - C

RT: Johnson - A+

____________________

Grade: A-

Dallas Cowboys​

QB: Prescott - B

RB: Williams - B-

WR: Lamb - A

WR: Tolbert - B-

WR: Mingo - C-

TE: Ferguson - B

LT: Guyton - B-

LG: Smith - B

C: Beebe - B

RG: Hoffman - C

RT: Steele - B

____________________

Grade: B

New York Giants​

QB: Winston - C

RB: Tracy - B

WR: Nabers - A-

WR: Slaton - B

WR: Robinson - C

TE: Johnson - B-

LT: Thomas - A

LG: Runyan - C

C: Schmitz - C

RG: Van Roten - C

RT: Eluemunor - B-

____________________

Grade: C

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Best Overall player - Saquon Barkley

-Honorable Mention - Lane Johnson

Best Quarterback - Jayden Daniels

-Honorable Mention - Jalen Hurts

Best Running Back - Saquon Barkley

-Honorable Mention - Tyrone Tracy

Best Wide Receiver - CeeDee Lamb

-Honorable Mention - Terry McLaurin

Best Tight End - Dallas Goedert

-Honorable Mention - Zach Ertz

Best Offensive Line - Eagles

-Honorable Mention - Commanders

2025 Break-Out Candidate - Theo Johnson

-Honorable Mention - Jalen Tolbert

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Source: https://www.hogshaven.com/2025/3/23...-the-top-dog-commanders-eagles-cowboys-giants

 

[Washington Commanders]

Grading the NFC East defenses pre-draft - Who stands out above the rest?

Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Washington struggled on defense last season, especially stopping the run where they ranked 30th in the NFL. The NFC Championship game saw them give up 229 rushing yards and seven total rushing touchdowns to the division rival Philadelphia Eagles.

They weren’t great against the pass either, allowing 25 passing touchdowns and recording just seven interceptions (tied for fourth fewest in the league).

They finished the season 18th in total points allowed, and 13th in total yards allowed.

Adam Peters and Dan Quinn remain adamant about fixing this, and thus far have added some key pieces to the unit to help bolster the run defense (Javon Kinlaw, Eddie Goldman, Deatrich Wise and Jacob Martin), and some utility players in the secondary (Jonathan Jones and Will Harris).

But did Washington actually improve on the defensive side of the ball like they did on offense?

Gone are Jonathan Allen, Jeremy Chinn and Donte Fowler, and I’m not sure the pieces added will match the production of those players. Thankfully for Peters, the NFL Draft is a month away and reinforcements should be coming.

Below, I look at how the Commanders current depth chart compares to our rivals in the NFC East.

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Washington Commanders​

EDGE: Dorance Armstrong - C+

DT: Daron Payne - B

DT: Jer’Zhan Newton/Javon Kinlaw - B-

EDGE: Deatrich Wise - C

LB: Bobby Wagner - B+

LB: Frankie Luvu - A-

CB: Marshon Lattimore - B+

CB: Mike Sainristil - B+

Slot CB: Jonathan Jones - B

S: Will Harris - B

S: Quan Martin - B

____________________

Grade: B-

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The Rest of the NFC East​

Philadelphia Eagles​

EDGE: Nolan Smith - B

DT: Jalen Carter - A+

DT: Jordan Davis - B

EDGE: Azeez Ojulari - B

LB: Zach Baun - A

LB: Nakobe Dean - B+

CB: Quinyon Mitchell - A-

CB: Adoree Jackson - B-

Slot CB: Cooper DeJean - B+

S: Sydney Brown - C+

S: Reed Blankinship - B

____________________

Grade: B+

New York Giants​

EDGE: Brian Burns - A-

DT: Dexter Lawrence - A+

DT: Chauncey Golston - B-

EDGE: Kayvon Thibodeaux - B+

LB: Bobby Okereke - A-

LB: Micah McFadden - B

CB: Paulson Adebo - B+

CB: Deonte Banks - B

Slot CB: Dru Phillips - C+

S: Tyler Nubin - B+

S: Jevon Holland - A-

____________________

Grade: B+

Dallas Cowboys​

DE: Micah Parsons - A+

DT: Osa Odighizuwa - B+

DT: Mazi Smith - B-

DE: Dante Fowler - B-

LB: Kenneth Murray - B-

LB: DeMarvion Overshown - B

CB: Trevon Diggs - B+

CB: Daron Bland - B+

Slot CB: Kemon Hall - C-

S: Malik Hooker - B

S: Donovan Wilson - B-

____________________

Grade: B-

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Best Overall player - Micah Parsons

-Honorable Mention - Dexter Lawrence

Best EDGE - Micah Parsons

-Honorable Mention - Brian Burns

Best Defensive Tackle - Dexter Lawrence

-Honorable Mention - Jalen Carter

Best Off-the-Ball Linebacker - Zach Baun

-Honorable Mention - Frankie Luvu & Bobby Okereke

Best Cornerback - Quinyon Mitchell

-Honorable Mention - Marshon Lattimore

Best Safety - Jevon Holland

-Honorable Mention - Tyler Nubin

2025 Break-Out Candidate - Cooper DeJean

-Honorable Mention - Mike Sainristil

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Source: https://www.hogshaven.com/2025/3/24...enses-pre-draft-who-stands-out-above-the-rest

 

[Washington Commanders]

The 5 O’Clock Club: Why is Nick Folk still an unsigned free agent?

Kara Durrette/Getty Images

It’s 5 o’clock somewhere…

The 5 o’clock club is published from time to time during the season, and aims to provide a forum for reader-driven discussion at a time of day when there isn’t much NFL news being published. Feel free to introduce topics that interest you in the comments below.

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CLICK HERE to see the full 5 o’clock club archive

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Honestly, this is the kind of late-March free agent move by a team that usually wouldn’t even register with me. The Titans signed Joey Slye.

With Joey Slye signed, it means the #Titans are officially moving on from 40-year old Nick Folk, who hit 50 of 52 FGs over two years with Tennessee, including 11 of 12 from 50+. He led the NFL in field-goal percentage in each of those two years. https://t.co/3YLeekUZeT

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 24, 2025​

I’ve gotta be honest with you, when I read that Tennessee has signed Slye, I assume that Joey is the camp competition and Nick Folk, who had been the kicker in Tennessee for the past two years, is the guy who is expected to be kicking for the Titans when Week 1 rolls around despite being a currently unsigned free agent. I assume that the Titans and Folk are just hammering out some contract details.

But when Ian Rappaport says that a team is “officially moving on” from a guy, I tend to take notice because drawing distinctions between this and phrases like “indicates that the team might” are pretty critical in the type of reporting RapSheet does for a living. He carries water for agents and teams who want to communicate specific information in a certain way; if Ian says that the Titans are moving on from Nick Folk, who am I to disagree?

I do find it surprising, though. Look at the comparison of the two players for the past two seasons:

It occurred to me that I might have missed or forgotten about a news story in which Nick Folk ended up center stage in some embarrassing faux pas, arrest or scandal. So I googled. I found no scandals.

I then thumped my forehead and said to myself, “Of course! Folk is 41 years old and has decided to retire!” So I googled. Here’s what I found:

Folk put any retirement rumors to rest on Monday by saying that he intends to play in 2025.

“I want to keep playing. I’ve told everyone [in the organization] that already. My mind is made up. Guys who I have talked to, they kind of like know when they’re done. I haven’t ever thought that I want to be done with it. That’s just where I’m at,” Folk said on Monday as the locker room was clearing out. “I want to keep playing, so it’s already made up. The decision is already made in my mind.”

So, Nick Folk, aged 41, who led the NFL in kicking percentage over the past two years, is an unsigned free agent who appears to have been dumped by his old team.

Washington’s current kicker is Zane Gonzalez, who’s most recent claim to fame is probably his ‘bank shot’ to seal the playoff win against the Buccaneers in the wildcard round of the NFC playoffs in January.

Innenpfosten und rein! Die Commanders gewinnen durch das Game Winning Field Goal von Zane Gonzalez mit 23-20 bei den Buccaneers.

Es ist der erste Playoffsieg von Washington seit 19 Jahren (damals auch auswärts bei den Buccaneers).pic.twitter.com/TDYjRvys9N

— René Bugner (@RNBWCV) January 13, 2025​

Gonzo has a career FG percentage of 80%. In his 6 regular season games with Washington in 2024, he made 71.4% of his attempts, missing his only attempt beyond 50 yards. He made 7 of 8 attempts in the playoffs, making his only attempt beyond 50 yards, and hitting that game-winner vs Tampa Bay.

I find myself looking for reasons why the Commanders haven’t made a deal to bring Nick Folk to Washington. Absent any scandals or retirement, all I’m left with is contract and salary cap issues. For the past three seasons, playing for New England and Tennessee, Nick Folk earned between $2.2 and $3.7m per season, which seems affordable for the league’s most accurate kicker, but he also had significant guarantees in those three seasons — $2.3m over two seasons (‘22-’23) and $3.5m for one season in 2024.

At this point, I’m guessing that the issue Nick Folk is having with NFL teams is that, having gotten a taste of guaranteed money at that level, he’s hooked and wants more of the same — and maybe for multiple years — which may not be something teams are excited about.

Because why else would the most accurate kicker in the NFL, who has expressed his desire to continue kicking in 2025, not have a job?

Source: https://www.hogshaven.com/2025/3/25...why-is-nick-folk-still-an-unsigned-free-agent

 

[Washington Commanders]

Should Wyatt Milum Move Inside to Help Improve the Commanders’ Offensive Line?

Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images

Hogs Haven takes a look at 2025 NFL Draft prospects that could contribute to the Commanders

Wyatt Milum, OT
School: West Virginia | Conference: Big 12
College Experience: Senior | Age: 23
Height / Weight: 6’6” / 313 lbs
Projected Draft Status: 2nd-3rd Round

Player Comparison: Braden Smith

Player Overview​

West Virginia’s very own Wyatt Milum played both offensive and defensive tackle while in high school in the Mountain State. Milum finished his high school career as one of the state’s best high school prospects ever, named an all-state player three consecutive years and the top prospect in the state. The four-star prospect chose to stay home and play for the Mountaineers instead of accepting offers from the likes of Ohio State, Alabama, Michigan, Georgia, and Penn State.

Milum got right to work once he got on campus. His first year in Morgantown, he played in 12 games, starting eight of those contests at right tackle. In eight of those 12 games, Milum did not give up a sack. This would be a trend for Milum throughout his career. Next year as a sophomore, Milum started 12 games at left tackle. Milum would again not give up a sack in eight of 12 games. In his third season, Milum did not allow a sack and only eight pressures on his way to All-Big 12 honors. For his final year of college football, Milum was named an All-American after not allowing a sack for a second-consecutive year.

Strengths​

• Handles stunts and twists well
• Strong punch and good hand placement in pass pro
• Good grip strength; stays attached to defenders
• Very good anchor to handle power rushers
• Nasty drive blocker, using his legs to generate power

Weaknesses​

• Slower feet make it hard to stay centered on blockers
• Slow to change direction to handle counter moves
• Speed around the edge can be difficult for him to handle
• Inconsistent blocking in space

Let’s See His Work​

Wyatt Milum LOL

— Matt (@coachminich.bsky.social) 2025-03-21T18:41:37.071Z

Wyatt Milum, OT, West Virginia has a top 30 visit scheduled with the Commanders at the Big12 Pro Days this week.

— Ken Johannesen (@BurgundyBurner) March 20, 2025​

Source: nfl.com

Wyatt Milum is a OT prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored an unofficial 8.01 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 284 out of 1420 OT from 1987 to 2025.

Times unofficial, splits may be projected.https://t.co/NVAKMFoLDC pic.twitter.com/MP4yDEQAnF

— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 22, 2025​

Gut feeling Wyatt Milum is out starting LG next season if he isn’t taken before we want to draft him

We have met with him at the Senior Bowl and Combine

He’s experienced, big and athletic 3 things AP has prioritized pic.twitter.com/xZucnSO0wG

— Hugh (@CommandersPost) March 13, 2025​

How He Fits on the Commanders​

The Commanders have been busy remaking their offensive line this offseason. They upgraded the left tackle spot by trading for Laremy Tunsil, adding him to a front that will include Nick Allegretti, Tyler Biadasz, Brandon Coleman, and Andrew Wylie. Swing tackle Cornelius Lucas is gone, but the team signed Nate Herbig and Foster Sarell, and re-signed Trent Scott. If there is a weakness that remains along the line, it may be left guard.

The strengths and weaknesses of Wyatt Milum make him an intriguing long-term option at offensive guard. His game is all about strength and power attributes that teams covet on the interior offensive line. While movement skills are not his best attribute and he shouldn’t be asked to contribute much in an outside zone scheme, he can move and could be an effective puller in a gap scheme. The Commanders already have solutions on the interior in Allegretti, Cosmi when he gets healthy, and either Coleman or Wylie. Milum could compete to start right away, or he could be given a season to transition to the position and take on a starting role next year.

Source: https://www.hogshaven.com/2025/3/25...to-help-improve-the-commanders-offensive-line

 

[Washington Commanders]

Daily Slop - 25 Mar 25 - Boston College DE Donovan Ezeiruaku could be who the Commanders are looking for

Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

A collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders

Commanders links​

Articles​

Commanders.com​

Mock Draft Monday | FOX Sports’ Rob Rang gives Commanders top safety prospect​

This week, we’re focusing on a mock draft from FOX Sports’ Rob Rang, who thinks Washington could take one of the best safeties in the class.

Malaki Starks, S, Georgia​

The safety position didn’t start as a need for the Commanders this offseason, but it certainly became one once Jeremy Chinn agreed to terms with the Las Vegas Raiders on a two-year contract.

Washington has since addressed the position by adding veteran Will Harris, who has experience playing alongside cornerback Marshon Lattimore. At 29 years old, Harris is the physical, competitive player head coach Dan Quinn desires on his roster. He’s a willing tackler and can handle himself in coverage — two qualities the Commanders needed more of on their defense in 2024.

Even with Harris’ addition, the Commanders could benefit from finding a young player who could immediately fall into the rotation while developing into a more impactful player. And with safety not being considered a “premium” position similar to offensive line, cornerback and pass rusher, there’s a chance such a prospect falls to them at No. 29.

Fox Sports’ Rob Rang has the Commanders taking Malaki Starks, widely considered one of this year’s best safeties, off the board and bolstering their secondary.

“Washington addressed the issue in free agency by signing Will Harris from the Saints, but should the instinctive Starks still be on the board, the Commanders would be wise to double down at the position,” Rang wrote.

There are other safeties in this draft class with a more athletic profile than Starks. For example, South Carolina’s Nick Emmanwori — Starks’ best competition for being the best safety in the draft — drew attention at the combine for recording a 4.38 40-yard dash in addition to position-best numbers in the vertical jump (43 inches) and broad jump (11-foot-6). Like Starks, Emmanwori is physical and excels at the line of scrimmage with 88 tackles and four interceptions in 2024.

However, Kiper ranks Starks as the best safety on his board because of his position flexibility, overall talent and intelligence. Most analysts view him as someone who can start and raise a defense’s ceiling as a rookie.

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Bullock’s Film Room (subscription)​

NFL Draft Profile: DE Donovan Ezeiruaku​

Last week in the State of the Roster breakdowns I wrote, I said I believed defensive end was the biggest need for the Commanders going into the draft, so this week I’m going to look at some edge rushers.

One of the most common names I’ve seen linked to the Commanders at 29, and one of the most requested names I received on twitter for a breakdown, was Donovan Ezeiruaku. Ezeiruaku comes out of Boston College and at the NFL combine he measured in at 6-foot-2, 248 pounds with 34-inch arms. 6-foot-2 is a little undersized and it does show up at times, but the arm length does help make up for it too. But with that shorter frame comes some upside too.

The thing that jumps off the screen when watching Ezeiruaku is his ability to bend and dip around the edge. He has an elite ability to get low and turn the corner sharply which makes it very hard for tackles to secure the edge against him.

This clip shows two great examples of Ezeiruaku’s bend and dip around the edge. On the first play of the clip, Ezeiruaku comes off the snap slightly slow and fakes working inside against the right tackle. However, after his second step, he suddenly bursts outside towards the edge. You can see his ability to get low and dip underneath the tackle who attempts to use his hands to cut him off. By getting so low, he gives the tackle very little to target. Once he gets beyond the tackle we can see the ability to bend the edge. He stays low and turns the corner sharply, showing good ankle flexion to cut that angle down and get past the tackle in a hurry. From there he’s able to close quickly and make the sack.

On the second play of the clip, Ezeiruaku gets chipped by the tight end, which delays him getting into his rush. Despite that, Ezeiruaku makes up for lost time. He dips and bends at an insane level to get under and around the right tackle. The tackle barely gets a hand on him and Ezeiruaku closes quickly on the quarterback. Unfortunately, the chip help bought the quarterback just enough time to make his throw, but the rush from Ezeiruaku was still a good one.

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The Athletic (paywall)​

Commanders NFL Draft big board 2.0: Hunting for edge rushers, cornerbacks, playmakers​

Trading for five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil and wide receiver Deebo Samuel increased the Commanders’ number of high-end players while addressing areas of need. Yet the core of the over two dozen moves allows the front office to consider any prospect in next month’s draft, regardless of position.

One-year contracts remaining the norm ensured that incoming draft prospects would not be blocked on the depth chart in the name of short-term fixes.

Washington likely will target weaker areas with its premium selections, Nos. 29 and 61: edge defender, cornerback and offensive playmaker at running back or wide receiver. Linebacker, tight end and line depth might be the focus for Washington’s trio of Day 3 selections. The Commanders can roll out viable rotations within every position, which means that, like the selection of defensive tackle Johnny Newton in last year’s second round, Peters should feel comfortable drafting the best talent available.

Please keep that in mind as we explore prospects to consider for the Commanders over the three days of the April 24-26 NFL Draft. Thanks to three significant trades since November, the most crucial change is that, at least for now, Washington holds only five selections after drafting nine players in 2024.

Ezeiruaku, a bendy edge rusher with 16 1/2 sacks and 21 tackles for loss last season, and the explosive Pearce (17 1/2 sacks and 28 tackles for loss since 2023) have comparable upside with a lower floor.

Ezeiruaku’s 248-pound frame isn’t the poster child for a stout defender able to shut off the perimeter for a defense that ranked 30th against the run last season. Pearce is also built for edge rushing. His 1.56 time in the 10-yard split — best among all defensive ends at the combine — will have Peters swooning. Reports about his shaky football character make it challenging to gauge where or whether Pearce is selected in Round 1. The Athletic’s draft insider Dane Brugler ranked Pearce 21st before the combine:

“Long and athletic, Pearce is able to convert his speed to power, and he rushes from a low position to forklift blockers using his extended levers,” Brugler wrote. “There are some question marks about his ability in the run game, but he chases with terrific effort to make stops near the sideline.”

Public perception has Jackson (13 sacks, 24 tackles for loss over his final two seasons with the Razorbacks) and Scourton (led Big Ten with 10 sacks in 2023) closer to top-50 prospects than first-rounders. Both are mentioned here because their fierce playing styles, larger frames and leadership qualities (each was named a college captain) align with Washington’s desires. Therefore, the chances of either being the call at No. 29 or early second round following a trade-down cannot be ruled out.

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Riggo’s’ Rag​

Commanders projected to gamble on Asante Samuel Jr. despite injury concerns​

Kristopher Knox from The Bleacher Report tabbed Asante Samuel Jr. as a viable possibility for the Commanders before the draft. The analyst highlighted an injury concern that has put teams off up to this point. However, the gifted defensive back would have a friend in the building to vouch for his credentials and smooth the transition to a different environment.

“Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. likely remains available because of health concerns. According to The Athletic’s Daniel Popper, the stinger injuries that Samuel dealt with in 2024 have been a persistent ailment that the cornerback was “born with.” Samuel appeared in only four games last season because of the condition. Samuel would also fit well with the Washington Commanders. Washington doesn’t have a dire need for defensive backs after ranking third in passing yards allowed last season. However, defensive backs coach Tommy Donatell was Samuels’ secondary coach in L.A. for his first three seasons.”

Kristopher Knox

Everything must be checked out on the health front before this becomes more realistic. Samuel’s stinger complications are an ongoing concern — something he’s learned to live with and carve out a productive career for himself. The player’s competitive fire and willingness to take on the biggest challenges are traits Quinn always looks for, so there are far worse avenues the Commanders could go down.

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Podcasts & videos​

On video with 5 thoughts: on The DL; on 1 year deals and “hungry” players; can Jones benefit Lattimore?; a change in the building and more. ⁦@ESPNRichmond⁩ https://t.co/x6rzJ35PKE

— John Keim (@john_keim) March 24, 2025​

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Episode 1,034 - Guest: @BenStandig. Analysis of & intel on Adam Peters' approach to the Commanders' offseason so far.

I also discuss Maryland advancing to the Sweet 16 via Derik Queen's all-time shot, another impressive win for the Capitals & much more.https://t.co/QpF7Qz9YqE

— Al Galdi (@AlGaldi) March 24, 2025​

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NFC East links​

NFL.com​

NFL trade grades, 2025 offseason: Who won Deebo Samuel, DK Metcalf deals?​

Deebo Samuel trade​

Commanders receive:

• WR Deebo Samuel - Grade B+

49ers receive:

• 2025 fifth-round pick (No. 147) - Grade B

Deebo Samuel’s fit in Washington is legit. He might be coming off a down season, but he can still gobble up YAC. In 2024, Samuel tied with Zay Flowers for the fifth-most yards after the catch over expected (YCOE) among NFL receivers, with 120, behind only Ja’Marr Chase, CeeDee Lamb , A.J. Brown and Puka Nacua . That’s good company for a wideout who recently admitted to being 10 pounds over his listed weight of 215.

