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
Commanders links
Articles
Washington Post (paywall)
Commanders sign wideout Noah Brown, trade lineman John Ridgeway
Washington did not make any waiver claims but brought in Brown, who had 33 catches for 567 yards with the Houston Texans last season.
The Washington Commanders reshaped their roster depth Wednesday with several moves, most notably signing wide receiver Noah Brown to a one-year deal, according to two people with knowledge of the deal.
The Houston Texans released Brown, 28, on Tuesday after he caught 33 passes for 567 yards and two touchdowns for them last season. He can play in the slot and outside, but it’s unclear if he will immediately leapfrog other depth receivers on Washington’s roster. General Manager Adam Peters met with reporters shortly before the deal became public.
The Commanders did not submit a claim for any players cut by other teams Tuesday despite holding the No. 2 waiver position because, Peters said, the team preferred the players it already had.
Sports Illustrated
Washington Commanders Trade Veteran DL To New Orleans Saints
On Wednesday afternoon, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Washington agreed to a trade with the New Orleans Saints. In the deal, the Commanders will be sending third-year defensive tackle John Ridgeway III and a 2025 7th-round pick in exchange for a 2025 6th-round pick from the Saints.
Commanders.com
Five takeaways from Dan Quinn’s Zoom press conference
1. Keeping three quarterbacks.
The Commanders had clear answers at the quarterback spot with Jayden Daniels as the starter and Marcus Mariota as the backup. Teams normally keep just two signal-callers on the initial roster, but Washington decided to keep three with Jeff Driskel rounding out the group. There were a few reasons for that decision, one of the most important being that Driskel earned the spot based on how he played in the preseason. While he did throw an interception against the Patriots, Driskel still showed that he can keep the offense going if he needs to play, as he completed 63% of his passes for 242 yards.
The other reason for that the Commanders decided to keep Driskel: they didn’t want to risk breaking up the quarterback room.
“Quite honestly, we like this quarterback room,” Quinn said. “And you just want as many guys in the building that are going through the process, understanding the system and working it out at such an important position. As you’re going through it, you want as many guys in the building that are always developing and always pushing.
3. The decision to cut Martavis Bryant and Brycen Tremayne.
Both Martavis Bryant and Brycen Tremayne offered something unique to Washington’s receiver room, meaning they were larger targets in a position group that was full of smaller, quicker targets. Neither ended up making the initial roster but for different reasons.
The rationale with Bryant was simple: while he had done a good job of acclimating himself to Washington’s system, even scoring a touchdown in the preseason finale, he arrived too late into camp to put make a legitimate case for himself.
ESPN
WR Noah Brown, cut by Texans, signs with Commanders
Brown is coming off his two most productive seasons, including his first in Houston last year when he caught 33 passes for 567 yards and two touchdowns. A lot of Brown’s production occurred in a two-game span, when he caught a combined 13 passes for 325 yards and one score.
However, Brown missed seven games due to injuries to his groin and back and then was placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury following a playoff-opening win over Cleveland.
This offseason, the Texans re-signed Brown to a one-year deal with $3 million guaranteed. But he struggled to stay healthy in training camp, with injuries to his lower body and shoulder.
Commanders Wire
Two former Commanders land on new teams via waivers
[KJ] Henry had a solid training camp, picking up sacks in two of the Commanders’ three games and even received some snaps at defensive tackle in Sunday’s preseason finale. On Wednesday, the Cincinnati Bengals claimed Henry off waivers.
Overall, Washington released 34 players, but only two were claimed by other teams. Henry and third-year cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields. The Carolina Panthers, who were ahead of the Commanders in the waiver priority, picked up Castro-Fields and two other cornerbacks.
Castro-Fields had been with Washington since August 2022, when he was claimed off waivers. A sixth-round pick out of Penn State, Castro-Fields played high school football at Riverdale Baptist in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Castro-Fields appeared in 10 games for the Commanders over the past two years.
Commanders Wire
Commanders Mike Sainristil has a new number, so does Marcus Mariota
There was no issue with Sainristil wearing the No. 2, except that number already belonged to wide receiver Dyami Brown.
