A collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders, the NFC East and the NFL in general
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Commanders.com
Bobby Wagner, Jonathan Allen join Terry McLaurin on NFL’s Top 100 Players list
Two more Commanders have joined Terry McLaurin on the NFL’s top 100 players list.
Linebacker Bobby Wagner, the leader in combined tackles among active players in the league, ranked No. 59 on the annual list after being listed at No. 62 in 2023. Defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, who ranked No. 52 last year, also makes a return to the list at No. 54.
Wagner, who joined the Commanders in March, is coming off one of the best seasons of his career, as he led the league with 183 tackles, which was also a career-high for the nine-time Pro Bowler. It also maintained Wagner’s streak of recording at least 100 tackles in a season — a feat he has accomplished in each of his 12 seasons.
Allen, long considered to be one of the best interior defenders in the NFL, recorded 53 tackles and 5.5 sacks to go with 19 quarterback hits in 2023. Although last season could be considered a “down year” from his Pro Bowl performances in 2021 and 2022, Allen was still a key piece of Washington’s defense. He tied Daron Payne for the most tackles on the team for his position, ranked second in sacks and had 10 tackles for loss.
The Athletic (paywall)
Dan Quinn, Commanders focused on establishing defensive identity early in camp
Not every move worked for [LB Frankie] Luvu on Thursday. [RG Sam] Cosmi stoned the rushing linebacker in one direct matchup. He’ll win plenty of battles over time. Compiling 12 1/2 sacks and 236 tackles combined over the previous two seasons is the type of statistics Washington sought when signing Luvu, 28 in September, to a three-year, $36 million contract in March.
The expected impact goes beyond numbers. The hopeful changes extend beyond Luvu.
“These guys are finishing (plays),” Cosmi said. “They don’t only have one guy, one hat on the ball. They have five, six, everybody’s running to the ball.”
Speaking with reporters before Cosmi on Thursday, Luvu passed on accepting the mantle of player that defines Quinn and Whitt’s play style. Instead, he highlighted his fellow go-getters, including Chinn, his former Carolina teammate, defensive linemen Daron Payne and Clelin Ferrell, and Wagner, who gets to the right spots more with smarts than speed.
“I think there’s a lot of guys on this defense,” Luvu said following the second training camp practice. “That’s the type of caliber team that we want. Guys running, playing at the end of the whistle and finishing downfield is what we always talked about.”
Commanders.com
Commanders mixing up offensive line to build chemistry, create competition
The team will mix and match different players together in 11-on-11 and other team drills, occasionally giving backups reps with the starts and possibly moving players from tackle to guard and vice versa.
There’s a reason behind the team playing a game of “big skill” musical chairs over the next few weeks; they’ll be experimenting to see which five players work best as one group.
“Different combinations of players will be necessary over the course of the next four or five weeks to find what’s the best winning combinations,” head coach Dan Quinn said before practice.
The Commanders tried some of that during OTAs in June, particularly at tackle. Cornelius Lucas and Brandon Coleman split reps on the left side in team drills, with the latter taking over during the end of the offseason workout program. Trent Scott, who is also in the running for the left tackle spot, played snaps on the right side.
To find the right fits for the starting lineups, Quinn will be paying close attention to execution and skill work of each player, meaning their individual blocks and techniques. But there is more than talent required to play on the offensive line. Centers, guards and tackles all must work together, whether it’s a combo block or passing off a blitz in pass protection.
The chemistry that the players build together can be just as important a factor when deciding on starters.
Washington Post (paywall)
For returning Commanders, a new regime is ‘what a lot of guys needed’
Washington’s returning players are showing off ‘a beginner’s mindset’ as they attempt to solidify their spots under Coach Dan Quinn and his new staff.
[DT John] Ridgeway dropped nearly 20 pounds since offseason practices to improve his conditioning and find more ways to get on the field, especially on third downs.