Commanders coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s love of screens and getting his playmakers in space should be a boon, setting up a potential bounce-back season for Deebo. This move is much like Houston’s acquisition of Stefon Diggs last year; Washington is getting “a motivated” player who will match well with WR1 Terry McLaurin .

Taking on Samuel’s big $17.46 million cap figure for 2024 and giving up a pick dings the grade slightly for Washington, but another playmaker for Jayden Daniels was never going to come cheap. The recent contract revision that added $3 million in incentives was a savvy move by the front office, adding another carrot for Samuel to chase.

In a world where pick swaps have become en vogue, snagging a fifth-round choice while dumping salary isn’t a bad return for a player who might have been outright released if the Niners had found no takers. Samuel struggled last year, posting the lowest yards-per-touch mark (8.7) of his career, and the team seemed to sour on the situation. With the club apparently aiming to get its books in order after several seasons of spending big, Samuel always looked like a target to be moved. Kyle Shanahan has pieces to help fill the void — presuming they can stay healthy. The key is Ricky Pearsall , who showed big-time flashes down the stretch as a rookie. He won’t be blocked by costlier teammates from the jump in Year 2.

Laremy Tunsil trade​

Commanders receive:

• OT Laremy Tunsil
• 2025 fourth-round pick (No. 128)

Grade A-

Texans receive:

• 2025 third-round pick (No. 79)
• 2025 seventh-round pick (No. 236)
• 2026 second-round pick
• 2026 fourth-round pick

Grade B-

I’m already on record with this being a positive trade for Washington. There are only so many wall-sealing left tackles on the planet. The Commanders had a chance to acquire one, and they pounced. It’s smart. If Laremy Tunsil cleans up his penalties — which I expect him to — they have a lock-down tackle to protect star young quarterback Jayden Daniels . This move wasn’t cheap, and it could cost more if an extension comes down the pike, but these are the types of swings clubs on the up-slope should take. And I don’t expect the 30-year-old to fall off a cliff.

Houston traded its best blocker on a horrific offensive line. That hurt. However, acquiring assets for an older player gives the Texans more bites at the apple to fix the unit over time. The crew was already bad with Tunsil last season. Adding Cam Robinson as a follow-up move is a downgrade, and it likely won’t ease the penalty issue, but he’s still an experienced player who should work in coordinator Nick Caley’s system. Houston also scooped up veteran OT Trent Brown on a one-year deal. The next phase is to use the picks from the Tunsil trade to strengthen the group for the long haul.

Kenneth Murray Jr. trade​

Cowboys receive:

• LB Kenneth Murray Jr.
• 2025 seventh-round pick (No. 239)

Grade C

Titans receive:

• 2025 sixth-round pick (No. 188)

Grade C+

The Cowboys won’t spend in free agency but were comfortable taking on a linebacker with a $7.66 million cap hit. Seems odd. Kenneth Murray Jr. is an innings eater with 67 career starts and 416 total tackles. Given the Cowboys’ struggles against the run, you’d have thought players they’d chase this offseason would excel, but Murray has been below-average as a run-defender.

Dallas certainly needed aid in the middle of the defense with DeMarvion Overshown’s injury. On the positive side, it didn’t cost much draft capital and Murray is just 26 with a lot of experience. I’d be more excited if Murray had a history with Matt Eberflus, but this is an average add.

The low trade cost suggests that the Titans were planning on moving on from the linebacker, so kudos to the front office for getting something, even if it was just moving up 51 draft spots near the end of the selection process.

Kaiir Elam trade​

Cowboys receive:

• CB Kaiir Elam
• 2025 sixth-round pick (No. 204)

Grade C

Bills receive:

• 2025 fifth-round pick (No. 170)
• 2026 seventh-round pick

Grade C

Dallas lost Jourdan Lewis in free agency and responded by taking a swing at a former first-round pick who had worn out his welcome in Buffalo long ago. Kaiir Elam never looked comfortable in Sean McDermott’s scheme, immediately getting bypassed by sixth-round draftmate Christian Benford.

In three seasons, Elam generated a +23.5 target EPA with a +10.6 completion percentage over expected (CPOE) allowed (negatives are better for corners). When forced into duty in games where McDermott needed to play more man (i.e., against Patrick Mahomes), Elam was picked on incessantly.

This trade was about two years in the making in Buffalo, and the light asset recoup shouldn’t be a surprise for a first-round pick who played just 533 coverage snaps over five years.

The Cowboys are taking a swing that, in Matt Eberflus’ scheme — another zone-heavy one — Elam can find a stride and become the player scouts projected during the draft process. It’s a cheap play but isn’t a surefire answer to Dallas’ corner questions heading toward the draft.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson trade​

Texans receive:

• S C.J. Gardner-Johnson
• 2026 sixth-round pick

Grade A-

Eagles receive:

• OG Kenyon Green
• 2026 fifth-round pick

Grade C+

Houston gave up a struggling lineman who’d been injured/benched in exchange for a starting safety who can bring attitude to DeMeco Ryans’ secondary. A former first-rounder, Kenyon Green was either hurt or highly ineffective. There was no coming back in Houston. Moving him for a starter with plus attributes to replace Eric Murray, who signed in Jacksonville, is a boon.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson provides multifaceted ability to the Texans’ secondary alongside Calen Bullock and Jalen Pitre. Gardner-Johnson’s ability to play deep, near the line and — if needed — at nickel fits nicely in Ryans’ D. That he brings attitude to the AFC South adds some pizzazz.

After the trade, the justifying scuttle surrounding CJGJ in Philadelphia was that the safety missed too many tackles and gave up big plays for the Super Bowl champion defense. However, it was mainly about shedding the contract. The Eagles will miss his physical style as they lean into youngsters.

The move did give Howie Roseman his latest first-round reclamation project in Green. The Eagles will hand the 24-year-old, who started 23 games in his career, to O-line guru Jeff Stoutland and hope he works magic again. Stoutland did wonders for Mekhi Becton, moving him from tackle to guard. Reclaiming Green might be a tougher task.

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Philly Voice​

What’s left for the Eagles to do in free agency?​

Safety​

A few weeks ago, the Eagles had good depth at safety, but after the surprise trade of Gardner-Johnson, they don’t.

Are they Eagles good to go at safety? Brown hasn’t been a starter yet in his career, and the depth is suspect. What the Eagles could use is a depth piece who can double as a safety and slot corner after losing Avonte Maddox in free agency.

Interior offensive line​

Mekhi Becton left in free agency, and the Eagles traded C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Texans for Kenyon Green, setting up a potential camp battle at RG between Green and Tyler Steen. The Eagles also don’t really have a backup center. Brett Toth and Nick Gates were on the roster last season for that purpose, but whenever Cam Jurgens went down, the Eagles slid Landon Dickerson to center from LG. They still need a position-versatile interior offensive lineman backup.

Are the Eagles good to go along the interior of their offensive line? No, but there really isn’t anything left in free agency. The Eagles have had a bunch of linemen in for Top 30 visits, so it feels like they’re waiting for the draft to fill the offensive line pipeline.

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NFL league links​

Articles​

ftnfantasy.com​

2024 AGL: 49ers Get Smacked Down by Injuries​

The 49ers ranked 31st in offensive AGL and 30th in defensive Adjusted Games Lost (AGL). It was a huge change from the 2023 season, when the 49ers won the NFC after finishing fourth in fewest AGL.

Adjusted games lost doesn’t just add up total injuries. It accounts for both absent players and those playing at less than 100%, and it specifically measures injuries to expected starters and important situational players rather than little-used backups. As such, AGL estimates the impact of injuries on teams and provides a comparable total that often succinctly explains why teams improved or declined from one year to the next.

Other teams that had a ton of AGL last season included Las Vegas, New Orleans, Carolina, and Miami. The top seven teams in AGL missed the playoffs. The highest AGL for a playoff team belonged to Detroit, which ranked second in fewest AGL on offense but 32nd with the worst AGL on defense. The Lions had the sixth-worst total of defensive AGL ever measured, going back to 2001.

On the other side of the docket, the Baltimore Ravens finished first with just 16.3 AGL. This was the lowest total since the 2017 Falcons and less than half of any other team’s AGL in the 2024 season. The Ravens had the fewest number of important injuries on both offense and defense. Only one player we counted for AGL missed more than two games this season: wide receiver Nelson Agholor, who missed three games.

Other teams with very few injuries included the Super Bowl champion Eagles as well as Chicago and Atlanta. Six of the eight best teams in AGL made the playoffs: Ravens, Eagles, Commanders, Broncos, Packers, and Bills.

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Discussion topics​

Sportico​

Investing in Athlete Futures Proves to Be a Hard Sell​

It’s a simple idea that seems to have lots of obvious appeal: An athlete sells a future stream of income in return for a bucket of money today. For the players, the cash helps bridge the time to the pros, pay for travel or extra training that will boost their chances or simply allow them hedge with the reality that only a few athletes ever make it big. In return, investors get to participate in the upside, with fan-investors getting the added frisson of a future star to cheer for.

But it seems athlete income-sharing, in most cases, just isn’t getting off the ground.

“It’s hard predicting what 16, 17 year-old kids are going to do,” said Chris Heller, the cofounder of Cordillera Investment Partners, an alternative investment firm planning to direct hundreds of millions of dollars into sports in the coming years. “What is their career going to be? If you get to them early enough, your expected returns are going to be higher, but the volatility—the range of outcomes—is much wider as well. It’s a problem.”

On the institutional side, the main problem is how to evaluate and invest in enough players to start to have predictable returns.

While fundraising is not necessarily a reflection of BLA’s investment performance, its third fund, which was targeted to raise $250 million, had $41.6 million in assets as of a March 2024 regulatory filing. That suggests that even at scale, the big money of the type that would invest through BLA isn’t sold on the player investing idea.

Reviewing all of the retail-focused deal terms show the fan-focused offerings probably have two stumbling blocks. One is that these offerings tend not to be attractive from an investment standpoint. In the case of Kyrgios, each $2 security will initially receive a $0.04 yield annually, a dividend that changes based on a complex algorithm that tracks the tennis player’s social media growth.

The other stumbling block is simpler and probably the reason these deals haven’t seen greater demand: There is no example of a big win for buyers. Sports betting firms can promote the parlay that paid a bettor thousands of dollars, while meme stocks, the fervor for which athlete stock issuers dream of creating, also provide the thrill of huge profits, even if just briefly and just on paper for most. In athlete investing, there’s been no big winner to point to....

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The top pick in the 2025 Draft​

The Athletic (paywall)​

Charting Cam Ward: What numbers say about star’s 2025 NFL Draft prospects​

Cam Ward’s reputation as a prospect suffers because the rest of the class is not up to snuff.

So much air has been spent this offseason talking about how this is not the year to draft a quarterback — compared to last year, it’s hard to argue that. Six quarterbacks went in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and at least three of them (Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye) would have been top-five picks in any class. Even prospects a tier or two below those guys (namely, Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr.) acquitted themselves well down the back half of their rookie seasons.

The 2025 class, by contrast, has just Ward and Sanders as prospects worth any first-round discussion. The volume of quality prospects just isn’t there, like it was a year ago.

That disappointment about the class at large has inadvertently dampened Ward’s profile. He too often gets cast as “QB6 or QB7, if he were in last year’s class,” because that helps represent how much worse this year’s group is overall. In reality, though, Ward would have been no worse than QB4 in the 2024 class — and he would have been an easy top-10 pick, even with all the other competition.

Imperfect as he may be, Ward is the kind of player I’m going to bet on every time. The arm talent, athleticism, poise, and playmaking creativity are all present. Ward also clearly has gotten better the more he has played, turning from a zero-star high school prospect signed by Incarnate Word to leading Miami to one of its best seasons in recent memory. Improvement is a skill, and Ward seems to have it.

Ward is a step down from the elite prospects of the 2024 class, but he’s still a top-10 pick in his own right. In a class without any other obvious star quarterbacks, it’s easy to understand why he could be the first player off the board come April.

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Deadspin​

Abdul Carter Says He Will Be No. 1 Overall NFL Draft Pick: Will He Be?​

Abdul Carter took to social media Monday afternoon to manifest himself as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

The first round of the draft is exactly one month away. After a very successful career at Penn State, Carter is lined up to be the top defensive lineman selected.

“Don’t let all this QB need talk fool y’all,” Carter said. “It’s already known who’s the best, and no QB is in that discussion! Like I said, the best player goes number 1.”

The Tennessee Titans hold the No. 1 overall pick, and despite Carter’s theory that the best player goes No. 1, there’s a desperate need for a quarterback in Nashville.

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All aTwitter​

Rick Snider’s Washington congrats Washington Commanders coach Dan Quinn for his major award. Gimme two minutes. pic.twitter.com/KKxQd52XfE

— Rick Snider's Washington (@Snide_Remarks) March 24, 2025​

“I said, ‘I’m solidifying it today.’ ” — Cam Ward, to the #Titans brass at his Pro Day. pic.twitter.com/OdvcAPUIyK

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 24, 2025​

Doug and I invited @TonyPauline on our show today to discuss the NFL Draft.

We asked about the RB Class and how Tony ranks his board.

You may be surprised with his answer. pic.twitter.com/dZdfXbS4VP

— George Carmi (@Gcarmi21) March 25, 2025​

How many Edge Rushers are coming off the board in round one? Who will be there at #29 for Washington?@TonyPauline shares his thoughts.

There may be a dark horse Edge Rusher that exudes that #CommanderTag @DougMcCrayNFL | @TBDACS pic.twitter.com/o15G8AZEX7

— George Carmi (@Gcarmi21) March 25, 2025​

With Joey Slye signed, it means the #Titans are officially moving on from 40-year old Nick Folk, who hit 50 of 52 FGs over two years with Tennessee, including 11 of 12 from 50+. He led the NFL in field-goal percentage in each of those two years. https://t.co/3YLeekUZeT

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 24, 2025​

Diggs back in the weight room just 5 months after tearing his ACL

(via stefondiggs/IG) pic.twitter.com/at2mSrYHFV

— NFL (@NFL) March 24, 2025​

posting a photo from last season every day until OTAs pic.twitter.com/OvmhZhtyci

— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) March 24, 2025​

Greatest “ball don’t lie” of all time
pic.twitter.com/CmrwMcGr5x

— Footballism (@FootbaIIism) March 24, 2025​

Meme Monday!#14RingsPodcast #RaiseHail #HTTR #meme pic.twitter.com/9V3aqJ4c0I

— 14 Rings an NFC East Podcast (@14_RingsPodcast) March 24, 2025​

JuJu Watkins was carried off the court and taken to the locker room after suffering an injury on this play. pic.twitter.com/zFgm8PkVnu

— ESPN (@espn) March 25, 2025​

The hoops community sending love to Juju Watkins after her injury pic.twitter.com/Sm2iOFhX57

— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) March 25, 2025​

Breaking: USC phenom JuJu Watkins has suffered a torn ACL in her right knee, sources tell ESPN. She will undergo surgery. pic.twitter.com/2qMvpXTGwI

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 25, 2025​

HISTORY MADE!

Both @TerrapinHoops and @TerpsWBB are in the Sweet 16 in the same season for the first time, EVER! pic.twitter.com/3pGSw9X3mg

— Maryland Terrapins (@umterps) March 25, 2025​

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Source: https://www.hogshaven.com/2025/3/25...u-could-be-who-the-commanders-are-looking-for

 

[Washington Commanders]

Color-coding the Commanders starters and key reserves: Should Jayden Daniels enter 2025 as a Blue?

Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

In the spirit of our good pal Scot McCloughan, the color-coding scheme is back for another year!

One thing I took from Scot, that I still follow today, is his color-coding system for players (which I have added to). Below is an excerpt from a 2016 interview McCloughan did with Bleacher Report where he describes his team-building mentality and color scheme:

You don’t always need the biggest, fastest, strongest guys. You need football players who understand that it’s a team philosophy and, you know what, we’re fighting together.
Blues are like perennial Pro Bowl players. Reds are like really good football players.
So, if you’re lucky, you have four or five blues, and hopefully one of those is your quarterback. If you have another 30 who are reds, starters, solid backups, core special teams guys, then you have a chance. That’s how you build your roster. That’s how you build a team. That comes from this and this (points to his head and heart). It’s not about speed guys and the ESPN guy, the prettiest guy running around making plays. It’s a football player. You get enough football players, they’re going to fight together.

Below I have color-coded the Washington Commanders starting roster (and some key reserves who could see spot-starts). The chart is here for your reference. You all know my rule when it comes to color-coding. To become a Blue, I need to see consistency. However, if there ever was a player to break my own rule, it’s Jayden Daniels!

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The Color Ratings:​

Blue - All-Pro/Perineal Pro Bowl Player​

Red - Quality Starter (a really good football player)​

Orange - Average Starter​

Yellow - Below Average/Replacement Level​

Green - Too New/Incomplete Rating​

---

The Blues:​

Laremy Tunsil - Top five left tackle in the NFL.

Terry McLaurin - Top 10 receiver in the NFL.

The DEEP Reds (these are players who could make a change to Blue):​

Jayden Daniels - Jayden is as close to a Blue as they come.

Frankie Luvu - Another season like last year and Luvu will turn Blue.

The Reds:​

Austin Ekeler

Deebo Samuel

Zach Ertz

Tyler Biadasz

Sam Cosmi

Daron Payne

Javon Kinlaw

Bobby Wagner

Marshon Lattimore

Mike Sainristil

Quan Martin

The Oranges:​

Brian Robinson

Noah Brown

Michael Gallup

John Bates

Dorance Armstrong

Deatrich Wise

Eddie Goldman

Jonathan Jones

Will Harris

The Yellows:​

Nick Allegretti

Andrew Wylie

Clelin Ferrell

The Greens:​

Brandon Coleman

Luke McCaffrey

Ben Sinnott

Jer’Zhan Newton

Jordan Magee

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Source: https://www.hogshaven.com/2025/3/26...es-should-jayden-daniels-enter-2025-as-a-blue

 

[Washington Commanders]

Contract details for the Washington Commanders’ offseason roster additions (Part 3)

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images

What contracts were signed by Commanders free agents this offseason?

All details in this article come from Over the Cap.

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Commanders cap situation​

All salary cap information is always an estimate based on evolving data. I routinely rely on Over the Cap for cap data. It is important to understand that available cap space is a constantly moving target that is potentially affected by each new player signed, bonuses earned, and contract restructures.

At the moment, having accounted for all 74 players that the Commanders currently have under contract for the 2025 season, OTC estimates that Washington has available cap space of $26.33m.

OTC also projects Effective Cap Space (the amount available after draft picks are signed) at $24.02m.

There should be little concern about next year, as OTC currently estimates that the Commanders will have $99.6m in available cap space for the 2026 league year. Of course, that is only for 28 players. By the time we get to free agency next March, the Commanders will likely have 35 or more players under contract for 2026, and far less than $99m, but Adam Peters should have plenty of salary cap space to work his magic again a year hence.

Below, you will find contract details for 28 veteran players signed, extended, or acquired by trade this offseason.

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QB Marcus Mariota​

Basically, Mariota got exactly what we were told he would get — a one year deal worth just a tick under $8m. He should get every penny of it.

TE John Bates​

Tweets about this contract last week billed it as a 3-year, $21m deal.

It is, but the Commanders are actually committed to much less. With no guaranteed money in the final year of the contract, this looks a lot like a 2-year contract worth $12.5m, with an optional 3rd year valued at $8.5m.

Bates’ cash flows on this contract will be very uneven:

• $9m in 2025
• $3.5m in 2026
• $8.5m in 2027

The Commanders can cut or trade Bates after 2026 having paid him $12.5m — an average of $6.25m per year for two years of play.

CB Jonathan Jones​

Jones won’t be getting cut with $4.5m guaranteed, but it is curious to see $1.5m workout bonus, which is huge. When Washington relies on workout bonuses at all, they typically range between $100k-$250k. I’ve never seen one above $500k that I can recall.

I googled and found this snippet from June 2024: “Jones has been sporadically in attendance for OTAs.”

It looks like the Commanders believe in Jones enough to guarantee that he’ll get paid, and that they believe in the importance of their offseason program enough to financially incentivize him to attend.

DE Deatrich Wise​

This is a pretty strong contract, with a $1m signing bonus and fully guaranteed salary, with upside for another $900,000 in roster and workout bonuses, indicating that the front office expects Wise to make the team. Total 2025 cap hit is projected at $3.16m.

WR Noah Brown​

In 2024, the Commanders signed three receivers — Noah Brown, Olamide Zaccheaus, Jamison Crowder — to contracts of ~$1.26m each.

It appears that the Commanders definitely wanted Noah Brown back, as he more than doubled the value of his contract this year to $3m, with a signing bonus and salary guarantees adding up to $2.47m. They clearly have some concerns about his availability, with $680k, which is a relatively large amount, earnable as per-game roster bonuses.

For reference, the Bears signed Zaccheaus to a $1.5m contract with total guarantees of $750k while Jamison Crowder remains a free agent.

The “other” key receiver behind Terry McLaurin in 2024, Dyami Brown, signed a one-year deal with the Jaguars worth almost $10m that is 95% guaranteed.

EDGE Rusher Jacob Martin​

The team is committed to just over $1m on this deal, with a $300k signing bonus and a $750k guarantee. With a cap hit of $2.4m, this is a thrifty contract with very little downside. $535k is earned in roster and workout bonuses.

CB Noah Igbinoghene​

This is a pretty vanilla contract worth $1.5m in 2025 with a signing bonus of $100k and guaranteed salary of $400k, insuring that Igbinoghene will get at least $500,000 for showing up to camp. This contract is a slight bump up from the $1.29m and $250k guarantee he got in 2024.

LB Nick Bellore​

As reported, the 36-year-old Bellore got a 2-year contract. With a $495k signing bonus and $1.255 guaranteed base salary for 2025, Bellore is guaranteed to receive at least $1.75m this season, with up to $1.95m possible with workout and game roster bonuses. He is scheduled for a small raise of $245k next season, but with no guaranteed money in 2026, this is basically a one-year contract with a team option for a second year at a known price.