While players can share a number in the offseason, it changes once rosters are finalized for the regular season. On Tuesday, Washington finalized its initial 53-man roster, with Sainristil and Brown making the club.
Brown, entering his fourth season, has seniority, so he remains No. 2, while Sainristil switches to No. 0.
The person who previously wore 0, quarterback Marcus Mariota, also made a switch. Mariota goes from 0 to No. 18.
Podcasts & videos
A new WR comes to town — no, not that one — and a trade. Looking at the roster again. Why no waiver claims? More. @ESPNRichmond https://t.co/Htie3osZyC
— John Keim (@john_keim) August 29, 2024
Episode 897 – Discussion and analysis of the #Commanders‘ cutdown to 53. The roster has as many 2024 undrafted free agents as players who the team picked in the 2023 NFL Draft. Let that sink in.
I also talk about very good wins for the #Nats and #Orioles.https://t.co/GE7PlpI2Ox
— Al Galdi (@AlGaldi) August 28, 2024
53-Man Roster: A Masterclass in Roster Construction Strategy | Podcast | Washington Commanders
‘Commanders Roster Choices/Deion Goes on D/Get Well John Walton!’ by The Bram Weinstein Show https://t.co/e6iy6KLbYT
— Bram Weinstein (@RealBramW) August 28, 2024
.@CraigHoffman‘s live reaction to the Commanders signing free agent WR Noah Brown https://t.co/B51TfruDnb
— The Team 980 (@team980) August 28, 2024
NFC East links
Bleeding Green Nation
Two questions that could define this Eagles season
As the 16th overall pick in 2022 Dotson was a reach, and as a high workload player with Washington he was over extended. In 2023 Dotson was 19th among WRs in snaps, and had the 3rd most routes run of any WR. But (among WRs with 500+ snaps) he was just 60th in target share, 75th in targets per routes run, 72nd in yards per route run, 62nd in average depth of target, 46th in yards before catch per reception, 77th in yards after the catch per reception, and was 79th in passer rating when targeted.
But he was also in a one dimensional offense. Washington was 1st in passing attempts and 32nd in rushing attempts as Eric Bieniemy kept calling pass play after pass play.
In 2022 (prorated to 17 games, as he missed 5) Doston was 18th in snaps, and 28th in routes run. Non-prorated, he was 53th in target share, 56th in targets per routes run, and 8th in average depth of target, 15th in yards before catch per reception, 43rd in yards after the catch per reception, and was 37th in passer rating when targeted. Respectable to good numbers for a rookie, and that’s before you consider that he had three different starting QBs that season.
The Eagles are hoping a reduced role will see a bounce back, but the Commanders don’t agree. Behind Terry McLaurin the Commanders have nothing. Dotson was beaten out on the depth chart by Olamide Zaccheaus. The Eagles let Zaccheaus walk in free agency, and to replace him, they traded for the guy he replaced.
At least Dotson is young (24) with theoretical upside and value beyond this year. Bringing in an aging veteran like Robert Woods or Adam Theilen wasn’t going to offer this team much.
This will either be a steal or a galaxy brain trade. Only one way to find out.
NFL.com
Cowboys signing four-time Pro Bowl RB Dalvin Cook
Veteran free-agent running back Dalvin Cook is signing with the Cowboys, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero on Wednesday. Cook is expected to join the Cowboys’ practice squad initially, per Pelissero.
There are three running backs currently on Dallas’ active roster following Tuesday’s deadline to trim rosters to 53: Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn. The Cowboys have not yet announced their 16-man practice squad, which Cook is expected to join as he ramps up for the season.
The Athletic (paywall)
The most surprising cut from every NFL team
Dallas Cowboys
Viliami Fehoko Jr., DL
It’s really not that surprising. Dallas’ roster cuts were mostly predictable. Fehoko didn’t show much during training camp or the preseason, but he was a fourth-round pick last year, and the Cowboys usually don’t part with that high of a pick this early into their career. Former Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn was a big reason Dallas drafted Fehoko with the 129th pick, so don’t be surprised if he joins Quinn in Washington. Quinn saw a player who could potentially be a three-technique defensive tackle or a defensive end. The Cowboys were working him at defensive end with Sam Williams being lost for the season because of a knee injury.