“I’m a big fan of Italian food, so I try not to eat that as much,” he said. “And when I did eat, I just made sure I had a big plate of chicken or red meat and a little bit of carbs or vegetables. It’s kind of like a carnivore diet a little bit. I still try to enjoy stuff. But I tried to eat clean and get on the treadmill.”
No more McDonald’s. No more Five Guys. What he gets instead is about 45 minutes of walking at a 3.5 mph clip on a level 10 incline to burn close to 500 calories a workout.
“Action Bronson does that stuff,” Ridgeway said of the rapper, chef and TV personality. “He was a big dude and lost a bunch of weight, so I said, ‘Let me try it.’”
Ridgeway’s methods worked; he was down to around 318 pounds at the start of training camp after starting OTAs at 338.
Although it took him some time to get his footing with his new size, Ridgeway said he notices a difference on the field, which he hopes will lead to more playing time on third downs and consideration for a bigger contract when his rookie deal expires in 2026.
“Those guys are thirsty,” Commanders defensive line coach Darryl Tapp said. “I couldn’t be happier with Phil and with Ridgeway, and even with Daron [Payne] and Jon [Allen]. Being older guys, they’ve done a lot of things in this league. They have a beginner’s mindset too. They’re not too big for the moment we’re in right now.”
Commanders.com
Training camp notebook | Ken Norton Jr. a wealth of knowledge for Frankie Luvu
Frankie Luvu likes to call Ken Norton Jr. “7-Eleven,” because the linebackers coach is always talking.
“He’s open 24/7,” Luvu said with a laugh after Day 2 of the Washington Commanders’ training camp.
The nickname, which Norton doesn’t know about yet, comes from a place of love from Luvu. And Norton has a lot to talk about, too. He played a combined 13 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers, started in 188 of 191 games, won three Super Bowls and recorded 1,272 tackles in his career.
So, whenever Norton does talk, which apparently happens a lot, Luvu is going to listen, because his experience is an invaluable source of knowledge.
Podcasts & videos
.@BenStandig and @CraigHoffman compare notes on what they saw and what they learned from Commanders practice on Day 3 of training camp https://t.co/QwLIDZ3hrS
— The Team 980 (@team980) July 25, 2024
We are live tonight!
Going across the #NFL with @LetMualTellit @_nicktrip @ryreed07 @ItsjustBriggs
The fellas are discussing Ceedee Lamb, Deshaun Foster, Niners holdouts, the latest across NFL training camps, & more.
Tap in! 7p ET on YouTube https://t.co/UtXawGs7Oh
— Trap or Dive Podcast (@TraporDive) July 25, 2024
On video. Dissecting what Dan Quinn and Adam Peters had to say during the presser. On Jayden Daniels/starting nod; a position that might be stronger than perception; leadership; Johnny Newton and more. @ESPNRichmond https://t.co/q71BfgKvLE
— John Keim (@john_keim) July 24, 2024
Episode 873 – Discussion & analysis of a good day at #Commanders Training Camp:
– Jayden Daniels does well
– Johnny Newton shockingly activated
– Terry McLaurin raves about the new culture
– Jon Allen on d-line getting 49ers-like coaching#Nats#Orioleshttps://t.co/MaJZn9hvbN— Al Galdi (@AlGaldi) July 25, 2024
Ekeler’s journey from undrafted running back to NFL star
New running back Austin Ekeler is a new player the Washington Commanders will rely on this season.
Photos
Commanders.com
PHOTOS | Back to work for Day 2
The Commanders were back on the field on Thursday for the second day of training camp. Check out the top photos from this morning.