DE Clelin Ferrell​

Clelin Ferrell’s biggest NFL contract was his rookie deal with the Raiders that paid him $7.84m per season for 4 seasons. Last season, Clelin Ferrell earned $3.66m playing for the Washington Commanders. In 2025, he’s getting the minimum base salary of $1.17m for a player with 6 accrued seasons, with a $100k signing bonus and $680k upside in per-game roster bonuses (the same as Noah Brown), indicating that the team may have concerns about his health. Ferrell is set to make about half of what he earned in 2024 playing the same position for the same team, which is not a great indication of the direction his career is headed.

OT Foster Sarell​

NFL contract structures don’t come any simpler than this. Vet minimum salary for a player with 3 accrued seasons; no bonuses or guaranteed money of any kind. This offers no incentive or security beyond a chance to try out for a roster spot. As a non-vested veteran (less than 4 accrued seasons), Sarell doesn’t even get the security of a guaranteed salary if he makes the Week 1 roster. This is the least secure contract an NFL player can have aside from being on the practice squad.

The next one on the list for Kevon Seymour has a similar structure, but because it meets specific criteria discussed below, it offers some specific cap relief to the Commanders.

Kevon Seymour​

In the first article on 2025 offseason contracts, I mentioned that any veteran with at least 4 accrued seasons can qualify for the Veteran Salary Benefit, which is a part of the CBA that seeks to protect older players from being cut from teams to be replaced by younger players.

Veteran Salary Benefit

Formerly known as the minimum salary benefit, the veteran salary benefit allows teams to offer a “Qualifying Contract” to any player with at least four credited seasons at a reduced salary cap hit. Under this provision, a qualifying contract is a one-year deal worth the minimum base salary applicable to a player with his number of credited seasons, plus $167,500 in additional compensation (i.e., signing bonus, roster bonus, incentive, etc.). These contracts are charged against the salary cap at the rate of a player with two credited seasons that league year (i.e., the same as Chris Rodriguez).

The contracts for K Zane Gonzalez and Eddie Golman qualified under this benefit, and now Seymour does as well, counting just $1.03m against the cap despite being paid $1.17m.

WR KJ Osborn​

This is another Veteran Benefit contract, but the cap hit is $25,000 higher than Seymour’s because of the workout bonus.

DT Sheldon Day​

This is another Veteran Benefit contract, but the cap hit is $67,500 higher than Seymour’s because of the roster and workout bonuses.

OL Trent Scott​

This is another Veteran Benefit contract, but the cap hit is $167,500 higher than Seymour’s because of the signing bonus of $100k + roster and workout bonuses.

OG/C Nate Herbig​

This is another veteran benefit contract. It has the same TOTAL value as that of Trent Scott, but the two are not identical in the details. Because Trent Scott has 7 accrued seasons, his base salary is $1.255m (defined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement); since Herbig has just 6 accrued season, his base salary is $1.17m under the CBA. The values of the three bonuses are slightly different, though the total cap hit ends up the same for both Scott and Herbig, though Herbig has a bigger guarantee ($642,500) than Trent Scott ($415,500).

DE Jalyn Holmes​

Holmes, like Herbig, is a 6-year veteran. The two contracts (Jalyn Holmes and Nate Herbig) are identical except for the amount of the guaranteed salary (Holmes = $350k; Herbig = $500k). Two backups, on on the offensive line and the other on the defensive line, each on vet minimum with just enough guaranteed money to give them motivation to spend the next five months working hard to make the roster.

Jeremy McNichols​

McNichols’ contract is exactly the same as that of Jalyn Holmes.

C/G Michael Deiter​

This contract is identical to that of Jalyn Holmes and Jeremy McNichols (another Veteran Benefit contract; the base salary should say “$1.170m” the “$10175m” looks like a data entry error). I have to say that I’m stunned by the fact that the Commanders not only paid a bonus of $142,500 but also guaranteed $350,000. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE COMMANDERS BROUGHT THIS GUY BACK AFTER HIS PERFORMANCE IN 2024.

A comment on Vet Benefit & Qualifying 4-yr Benfefit​

As you’ll see, the Commanders have used these veteran benefit contracts very effectively to shave some money off of their 2025 cap dollars, which may be one of the many reasons why they have signed so many veteran depth players to one-year deals.

By my unofficial count, the Commanders signed 10 players to these Veteran Benefit Contracts this season (saving roughly $1.4m in cap space). In addition, they saved saved about $1.45m by using the Qualifying Four-Year benefit for Tress Way’s contract (described in Part 2 below). Together, these CBA-defined benefits saved the Commanders about $2.85m in 2025 cap space.

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Part 2 - published on 12 March​

S Will Harris​

If the Commanders want to get out of this contract after 2025, they will have paid Harris $4m for the season of play. Assuming this Jeremy Chinn replacement works out, he will earn just under $8m for two seasons. This is a pretty vanilla NFL contract.

Adam Peters moved pretty seamlessly from Kam Curl to Jeremy Chinn. Let’s hope the Commanders can move just as seamlessly from Chinn to Harris.

DT Eddie Goldman​

In the first article on 2025 offseason contracts, I mentioned that any veteran with at least 4 accrued seasons can qualify for the Veteran Salary Benefit, which is a part of the CBA that seeks to protect older players from being cut from teams to be replaced by younger players.

Veteran Salary Benefit

Formerly known as the minimum salary benefit, the veteran salary benefit allows teams to offer a “Qualifying Contract” to any player with at least four credited seasons at a reduced salary cap hit. Under this provision, a qualifying contract is a one-year deal worth the minimum base salary applicable to a player with his number of credited seasons, plus $167,500 in additional compensation (i.e., signing bonus, roster bonus, incentive, etc.). These contracts are charged against the salary cap at the rate of a player with two credited seasons that league year (i.e., the same as Chris Rodriguez).

The contract for K Zane Gonzalez qualified under this benefit, and now Goldman does as well, counting just $1.03m against the cap despite being paid $1.25m. He has a minimum guarantee of $315K to make sure training camp is worth the effort, I guess.

P Tress Way​

I was one of many who were surprised that Tress Way (a) only signed a one-year extension, and (b) took a pay cut from his last contract.

That mystery is now solved, though you’ll need to be a bit patient with my explanation, which is a bit long and not particularly simple to follow.

You’ll see that this looks fishy — Way has a base salary + bonuses that approach $3m in value, but his cap number is only $1.42m!!

You might be forgiven for thinking this was another Veteran Salary Benefit (VSB) like Gonzalez and Goldman, but it’s not. For one thing, Way’s compensation is too high, and for another, all veterans who qualify under the VSB in 2025 count $1.03m.

So, what’s going on?

Tress Way has a contract that is in compliance with a new benefit that was introduced with the 2020 Collective Bargaining Agreement called a 4-Year Qualifying Contract.

4-year qualifying contract (4YQC)

Who qualifies?
A player with four or more Credited Seasons whose contract with a Club has expired after four or more years of continuous, uninterrupted service with that Club (i.e., the player must have been under contract to that Club and on that Club’s 90-player roster for the immediately prior four or more consecutive League Years without interruption prior to the contract’s expiration).

What is the required contract structure?
The Player Contract that covers only a single League Year and contains a Paragraph 5 Salary for up to $1.45 million [in 2025] more than the applicable minimum Active/Inactive List Salary.

How many 4YQCs can a team have?
In any League Year, a Club may sign a maximum of two 4-Year Qualifying Players to Four-Year Qualifying Contracts; provided, however, that the combined amount by which the players’ respective Paragraph 5 Salaries may exceed the players’ respective minimum Active/Inactive List salaries or, in the case of a split contract, the players’ respective minimum nonActive/Inactive List salaries, shall be limited to a total of $1.45 million [in 2025].

Because Tress Way has been with the Commanders for at least four continuous uninterrupted seasons (this is his 10th season in Washington) and the value of his contract is not more than $1.45m more than the vet minimum for a player with 11 accrued seasons, his cap number is just $1.42m for the 2025 season.

This answers a couple of questions:​

1. Way’s extension is for only one year because that is a requirement of this benefit. He now costs roughly the same as a punter on a rookie contract from a cap standpoint, allowing teams like Washington to reward long-serving, relatively low-cost veterans. I suspect that we can expect the team to do this again next season (and for as long as Tress Way continues to be the valuable holder that he is).
2. Way took a slight haircut against his previous contract value to quality under the 4YQC. While the limit for ‘excess benefit’ this year was $1.45m, for the following two seasons it rises to $1.65m, which means that Way can be given a $200k raise next year and still quality under this provision of the CBA.

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Part 1 - published on 10 March​

LT Laremy Tunsil​

Because the Commanders traded for Tunsil in the final years of his deal with the Texans, his contract as it stands is pretty straightforward. He has essentially a $21m base salary for each of the next two seasons, with the potential to earn another $400k in bonuses each year.

$10m of his 2025 salary is guaranteed.

If the contract is not extended, Tunsil will cost $21.35m in cap space each season.

Of course, Adam Peters may want to extend the contract of the 31-year-old Tunsil. If the goal is to lock in the contract at the lowest value possible, Peters could try to negotiate a deal this offseason. Of course, he may choose to take a look at the player in 2025 and risk having to pay him in a higher market a year from now.

WR Deebo Samuel​

This is another contract that the Commanders will ‘inherit’ via trade.

The reason you see all those void years in the deal is that they were filled with pro-rated signing bonus before the trade; all of that turned into dead cap that was eaten by the Niners.

The original contract had a low base salary in 2025 with a roster bonus of ~$15m payable on March 22nd. Under that structure, the 2025 cap hit would have been low (around $5.2m) with dead cap loaded into the void years. Spotrac seems to be carrying the contract this way.

Over the Cap has written that they believe the Niners converted the option into base salary prior to the trade to give the structure shown above, which puts a $17.5m cap hit on Washington in a single season (2025).

Like Tunsil, Adam Peters could choose to extend Deebo immediately, next season, or not at all.

LB Bobby Wagner​

This contract is simpler than it looks. Basically, Bobby Wagner will get $9m for one season of play. By loading $5m in as a roster bonus, Wagner gets the money sooner and it is effectively guaranteed. I can’t imagine a guy who needs a workout bonus to motivate him less than Bobby Wagner.

DT Javon Kinlaw​

The item here that jumps off the page at me is the fully guaranteed 2026 salary. Kinlaw is locked in for 2 years on this deal (unless he plays like absolute dog poop in 2025). While the deal averages $15m per season, it will eat up only $7.5m this season, and the Commanders can exit the contract after 2026 having spent about $16.2m per season for two years.

I also note that the Commanders did not choose to add any void years to this contract to spread the cap hit as they did on their multi-year deals last season.

This runs through Kinlaw’s age 30 season, so if he plays to the team’s expectations, it should be a deal that helps maintain consistency on the DL as Washington likely pivots away from Daron Payne after 2025.

TE Zach Ertz​

You can copy & paste my comments about the Bobby Wagner contract here, with lower numbers. His cap hit for the season will be $6.25m.

In his media session today, Ertz said that, at this point in his career, it’s not about the money. He apparently just loves playing in Washington.

K Zane Gonzalez​

The “Veteran Salary Benefit” is a part of the CBA that seeks to protect older players from being cut from teams to be replaced by younger players.

Veteran Salary Benefit

Formerly known as the minimum salary benefit, the veteran salary benefit allows teams to offer a “Qualifying Contract” to any player with at least four credited seasons at a reduced salary cap hit. Under this provision, a qualifying contract is a one-year deal worth the minimum base salary applicable to a player with his number of credited seasons, plus $167,500 in additional compensation (i.e., signing bonus, roster bonus, incentive, etc.). These contracts are charged against the salary cap at the rate of a player with two credited seasons that league year (i.e., the same as Chris Rodriguez).

Gonzalez has 7 accrued seasons and qualifies under this provision, which is why his cap number is lower than his base salary.

RB Chris Rodriguez (ERFA)​

The Commanders tendered Chris Rodriguez as an Exclusive Rights Free Agent (ERFA) last week.

An exclusive rights free agent is a player with two or fewer accrued seasons and an expired contract.

To accrue a season, a player must have been on a team’s roster for six or more regular-season games during that year. However, the player does not need to be active for games to accrue a season. Players on injured reserve and the physically unable to perform list also get credit toward an accrued season.

Conversely, a player on a practice squad, non-football injury list, or the commissioner’s exempt list does not get credit for an accrued season if they are not on the roster for six or more games. Additionally, a player under contract must report to his team’s training camp on his mandatory reporting date to earn an accrued season.

How Do NFL Teams Retain Exclusive Rights Free Agents?

Keeping an ERFA is simple for NFL teams. All they have to do is extend a qualifying offer to the player, and he will be unable to negotiate with other teams.

Rodriguez was drafted by the Commanders, but he was cut and spent time on the practice squad, ending the ‘24 season without being under contract for 2025.

All Washington had to do was offer a contract at an amount set by the CBA, which they did ($1.03m) and Rodriguez has only two choices: accept the offer or sit out the 2025 season. While I haven’t seen a report that Rodriguez has signed the tender, he either has or he will.

Assuming he stays with Washington for the full 2025 season, Rodriguez will be a Restricted Free Agent (RFA) next offseason.

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Source: https://www.hogshaven.com/2025/3/27...-commanders-offseason-roster-additions-part-3

 

[Washington Commanders]

Jaylin Lane Would Be a Versatile Playmaker for the Commanders

Photo by Ryan Hunt/Getty Images

Hogs Haven takes a look at 2025 NFL Draft prospects that could contribute to the Commanders

Jaylin Lane, WR
School: Virginia Tech University | Conference: Atlantic Coast Conference
College Experience: Senior | Draft Age: 23 (Week 1)
Height / Weight: 5’10”/ 191 lbs
Projected Draft Status: 5th-6th round

College Statistics

Receiving	Rushing	Scrimmage
Season	Team	Conf	Class	Pos	G	Rec	Yds	Y/R	TD	Y/G	Att	Yds	Y/A	TD	Y/G	Plays	Yds	Avg	TD	Awards
2020	Middle Tennessee State	CUSA	FR	WR	7	13	122	9.4	1	17.4	0	0	0	0.0	13	122	9.4	1
2021*	Middle Tennessee State	CUSA	FR	WR	12	42	466	11.1	4	38.8	11	93	8.5	1	7.8	53	559	10.5	5
2022*	Middle Tennessee State	CUSA	SO	WR	11	69	940	13.6	5	85.5	3	4	1.3	0	0.4	72	944	13.1	5
2023*	Virginia Tech	ACC	SR	WR	12	41	538	13.1	6	44.8	14	51	3.6	0	4.3	55	589	10.7	6
2024*	Virginia Tech	ACC	SR	WR	12	38	466	12.3	2	38.8	18	116	6.4	2	9.7	56	582	10.4	4
Career	54	203	2532	12.5	18	46.9	46	264	5.7	3	4.9	249	2796	11.2	21
Middle Tennessee State (3 Yrs)	30	124	1528	12.3	10	50.9	14	97	6.9	1	3.2	138	1625	11.8	11
Virginia Tech (2 Yrs)	24	79	1004	12.7	8	41.8	32	167	5.2	2	7.0	111	1171	10.5	10

Receiving & Rushing Table

Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 3/26/2025.

Punt Returns	Kick Returns
Season	Team	Conf	Class	Pos	G	Ret	Yds	Y/Ret	PRTD	Ret	Yds	Y/Ret	KRTD	APYd	Awards
2020	Middle Tennessee State	CUSA	FR	WR	7	1	10	10.0	0	13	274	21.1	0	406
2021*	Middle Tennessee State	CUSA	FR	WR	12	19	295	15.5	1	13	285	21.9	0	1139
2022*	Middle Tennessee State	CUSA	SO	WR	11	18	152	8.4	0	11	254	23.1	0	1350
2023*	Virginia Tech	ACC	SR	WR	12	5	31	6.2	0	1	18	18.0	0	638
2024*	Virginia Tech	ACC	SR	WR	12	24	245	10.2	1	1	21	21.0	0	848
Career	54	67	733	10.9	2	39	852	21.8	0	4381
Middle Tennessee State (3 Yrs)	30	38	457	12.0	1	37	813	22.0	0	2895
Virginia Tech (2 Yrs)	24	29	276	9.5	1	2	39	19.5	0	1486

Punt & Kick Returns Table

Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 3/26/2025.

Player Overview​

A three-star recruit from Clover HS (SC), Jaylin Lane committed to Middle Tennessee University in 2020. Lane played a total of 30 games (19 starts), accumulating 124 receptions for 1,528 yards and 10 receiving touchdowns. Lane transferred to Virginia Tech University in 2023 where he led the team in receptions his last two seasons. Each conference, Jaylin accumulated all-team honors and was a Senior Bowl participant where he impressed scouts in 1-on-1 workouts.

Jaylin profiles as a versatile weapon from the slot position who can make a difference primarily as a returner and a receiver. Jaylin has been used in different alignments and plays, taking handoffs, screens, and occasional deep throws. His best attributes are his hands, sudden speed, and the ability to elude defenders after the catch. He is also an effective returner, scoring a return touchdown with both universities, and leading the conference in punt return yards (2021, 2024) However, Jaylin can improve on the more technical aspects of the position. Jaylin needs work selling his routes, as it gives defenders a way to keep up with him. Additionally, Jaylin needs better footwork at the top of the routes to gain separation.

Jaylin’s path to the NFL will be dependent on his immediate contributions as a returner and his improvement as a route runner. Jaylin has the speed, athleticism, and natural catching ability to be a receiver if the rest improves. Jaylin Lane projects to be Day 3 selection as a depth slot receiver and returner.

Awards & Recognition: ​

• First-Team All-Conference USA (2021)
• Second-Team All-Conference USA (2022)
• Third-Team All ACC (2024)
• Senior Bowl Participant (2024)

Metrics​

Source: nfl.com

Jaylin Lane is a WR prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.68 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 112 out of 3441 WR from 1987 to 2025.

Splits projected, times unofficial.https://t.co/hueBwmKs6D pic.twitter.com/yGuu8qKbgJ

— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 2, 2025​

Strengths​

• Great straight-line speed, able to stress defenses.
• Weapon versatility (screens, handoffs, etc.)
• Great awareness, able to find soft spots in zone coverage.
• Able to make defenders miss after the catch.
• Natural hands catcher.
• North-South mentality makes him an effective returner.

Weaknesses​

• Shorter than average height.
• Too often telegraphs his routes, letting defenders keep up with him.
• Can get bothered by physical corners.
• Willing run blocker but needs to improve technique.
• Needs more route variety (shallow cross, sits, go, and digs).
• Short-area footwork needs work.

Let’s See His Work​

Jaylin Lane with a crazy tight rope.

A 96th percentile athlete at the Combine. pic.twitter.com/LQDQdMchCs

— Hayden Winks (@HaydenWinks) March 2, 2025​

Just now catching up on Jaylin Lane's test scores

4.34 in the 40
11' in the broad jump
6.75 in the 3-cone

Checked my numbers - no WR drafted in the last decade has done that #NFLCombine

Ja'Marr Chase, Christian Watson, Kadarius Toney, and others came close, but fell short pic.twitter.com/QEwkKixRax

— Fran Duffy (@FDuffyNFL) March 2, 2025​

#VirginiaTech WR Jaylin Lane dropped one ball all night (and it was a sharp dig route he ran to the middle that was thrown on his back hip)

Has been used primarily underneath during his time with the #Hokies, but early in his career you could see his effectiveness downfield pic.twitter.com/C6F4eZyVNG

— Fran Duffy (@FDuffyNFL) March 2, 2025​

Jaylin Lane - WR Virginia Tech with a couple of solid reps in 1 on 1 at the #SeniorBowl #Hokies pic.twitter.com/IvPlO0XWoI

— B.J. Monacelli (@bjmonacelli) January 28, 2025​

Interviews​

How Will He Fit On The Team​

The front office made sure to address the wide receiver position over the offseason through retaining their own players and a trade for Deebo Samuel. Even with those acquisitions, Washington could use more long-term depth and speed. Another punt returner wouldn’t hurt either with the departure of Olamide Zaccheaus and Jamison Crowder. Jaylin Lane provides the Commanders another player who can operate as a returner and option in the quick receiving game. Coupled with his breakaway speed and ability to make defenders miss, Lane is a big play waiting to happen. Lane can carve himself a role on the Commanders as a punt returner and a scheme specific receiver.

Source: https://www.hogshaven.com/2025/3/27...r-the-washington-commanders-nfl-draft-profile

 

[Washington Commanders]

Daily Slop - 28 Mar 25: Most improved NFL teams, season win total odds, and ending the tush push

A collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders, the NFC East, the NFL and sports in general, and a sprinkling of other stuff

Commanders links​

Articles​

Bullock’s Film Room (subscription)​

NFL Draft Profile: DE Shemar Stewart​

One of the most polarizing prospects in this draft class is Texas A&M defensive end Shemar Stewart. Some analysts have him as one of their top 15 players in this draft class while others don’t see him as a first rounder at all. Stewart is so divisive because he’s one of the classic traits vs production type players while also falling into the workout warrior vs football player debate too. When you start looking into Stewart, it’s easy to see why he causes so much debate.

If you look at his combine measurements - 6-foot-5, 267 pounds, 34-inch arms - he looks like what you would build on Madden as a prototype for a defensive end. Then you look at his performance in athletic testing drills at the combine, it gets even more enticing. Stewart ran a 4.59 40-yard dash, fourth among defensive ends this year and the three that were ahead of him all weighed 10-20 pounds less than him. His 10-yard split was 1.58, which ranked third among defensive ends. James Pearce Jr. was the fastest and he ran a 1.56 10-yard split with 20 pounds less weight on his frame. He also ranked second among defensive ends with a 40-inch vertical jump and was the top performer in the broad jump, which are drills to test explosiveness.