New York Giants
Miles Boykin, WR
Boykin is the biggest surprise…for now. Giants coach Brian Daboll called the roster situation “fluid” ahead of Tuesday’s practice, making it clear the final 53-man roster isn’t yet set. Boykin, who worked as a special teams starter throughout camp, looked like he had a place on the team. However, with 2023 UDFA Bryce Ford-Wheaton in attendance Tuesday, it seems that role might go to Ford-Wheaton. Isaiah Hodgins was another wide receiver cut that caused a stir given Hodgins’ impact on the 2022 playoff team. But Hodgins couldn’t carve out a role in camp with a revamped receiver group pushing him down the depth chart.
Philadelphia Eagles
Dylan McMahon, C
In a head-scratching move, the Eagles waived sixth-round pick Dylan McMahon. It’s unusual for general manager Howie Roseman to part with recent draft picks. He’s the first player drafted by the Eagles to not make the initial 53-man roster since JaCoby Stevens (sixth round, 2020). The Eagles are confident in Cam Jurgens as their starting center, but there isn’t much certainty right now who his backup is. Of Roseman’s moderate investments along the interior offensive line — McMahon, Trevor Keegan, Mekhi Becton, Brett Toth, Max Scharping, Nick Gates — only Keegan, a collegiate left guard, made the roster. McMahon is subject to waivers, so it’s not a given the Eagles can stash him on the practice squad. Roseman may need to do some scavenging to prevent two-time Pro Bowler Landon Dickerson from ever needing to spell Jurgens.
Washington Commanders
KJ Henry, DE
This isn’t solely about the release of last year’s fifth-round pick, though Henry showed promise as a pass-rusher. Henry was one of five members of Washington’s seven-player 2023 draft class released Tuesday. Yes, only two remain, and one of them, first-round cornerback Emmanuel Forbes, struggled throughout his rookie season. These misses are on top of other evaluation flops by the previous regime and help explain the roster concerns inherited by new GM Adam Peters.
NFL league links
Articles
Pro Football Talk
Falcons trade QB Taylor Heinicke to the Chargers
The Falcons are sending third quarterback Taylor Heinicke to the Chargers for a conditional sixth-round pick, Dianna Russini of TheAthletic.com reports.
The Chargers needed a No. 2 quarterback behind Justin Herbert, who missed time in training camp with a plantar fascia injury in his right foot.
The Chargers kept Easton Stick, who went 25-of-55 for 303 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions in the preseason, and they cut Luis Perez on Tuesday. But they obviously had the eye on an upgrade behind Herbert, with Stick going 0-4 last season when Herbert underwent surgery on his finger.
Heinicke was behind Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix Jr. on the Falcons’ roster.
Deadspin
Ja’Marr Chase Showing Up Late to Cincinnati Bengals Practice Was Hilarious
On Tuesday, Bengals coach Zac Taylor said that he expects Chase to be a full participant in practice moving forward as the team gets ready for their Week 1 matchup with the New England Patriots.
But Chase rolled into practice late, shades on, and, you guessed it, did not practice.
not get done.
Taylor backtracked his statements in Wednesday’s press conference with the media, admitting that he might have spoken too soon about Chase’s contract situation and refusing to state whether he anticipated Chase to play Week 1.
“I think I probably put my foot in my mouth speaking too quickly,” Taylor said. “This is a day-to-day situation. We’ll just keep seeing it as that.”
Whoops. Sounds like Chase must have put his foot down. And Taylor is putting his own into his mouth.
Tweets
NEWS STORY: The #49ers medically cleared WR Brandon Aiyuk in the latest and perhaps most contentious move yet in the staredown between the two sides. If Aiyuk continues to skip practice, he could be disciplined…https://t.co/tx09U1q790
— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) August 29, 2024
Over the Cap
NFL Salary Cap Update- August 28, 2024
I have made the move to change all of the team salary cap numbers on OTC to reflect the regular season accounting rules rather than the top 51 offseason rules. Please note that the NFL does not make this change until next week so teams that are being shown as over the cap are still under the cap per official rules.