NFC East links
ESPN
NFL training camp 2024 live updates: Latest on roster battles
NFC EAST
Dallas Cowboys
With CeeDee Lamb missing training camp in a contract holdout, all eyes will be on Jalen Tolbert, and the third-year receiver had the play of the day during two-minute work in 7-on-7 drills. Tolbert was able to make a twisting grab on a back-shoulder throw from Dak Prescott, securing the ball as he bounced off the ground, which preceded a Prescott touchdown pass. Prescott’s throw was an early sign of the trust he has developed with Tolbert, who is battling to be the No. 3 receiver once Lamb’s contract situation gets resolved. A good start from Tolbert allows the organization to feel better about the receiver group, too. — Todd Archer
(last update: July 25)
New York Giants
Malik Nabers is going to be busy this season. The Giants’ rookie wide receiver looks to be the focal point of their offense already, which is apparent after just two days of training camp. Nabers, the No. 6 pick out of LSU, had just one target Thursday during the first 10 reps of live drills. Coach and playcaller Brian Daboll called Nabers and quarterback Daniel Jones over while the backups were getting their chance.
When the first-team offense returned to the field, the very next play was a touchdown pass to Nabers. Daboll followed that up with a running play for his new favorite offensive weapon. Overall, Nabers had four targets and a rush in 20 first-team offensive plays. Prorate that out over, say, 60 plays, and that is 12 targets and three rushes. It’s not crazy to think Nabers could get 150 targets this season as the Giants’ No. 1 receiver. — Jordan Raanan
(last update: July 25)
Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis — a critical part of the operation in 2024 — is off to a strong start. The 6-foot-6, 340-pound Davis looked spry chasing down a scrambling Jalen Hurts to help force an incompletion along the left sideline. Later, he quickly plugged a gap that cut off a Saquon Barkley inside run.
“I thought Jordan showed some good movement ability, was able to bend his body like I don’t think I’ve seen him do before,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said before Thursday’s session. “So it’s encouraging right now.”
Davis said that’s a result of improved conditioning. With Fletcher Cox retiring, the Eagles need Davis and Jalen Carter — both first-round picks out of Georgia — to lead the defensive charge up front. — Tim McManus
(last update: July 25)
Washington Commanders
Washington wants to see what role Jamin Davis can fill best — after he had been the Commanders’ starting inside linebacker the previous three years. With a new staff — and two new starters in Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu — Washington is testing out Davis, a first-round pick in 2020, as a pass rusher as well. In the spring, they wanted to see how he covered tight ends and backs.
Since minicamp started, he has worked almost exclusively as an edge rusher. On Thursday, he attempted a couple of spin moves vs. rookie tackle Brandon Coleman that were blocked. He also won around the edge vs. the third unit.
“He has speed and length, [but] he does need to work at it,” coach Dan Quinn said. “It’s not something we’ll know in one or two days, so we’ll work all the way through [camp].” — John Keim
(last update: July 25)
[W]hen you talk a lot, you’re almost always bound to say something that comes across as rather stupid. Jones found himself in that exact situation on Thursday when discussing the current landscape of difficult contract situations in Dallas.
Jones, whose 81 years of life experience makes him a prime candidate for political office, went on an incoherent mumbling rant, explaining that he’s currently like an option quarterback who has to evaluate all options before making a decision.
#Cowboys owner Jerry Jones compared himself to Patrick Mahomes when explaining why it’s smart to take your time before extending a player.
Jerry said he’s like an option quarterback reading the market.
This is a doozy. pic.twitter.com/EM8A1s3aEu
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 25, 2024
NFL.com
Jerry Jones embraces ‘ambiguity,’ doesn’t think this is Dak Prescott’s final year with Cowboys
“If I can be specific … I know we’ve been talking about what kind of offseason we had, what kind of season ending we had. Well, the facts are … but how many Pro Bowlers do we have out here? 14 Pro Bowlers on this field right now and 12 All-Pros. We’ve got an outstanding team. … We’ve got a lot of ambiguity in the team. I have ambiguity everywhere in the things that I look at and do. And so maybe the best thing that God gave me was a tolerance for ambiguity. That’s what you have, that’s what frustrates you. And in frustrating you, obviously it frustrates fans, to not have closure or to not have bright lines. That’s not in my mind, that’s not in my life. So I don’t ever anticipate it getting any better with the NFL and the Cowboys. As a matter of a fact, since we last met here last year, there’s been even more ambiguity thrown on the table. Hello, NFL. Good to be with you today.”