On paper and in the gym, Stewart has everything NFL teams are looking for from a defensive end in terms of physical profile. However, If you then look at his production from college, you get a completely different story. Stewart had 4.5 sacks total across three seasons at Texas A&M. That’s an average of just 1.5 sacks per season. Now sacks aren’t the most effective way of measuring the production and effectiveness of a pass rusher, but you would still expect a player of his athletic profile to have accumulated far more sacks than that in three years.

Already then, it’s clear to see why Stewart is such a debated prospect. But we’ve only looked at athletic testing numbers and box scores so far. The most important part of any evaluation is the film. So what does the tape say about Stewart’s athletic profile vs his production? Well, it’s mixed. I think a lot of people will see what they want to see when studying Stewart’s play from college. There certainly are reps where he looks fantastic and dominates a play, but there’s also reps where he looks like a player nowhere near ready to be a first round pick.

Here is a play that shows the raw potential of Stewart. He works against the Notre Dame left tackle on this play and displays a lot of the traits you’re looking for in an NFL pass rusher. Stewart comes off the snap with good burst, accelerating up the field before throwing a euro-step at the left tackle. That jab step inside forces the tackle to stop his momentum and shift his weight to his inside foot to prepare for the threat of an inside rush.

With the tackle working inside, Stewart suddenly bursts to the edge, dipping low under the outside hand of the tackle and bending around the edge. The left tackle grabs on and frankly tackles him but somehow doesn’t get called for a holding penalty. Stewart can’t quite get to the quarterback as a result, but the pressure was absolutely felt and forced the quarterback to get rid of the ball in a hurry.

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Commanders.com​

Five things to know about DE Jacob Martin​

“My role is whatever they ask me to do.”

Martin was one of the many players Washington signed this offseason to shore up its run defense and put more pressure on quarterbacks. The team hasn’t given him any specifics on how he’ll fit into their plans, but he’s eager to contribute to the defense’s improvements, regardless of what that means for him.

“My role is whatever they ask me to do,” Martin said. “I’ve played enough ball in multiple...schemes. I’m fairly versatile on the defensive side of the ball and on special teams.”

Martin said he’s willing to come off the edge as a third-down pass-rusher for work inside on first and second downs. He might have to do both, because the Commanders have a need to bolster both areas. While the team became one of the best stories in the NFL last season for winning gritty games, its defense had some glaring weaknesses, particularly when it came to stopping running backs. It was solid at rushing passers in 2024 but still needed depth.

Fortunately, Martin has experience in both areas and is excited to add his skill set to what already exists in Washington. And after seeing how the team played last season, he wants to be part of the next chapter.

“It’s a hot team right now,” Martin said. “You’ve got a lot of talented players, dudes that are hungry ... You can feel the energy the guys play with. You can feel the hunger that they play with.”

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NFL.com​

Who’s had the best 2025 NFL offseason? Patriots, Bears among 5 teams deserving of extra praise​

There are teams that simply got better (Patriots) or improved their chances of getting into the playoffs (Bears), but the one team that made the moves to actually earn a trip to the Super Bowl was Washington. The Super Bowl timeline accelerated instantly with Jayden Daniels orchestrating the offense, evidenced by the Commanders’ trip to the NFC Championship Game in his rookie season. This offseason, they made trades for elite players at key positions, bringing in offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil and wide receiver Deebo Samuel. The Commanders also re-signed veteran contributors like Zach Ertz and Bobby Wagner and offset their own free agent losses with smart signings, including defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw and safety Will Harris.

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Podcasts & videos​

️With @NickiJhabvala. Roster talk. Previewing next week's NFL owners' meetings. Deebo's contract. Draft riser fakery. More.

Apple - https://t.co/JsX3r0KhBK

Spotify - https://t.co/nLTMpAyffB

— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) March 27, 2025​

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NFC East links​

Sports Illustrated​

Russell Wilson Complete Contract Details After Signing With New York Giants​

• Russell Wilson’s 1-year, $10.5 million deal includes an $8 million signing bonus, $2 million fully guaranteed and a $500,000 workout bonus. Then there are a ton of incentives for performance and playing time.

• Wilson can make up to $2.5 million in play-time incentives. If he plays 65% of the snaps he’ll get $500,000. He’ll get an extra million if he plays 75% of the snaps and $1.5 million for 85%.

• The contract includes up to $2.5 million in performance incentives. He’ll get $500,000 if he has a passer rating above 96.0 and $500,000 for a 64%+ completion percentage. He’s also able to earn $500,000 if he throws 20+ touchdowns and has a passer rating over 88. Then another $250,000 if he throws 30+ touchdowns with a passer rating of over 88. He can also earn $500,000 if he throws for over 2,500 yards with a passer rating of 88+ and yet another $250,000 if he throws for more than 3,500 yards with a passer rating over 88.

• If Wilson leads the Giants to the playoffs he can earn up to $2.5 million in playoff incentives. If he plays 55% of the snaps and the Giants make the playoffs, he’ll get another $750,000. If he plays 75% of the snaps and the Giants make the playoffs he’ll get $1.5 million. If he plays 55% of the snaps and the Giants win a playoff game he’ll add another $500,000. A second playoff win will earn him an extra $500,000.

• Finally, he can get up to $3 million in win incentives. For any game where he plays more than 50% of the snaps and the Giants win he’ll get another $176,470.59.

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NFL league links​

Articles​

Pro Football Talk​

Will there be enough votes to kill the tush push?​

If the league wants to get rid of the tush push, the simplest fix would be to revert to the pre-2006 rulebook, which prohibited both pulling and pushing of the ballcarrier. Alternatively, pushing of the ballcarrier could be banned within the tackle box. Or within two yards of the line of scrimmage.

We’re mentioning it because of this observation about a tush-push ban from Dianna Russini of TheAthletic.com: “I feel like it’s getting more momentum in terms of those opposed to it than I’ve ever heard before.”

That’s all relative, of course. If there’s never been much momentum against the play (and there hasn’t been), any momentum would be more than ever before.

All that matters for present purposes is 24. Is there a proposal, any proposal, that would get 24 owners to support it. Most importantly, would that proposal truly ban the maneuver?

The Packers’ proposal would merely delay it. If there are 24 owners who want to get rid of it entirely, it would be very easy to do it. The fact that there’s no clean and simple and direct proposal that would ban the play suggests that the league remains a long way away from having the requisite 24 votes.

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Discussion topics​

Athlon Sports​

Here’s Why Waiting for Arch Manning Would Be a Mistake​

No group of players has been harder to accurately assess than next year’s quarterbacks. That’s because they’re myths. In every sport, we get over-excited about potential and underestimate actual production.

But the bigger problem with the “Tank for Arch” plan is that he might not be in next year’s class. There’s a very good chance Arch will return to the University of Texas.

Arch Manning didn’t wait two years behind Quinn Ewers just to start for one season in Austin. He and his family chose Texas because he wants to make his mark on college football. Arch could have gone almost anywhere and started immediately. He chose a situation that would help him maximize his college football potential.

Manning’s Uncle Peyton famously stayed at Tennessee until his senior season and Uncle Eli played four years at Mississippi. Like Arch, they were in an economic position to wait on the NFL. For Arch, the financial decision is even easier. He’s already earning over $6 million per year in NIL. He could make $10-$15 million if he stayed for his redshirt junior season.

Arch, and other top prospects, can afford to be picky about when they leave for the NFL. If a team tanks this season, it could create an atmosphere that isn’t attractive enough to draw Arch away from Texas. As NIL grows exponentially, colleges will be able to compete with the pros for the best 21-year-old players.

Perhaps the Giants — because of the Eli connection — or Arch’s hometown Saints would be exceptions and lure him to go pro next spring. But even those teams might not seem so appealing if they win just one or two games this season. The Mannings may have loyalty but they also want a situation in which he can thrive. Arch didn’t go to Tennessee or Ole Miss like his uncles and he didn’t stay in state at LSU. He went outside the family circle because he wanted to play for head coach Steve Sarkisian.

If Arch did go pro after next season, he would have to buck a recent trend of one-year starters who’ve struggled in the NFL. As CBSSports.com’s Dennis Dodd laid out, quarterbacks are well served to get more college games under their belt. Trey Lance, Kyler Murray, Dwayne Haskins and Mitchell Trubisky are the most recent players to make that jump. While Murray has had some success, the only true superstar to follow that path was Cam Newton in 2011.

Manning turns 20 on April 27. Even if he wins the Heisman this season, he’d still enter the NFL light on experience. He must feel confident that he’d be a top pick no matter when he comes out, so he might as well continue to hone his skills.

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All aTwitter​

ESPN Bet has released odds for 2025 win totals

Team Total (Over, Under)

AFC
Bills 11.5 (-140, +110)
Ravens 11.5 (100, -130)
Chiefs 11.5 (+110, -140)
Bengals 10.5 (100, -130)
Chargers 10.5 (+105, -135)
Texans 9.5 (100, -130)
Broncos 9.5 (+105, -135)
Steelers 8.5 (-110, -120)…

— NFL Nerd (@NerdingonNFL) March 26, 2025​

Tress Way and his wife adopted a baby at the end of the regular season. They then had to overcome the little guy needing heart surgery and procedures during Washington’s playoff run.

Way Rollins the full story on the show. Listen here.

pic.twitter.com/59kz5iBH2C

— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) March 28, 2025​

Perhaps the top prospect in the 2025 #NFL Draft, Abdul Carter will sit out of Penn State's pro day tomorrow after missing workouts at the NFL Scouting Combine, as well:https://t.co/InDpdceSRM

— Pro Football Rumors (@pfrumors) March 28, 2025​

Just made a cut up of only last season's sacks and QB hits for Donovan Ezeiruaku.

It's 20 minutes long.

— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) March 28, 2025​

Honoring the fallen and supporting those left behind

Congratulations to DQ on winning the @TAPSorg Senator Ted Stevens Leadership Award, given annually to an individual who's demonstrated outstanding leadership on behalf of military and veteran survivors pic.twitter.com/KhEGghrFSO

— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) March 27, 2025​

posting a photo from last season every day until OTAs pic.twitter.com/qwDif78J9U

— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) March 27, 2025​

Spent time with the Redskins. https://t.co/EnVUmWGZnU

— John Keim (@john_keim) March 28, 2025

.@Patriots @MiamiDolphins @DougFlutie that time in 2005 when Flutie drop kicked an xtra point and the crowd went Crazeeee #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/cbXTOcGzXq

— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) March 28, 2025

Kevin Willard on future: "No, I don't know what I'm doing... I haven't talked to my agent, I haven't talked to my wife, I made a promise to this team that I was going to just focus on this team... I have an agent I'm sure he's talking to people... I don't know."#Terps

— NBC4 Sports (@NBC4Sports) March 28, 2025​

Willard: "My biggest concerns in life right now, I don't know who my boss is going to be, the guy who brought me here who I really liked, appreciative of him bringing me to College Park, is not here anymore and I don't know who we're going to hire... that worries me a little bit"

— NBC4 Sports (@NBC4Sports) March 28, 2025​

More Willard: "This is gong to be a family decision.. I love College Park, I love Maryland, when you're at this point in your career and you're looking at things I have to take everything into consideration moving forward... I don't know what I'm doing."

— NBC4 Sports (@NBC4Sports) March 28, 2025​

And more Willard: "I understand fans are going to be pissed because I'm in limbo.. I get it... I'm kind of pissed to be honest with you because I didn't expect to be in this situation, but... (stops speaking after that)"

— NBC4 Sports (@NBC4Sports) March 28, 2025​

3 threes in the final 10 seconds

this entire sequence is unbelievable pic.twitter.com/NLUOuk7d8W

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) March 28, 2025​

Legend recognize legend

Alex Ovechkin brought the Capitals back onto the ice to shake hands with Marc-André Fleury in their last matchup pic.twitter.com/UMnhZ2pptM

— ESPN (@espn) March 28, 2025​

Source: https://www.hogshaven.com/2025/3/28...eason-win-total-odds-and-ending-the-tush-push

 

[Washington Commanders]

Washington Commanders 2025 NFL Draft Hats

It’s draft season!

The 2025 NFL draft kicks off on Thursday. April 24th and will be held in Green Bay, Wisconsin for the first time. The Washington Commanders are entering their second season under the leadership of owner Josh Harris, general manager Adam Peters, and head coach Dan Quinn. The Commanders took Jayden Daniels with the No. 2 overall pick last season, and he lead them to a 12-5 record and the NFC Championship game. Adam Peters has five picks going into the draft, starting with the 29th in the first round.

New Era just released a new set of Washington Commanders NFL draft hats available from Fanatics.

Washington Commanders Draft Hats​

Washington Commanders New Era 2025 NFL Draft On Stage A-Frame 59FIFTY Fitted Hat - Black/Burgundy | Fanatics

Washington Commanders New Era 2025 NFL Draft A-Frame 9FIFTY Snapback Hat - Black/Burgundy | Fanatics

Washington Commanders New Era 2025 NFL Draft 39THIRTY Flex Hat - Black/Burgundy | Fanatics

Washington Commanders New Era 2025 NFL Draft 9FORTY A-Frame M-Crown Adjustable Hat - Black/Burgundy | Fanatics

Washington Commanders New Era Youth 2025 NFL Draft A-Frame 9FIFTY Snapback Hat - Black/Burgundy | Fanatics

Washington Commanders New Era Youth 2025 NFL Draft 9FORTY A-Frame M-Crown Adjustable Hat - Black/Burgundy | Fanatics

Washington Commanders New Era 2025 NFL Draft A-Frame 59FIFTY Fitted Hat - Cream/Burgundy | Fanatics

Washington Commanders New Era 2025 NFL Draft A-Frame 9FIFTY Snapback Hat - Cream/Burgundy | Fanatics

Washington Commanders New Era 2025 NFL Draft 39THIRTY Flex Hat - Cream/Burgundy | Fanatics

Washington Commanders New Era 2025 NFL Draft 9FORTY A-Frame M-Crown Adjustable Hat - Cream/Burgundy | Fanatics

Washington Commanders Draft Hats​

Source: https://www.hogshaven.com/2025/3/28/24395917/washington-commanders-2025-nfl-draft-hats

 

[Washington Commanders]

Daily Slop - 29 Mar 25 - What is the plan for the Commanders at the WR position?

Kara Durrette/Getty Images

A collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders, the NFC East, the NFL and sports in general, and a sprinkling of other stuff

Commanders links​

Articles​

The Athletic (paywall)​

Commanders mailbag: Jayden Daniels’ next act, edge-rush needs, the draft plan​

What is their plan for a No. 2 receiver? — Brian K.​

Deebo Samuel will play as much as he can handle and, therefore, is the “plan” opposite Terry McLaurin. This versatile chess piece’s extra value is the ability to line him up all over the formation. The potential wrinkle is where Samuel lines up in three-receiver sets. In 2024, the Commanders used 11 personnel — three receivers, one tight end and one running back — on 59 percent of their plays from scrimmage.

Samuel primarily played on the outside for the San Francisco 49ers. Out of 1,577 snaps over the last two seasons, Samuel lined up 962 times (61 percent) out wide and 428 snaps (27.1 percent) in the slot. Expect work out of the backfield as well. That he isn’t a pure route runner is where some questioning about his No. 2 status enters. Regardless, the goal is to put as much talent on the field as possible. If Samuel’s physical playmaking style returns to his 2021 and 2023 highs, he will be in the huddle very often.

The lone Brown remaining on the roster was the second receiver until he suffered a season-ending kidney injury in Week 13. Noah Brown brings more red zone size and traditional wide receiver skills, but he lacks Samuel’s formation versatility. He played 372 of 469 snaps last season out wide. Free-agent signee Michael Gallup is another primarily perimeter receiver. Most of 2024 third-round pick Luke McCaffrey’s rookie year activity came from the slot (59.8 percent), but we’ll see if he’s ready for more opportunities this season.

If all of this holds for 2025 — the Commanders could draft another receiver or inject additional speed into the room — Samuel will receive the second-most playing time behind McLaurin, while slot snaps would rise with Brown locked into the outside work.

Any concerns on a potential sophomore slump or regression with Jayden Daniels? — Taylor D.​

It’s in my nature to remain skeptical on many topics. For example, this Android user remains unconvinced Apple offers a better product despite its cult-like following. With Daniels, I’m largely worry-free assuming he remains diligent with his offseason program and keeps his feet on the ground following his monster first season.

Adjustments to the defensive game plans coming his way must occur. Daniels could improve with throwing to all parts of the field and decision-making, but nothing warrants a red pen. Gold stars on the other hand.

The floor remains very high due to his mobility and passing vision, while the ceiling — top-five QB in the league — is very attainable.

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Commanders.com​

Five things to know about OT Foster Sarell​

He wants to be part of the excitement in Washington.

Like the rest of the NFL, Sarell saw the success the Commanders had throughout the 2024 season, and he wanted to be part of it.

“I think it’s become pretty unanimous around the league that they are just running this place really well,” Sarell said. “Players love being here, and coaches love working here.”

Sarell’s role isn’t completely clear at this time, other than adding depth to the offensive line. No matter what he ends up doing, Sarell wants to help in any way he can, be a good teammate and do his job. And if an opportunity opens up for him at some point, he wants to be ready for it.

“That’s definitely something I’m excited to do and see what I can accomplish,” Sarell said. “I think that is a good fit for me.”

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Podcasts & videos​

Episode 1,038 - Guest: @PFF_Macri. Deep dive on 2025 NFL Draft's loaded RB class & what it means for the Commanders. Advanced analysis of Omarion Hampton, TreVeyon Henderson, Quinshon Judkins & Bhayshul Tuten. Why Cam Skattebo could be a steal. And more.https://t.co/Usa5lzwYR9

— Al Galdi (@AlGaldi) March 28, 2025​

---

️With @NickiJhabvala. Roster talk. Previewing next week's NFL owners' meetings. Deebo's contract. Draft riser fakery. More.

Apple - https://t.co/JsX3r0KhBK

Spotify - https://t.co/nLTMpAyffB

— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) March 27, 2025​

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NFC East links​

The Athletic (paywall)​

What can fans expect from Russell Wilson in New York? Our Steelers, Giants writers discuss​

DeFabo: One question from Wilson’s introductory press conference was a good snapshot into Mr. Unlimited. He was asked about Aaron Rodgers dragging out the game of QB musical chairs and, somehow, through a meandering answer in which he named about half of his Steelers teammates, he ended up talking about Miles Killebrew, a special teams player. That’s Russ. In press conferences, he can feel more like a politician than a quarterback. He’s an eternal optimist unlike any I’ve ever met and will try to put a positive spin on any situation. Even after the Steelers lost four games at the end of the regular season and limped into the playoffs, he raced up to defensive co-captain Cameron Heyward on the field and was telling him, “We can do this!” That was fine when the Steelers were doing well. It wasn’t as well-received when they went into a tailspin.

That said, after covering Wilson for an entire season, I came to gain a greater appreciation for him as a person. Every Tuesday, for example, he visited a children’s hospital in Pittsburgh. That meant a lot to those kids, even if Wilson didn’t win a playoff game. Yes, he can be a bit — dare I say it — corny at times. But when you really think about how many awful scandals other NFL players have been involved in, I think DangerRuss sometimes takes too much heat for his personality.

Carroll: I’m glad you brought up the press conference because I think that was the first sign that things are changing in New York. Daniel Jones was a respected teammate and was always good about his media sessions and doing what was required. But the energy between Wilson and Jones is just different. Nothing bad about that at all but just a noticeable distinction. Let’s combine that with the memes floating around about the personalities of this year’s quarterback room. And well, New York, or let’s say frankly any team in the league hasn’t had this meshing of quarterback star power and personalities in some time! Based on what you saw this season in Pittsburgh, how do you think Wilson will fit in New York?

DeFabo: In the city itself, I think Wilson will fit in great. He’s already been spotted at a Knicks game. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him throwing out the first pitch at a Yankees game or going to a Broadway show. Last year, he regularly took the linemen out to dinners in Pittsburgh. I’m sure he and Ciara, his wife, are going to love all that New York City has to offer.

On the field? Look, he was 6-1 through his first seven games and at one point he was playing so well people were talking about Mike Tomlin for Coach of the Year. The biggest positive is that he absolutely can still throw the moon ball, which has been a staple of his game from the very beginning. Supported by the NFL’s highest-paid defense in Pittsburgh and a commitment to running the ball, that was enough for a while.

The problems for the Steelers started cropping up when Wilson’s best deep threat, George Pickens, went down with a hamstring injury and opponents started game planning with two-high looks to take away deep shots. In his younger days, Wilson would use his excellent mobility to turn those plays into four- and five-yard scrambles. Now, his wheels aren’t the same and those often turn into throwaways or sacks. The Giants’ offensive tackles had better get ready for a QB who wants to hold the ball. Steelers left tackle Dan Moore Jr. gave up the most sacks in the league (12) last season and right tackle Broderick Jones was tied for the second-most allowed (11), according to PFF.

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NFL league links​

Articles​

The Athletic (paywall)​

How Oilers throwback uniforms stoked the embers of a decades-long NFL relocation fight​

The Tennessee Titans fired off the latest salvo in the battle over blue.

On Thursday morning, the Titans announced “Titans Blue” as their primary home jersey color starting in 2025. The move came nearly a year after the Houston Texans unveiled an alternate uniform combination that features a color the franchise coyly calls “H-Town Blue.” The blues are nearly indistinguishable, and the battle over which NFL team owns the hue rages on.

There’s a lot of contempt in that color. Conflict remains over terms never formally settled in Houston three decades ago, when a city consumed by scorn banished the owner of a team whose departure was once unthinkable. Call it a Texan standoff — regretted only after everyone shoots. There’s still no ceasefire over the physical remains of the Houston Oilers, now the Titans, and the ongoing feud is defined by petty antagonism and proxy wars.