Late next week I will do a few more cap updates dealing with the 2025 season. Currently I do not have carryover estimates in for 2025. I will add those in next week once the roster movement is all complete so you can have a better idea about each teams real future salary cap situation. In addition I will update the estimates for the NFL’s 2025 salary cap limit. Whenever I do that I will make a note of it on X.
Based on our estimates the teams that have some salary cap work to do for this season include the Panthers, Ravens, Falcons, Bills, Vikings, Broncos, Saints, and Giants. The first four teams look to be over the cap while the others have less than $3 million in room. Once Hassan Reddick reports to the Jets they will also be over the cap so you can add them to the list of teams that need to free up some space.
Discussion topics
ESPN
2025 NFL draft rankings: Yates’ preseason top 25 prospects
The 2025 NFL draft is both only eight months and still an eternity away.
The former description is literal, as the countdown to Round 1 — April 24 in Green Bay, Wisconsin — is on. The latter is a reference to the fact the 2024 college football season, which is getting into full swing with Week 1 action, can alter so much. To that end, keep in mind the following rankings will be subject to change and will be updated throughout the season. And players will continue to rise and fall during the pre-draft process, which includes all-star events, the combine and pro days.
But for now, here are my top 25 prospects for the 2025 class — the best draft-eligible players whom I have studied so far. We get started with three defensive standouts. (Underclassmen are marked with an asterisk.)
4. Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas*
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 320
The race for OT1 in this class should be a fun one, but I have Banks holding the spot right now after he closed the 2023 season with some dominant tape for the Longhorns. There is a lot to like about Banks, including his can’t-miss size and power. Banks is 320 pounds, yet has the body control and footwork to hold up in pass protection. He allowed just two sacks over the past two seasons, which included 27 starts. (As an aside: Banks’ projected tackle mate Cameron Williams is a breakout candidate.)
9. Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado*
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 185
There isn’t a more natural playmaker in college football than Hunter, as the dual threat for Colorado makes difficult things look easy from both his wide receiver and cornerback alignments. He has such amazing hands and instincts, allowing him to thrive on either side of the ball, along with tremendous endurance to hold up over four quarters with snap counts north of 100 in most games. He caught five TDs last season on offense and picked off three passes on defense.
10. Will Campbell, OT, LSU*
Height: 6-6 | Weight: 320
Campbell has had a lot of responsibility thrown on him from Day 1 of his college career, as he has started for LSU since the season-opening game of his true freshman career and held down Jayden Daniels’ blind side for two seasons. Campbell has great size and is a very well-proportioned player for the left tackle spot. He needs to be more consistent, but his high-upside tools are obvious.
12. Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame*
Height: 6-0 | Weight: 190
If you’re searching for a cornerback who is up for the challenge of meeting an opposing No. 1 wideout head-on, Morrison is the pick. He is a great man coverage player, combining speed, fluidity, ball skills and timing at the catch point to disrupt a ton of passes (13 pass breakups in 2023). Morrison’s fearless nature shows up a lot on tape.
17. Emery Jones Jr., OT, LSU*
Height: 6-6 | Weight: 322
The Tigers have a real shot to see both of their starting offensive tackles taken in the first round. Jones — who plays right tackle and has more than 1,500 career snaps there — is further along as a run blocker than pass protector right now, but that run blocking really stands out on tape. He is a body-mover who plays with a serious mean streak.
22. Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio State
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 193
Burke was on my radar to declare for the 2024 draft, but he ultimately joined several other high-profile players in opting to return to a loaded Ohio State squad. Burke has this electric ability to trigger out of his back pedal and drive on the football, making him a threat for a pass breakup any time the football is thrown his way — hence the 24 pass breakups over three years. He can really run, and you can see his confidence pop off the tape.
25. Tacario Davis, CB, Arizona*
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 195
I can’t seem to watch enough of Davis. He’s one of the most unique cornerbacks in college football, standing 6-foot-4 (rare for the position) and showing smooth movement traits. Davis is instinctive with precise timing and technique to be a ball disruptor when it is thrown in his direction, too. He had a breakthrough season in 2023, recording 14 pass breakups, tied for fourth most among all FBS players.