The main purveyors of Dallas’ ambiguity among players include Dak Prescott, heading into the last year of his contract that includes both a no-trade and no-tag clause, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, who is currently holding out as he seeks a new deal, and pass rusher Micah Parsons, waiting in the wings and eligible for an extension after this season.
“I don’t think so,” he said when asked if this could be Prescott’s final season with the team. “Just to be very specific, I do not think that this will be his last year with the Cowboys at all. … It’s pretty clear, I think, I wouldn’t say it if it hadn’t been clear, of how much we appreciate what Dak Prescott has meant to this team in a positive way. And that the players do play better when he’s out there. He does make his teammates play at a higher level. There’s no question about it. So, I’m right there in line with his best fan.
“But believe it or not, in my life, I’ve had a lot of things I wanted that I couldn’t get because I couldn’t afford it. Now, have I learned to live with that in 80-something years? You bet I have, and life does go on. And sometimes when you get a bump like that, you turn around and do better than you would have had you got what you wanted.”
“Those three players you mean could be 70 percent of all the money you got — 70 percent of your payroll,” Jerry Jones said. “Now you need a little money for the other 51. That’s a challenge. Especially a challenge when you’ve used some of the very money you’re working with, you’ve used it for years past. … That’s not singing the blues. … What is a pleasure is that you’re dealing with that quality and that situation.”
NFL league links
Articles
ESPN
Brock Purdy contract, impact on 49ers roster outlook: What’s next?
In 2024, the San Francisco 49ers will enjoy a third and likely final season of the biggest bargain in sports. After selecting quarterback Brock Purdy with the 262nd and final pick of the 2022 draft, they signed the Iowa State product to a four-year, $3.7 million contract. He was guaranteed just $77,008, roughly 0.2% of what No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker was assured by the Jaguars when he was picked.
Since then, Purdy has emerged as one of the league’s most productive quarterbacks. Taking over for the injured Trey Lance and then Jimmy Garoppolo, he has gone 17-4 as the starter while posting a 71.4 QBR over the past two seasons. The only passers to top that mark since the start of 2022 are Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. Purdy also has led San Francisco on two deep playoff runs, with one ended by a torn UCL in his right elbow in the NFC Championship Game and the other by Mahomes in Super Bowl LVIII. The only quarterback to win more playoff games than Purdy’s four over his first two seasons is Ben Roethlisberger.
And yet, perhaps because of his status as a seventh-round pick, there’s skepticism around Purdy that doesn’t seem to be there with other quarterbacks producing at his level. If there’s an advantage an NFL signal-caller can enjoy, he seems to have it. He has played his entire brief career with an incredible set of playmakers, a group I’ve ranked No. 1 in the league in both my 2023 and 2024 season previews. He has played behind perhaps the best left tackle in football in Trent Williams, and his playcaller is Kyle Shanahan, who has a well-earned reputation as one of the elite offensive minds in all of football.
Some have used that to essentially write off Purdy’s performance as a product of his environment. Others have ignored it and suggested he has brought the offense to a top level independent of the players around him. I’m not sure I agree with either statement, but there seems to be a truth somewhere in the middle about how essential he is to San Francisco’s chances of winning a Super Bowl.
With a potential raise of about $60 million per season looming as Purdy becomes eligible for a new deal in 2025, this season certainly feels like the 49ers’ last chance of winning a Super Bowl with this current roster construction.
NFL.com
Raiders GM Tom Telesco didn’t see WR Michael Gallup’s retirement ‘coming at all’
Gallup’s retirement jumped up out of nowhere, a stunning development for many, including Raiders general manager Tom Telesco.
“I didn’t see that one coming at all,” Telesco said Thursday, via The Athletic’s Tashan Reed. “That just kind of came up out of the blue. When I talked to him, it seemed like he had a pretty clear vision. He’s ready to move on. It’s too bad.”
It was likely less of a surprise to Gallup’s former teammate, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. Prescott said Thursday that Gallup, 28, reached out to him about retirement earlier this summer and that the wideout is healthy and secure financially.