In each of the last two seasons, Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk raised eyebrows and stoked outrage by authorizing the wearing of throwback Oilers uniforms against the Texans, the team embraced by the city that rebuked her father. In Thursday’s news release, the Titans revealed they will not wear their Oiler throwbacks in 2025. But in making “Titans Blue” its primary color, the team is quite literally marking its territory.

“It’s been one constant for the organization since 1960, the first days of the Houston Oilers,” the release said.

Tennessee’s uniform switch is also a strategic maneuver. Strunk has blocked moves by the Texans, who, urged by fan council members still mourning the loss of the Oilers, pursued expanding their usage of a color they argue belongs to Houston. The Texans settled for using “H-Town Blue” as an accent color in their alternate uniforms. Given the rigidity of the NFL’s uniform policy, the Titans could all but monopolize the use of the blue in their primary uniforms for several seasons.

The Texans built their case during the NFL’s annual league meetings in 2023. As explained in a team-sponsored podcast, they presented a “120-year story” referencing a “light blue color” found in Houston’s city flag, old curb tiles and classic cop cars. “H-Town Blue isn’t just a color,” Bruce Matthews, a Hall of Fame player for both the Oilers and Titans, narrated in a video released by the Texans in October. “It’s a part of our story.”

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Athlon Sports​

464-Pound Florida Gators Prospect Could Make NFL Draft History​

[Desmond] Watson is a massive human being. He also has a chance to make draft history.

Standing in at 6-foot-6 and 464 pounds, he has turned the heads of any college football fan that has seen him on the field for Florida. He also showed off his strength at the NFL combine with 36 bench press reps at 225 pounds.

He could become the heaviest player ever drafted.

That record has been held by offensive linemen Trent Brown and Daniel Faalele in 2015 and 2022 respectively.

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Discussion topics​

Athlon Sports​

Travis Hunter Scouting Report: Can He Play Both Ways in the NFL?​

After talking to experts and checking out the tape, Doug Farrar presents a case for the Heisman Trophy winner to remain a two-way player when he’s drafted.

In football’s olden days, it was no big deal for a player to, say, start at both halfback and linebacker, or quarterback and defensive back. Today, it’s a big story if a guard has to switch to tackle during a game for whatever reason. When the New England Patriots asked receiver Troy Brown to play defensive back as well in the early 2000s (Brown had three interceptions and five passes defended in the 2004 season), it was a novelty. As it was when Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders caught 36 passes for 475 yards and a touchdown as receiver for the Dallas Cowboys in 1996.

Now, as Colorado’s head coach, it’s Sanders who has helped to develop the most remarkable two-way player in decades. Travis Hunter isn’t just a one-position player who occasionally gets snaps on the other side of the ball. Hunter has become a legitimate first-round draft talent at two of the game’s most difficult and nuanced positions — cornerback and receiver. Over the past three seasons, from Jackson State to Colorado, Hunter has continued to refine his skills, and there’s been no dropoff on either side. In fact, Hunter has only become better at both positions.

Champ Bailey, who played receiver, cornerback and returner for the Georgia Bulldogs from 1996-98 and then became a Hall of Fame cornerback in the NFL, spoke with ESPN.com in December about the sheer amount of work that goes into playing both ways.

“I wanted to play both sides of the ball when I got to the league, too, and had some chances to line up and play some offense,” Bailey said. “But I think the difficulty of really doing it is hard to comprehend.

In 2024, Hunter caught 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns. As a cornerback, Hunter allowed 22 receptions on 38 targets for 205 yards, 91 yards after the catch, one touchdown and a passer rating of 42.0, while posting four interceptions and 11 pass breakups.

As Colorado’s passing game developed through the 2024 season, Hunter showed more of the required nuances of the position as his route tree expanded. As a receiver prospect, he doesn’t have an obvious flaw. If you’re going to make him a primary receiver and shelve his remarkable defensive abilities, you had better be able to turn Hunter into an elite No. 1 receiver over time.

His understanding of routes as a receiver makes him an exceptional press-match corner in that he can Velcro himself to the receiver and go wherever the receiver goes through the route.

On his positive off -coverage plays, Hunter will mirror and match receivers through their routes smoothly, and he displays excellent transitive movement as the routes develop.

When in zone situations where he has to diagnose the intentions of more than one receiver, Hunter has an excellent eye for reading the quarterback before the throw, and he’ll close on the right receiver more often than not. He’s also a great route-jumper in short areas.

Multiple experts who have spoken with Athlon Sports on the subject align with the idea that Hunter should lead with his best punch, and that’s universally thought to be as a cornerback. But there’s no opposition to using Hunter as a receiver in certain packages. Perhaps the ideal blend would be something that Sanders himself did with the Cowboys in 1996. In that season, Sanders made his fourth All-Pro team as a cornerback, and he also had career highs in receptions (36) and receiving yards (475). But even at Sanders’ athletic peak, none of his NFL teams made the mistake of spreading him too thin.

It was the right way to play it for Travis Hunter’s college coach, and it’s the right way for Travis Hunter.

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Free agency contract trends​

Over the Cap​

Breaking Down Free Agent Contract Signings From 2021 to 2025​

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All aTwitter​

I keep seeing folks debate if @Bwagz is an All-Time great LB and the answer is simply yes. I don’t need your list or who you thought was better. 11x All-Pro is beyond contestation. You can feel however you want to feel about Eras or other stats but saying he’s not among the…

— Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) March 28, 2025​

Rick Snider’s Washington discusses fan polls of NFL GMs. You’ll be surprised where Washington Commanders ranks.: Gimme two minutes. pic.twitter.com/1p5Yl2G5LB

— Rick Snider's Washington (@Snide_Remarks) March 28, 2025​

Washington Commanders draft hats are here with hog pins.https://t.co/YFsmgHof9S https://t.co/oZON2nGRd5 pic.twitter.com/RDyZFng2nx

— COMMANDERS FOOTBALL (@HogsHaven) March 28, 2025​

Maryland will not be getting a squadron of fighter jets from the D.C. Air National Guard. Maryland officials hoped the F-16s would allow the state to keep a flying mission. The plan became entangled with D.C.’s efforts to redevelop the RFK Stadium site. https://t.co/N4BnNzjdoE

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) March 29, 2025​

A look at this year's edge rush draft class measuring their production (min. 10% pressure rate) against their Next Gen athleticism score. pic.twitter.com/nPQ7evMGLz

— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) March 28, 2025​

With less than a month to go before the 2025 NFL Draft, we are reaching the point of prospect fatigue. Guarding against pernicious nitpicking, @BuckyBrooks spotlights seven players you should NOT overthink.https://t.co/8cSZYOFFhA pic.twitter.com/sTHvsLHM51

— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) March 29, 2025​

Former Patriot defender and captain, you say? https://t.co/RJ67cfZOGj

— Burgundy Blog (@BurgundyBlog) March 28, 2025​

Patriots WR Stefon Diggs' 3-year, $63.5 million deal.

• $16.6M fully guaranteed.
• $22.6M injury guarantee.
• $18.5M base pay in '25.
• $3.4M in per-game roster bonuses in '25.
• $5.5M in total incentives.

It's a year-to-year deal. Full detail https://t.co/87C9FrrsZC

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 29, 2025​

Updated NFL analytics staffer list!*

As always, this list is to the best of my understanding based both on what teams list and conversations with analytics folks around the league.

(*Re-posting because I had a mistake on previous post) pic.twitter.com/8h97F7Q3FN

— Seth Walder (@SethWalder) March 28, 2025​

. @CharlesRobinson reports that Roger Goodell and NFL owners will discuss the possibility of adding an 18th game to the regular season at next week's NFL Owners Meetings.

Would you want to see 18 regular season games? pic.twitter.com/WnG6TIRwgx

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) March 29, 2025​

The flag football movement is REAL.

The opportunity to see the game on the global stage at @LA28 is an important step in the growth of the sport for the 3,600,000+ youth and 43,000+ high school flag athletes.

Learn more: https://t.co/HrZCqBoVJt @NFLFLAG | @nflplayfootball pic.twitter.com/feZlvxwU94

— Troy Vincent, Sr. (@TroyVincentSr) March 28, 2025​

UFL players decided to participate as scheduled in tonight's season opener in Houston, despite failing to secure a CBA. But they have written a letter to @TheUFL co-owner Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and plan to deliver it to him in person. Here's the letter: pic.twitter.com/jyV4TiFGJv

— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) March 28, 2025​

The @XFLDefenders kick off their new season at 3 PM this Sunday va the defending league champs.

Fan friendly stadium! Plenty of fun activations are planned for their Red Zone opening celebration. It’s a blast to go to the games,

Get your tickets at https://t.co/0Y4C27mKjq.

— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) March 28, 2025​

posting a photo from last season every day until OTAs pic.twitter.com/lskM1N52wd

— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) March 28, 2025​

WHAT A PLAY FROM COACH pic.twitter.com/LeFVriPplt

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) March 29, 2025​

Welcome back, Locker.

Alright, Ovi. Time to turn on the after burners and go catch Gretzky. https://t.co/lL2DVYaTUd

— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) March 28, 2025​

Updates on Bangkok’s Railway Services, as of 29 March 2025 pic.twitter.com/xX39mWdE6N

— PR Thai Government (@prdthailand) March 29, 2025​

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Source: https://www.hogshaven.com/2025/3/29...he-plan-for-the-commanders-at-the-wr-position

 

[Washington Commanders]

Should the Commanders Take a Chance on Mykel Williams?

Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Hogs Haven takes a look at 2025 NFL Draft prospects that could contribute to the Commanders

Mykel Williams, DE
School: Georgia | Conference: SEC
College Experience: Junior | Age: 20
Height / Weight: 6’5” / 260 lbs
Projected Draft Status: 1st-2nd Round

Player Comparison: Greg Rousseau

College Statistics​

Tackles	Def Interceptions	Fumbles
Season	Team	Conf	Class	Pos	G	Solo	Ast	Comb	TFL	Sk	Int	Yds	IntTD	PD	FR	Yds	FRTD	FF	Awards
2022*	Georgia	SEC	FR	DL	15	15	13	28	7	4.5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2023*	Georgia	SEC	SO	DL	13	11	7	18	7	4.5	0	0	0	2	1	10	0	1
2024	Georgia	SEC	SR	DL	12	15	6	21	9	5.0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	2
Career	40	41	26	67	23	14.0	0	0	0	4	1	10	0	3

Defense & Fumbles Table

Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 3/22/2025.

Player Overview​

Mykel Williams didn’t have too far to go for college. The Columbus, Georgia, native was a standout high school player, putting together back-to-back seasons with double-digit sacks and tackles for a loss. This earned him four- and five-star grades from recruiting services and a lot of attention from schools. He rejected offers from Alabama, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Clemson and many others to stay in-state and play for Georgia.

Williams first season for the Bulldogs was impactful. He started just two of Georgia’s 15 games, but he led the team in QB hurries with 31. This, along with 4.5 sacks and 28 tackles, led to Williams getting Freshman All-American recognition. Williams’ production dipped a bit the following year, but he still led the team in sacks. In the first game of his final season, Williams suffered an Grade 2 ankle sprain. Over the next several games, he played limited snaps. He was still able to be second on the team with five sacks, getting two of those in Georgia’s win over Texas in the SEC Championship game.

Strengths​

• Ideal size for 4-3 defensive end
• Strong enough to hold the point of attack and shed blockers in the run game
• Flashes good hand swipes to win around the edge
• Length and power allows him to walk back blockers
• Great motor, consistently fighting to get to the ball

Weaknesses​

• Inconsistent get-off at the snap
• Limited pass rush moves and ability to string them together
• Lack of bend around edge allows blockers to recover
• Pad level is inconsistent; can be too upright in his rush

Let’s See His Work​

#Georgia edge Mykel Williams, a likely Top 10 pick who thrived despite dealing with an ankle injury that he aggravated in the Sugar Bowl, told reporters today that he played at 60% this year.

He took a few weeks off so the ankle could heal and will work out at his Pro Day. pic.twitter.com/KCMvJOmYor

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 26, 2025​

All Edge rushers in this class (including Campbell and Walker) pass rush win rates against true pass sets. pic.twitter.com/Fgyus1o3JD

— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) March 19, 2025​

EDGE: Pass Rush Win Rate vs Run Stop Rate

Josaiah Stewart is putting up insane numbers.
he’s making an impact in the run game too.

Mykel Williams and Shemar Stewart might be a bit of a concern.@mliteplz, your guy David Walker is definitely worth watching!! https://t.co/D1a35AVYzv pic.twitter.com/GDow5aDR4p

— oollie (@BA2kLEY) March 21, 2025​

Georgia edge Mykel Williams, a projected top 10-15 pick in the draft, was timed by many in the low 4.7s in his 40 today and as fast as 4.68.

@TaylorBisciotti pic.twitter.com/udBpnCaJdN

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 12, 2025​

How He Fits on the Commanders​

The most productive player off the edge last season for the Commanders now plays for the archrival Cowboys. Despite Dante Fowler, Jr.’s departure, the team still has Dorance Armstrong and re-signed Clelin Ferrell. Jacob Martin and Dietrich Wise, Jr. were also brought in, but these signings should not stop the team from looking to the draft for improving the position.

Mykel Williams would help improve the Commanders’ run defense. His length, strength, and motor help him excel in this part of his game. These attributes should translate to a solid pass rusher, but the pass rushing is a work in progress. He is very young and has flashed potential in this area. If the Commanders can wait on his development, they could land a three-down defensive end that has flashed dominant potential. At worst, Williams would be a run-stopping defensive end with limited pass rush potential. But, is that worth the 29th overall pick?

Source: https://www.hogshaven.com/2025/3/29...a-chance-on-mykel-williams-nfl-draft-profiles

 

[Washington Commanders]

Daily Slop - 30 Mar 25 - ESPN’s Mike Clay: take the ‘under’ on 10.5 Commanders wins in 2025

Photo by Amy Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images

A collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders, the NFC East, the NFL and sports in general, and a sprinkling of other stuff

Commanders links​

Articles​

Riggo’s Rag​

Jonathan Allen gets brutally honest about premature Commanders’ departure​

Jonathan Allen credited the Commanders for doing him a favor.

The Commanders did right by Allen, cutting ties just before the legal tampering window. This gave the Alabama graduate a head start on negotiations and choosing his next destination rather than being forced somewhere he might not have wanted to go.

Allen wasn’t out of employment for long, signing a three-year, $51 million deal with the Minnesota Vikings that included a $14 million signing bonus and $31.25 million guaranteed. That represents a fantastic payday considering his performance levels over the last two years.

Allen got brutally honest when speaking about his Commanders’ departure during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show. He acknowledged that he’d fallen out of favor, and there was nothing he could do about it. However, the interior force praised those in power for handling his departure with complete class and respect.

“I mean, in the NFL, it’s very hard to play your entire career on one team. The new regime came in, they had a path that they wanted to follow and I wasn’t a part of that. You’ve got to give them a lot of credit for doing me a favor by releasing me when they did, but things just didn’t work out for whatever reason. Super, super excited to be on a new team and reunite with coach [Kevin] O’Connell.”

Jonathan Allen

This was the right way to handle things. It’s another example of the raised professionalism in the Commanders’ front office these days. Had this been the previous regime under the previous owner, things (probably) would have been different.

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ESPN​

First bets: Early picks for 2025 NFL season win totals​

Fortenbaugh’s first bet: Washington Commanders UNDER 10.5 wins (-150)​

Jayden Daniels is awesome. I’m not disagreeing with that assessment. I am, however, highly concerned about the abundance of red flags signaling an upcoming regression for Washington. For starters, the Commanders finished 12-5 last year despite a +94 point differential, which is more indicative of a 10.6-win team. Second, Washington went 8-4 in one-score games. Those are two metrics which demonstrate how Dan Quinn’s team performed above expectation in 2024. Throw in a defense that ranked 19th in EPA, a much tougher schedule this season that features crossovers with the AFC West and NFC North and a unit that concluded 2024 as the fifth-healthiest team in the NFL and you’ve got plenty of reasons to suspect a regression for the Commanders in 2025.

Mike Clay’s projection: 8.2 wins

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QB Panic meter​

Bleacher Report​

Panic Meter for Every Team’s QB Situation Ahead of 2025 NFL Draft​

The panic meter ranges from one to 10. Low numbers reflect fewer concerns, while higher figures indicate uncertainties for the projected starter, a poor fit between the lead signal-caller and his supporting cast or the need to upgrade the primary backup role.

Commanders​

QBs: Jayden Daniels, Marcus Mariota, Sam Hartman

Daniels put on a show last year. Between his game-winning drives and the well-deserved accolades, he had one of the best rookie seasons for a quarterback in NFL history.

Within a year, the Washington Commanders went from a basement-dwelling dumpster fire to a Super Bowl contender. They beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the No. 1-seeded Detroit Lions on the road before losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game.

Daniels had success similar to C.J. Stroud, who won the 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year award, but the LSU product’s quick rise seems different because of his dynamic playmaking ability with his arm and legs.

Because of Daniels’ willingness to pick up yards on the ground, he’s susceptible to big hits.

Washington made a reasonable decision to re-sign Mariota, who saw some action while Daniels battled a rib injury in October and in the last week of the season.

Panic Meter: 1

Colts​

QBs: Anthony Richardson, Daniel Jones, Jason Bean

Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen should be on a full-tilt panic alert with their quarterback room.

In two seasons, Richardson has thrown for 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions with a 50.6 percent completion rate. In 2023, he missed 13 games because of a season-ending shoulder injury. Last year, he sat out six contests due to injury and a demotion.

Ballard told reporters that the team would bring in competition for Richardson. Indianapolis signed Jones, another underwhelming former first-rounder.

Over the last two seasons, the 27-year-old has thrown more interceptions (13) than touchdowns (10).

The Colts may have to choose a starter between the better of two subpar quarterbacks, which doesn’t bode well for the offense. Bean, an undrafted second-year player out of Kansas, is a non-factor.

Panic Meter: 10

Steelers​

QBs: Mason Rudolph, Skylar Thompson

Aaron Rodgers has a significant impact on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback situation because as he mulls over his next career decision, the team could miss out on alternative options.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Rodgers met with the Steelers for about six hours. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport noted that the visit “went really well.”

On one hand, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported (h/t Bleacher Report’s Andrew Peters), the 41-year-old has not “come close” to a decision.

On other hand, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero said Rodgers could call his own shot within the next few days.

Keep in mind that Carson Wentz is still available.

Also, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer believes Kirk Cousins could waive his no-trade clause after the draft to avoid a situation where a team takes a quarterback early after acquiring him as the Atlanta Falcons did last offseason.

Regardless of Rodgers’ timeline, the Steelers should draft a quarterback to develop, but that rookie signal-caller will probably go through a year in a backup role.

While the Steelers wait, though, Wentz could sign with a team and Rodgers may opt to retire, leaving Pittsburgh to scramble for Cousins or settle for Rudolph as its starting quarterback.

In 2023, Rudolph helped lead the Steelers to the playoffs, but through seven campaigns, he’s yet to start more than eight games in a season.

Panic Meter: 8

Eagles​

QBs: Jalen Hurts, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Tanner McKee

Hurts may have turned some of his doubters into believers with his Super Bowl performance.

The Kansas City Chiefs slowed down Saquon Barkley and the Philadelphia Eagles’ ground game, but Hurts surgically dissected Steve Spagnuolo’s defense, completing 17 out of 22 passes for 221 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He won Super Bowl LIX MVP.

Hurts’ critics point to his average passing numbers to knock him down a notch below Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen, but he’s led the Eagles to the Super Bowl twice in four years as their primary starter.

Panic Meter: 1

Giants​

QBs: Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, Tommy DeVito

The New York Giants added Wilson and Winston to take themselves out of desperation for a quarterback heading into the draft.

If the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns take a signal-caller in the first two spots, the Giants would still need to address the position for the long term, but at least Wilson and Winston can get them through a respectable 2025 season.

Last season, Wilson threw for 2,482 yards, 16 touchdowns and five interceptions with a 63.7 percent completion rate. In Week 7, he took over the starting job in place of Justin Fields and helped lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to the playoffs.

An 11th-year veteran with 87 career starts, Winston can fill in if Wilson experiences a significant decline or suffers an injury.

If the Giants miss out Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders at No. 3, they could draft and sit Jaxson Dart or Jalen Milroe for a year behind Wilson and Winston.

Panic Meter: 4

Vikings​

QBs: J.J. McCarthy, Brett Rypien

The Minnesota Vikings likely envision J.J. McCarthy as their starter in the near future. They selected him with the No. 10 overall pick.

But McCarthy didn’t see the field in his rookie year. He needed two surgeries on his torn meniscus, and Sam Darnold went on to have his best season as a pro.

Now that Darnold has left for the Seattle Seahawks, the Vikings must decide whether to go all-in with McCarthy or add a proven starter and keep their young signal-caller on training wheels.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Vikings aren’t pursuing Aaron Rodgers, but they want to add a veteran quarterback.

Per Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz, Minnesota has had discussions with Ryan Tannehill, who didn’t play in 2024.

The Vikings don’t have a reason to panic unless the coaching staff is worried about McCarthy’s ability to win the starting job.

However, their interest in an experienced QB suggests they could hedge on the young signal-caller’s outlook for another year, but the team’s free-agent options are thinning out.

Don’t count on Rypien posing a threat to McCarthy in a training camp battle.

Panic Meter: 5

Dolphins​

QBs: Tua Tagovailoa, Zach Wilson

The Miami Dolphins will feel panic whenever Tagovailoa takes a big hit because of his history of concussions. When healthy, he throws with pinpoint accuracy (career 68.1 percent completion rate), and the sixth-year veteran led their No. 1-ranked passing offense in 2023.

Panic Meter: 7

Cowboys​

QBs: Dak Prescott, Will Grier

The Dallas Cowboys have their franchise quarterback, but he’s in a suboptimal situation with his recent injury history.

Perennial All-Pro guard Zack Martin has retired. Dallas’ top two running backs are castoffs who hit the free-agent market following an underwhelming 2024 campaign. The Cowboys parted ways with head coach Mike McCarthy and opted to promote Brian Schottenheimer, whose top-10 scoring offenses in Seattle were led by the ground game.

If Prescott has to carry a lot on his shoulders in the passing game, it could lead to disaster.

Over the last three years, he has missed 14 games because of injuries. The Cowboys don’t have a solid backup behind him. They lost Cooper Rush to the Baltimore Ravens in free agency. Grier has started in two games over five seasons.

As NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport suggested, the Cowboys could take a quarterback on Day 2 of the draft to develop in the primary backup role.

For now, though, Prescott’s shaky durability and the lack of quality depth behind him are reasons to be concerned about the quarterback situation in Dallas.

Panic Meter: 6

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Podcasts & videos​

Michael Gallup’s RETURN to the NFL | Next Man Up | Washington Commanders | NFL Free Agency​

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️Our OPPOSITION TERRITORY pod!

The Washington Commanders offseason.@LetMualTellit from the @TraporDive joined us for a discussion:

A ton of 1-year deals
Most disappointing part of the offseason
Keys to the draft

& more! https://t.co/Q6GvCwiJuE

— The Philadelphia Sports Table Podcast Show (@PhiladelphiaPST) March 29, 2025​

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NFC East links​

Bleeding Green Nation​

NFL Draft Rankings 2025: Offensive tackle​

1) Armand Membou, Missouri ​

Armand Membou put the NFL on notice with an elite combine performance. Flip on his tape at Missouri, and the athleticism is as clear as day.

A career Right Tackle, Membou was too quick for SEC edge rushers, rarely allowing sacks in his three years of starting. A valid concern is that the talented Membou is small by NFL tackle standards in terms of height and length. He could be a candidate to slide inside at guard, but teams will want to test his athleticism on the edges of the line.

NFL Comparison: Jake Matthews, Atlanta Falcons

2) Will Campbell, LSU​

Will Campbell has 38 starts under his belt and that experience shows up in the confidence he plays the position with. Campbell is a powerful, violent offensive lineman who can put some blocks on a highlight reel the way he puts guys on the ground.

Campbell’s instincts and demeanor pair well with great play strength and downhill speed. While he thrived at tackle, there are suggestions he might be an NFL guard. His short arms and occasional moments where he gets beat laterally raise red flags about his ability to stay out on an island against NFL edge rushers. It’s very likely he is drafted very high and tested at tackle before teams make that call either way.

NFL Comparison: La’el Collins, Dallas Cowboys

3) Josh Simmons, Ohio State​

Josh Simmons started his career at San Diego State where he thrived at right tackle before transferring to Ohio State and to the left side of the offensive line. He started at left tackle all of 2023 and was having a great season in 2024 before tearing his ACL midway through the year.

Simmons has everything on tape and the measurement chart you’d want from an NFL offensive lineman. He is big, smooth, and smart. He is a patient blocker with the ability to mirror edge rushers. In the run game, he always finds his man and positions himself well to pave the way.

Simmons is not the most physical player, especially compared to the other top blockers in this class. He doesn’t lack strength, it is just that his game is not predicated on being a bully. Of course, the biggest question will be his recovery from the knee injury. A fully healthy Josh Simmons should be a first round pick and start for an NFL team as a rookie.

NFL Comparison: Christian Darrisaw, Minnesota Vikings

4) Kelvin Banks Junior, Texas

5) Gray Zabel, North Dakota State

6) Josh Conerly Junior, Oregon

7) Donovan Jackson, Ohio State

8) Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota

10) Wyatt Milum, West Virginia

11) Ozzy Trapilo, Boston College

12) Marcus Mbow, Purdue

13) Jonah Savaiinaea, Arizona

14) Cameron William, Texas

15) Charles Grant, William & Mary

16) Anthony Belton, NC State

17) Jalen Rivers, Miami (FL)

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Could Travis Hunter be Jerry Jones' new Deion Sanders?

What I'm hearing about the Cowboys' interest in the Heisman winner: https://t.co/OtMHsPxA93 pic.twitter.com/H6P598ELhv

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) March 28, 2025​

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Big Blue View​

Russell Wilson contract details: How the money breaks down, Giants remaining cap space​

Remember the days before free agency when the Giants were flush with cap space? Well, not anymore. The Giants, per Spotrac, now have $5.51 million in Top 51 cap space, with the contracts of Jameis Winston, Zach Pascal and Aaron Stinnie not yet figured into the calculation.

The Giants will need to create space. They could cut placekicker Graham Gano, a savings of $4.415 million against the cap as a post-June 1 cut. They could also restructure the contracts of players like Brian Burns, Andrew Thomas and Dexter Lawrence.

Dexter Lawrence and Andrew Thomas would be the two safest guys to do that with https://t.co/NNAKXGkF9A

— Jason_OTC (@Jason_OTC) March 30, 2025​

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NFL league links​

Articles​

Deadspin​

Kirk Cousins Hits Up Cleveland Chipotle, But Sure, It’s “Totally Not NFL-Related”​

It is not publicly known if the Falcons have given Cousins permission to seek a trade, but there is no denying he spent time in Cleveland. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Cousins’ viral visit to the Westlake, Ohio, Chipotle was “not NFL-related.”

Not NFL-related, by the way. But solid lunch choice. https://t.co/6DZTVkEwLH

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 27, 2025​

Cousins’ agent, Mike McCartney of Vayner Sports, joked about how the viral visit blew up his phone.

Who knew how much a visit to @ChipotleTweets could blow up a guys phone ‍

— Mike McCartney (@MikeMcCartney7) March 27, 2025​

[L]et’s be honest: Cousins likely was not vacationing in Cleveland in March.

It is no secret the Cleveland Browns need a quarterback.

Earlier this week, they spent time in Miami with Cam Ward, who is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. They are set to meet with Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders next week and have spent extensive time with Jaxson Dart and Jalen Milroe as well.

Trading for Cousins, who is familiar with head coach Kevin Stefanski’s offense from their time together with the Minnesota Vikings, would make sense for the Browns—especially if they are not enamored with selecting a quarterback at No. 2 overall.

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Pro Football Focus​

Ranking the best available 2025 NFL free agents​

Unlike PFF’s free agent rankings, which focus on impending free agents, this list includes the top available players, factoring in recent releases. As teams make roster moves, this ranking will track the best options still on the market.

1. WR Amari Cooper
2. CB Rasul Douglas
3. CB Kendall Fuller
4. CB Asante Samuel Jr.
5. CB Mike Hilton
6. T Tyron Smith
7. QB Aaron Rodgers
8. WR Keenan Allen
9. ED Von Miller
10. ED Za’Darius Smith
11. DI Calais Campbell
12. G Brandon Scherff
13. HB J.K. Dobbins
14. CB Stephon Gilmore
15. S Justin Simmons
16. T Jedrick Wills Jr.
17. ED Matthew Judon
18. ED Dennis Gardeck
19. T Kelvin Beachum
20. C David Andrews
21. WR Diontae Johnson
22. HB Nick Chubb
23. S Julian Blackmon
24. ED Preston Smith

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Discussion topics​

What if NFL divisions were like this? pic.twitter.com/rQfWATDOrx

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) March 29, 2025​

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All aTwitter​

Taking advantage of this weather by growing the game ️

Thanks to everyone that came out for today's Girls Flag Regional Learn to Play Clinic at @NWStadium! pic.twitter.com/Y4EVtA4ujI

— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) March 29, 2025​

Makes my heart happy to be reunited with this “utter lunatic” ⁦@RealBramW⁩ who talked about what he believes is one of the greatest turnarounds in NFL history. #nfln ⁦@gmfb⁩ pic.twitter.com/RslNgoXWtH

— Sara Walsh (@Sara_Walsh) March 27, 2025​

Voice of the @Commanders, @RealBramW takes us out to Cincinnati to break down his favorite moment from the 2024 season ️ pic.twitter.com/PaD2LAEHk6

— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) March 27, 2025​

Oh look, the Bills got another discount on a contract that's 40% lower than the top of the market because they signed their guy as soon as possible.

What a concept. https://t.co/N0mBEAExD4

— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) March 29, 2025​

This off-season, the Bills now have extended:

CB Christian Benford — 4 years, $76 million.
QB Josh Allen — 6 years, $330 million.
DE Gregory Rousseau — 4 years, $80 million.
LB Terrell Bernard — 4 years, $50M million.
WR Khalil Shakir — 4-years, $53 million. https://t.co/CANZuV07tx pic.twitter.com/7meE5Cml2G

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 29, 2025​

A year after the #Texans added Azeez Al-Shaair from an AFC South team, they will look within the division again at linebacker. Following six Colts seasons, E.J. Speed will head to Houston https://t.co/eNmRL5mWAu

— Pro Football Rumors (@pfrumors) March 29, 2025​

I think most one year deals are mainly just teams trying to be risk averse and hoping to catch lighting in a bottle. https://t.co/zNhbvXiUjd

— Jason_OTC (@Jason_OTC) March 30, 2025​

Egregious is when the player has a wild incentive package that is near impossible to achieve yet its reported as the base contract value. Guarantees are always over-reported on extensions too. Always include old money which is already basically guaranteed https://t.co/6NQ029eO8J

— Jason_OTC (@Jason_OTC) March 30, 2025​

As long as you have a smart organization from top to bottom there is little danger. The benefit is that a cap $ today is worth far more than a cap $ tomorrow. The danger is that most teams are simply reckless with the extra cap room and create a mess they cant get out of https://t.co/XPFNz1ma4g

— Jason_OTC (@Jason_OTC) March 30, 2025​

Dallas Im sure will aim for a 5 year contract. May only get 4. Will probably be $41-$42M a year. Cap will be low every year due to restructures https://t.co/rr1DkL2d02

— Jason_OTC (@Jason_OTC) March 30, 2025​

What would it cost for Browns or Giants to trade up to #1 overall in the @NFL Draft?

No team has gone from #2 or #3 to #1 in 50 years.

There has NEVER been a trade up from #2.

Falcons traded up from #3 in 1975. Atlanta gave Baltimore 2x All-Pro RT George Kunz, one of the best…

— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) March 29, 2025​

.@buckybrooks ranks his top interior offensive lineman prospects in this year's draft class

See the full list https://t.co/HVebEF2W94 pic.twitter.com/QnlOe8IDwl

— NFL (@NFL) March 29, 2025​

---

Three things that are said too frequently about prospects as a default without watching enough/any tape:

* Quarterback has a "big arm" or "great arm talent"
* Offensive lineman is a "mauler" or "road-grader"
* Safety/CB has great "instincts"

Many times the opposite is true.…

— Lance Zierlein (@LanceZierlein) March 29, 2025​

Superlatives! Quite literally the inspiration for me developing RAS was stuff like this. Things we just say that have lost their meaning over time because we tend to ignore any context when using the terms. They're convenient, but ultimately pointless.

— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 29, 2025​

---

posting a photo from last season every day until OTAs pic.twitter.com/RSMMaG7Wse

— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) March 29, 2025​

Tomorrow’s inactive list pic.twitter.com/2CmzqXKVeV

— D.C. Defenders (@XFLDefenders) March 29, 2025​

InsideMDSports (not TMZ) exclusive: Kevin Willard is Villanova-bound. After leading the Terps to the Sweet 16 but finishing with an odd saga of public hints at his impending exit, he leaves UMD needing a quick replacement and likely a depleted roster. https://t.co/S3scHRhfOM

— Jeff Ermann (@Jeff_Ermann) March 30, 2025​

Been doing this since I was six https://t.co/ENmcoOoABW

— Jamual (@LetMualTellit) March 29, 2025​

---

Source: https://www.hogshaven.com/2025/3/30...ake-the-under-on-10-5-commanders-wins-in-2025

 

[Washington Commanders]

Adam Peters’ Draft Tells - Who will be the Commanders’ top targets?

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Ever since Josh Harris and company bought the team and hired Adam Peters to run the show, the news out of Ashburn has been very limited. Beat reporters don’t seem to be fed tidbits and if they are, they don’t share them.

Bruce Allen was a walking Magic 8 Ball and Scot McCloughan may have been even worse (with certain reporters). Ron Rivera opened his mouth when it should have remained closed and that sometimes became a problem.

So, this no-leaks policy that the new staff has seemed to implement is a very good thing considering the leaky faucet we’ve had in Ashburn the last two decades. However, it does make free agency and the draft a bigger guessing game for outsiders.

All that being said, I believe, just like any good poker player, that I have spotted some of Adam Peters’ tells. You can read all about these, and how they play into Washington’s draft needs, below.

---

Some of what we can glean from the 2024 draft: ​

1.) 40 collegiate games played:

-Of last year's draft picks, all but Ben Sinnott (38) played in at least 40 collegiate games.

2.) Collegiate production:

-Adam Peters seems to like guys who get better every year in college and never truly plateau.

3.) Team Captains:

-Five of the eight draft picks were team captains including all three of the first three picks.

4.) Senior Bowl:

-Five of the eight draft picks were chosen to play in the Senior Bowl.

5.) Post season accolades:

-Every draft pick received at least an All-Conference mention.

-Four were named to at least one All-American team.

6.) Four years removed from high school:

-Every player selected in the 2024 draft was at least four years removed from high school when drafted.

-Six of the eight picks were 5 years or more removed from high school.

7.) Elite athleticism:

-There were players like Jayden Daniels and Jer’Zhan Newton who didn’t test or do on-field work during the pre-draft process, but the 2024 class boasted some of the draft’s best athletes for their respective positions when it came to speed, quickness and explosion.

-There seems to be a strong correlation to RAS scores and draft choices.

8.) Multiple meetings:

-Last year’s draft picks all had meetings with the team - be it at all-star games, the combine, pro days and Top 30.

9.) No character concerns:

-From all reports I have seen from our 2024 class, none had any character concerns during the draft process.

-Both Peters and Quinn have spoken multiple times of locker room fits and what it takes to be a Commander both on and off the field, so I believe this is a BIG priority for our team.

---

2025 Team Needs:​

Some of our team needs have changed or lowered a bit after free agency, however some big ones still remain.

EDGE

CB

WR

OL

RB

S

---

What top prospects could be on Adam Peters’ draft board based on what we have seen from the 2024 draft?​

EDGE:

Donovan Ezeiruaku (Boston college): Ezeiruaku seems to check all the boxes. He spent four years at Boston College and played in 47 games. He was highly productive as a senior garnering multiple post-season awards, including consensus All-American status. He was a team captain who was invited to play in the Senior Bowl and has met with the Commanders multiple times. He didn’t run the 40 but posted an outstanding 6.94 3-cone and a 35.5” vertical. He was said to have some of the best interviews at the scouting combine.

Donovan Ezeiruaku is a DE prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored an unofficial 8.28 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 311 out of 1802 DE from 1987 to 2025. https://t.co/fJVNaeny2w pic.twitter.com/0KWOJ4lwsE

— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) February 28, 2025

NFL Draft Projection: RD1-Early RD2

Landon Jackson (Arkansas): Jackson stands at an imposing 6’6” and weighs 268 pounds. The crazy part is he’s yet to even come close to his potential as a football player. He played in a total of 42 games between LSU (freshman year) and Arkansas and recorded back-to-back seasons with 6.5 sacks and at least 10 tackles for a loss. He served as a team captain, was twice named to the All-SEC team (junior and senior years) and was selected to participate in the Senior Bowl. His stock really began to rise after the combine, where he wowed teams with a 4.68 40, 40.5” vertical and 10-9 broad jump. He’s met with the Commanders multiple times, including at the Senior Bowl, Combine (formal) and Pro Day.

Landon Jackson is a DE prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.88 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 23 out of 1802 DE from 1987 to 2025.

Splits projected, Times unofficial.https://t.co/Uzf1WPheOE pic.twitter.com/ENgyqVp6NO

— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) February 27, 2025

NFL Draft Projection: RD2

---

CB:

Trey Amos (Ole Miss): Amos is a 6’1” 195 pound press-man boundary corner who played in 61 career collegiate games and got better each season. He broke out as a senior at Ole Miss, where he had three interceptions, 13 passes defended and a forced fumble over 13 games while earning second team All-American honors and being selected to play in the Senior Bowl. Amos had an excellent combine showing off a 4.43 40 and a 10-6 broad jump to go along with an impressive on-field workout. Trey has met with the Commanders at the Senior Bowl, Combine (formal) and at his pro day.

Trey Amos is a CB prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored an unofficial 8.88 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 280 out of 2480 CB from 1987 to 2025.

Splits projected, times unofficial.https://t.co/ZSYJCypel2 pic.twitter.com/C3BC5pvLCM

— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) February 28, 2025

NFL Draft Projection: RD2

Jahdae Barron (Texas): Barron played in 57 games over his five seasons at Texas and broke out as a senior with five interceptions, 11 passes defended and a forced fumble over 13 games while earning second team All-American honors and being selected to play in the Senior Bowl. Jahdae has some position versatility as both a corner and safety. He’s a highly respected locker room guy and supposedly wowed teams at the combine in the interview process.

Jahdae Barron was our highest ranked corner who tested and he did well. Not much to talk about here, average size, okay explosiveness, great speed. A fine profile so far.https://t.co/p9eqaRGRaT pic.twitter.com/Km18ZePJiO

— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 1, 2025

NFL Draft Projection: RD1-2

---

WR:

Jayden Higgins (Iowa St.): Played in 22 games at Eastern Kentucky before transferring to Iowa State, where he went on to have two very productive seasons for the Cyclones through 26 games (48 total collegiate games). Higgins was a third team All-American and second team All-Big 12 performer after his senior season. He served as a fourth Iowa State team captain for one game and was selected to play in the Senior Bowl. Jayden stands at an impressive 6’4” and weighs 214 pounds. He put up exceptional testing numbers at the combine, posting a 4.47 40, 39” vertical and 10-8 broad jump. He met with the Commanders brass at the Senior Bowl, Combine and at his Pro Day.

Jayden Higgins is a WR prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored a 9.92 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 29 out of 3445 WR from 1987 to 2025.

Pro day pending for remaining tests.https://t.co/HmCMFwToFw pic.twitter.com/WSmnIz6rNS

— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 11, 2025

NFL Draft Projection: RD2-3

Emeka Egbuka (Ohio St.): Highly productive receiver who has played in 49 career games and was a team captain. Egbuka has been an All-Big 10 performer and won a National Championship as a senior. He is a sturdy 6’1” 202 pounds and has inside/outside versatility. He had a great showing at Ohio State’s Pro Day running a 4.45 40, recording a 38” vertical and a great 4.12 short shuttle. He’s said to have really impressed teams in interviews and is a leader both on and off the field. He has met with the Commanders.

Emeka Egbuka is a WR prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.27 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 259 out of 3529 WR from 1987 to 2025.

Times unofficial, splits projectedhttps://t.co/YAM8shXLf8 pic.twitter.com/1RKSOPb8E9

— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 26, 2025

NFL Draft Projection: RD1-Early RD2

---

OL:

Josh Conerly Jr (Oregon): Played in 41 career games and showed vast improvement each season. He walked away with numerous post-season accolades last year, including All-American and All-Big 10. He was selected to play in the Senior Bowl, where he had a really solid week leading up to the game. Conerly has met with the Commanders on multiple occasions, including having a Top 30 visit set up.

Josh Conerly Jr. is a OT prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored a 8.98 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 143 out of 1398 OT from 1987 to 2025.

Pro day pending for remaining tests.https://t.co/dbKnWjmK6U pic.twitter.com/lSqWkZHkd3

— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 12, 2025

NFL Draft Projection: RD1-2

Wyatt Milum (West Virginia): Milum was a four-year starter for the Mountaineers, playing in 47 career games and logging nearly 3000 career snaps. He was a freshman All-American and second team All-American as a senior while being named the Big 12 offensive lineman of the year in 2024. Milum was also a three-time Academic All-Big 12 selection and winner of the prestigious Iron Mountaineer Award (2024), which exemplifies leadership and durability. He had an excellent week at the Senior Bowl at tackle and guard. He’s met with the Commanders multiple times, including having a Top 30 visit scheduled.

Wyatt Milum is a OT prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored an unofficial 8.01 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 284 out of 1420 OT from 1987 to 2025.

Times unofficial, splits may be projected.https://t.co/NVAKMFoLDC pic.twitter.com/MP4yDEQAnF

— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 22, 2025

NFL Draft Projection: RD2

---

RB:

Woody Marks (USC): Marks spent his first four years at Mississippi State before transferring to USC for his fifth and final year of college football. He had his best season in the Big 10, rushing for 1,133 yards and nine touchdowns and catching 47 passes for 321 yards. He also showed kick return ability at Mississippi State. At 5’10” 213 pounds (Pro Day), Marks ran a 4.52 40 with an impressive 1.50 10-yard split to go along with a 35” vertical and 10” broad jump. He was named All-Big 10 second team and was selected to participate in the Senior Bowl. He’s met with Washington at the Senior Bowl, Combine (formal) and at USC’s Pro Day.

NFL Draft Projection: RD3-5

Jordan James (Oregon): James’ 37 career games falls just short of the desired 40 games played, however he has a lot of tread left on the tires and is said to be an extremely well-spoken and mature young man who teams love. He broke out in a big way in 2024 with 1,253 yards and 15 touchdowns while adding 24 receptions for 202 yards. He measured just under 5’10" and has a compact 205 pound build. He’s never fumbled in a college game. He’s had meeting with Washington at the combine and Oregon’s Pro Day.

NFL Draft Projection: RD2-4

---

S:

Billy Bowman (Oklahoma): Bowman is a versatile defensive back who has been a stalwart in the Sooners defense since arriving on campus as a true freshman. He played in 47 career games at safety, and had his breakout season as a junior, where he recorded six interceptions, returning three for touchdowns, and had four passes defended. He received first team All-American honors after the 2023 season. He recorded 11 interceptions during his four years at Oklahoma. Bowman was a team captain and selected to play in the Senior Bowl. He lit up the combine running a 4.42 40, jumping 35.5” in the vertical and showing an impressive 10-3 broad jump. He’s had multiple meetings with the Commanders, including a formal meeting at the combine. He’s said to be exceptional in interviews.

NFL Draft Projection: RD2-4

---

Who could be eliminated from Peters’ board?​

Mike Green: Two separate sexual assault claims - one in high school and one while he was at the University of Virginia, could eliminate the talented pass rusher from consideration.

James Pearce: There are rumors that Pearce had some of the worst interviews at the combine and he had a former high school teammate come out and say he had serious anger issues and wasn’t a very good person. Rumors about his work ethic and if he really loves football have also surfaced.

Luther Burden: Burden’s draft stock has taken a hit for a few reasons. First there are concerns that he’s a diva and quit on his team during a 34-0 loss to Alabama in 2024. Second is the severe drop-off in production from 2023 to 2024. He also falls short of the three years removed from high school and 40 games played that I believe Peters looks for.

Trevor Etienne: Despite being a team captain, selected to play in the Senior Bowl, and reportedly a good person and leader, Etienne was arrested for DUI and was suspended for a game last season despite having the charges dropped. He received 12 months probation and a fine, and this could cause pause for GM Adam Peters. Trevor has modest stats in just 34 career games.

---

Source: https://www.hogshaven.com/2025/3/30...will-be-the-washington-commanders-top-targets

 

[Washington Commanders]

Adam Peters on trades, adding draft picks, and a Terry McLaurin extension

Adam Peters speaks to reporters at the NFL owners meetings in West Palm Beach, FL

The NFL world is in West Palm Beach, FL to kick off the annual NFL owners meetings. There are several rule changes on the table. Washington Commanders GM Adam Peters got the chance to answer some questions from reporters, and also made an appearance on Up & Adams with Kay Adams.

Peters talked about the two trades he made to acquire WR Deebo Samuel and LT Laremy Tunsil. He was happy to add two top players, and he talked about the competitiveness, versatility, and play-making ability of Samuel, who he helped draft when he was with the 49ers. Peters called Tunsil one of the best, and they wanted to bolster the offensive line in Jayden Daniels’ second season.

The Commanders only have five picks going into next month’s draft, and Peters is leaving all options, including adding to the number. Getting a premier CB, WR, and LT were the right moves for the team according to Peters, and he noted that they had nine draft picks last year that made the team, along with two UDFAs. The team has not talked to Tunsil about a new contract, and he represents himself in negotiations.

A Terry McLaurin contract extension is expected before the season starts, but it hasn’t happened yet. Peters said they have had positive conversation’s with McLaurin’s agent, and they’ve expressed that they want him to be here for a long time.

Deebo Samuel trade:​

Deebo Samuel will open up the offense for Jayden Daniels from playing in the backfield, slot, outside, going deep, screens and making a play out of nothing!

Washington Commanders GM Adam Peters breaks down Deebo's impact on the team and offense.@heykayadams | @19problemz pic.twitter.com/zL9CrUFsXG

— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) March 31, 2025​

Adam Peters on trading for Deebo: "I know a lot about him, I know what kind of competitor he is. ... Being able to get a playmaker like that and understanding it wasn't a huge cost for us made it enticing."

— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) March 31, 2025

Laremy Tunsil trade:​

Adam Peters on the Laremy Tunsil trade. "We really wanted to bolster the offensive line. He is, in our opinion, one of the best."

Add in that tackles of Tunsil's caliber rarely become available, and they jumped on the opportunity.

— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) March 31, 2025

Trades/draft picks:​

Adam Peters says Washington made draft pick trades to get great players, and added that they still have 5 picks right now and that number could expand pic.twitter.com/HpRCpNNsLF

— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) March 31, 2025

Trading down:​

Adam Peters on the possibility of trading down in the draft to collect more picks (they have five currently): "That's certainly something we'll consider. We'll consider everything."

— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) March 31, 2025

Javon Kinlaw:​

Adam Peters: "Javon Kinlaw is a tone-setter. He's explosive, he's physical. ... We think he's going to be a great Commander."

— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) March 31, 2025

Adam Peters on Javon Kinlaw's freaky size. Said he can play at any weight, but 320 would be good for how the team plans to use him inside and on the edge.

"His best football is in front of him."

— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) March 31, 2025

Terry McLaurin extension:​

Terry McLaurin's contract update.

Washington Commander's general manager Adam Peters says, "We want to make Terry a Commander for a long time."@heykayadams | @Commanders | #RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/YOTk8geBSc

— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) March 31, 2025​

https://t.co/ptAwyAwugA pic.twitter.com/2Ljw52hI6z

— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) March 31, 2025

Adam Peters: “we want Terry to be a Commander for a long time.” Peters said they’ve expressed that to Terry’s side.

— John Keim (@john_keim) March 31, 2025

Laremy Tunsil contract talks:​

Adam Peters said they haven't had any contract talks with Laremy Tunsil (he's his own agent). "If we have them, we'll keep them in house," Peters said.

— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) March 31, 2025

Draft targets/free agency:​

Adam Peters on draft targets - “we can look anywhere.” Credits his staff for building out the roster in free agency

— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) March 31, 2025

Tush push/Frankie Luvu:​

Adam Peters doesn’t have much comment on the Tush Push, but he does think the Frankie Luvu memes are funny pic.twitter.com/HUtvyaumBc

— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) March 31, 2025

Jayden Daniels:​

Jayden Daniels' presence alone is one of the reasons why Deebo Samuel and Laremy Tunsil are both Commanders.

"He is a great person that people want to be around and play with" says GM Adam Peters.@heykayadams | @commanders |@JayD__5 | #RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/S6INk6xBdZ

— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) March 31, 2025​

Source: https://www.hogshaven.com/2025/3/31...ng-draft-picks-and-a-terry-mclaurin-extension

 

[Washington Commanders]

Is There Room on the Commanders’ Offensive Line for Jonah Savaiinaea?

Photo by Conor Kvatek/UCF Athletics/University Images via Getty Images

Hogs Haven takes a look at 2025 NFL Draft prospects that could contribute to the Commanders

Jonah Savaiinaea, OT/OG
School: Arizona | Conference: Big 12
College Experience: Junior | Draft Age: 21
Height / Weight: 6’4”/ 324 lbs
Projected Draft Status: 2nd round

Player Comparison: Matthew Bergeron

Player Overview​

Jonah Savaiinaea was born in American Samoa and grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii. After earning all-state honors as a senior and becoming a three-star recruit, Savaiinaea chose Arizona over Arizona State, Syracuse, and UCF. He picked the Wildcats because he wanted to turn the team into a winner. He got the chance to do that right away. Arizona started him as a true freshman and he remained a starter for all 12 games of the 2022 season. His play at right guard earned him Freshman All-American honors. He moved to right tackle in 2023, playing most of his snaps opposite first-round pick Jordan Morgan. The Wildcats went 10-3, ending the season ranked 11th overall, and Savaiinaea was named All-Pac-12 honorable mention. For his final season, Savaiinaea was named team captain and lined up primarily at right tackle again. HIs play earned him All-Big 12 honorable mention.

Strengths​

• Excellent physique for the offensive line
• Strong punch to slow defenders
• Executes snatch and trap techniques very well
• Effective down blocker
• Awareness to pick up stunts and blitzers
• Blows up defenders in space

Weaknesses​

• Tendency to stop feet on contact with defenders
• Hands can land outside the frame of defenders
• Needs to improve grip strength to sustain blocks
• Anchor in pass protection is inconsistent
• Pad level can be too high and cost him leverage

Let’s See His Work​

Arizona RT Jonah Savaiinaea (no. 71) - absolute tank

Seek and destroy mission here pic.twitter.com/mYyH3MGE5n

— Connor Rogers (@ConnorJRogers) July 2, 2024​

Arizona OL, Jonah Savaiinaea tells Chat Sport's @HGrahamNFL he wants to play guard in the NFL pic.twitter.com/IIpBNjtFgg

— Chat Sports (@ChatSports) March 19, 2025​

Jonah Savaiinaea is a OT prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored a 9.19 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 122 out of 1500 OT from 1987 to 2025. ras.football/ras-information/?PlayerID=27084&ovl=Arizona

— Kent Lee Platte (Mathbomb) (@mathbomb.bsky.social) 2025-03-30T20:06:38.728Z

How Will He Fit On The Team​

Washington has a solid core of interior offensive linemen in Nick Allegretti, Tyler Biadasz, and a healthy Sam Cosmi. But, with Cosmi recovering from a torn ACL, Biadasz missing time last season to injury, and Nick Allegretti’s up-and-down play, the team could look to the draft for upgrades to the interior.

Jonah Savaiinaea’s future is likely on the interior of an offensive line. He definitely has the size and the temperament for it. His good hand usage and strong punch can help slow pressure up the middle. A move inside would help to mitigate a few of his weaknesses, but to have sustained success, he needs to get stronger to sustain blocks and move people in the run game. He is young, so I think the strength will come in time. The Commanders could draft Savaiinaea to compete to start on the interior now and, if he doesn’t win a starting spot, use the year to get stronger and prepare to step into the role after a season.

Source: https://www.hogshaven.com/2025/3/31...e-line-for-jonah-savaiinaea-nfl-draft-profile

 

[Washington Commanders]

Should the Commanders Add the Prolific Shaun Dolac to their LB Room?

Photo by Williams Paul/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Hogs Haven takes a look at 2025 NFL Draft prospects that could contribute to the Commanders

Shaun Dolac, LB
School: University of Buffalo | Conference: Mid-American Conference
College Experience: Senior | Draft Age: 24 (Week 1)
Height / Weight: 6’0”/ 223 lbs
Projected Draft Status: 6th round

Player Comparison: Matt Milano

College Statistics​

Tackles	Def Interceptions	Fumbles
Season	Team	Conf	Class	Pos	G	Solo	Ast	Comb	TFL	Sk	Int	Yds	Avg	IntTD	PD	FR	Yds	FRTD	FF	Awards
2020*	Buffalo	MAC	FR	LB	7	6	1	7	0	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2021	Buffalo	MAC	SO	LB	12	20	17	37	6	1.5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2022*	Buffalo	MAC	JR	LB	13	97	50	147	14	4.5	0	0	0	7	0	0	0	3
2023	Buffalo	MAC	SR	LB	4	17	15	32	3	0.0	1	32	32.0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2024*	Buffalo	MAC	SR	LB	13	82	86	168	19	6.5	5	177	35.4	1	5	0	0	0	0	AA
Career	49	222	169	391	42	12.5	6	209	34.8	1	12	0	0	0	3

Defense & Fumbles Table

Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 3/31/2025.

Player Overview​

Shaun Dolac was a walk-on player from West Seneca HS (NY) with the University of Buffalo Buffaloes. From there, he’s been a mainstay of Buffalo’s defense since his junior season where he had 147 combined tackles, 15 TFLs (tackles for losses), and 4.5 sacks. After an injury-shortened 2024 season, Dolac finished with a career high on every stat across the board (168 combined tackles, 19 TFLs, 6.5 sacks, 5 INTs)

Shaun Dolac is likely on every football analyst’s short list of defensive draft gems. The tape shows a linebacker who’s speed and footwork matched his pro day performance. Dolac has lined up all over the place but spent most of his time in the box and slot. He reads and reacts well, is able to hit the gaps for runs or put himself in position to defend the pass or force interceptions (5 apiece in 2024). Knocks on Dolac’s play will start with the level of competition as it does for most smaller school prospects.

Awards & Recognition​

• MAC Defensive Player of the Year (2024)
• Consensus AP All-American (2024)

Metrics​

Shaun Dolac is a LB prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.00 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 292 out of 2920 LB from 1987 to 2025.

Pro day testing unofficial, splits projected.https://t.co/ak9UJX7WW9 pic.twitter.com/5UD8TgRHDf

— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 14, 2025​

Source: pff.com

2025 NFL Draft | LB Production Scores

All 65+ GG scores are relative to drafted LBs from 2015-2024.

Takeaway: Tons of depth in this class.

All-around LBs:
Jackson Woodard
Shaun Dolac

In-the-box:
Jihaad Campbell
Cody Simon

Coverage:
Brandon Combs
Teddye Buchanan pic.twitter.com/VBVEqPglaj

— Gridiron Grading (@GridironGrading) February 24, 2025​

Strengths​

• Tackling machine, led the conference in solo/assisted tackles, and TFLs (2024).
• Highly productive.
• Reads and reacts well to the play diagnosis.

Weaknesses​

• Played against lower level competition.
• Perceived concern of a lack of athleticism.
• Lack of size.

Let’s See His Work​

According to a source, three teams are intrigued with Shaun Dolac after his impressive Pro Day:

Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, and Las Vegas Raiders.

4.55 40
25 Reps on Bench
35.5" Vert
4.21 Shuttle
6.94 3-Cone

He's a sideline-to-sideline LB. Solid recognition with some of… https://t.co/uSDWlsGD43 pic.twitter.com/iKDzffUjx1

— Colton Edwards (@coltonedwardsFB) March 16, 2025​

Shaun Dolac vs NIU is one of the BEST games I’ve ever watched a linebacker play.

19 tackles
5 tackles for loss
1 interception
1 pass breakup
39.1 passer rating allowed

Blew up his pro day with a 4.55 40 as well. Day 3 gem who will rise on draft boards. pic.twitter.com/0qRtcSRJbC

— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) March 14, 2025​

2025 NFL Draft Profiles:
Shaun Dolac, Linebacker, Buffalo

MOST UNDERRATED LB IN 2025

6’1 225lbs

-2024 MAC Defensive Player of the Year
-2024 Tackle Leader
-Fills holes and reads plays at a high level, dominating the run game
-Ability to drop into coverage (2nd on team in… pic.twitter.com/XLE5TF9Wgx

— FlockNationOG (@FlockNationOG) January 29, 2025​

Interviews​

How Will He Fit On The Team​

While other positions require high draft capital, Washington would be remiss to not continue adding to what was the strength of the defense, especially given how the linebacker position was neglected under Ron Rivera’s tenure. If the Commanders are looking for late-round contributors to add on defense and the linebacking group, Shaun Dolac is as good as they come. He is a read and react linebacker with the footwork coordination and speed to get anywhere on the field. He is a player that could fill in as a rotational linebacker and play special teams. Even after re-signing Bobby Wagner and awaiting the development of Jordan Magee, the Commanders could always use more depth.

Source: https://www.hogshaven.com/2025/4/1/...haun-dolac-to-their-lb-room-nfl-draft-profile

 

[Washington Commanders]

Film Session: Breaking down what the Commanders new defensive linemen add to the unit

Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A film session breaking down how the Commanders may view their new additions to the defensive line

The Commanders added four defensive linemen during the initial free agency period. Jake Martin, Eddie Goldman, Deatrich Wise, and Javon Kinlaw were all brought in to help shift the identity of the Washington Commanders’ defensive front. The Commanders hope to eliminate the consistent setting of soft edges and the absence of a true disruptive presence among its interior defensive line. Furthermore, in their search to find an edge rush presence following the loss of Dante Fowler Jr., who produced 10.5 sacks in 2024, they acquired OLB/Edge Jake Martin from the Chicago Bears, who already has a solid pass rush toolbox but may be maximized in the Commanders’ defensive scheme.

I took a look at the tape for each of Washington’s new veteran additions and outlined below each of their strengths below.

Jake Martin’s pass rush toolbox provides Washington with juice along the edge.​

Martin has a good upfield burst and a rush plan that allows him to be a threat outside the tackle. Martin’s career-high is four sacks, so he has yet to break through in the NFL from a statistical standpoint. Martin plays with good pad level and hand usage, which allows him to create pressure and win on speed rushes, speed-to-power, and pure bull rushes. He has a good chop-rip rush move and a sneaky long arm, which, due to solid hand placement when engaged, can get him good enough leverage to drive his opponent into the quarterback.

From an alignment standpoint, the Chicago Bears utilized him as a 3, 5, 6, and 7-technique lineman. His athleticism can stress tackles and provide advantages for his coordinator, Joe Whitt Jr, depending on the situation. His competitiveness extends to his leg drive and a natural motor that highlights his ability to counter a lineman who defeats his initial move.

Eddie Goldman’s block processing gives Washington the ability to play fast in the interior​

Goldman’s unique trait revolves around his ability to quickly identify and process block schemes. He shows excellent play strength in 1-on-1 blocking situations, and his mental processing heightens his play speed, allowing him to be prepared for engagements. The Falcons primarily used him as their 0 or 1-technique lineman and were able to win against downhill blocks versus perimeter run schemes. Goldman’s frame is exceptional, and he’ll naturally take on plenty of double-team and combo blocks, but he has to improve his functional strength to stalemate/withstand the combination blocks. However, Goldman is a smart football player with quality football instincts, a valuable trait among this defensive front.

Deatrich Wise gap discipline and alignment versatility allows Washington to set stronger edges​

Wise, similar to Goldman, has impressive football instincts and excellent mental processing. He brings power and functional strength to the unit but has solid athleticism to thrive as a run defender and situational pass rusher. Wise plays with good gap discipline and is an exceptional force defender on the edge, not allowing runners to bounce to the edge. He plays with good eyes and hand usage in the run game and understands where his hat is supposed to be to defend the run. Wise knows how to disengage and shed blocks to make the tackle as a playside edge defender, but also knows when to stay disciplined to keep containment on a runner. Wise is more versatile than Goldman as a run defender. The Patriots primarily utilized him as their 3, 4, and 5 technique, but Wise has also shown good fluid lateral movement to defend against zone-scheme concepts while maintaining the proper play strength to disengage from Reach blockers.

Javon Kinlaw’s physicality explosiveness, and alignment versatility provides Washington with a disruptive presence upfront​

The Commanders see a ton of potential in Javon Kinlaw. What is most impressive about Kinlaw, if you watch the tape, is his explosiveness. What can get frustrating is Kinlaw’s inability to finish a play, but throughout a game, you see moments where he is the sole reason an offensive play-call went to hell. The Jets used him all across their line as a 1, 2, 2i, 3, 4, and 6 technique lineman. As a run defender, Kinlaw can wreck linemen in 1-on-1 situations; he plays with good upper body play strength and good overall power in his punches. He can be violent at the point of attack, and with an explosive get-off shows a good ability to disengage/shed blocks in 1-on-1 situations. He struggles against double teams and combination blocks, as he gives up too much ground playing with a high pad level in these instances.

Kinlaw can also create havoc as a crasher in stunt/twist games, and at 320 pounds there aren’t many players capable of withstanding a crasher with his frame. I found he was most effective as a 1-technique pass rusher, and while I believe that Kinlaw will spend most of his time outside of this alignment, his burst and functional strength can be too much for most centers. The idea of having Kinlaw play a BIG edge for Washington is enticing, and its part of what he brings to the table, but I think Kinlaw can be a dominant defender against the run and pass if Whitt can scheme up 1-on-1s for him more times than not.

You can watch the full film session on Trap or Dive below, where I go further in depth on each player and how we can expect Washington to utilize them.

There is a vision with the Commanders’ additions to the defensive line, but it remains to be seen if it comes to light in their scheme. Depending on the situation, there is alignment versatility with three of the linemen, which would allow more flexibility with players like Frankie Luvu, who was essentially Washington’s de facto edge rusher on obvious passing downs throughout the season. Furthermore, adding a quality edge rusher in the NFL draft can create more possibilities for Whitt. While I think that edge rusher remains a priority heading into the draft, their free agency additions lessen the need to attack the position in the first round, as there is more flexibility with the new additions on the defensive line.

What are your thoughts on Martin, Goldman, Wise, and Kinlaw? Let us know your thoughts and be sure to subscribe to the Trap or Dive YouTube channel.

Source: https://www.hogshaven.com/2025/4/1/...manders-new-defensive-linemen-add-to-the-unit

 

[Washington Commanders]

Washington Commanders 2025 NFL Draft: Pre-draft meetings/visits tracker

Photo by David Dennis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Tracking all of the prospects Washington is meeting

The 2025 NFL draft starts Thursday, April 24th at 8pm, and will be broadcast live from Green Bay, WI. Teams have been scouting these players for years, and the pre-draft process gained national attention at the post-season college all-star games and ramps up again at Pro Days and the NFL Combine. Teams will have access to prospects for formal and informal interviews at these events, but as the draft approaches, they are also able to host 30 players for formal visits. They can also hold workouts and local prospect pro days to get more information on players they have interest in, or players they want teams to think they have interest in.

GM Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn were hired last year by managing partner Josh Harris to “recalibrate” the Washington Commanders after four years with Ron Rivera in charge of football operations. They completely revamped the team, and drafted Jayden Daniels with the No. 2 overall pick. The Commanders finished the season with a 12-5 record, and went into the playoffs as the No. 6 seed in the NFC. Washington defeated the Buccaneers and Lions, before falling to the Eagles in the NFC Championship game. Now they’re reloading for another run at a championship.

The Washington Commanders have the No. 29 overall pick, but only hold two picks within the top 100. They now have five picks total in this year’s draft after their latest trading multiple picks for LT Laremy Tunsil.

Below is a list of the draft prospects that Washington has met with, and will be updated with private workouts and local pro day players.

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Washington Commanders 2025 NFL Draft Picks​

Round 1 - #29

Round 2 - #61

Round 4 (via HOU) - #128

Round 6 - #205

Round 7 (from DEN via PHI) - #245

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Top 30 visit​

Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan, OT, Oregon State (Info)

Josh Conerly Jr, OT, Oregon (Info)

Ashton Gillotte, DE/Edge, Louisville (Info)

Wyatt Milum, OT, West Virginia (Info)

Oluwafemi Oladejo, LB, UCLA (Info)

Quincy Riley, CB, Lousiville (Info)

Arian Smith, WR, Georgia (Info)

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Private workouts​

Andres Borregales, K, Miami (Info)

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Offense​

Quarterback​

Jaxson Dart, QB, Mississippi (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Taylor Elgersma, QB, Wilfrid Laurier (Canada) (Senior Bowl Meeting)

Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon (Senior Bowl Meeting)

Javonte Howard, QB, Charleston (Tropical Bowl Meeting)

Riley Leonard, QB, Notre Dame (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Kyle McCord, QB, Syracuse, (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Kurtis Rourke, QB, Indiana (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Tyler Shough, QB, Louisville (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Wide Receivers​

Elic Ayomanor, WR, Stanford (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jack Bech, WR, TCU (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Isaiah Bond, WR, Texas (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Ja’Corey Brooks, WR, Louisville (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Sam Brown, WR, Miami (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Pat Bryant, WR, Illinois (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Luther Burden, WR, Missouri (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Perry Carter, WR, Jacksonville State (Team Pro Day Meeting via Louisiana-Monroe)

Joaquin Davis, WR, North Carolina Central (HBCU Combine Meeting)

Chimere Dike, WR, Florida (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Da’Quan Felton, WR, Virginia Tech (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Tai Felton, WR, Maryland (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Matthew Golden, WR, Texas (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State (Senior Bowl Meeting) (NFL Combine Formal Visit) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Kobe Hudson, WR, Central Florida (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Tez Johnson, WR, Oregon (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

KeAndre Lambert-Smith, WR, Auburn (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jaylin Lane, WR, Virginia Tech (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jackson Meeks, WR, Syracuse (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Nick Nash, WR, San Jose State (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State (Senior Bowl Meeting) (NFL Combine - Formal) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Kaden Prather, WR, Maryland (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Myles Price, WR, Indiana (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Dinner/Private Meeting) (Team Pro Day)

Jamaal Pritchet, WR, South Alabama (Senior Bowl Meeting)

Xavier Restrepo, WR, Miami (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting) (Private workout)

Jalen Royals, WR, Utah State (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Flip Rudolph, WR, Jacksonville State (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Will Sheppard, WR, Colorado (East-West Shrine Meeting)

Arian Smith, WR, Georgia (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting) (Top 30 Visit)

Carl Smith, WR, Robert Morris (Tropical Bowl Meeting)

Roc Taylor, WR, Memphis (Hula Bowl meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting) (Zoom Meeting)

Isaac TeSlaa, WR, Arkansas (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Dont’e Thornton, WR, Tennessee (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Antwane Wells, WR, Mississippi (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Davon Wells, WR, Louisiana-Monroe (Team Pro Day Meeting)

La’Johntay Wester, WR, Colorado (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Ricky White, WR, Nevada-Las Vegas (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Dariyan Wiley, WR, Vanderbilt (Team Pro Day Meeting via Louisiana-Monroe)

Kyle Williams, WR, Washington State (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Savion Williams, WR, TCU (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Winston Wright, WR, East Carolina (Hula Bowl Meeting)

Tight Ends​

Elijah Arroyo, TE, Miami (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Gavin Bartholomew, TE, Pittsburgh (Senior Bowl Meeting)

Jake Briningstool, TE, Clemson (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

C.J. Dippre, TE, Alabama (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Mitchell Evans, TE, Notre Dame (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Rivaldo Fairweather, TE, Auburn (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Harold Fannin Jr., TE, Bowling Green (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Terrance Ferguson, TE, Oregon (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Thomas Fidone, TE, Nebraska (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Oronde Gadsden II, TE, Syracuse (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jackson Hawes, TE, Georgia Tech (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Gunnar Helm, TE, Texas (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Luke Lachey, TE, Iowa (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Moliki Matavao, TE, UCLA (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Sam Pitz, TE, Minnesota-Duluth (Team Pro Day Meeting via Minnesota TPD)

Jeremiah Prewitte, Florida A&M (HBCU Combine Meeting)

Mason Taylor, TE, LSU (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Ben Yurosek, TE, Georgia (East-West Shrine Meeting)

Running Backs​

LeQuint Allen, RB, Syracuse (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Micah Bernard, RB, Utah (Hula Bowl Meeting)

Jaydon Blue, RB, Texas (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Tajh Brooks, RB, Texas Tech (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB, Arizona (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting) (Zoom Meeting)

Donovan Edwards, RB, Michigan (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Trevor Etienne, RB, Georgia (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting) (Virtual meeting)

D.J. Giddens, RB, Kansas State (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Ollie Gordon II, RB, Oklahoma State (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

R.J. Harvey, Central Florida (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jarquez Hunter, RB, Auburn (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro day Meeting) (Virtual Meeting)

Ja’Quinden Jackson, RB, Arkansas (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jordan James, RB, Oregon (NFL Combine - Formal) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State (NFL Combine - Formal) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Corey Kiner, RB, Cincinnati (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Phil Mafah, RB, Clemson (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Woody Marks, RB, Southern California (Senior Bowl Meeting) (NFL Combine - Formal) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Damien Martinez, RB, Miami (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Irv Mulligan, RB, Jackson State (HBCU Combine Meeting)

Devin Neal, RB, Kansas (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Dylan Sampson, RB, Tennessee (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Raheim Sanders, RB, South Carolina (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Cam Skattebo, RB, Arizona State (Team Pro Day Meeting) (Individual Pro Day)

Brashard Smith, RB, SMU (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Virginia Tech (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Treshaun Ward, RB, Boston College (Tropical Bowl Meeting)

Marcus Yarns, RB, Delaware (Senior Bowl Meeting)

Offensive Line​

Kelvin Banks, OT, Texas (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jacob Bayer, OC, Arkansas State (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Anthony Belton, OT, N.C. State (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Tyler Booker, OG, Alabama (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Logan Brown, OT, Kansas (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Will Campbell, OT, LSU (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan, OT, Oregon State (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting) (Top 30 Visit)

Jack Conley, OG, Boston College (East-West Shrine Meeting)

Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon (Senior Bowl Meeting) (NFL Combine - Formal) (Team Pro Day Meeting) (Top 30 Visit)

Tyler Cooper, OG/OT, Minnesota (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, OT, Florida (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Garrett Dellinger, OG, LSU (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Dylan Fairchild, OG, Georgia (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Miles Frazier, OG, LSU (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Charles Grant, OT, William & Mary - (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Joshua Gray, OT/OG, Oregon State (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Gus Hartwig, OC, Purdue (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jarrod Hufford, OC, Iowa State (Hula Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Ozzie Hutchinson, OT/OG, Albany (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Donovan Jackson, OT, Ohio State (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Emery Jones, OT, LSU (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Nash Jones, OG, Texas State (East West Shrine Meeting)

Luke Kandra, OG, Cincinnati (Hula Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Willie Lampkin, OG, North Carolina (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Chase Lundt, OT, UConn (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jake Majors, OC, Texas (Team Pro Day Meeting) (Virtual Meeting)

Marcus Mbow, OG/OT, Purdue (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Tim McKay, OG, N.C. State (East-West Shrine Meeting)

Seth McLaughlin, OC, Ohio State (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Armand Membou, OT, Missouri (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Wyatt Milum, OT, West Virginia (Senior Bowl Meeting) (NFL Combine - Formal) (Team Pro Day Meeting) (Top 30 Visit)

Gerald Mincey, OT, Kentucky (Tropical Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day)

Jonah Monheim, OC/OG, Southern California (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jack Nelson, OT, Wisconsin (Team Pro Day)

Thomas Perry, OG, Middlebury (East-West Shrine Meeting)

Hollin Pierce, OT, Rutgers (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Esa Pole, OT, Washington State (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Tate Ratledge, OG, Georgia (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jalen Rivers, OT, Miami (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Caleb Rogers, OG/OC, Texas Tech (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jonah Savaiinaea, OT/OG, Arizona (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jackson Slater, OT/OG, Sacramento State (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Ozzy Trapilo, OT, Boston College (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jalen Travis, OT, Iowa State (Senior Bowl Meeting)

Carson Vinson, OT, Alabama A&M (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Gareth Warren, OG, Lindenwood (East-West Shrine Meeting)

Clay Webb, OG, Jacksonville State (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro day Meeting)

Trey Wedig, OT, Indiana (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro day Meeting)

Addison West, OG, Western Michigan (Hula Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Aiden Williams, OG/OC, Minnesota-Duluth (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting via Minnesota TPD)

Cameron Williams, OT, Texas (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jordan Williams, OT, Georgia Tech (Team Pro Day Meeting) (Private Meeting/Dinner Before Pro Day)

Jared Wilson, OC, Georgia (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Grey Zabel, OG/OC, North Dakota State (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

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Defense​

Cornerbacks​

Brandon “B.J.” Adams, CB, Central Florida (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Zy Alexander, CB, LSU (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Trey Amos, CB, Ole Miss (Senior Bowl Meeting) (NFL Combine - Formal) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Kendall Bohler, CB, Florida A&M (Hula Bowl Meeting) (HBCU Combine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Cobee Bryant, CB, Kansas (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Dylan Brown, CB, Wisconsin-River Falls (Team Pro Day Meeting via Wisconsin)

James Burgess, CB, Alabama State (HBCU Combine Meeting)

Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio State (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Mello Dotson, CB, Kansas (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Johnathan Edwards, CB, Tulane (Senior Bowl Meeting)

O’Donnell Fortune, CB, South Carolina (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Zah Frazier, CB, Texas-San Antonio (East West Shrine Meeting)

Sean Fresch, CB, Rice (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Marcus Harris, CB, California (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Tommi Hill, CB, Nebraska (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Garnett Hollis, CB, West Virginia (East West Shrine Meeting)

Maxen Hook, CB/SS, Toledo (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

LaMareon James, CB, TCU (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Will Johnson, CB, Michigan Mason Graham

C’Darius Kelley, CB, Wake Forest (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Bilhal Kone, CB, Western Michigan (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Robert Longerbeam, CB, Rutgers (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jason Marshall, CB, Florida (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Robert McDaniel, CB/S, Jackson State (HBCU Combine Formal Meeting)

Mac McWilliams, CB, Central Florida (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Glendon Miller, CB, Maryland (East West Shrine Meeting)

Jacob Parrish, CB, Kansas State (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Lacarea Pleasant-Johnson, CB, Southern Utah (Tropical Bowl Meeting)

Darien Porter, CB, Iowa State (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Shavon Revel, CB, East Carolina (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Quincy Riley, CB, Louisville (Senior Bowl Meeting) (NFL Combine - Formal) (Team Pro Day Meeting) (Top 30 Visit)

Jakob Robinson, CB, BYU (East West Shrine Meeting)

Marcus Sheppard, CB, North Dakota State (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jaylin Smith, CB, Southern Cal (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Melvin Smith, CB, Southern Arkansas (Senior Bowl Meeting)

Dorian Strong, CB, Virginia Tech (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Azareye’h Thomas, CB, Florida State (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Car’lin Vigers, CB, Louisiana-Monroe (Hula Bowl Meeting)

Isas Waxter, CB, Villanova (East West Shrine Meeting)

Nohl Williams, CB, California (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Safeties​

Justin Barron, S, Syracuse (Senior Bowl Meeting)

Billy Bowman Jr., S, Oklahoma (Senior Bowl Meeting) (NFL Combine - Formal) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Sebastian Castro, S, Iowa (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Zion Childress, SS, Kentucky (Hula Bowl meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Alijah Clark, S, Syracuse (Tropical Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Kitan Crawford, S, Nevada (Hula Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Wyett Ekeler, FS, Wyoming (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Kamren Fabiculanan, FS/CB, Washington (Hula Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

M.J. Griffin, S/CB/Nickel, Louisville (Tropical Bowl Meeting)

Dan Jackson, S, Georgia (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Keondre Jackson, S, Illinois State (Senior Bowl Meeting)

Rayuan Lane, S, Navy (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Donovan McMillon, S, Pittsburgh (Hula Bowl Meeting)

R.J. Mickens, S, Clemson (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Malachi Moore, S, Alabama (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Andrew Mukuba, S, Texas (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Caleb Ransaw, S, Tulane (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Lathan Ransom, S, Ohio State (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jaylen Reed, S, Penn State (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Trey Rucker, SS, Oklahoma State (Senior Bowl Meeting)

Shilo Sanders, S, Colorado (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jonas Sanker, S, Virginia (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Marques Sigle, FS, Kansas State (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig, S, Colorado (East West Shrine Meeting)

Shamari Simmons, S, Arizona State (East West Shrine Meeting)

Mike Smith, SS, Eastern Kentucky (East West Shrine Meeting)

Malaki Starks, S, Georgia (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Upton Stout, FS, Western Kentucky (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Gabriel “Gabe” Taylor, FS, Rice (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Dante Trader Jr., S, Maryland (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Kevin Winston, S, Penn State (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Hunter Wohler, S, Wisconsin (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day)

Craig Woodson, S, California (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Linebackers​

Eugene Asante, LB, Auburn (Senior Bowl Meeting) (NFL Combine Formal Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jeffrey Bassa, LB, Oregon (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Teddye Buchanan, LB, California (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting) (Private Meeting)

Barrett Carter, LB, Clemson (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jamon Dumas-Johnson, LB, Kentucky (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Shemar James, LB, Florida (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Kydran Jenkins, LB, Purdue (Tropical Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day)

Jack Kiser, LB, Notre Dame (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Kobe King, LB, Penn State (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Demetrius Knight, LB, South Carolina (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Cody Lindenberg, LB, Minnesota (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Chandler Martin, LB, Memphis (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Nick Martin, LB, Oklahoma State (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Bam Martin-Scott, LB, South Carolina (East West Shrine Meeting)

Jalen McLeod, LB, Auburn (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Kain Medrano, LB, UCLA (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Smael Mondon, LB, Georgia (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Collin Oliver, LB, Oklahoma State (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Oluwafemi “Femi” Oladejo, LB, UCLA (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting) (Top 30 Visit)

Chris Paul Jr, LB, Ole Miss (Shrine Bowl meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Karene Reid, LB, Utah (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Quandarrius “Que” Robinson, LB, Alabama (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Carson Schwesinger, LB, UCLA (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Connor Shay, LB, Wyoming (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Cody Simon, LB, Ohio State (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Danny Stutsman, LB, Oklahoma (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jaheim Thomas, LB, Wisconsin (Hula Bowl meeting) (Team Pro Day)

David Walker, LB/Edge, Central Arkansas (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Marlowe Wax, LB, Syracuse (Hula Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting) (Local Pro Day)

Jackson Woodard, LB, Nevada-Las Vegas (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Defensive Line​

Tommy Akingbesote, DT, Maryland (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Darius Alexander, DT, Toledo (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Elijah Alston, DE/Edge, Miami (Tropical Bowl Meeting)

Tyler Baron, DE/Edge, Miami (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Earl Barquet, DE/DT, Louisiana-Monroe (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Tyler Batty, DE/Edge, BYU (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Zeek Biggers, DT, Georgia Tech (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Yahya Black, DT, Iowa (Senior Bowl Meeting)

Philip Blidi, DT, Auburn (Tropical Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Vernon Broughton, DT, Texas (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Dylan Brown, DT, Jacksonville State (Team Pro Day Meeting) (Private Visit)

Jordan Burch, DE/Edge, Oregon (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jamaree Caldwell, DT, Oregon (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Alfred Collins, DT, Texas (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Fadil Diggs, DE/Edge, Syracuse (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Joseph Evans, DT, Texas-San Antonio (East West Shrine Meeting)

Donovan Ezeiruaku, DE/Edge, Boston College (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Joshua Farmer, DT, Florida State (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Ashton Gillotte, DE/Edge, Louisville (Team Pro Day Meeting) (Top 30 Visit)

Mason Graham, DT, Michigan (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan (Team Pro Day Meeting)

B.J. Green II, LB/DE/Edge, Colorado (Hula Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting) (Private Meeting)

Mike Green, DE/Edge, Marshall (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Tonka Hemingway, DT, South Carolina (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Adin Huntington, DE/Edge/DT, Tulane (Team Pro Day Meeting) (Local Pro Day)

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, DE/Edge, Georgia (Senior Bowl Meeting)

Jared Ivey, DE/Edge, Mississippi (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Cam Jackson, DT, Florida (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Landon Jackson, DE/Edge, Arkansas (Senior Bowl Meeting) (NFL Combine - Formal) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Sai’vion Jones, DE/Edge (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jah Joyner, DE/Edge, Minnesota (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Kyle Kennard, DE/Edge, South Carolina (Senior Bowl Meeting) (NFL Combine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Rylie Mills, DT, Notre Dame (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Walter Nolen, DT, Mississippi (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Omarr Norman-Lott, DT, Tennessee (Senior Bowl Meeting)

R.J. Oben, DE/Edge, Notre Dame (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Payton Page, DT, Clemson (East West Shrine Meeting)

James Pearce Jr, DE/Edge, Tennessee (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Aeneas Peebles, DT, Virginia Tech (Senior Bowl Meeting)

J.J. Pegues, DT, Mississippi (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jordan Phillips, DT, Maryland (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Elijah Ponder, DE/Edge, Cal Poly (East West Shrine Meeting)

Antwaun Powell-Ryland, DE/Edge, Virginia Tech (East-West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Elijah Roberts, DE/Edge, SMU (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Ty Robinson, DT, Nebraska (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

T.J. Sanders, DT, South Carolina (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro DayMeeting)

Jack Sawyer, DE/Edge, Ohio State (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Nic Scourton, DE/Edge, Texas A&M (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Tim Smith, DT, Alabama (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Barryn Sorrell, DE/Edge, Texas (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Nazir Stackhouse, DT, Georgia (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Josaiah Stewart, DE/Edge, Michigan (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Shemar Stewart, DE/Edge, Texas A&M (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Fred Stokes Jr, DE/Edge, Prairie View A&M (HBCU Combine Meeting)

Danny Striggow, DE/Edge, Minnesota (Hula Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Bradyn Swinson, DE/Edge, LSU (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Junior Tafuna, DT, Utah (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

J.T. Tuimoloau, DE/Edge, Ohio State (NFL Combine - Formal) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jay Toia, DT, UCLA (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Princely Umanmielen, DE/Edge, Mississippi (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Deone Walker, DT, Kentucky (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Johnny Walker, DE/Edge, Missouri (East West Shrine Meeting)

C.J. West, DT, Indiana (East West Shrine Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Elijah Williams, DT, Morgan State (HBCU Combine Meeting)

Mykel Williams, DE/Edge, Georgia (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Tyleik Williams, DT, Ohio State (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Special Teams​

Andres Borregales, K, Miami (East-West Shrine Meeting) (NFL Combine - Formal) (Team Pro Day Meeting) (Private workout)

Austin Brinkman, LS, West Virginia (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

James Burnip, P, Alabama (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Jeremy Crawshaw, P, Florida (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Caden Davis, K, Mississippi (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Ryan Fitzgerald, K, Florida State (Senior Bowl Meeting) (NFL Combine - Formal) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Gabe Pugh, LS, Louisiana Tech (Team Pro Day Meeting)

Ben Sauls, K, Pittsburgh (Team Pro Day Meeting)

William Wagner, LS, Michigan (Senior Bowl Meeting) (Team Pro Day Meeting)

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Sources​

Top 30 visit​

Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan, OT, Oregon State (Info)

Josh Conerly Jr, OT, Oregon (Info)

Ashton Gillotte, DE/Edge, Louisville (Info)

Wyatt Milum, OT, West Virginia (Info)

Oluwafemi Oladejo, LB, UCLA (Info)

Quincy Riley, CB, Lousiville (Info)

Arian Smith, WR, Georgia (Info)

Private workouts​

Andres Borregales, K, Miami (Info)

Xavier Restrepo, WR, Miami (Info)

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Pro Days attended​

Alabama, Alabama A&M (via Alabama), Albany, Arizona, Arizona State, Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor, Boise State, Boston College, Bowling Green, BYU, California, Central Arkansas, Central Florida, Cincinnati, Clemson, Colorado, UConn, East Carolina, East Texas A&M, Florida, Florida A&M, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Houston, Jacksonville State, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky, LSU, Louisiana-Monroe, Louisiana Tech, Louisville, Marshall, Maryland, Memphis, Miami (FL), Michigan, Minnesota, Minnesota-Duluth (via Minnesota), Mississippi, Missouri, Navy, Nebraska, Nevada, Nevada-Las Vegas, North Carolina, N.C. State, North Dakota State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Oregon State, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Rice, Rutgers, Sacramento State, San Jose State, Southern Cal, SMU, Stanford, Syracuse, South Carolina, Tennessee, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Toledo, Tulane, UCLA, Utah, Utah State, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Washington, Washington State, West Virginia, Western Kentucky, Western Michigan, William & Mary, Wisconsin, Wisconsin-River Falls (via Wisconsin), Wyoming

College Football Games Attended by Commanders Scouts​

• September 21, 2024

Southern Cal at Michigan

• September 28, 2024

Colorado at Central Florida

• October 8, 2024

Florida International at Liberty

• October 11, 2024

Northwestern at Maryland

• October 12, 2024

South Carolina at Alabama

• October 19, 2024

Alabama at Tennessee

Colorado at Arizona

Michigan at Illinois

Southern Cal at Maryland

Georgia at Texas

• November 2, 2024

Ohio State at Penn State

Oregon at Michigan

• November 9, 2024

Maryland at Oregon

Michigan at Indiana

• November 30, 2024

Michigan at Ohio State

Source: https://www.hogshaven.com/2025/3/27...5-nfl-draft-pre-draft-meetings-visits-tracker