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Daily Slop – 12 Feb 25 – Dak Prescott says Cowboys ‘very close’ to winning Super Bowl

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

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Bullock’s Film Room

Commanders Position Profile: Cornerback

Profiling the key traits the Commanders want in a cornerback

Before jumping into free agency and draft prospect breakdowns, I thought it might be interesting to put together some position profiles at the main positions of need for the Commanders. In this series, I’ll be breaking down the key traits that the Commanders will be looking for in new players at each position. That way when we get to free agency and the draft, we can evaluate players based on how they fit what the Commanders are looking for rather than just overall talent.

One of the biggest needs the Commanders have this offseason is at corner. The team did trade for Marshon Lattimore during the season, but he is one of only two corners under contract for next season. Despite playing well outside, Mike Sainristil seems likely to move back inside to the slot in his second season, which is the position he was originally drafted for. So the need for Washington is primarily on the outside, where they’ll need at least one starter and some depth pieces too. So what traits will they be looking for in a cornerback? Let’s take a closer look.

Commanders.com

Commanders 2024 position review | Defensive line

— Newton had the second most snaps for his position and had a strong rookie season. His pass rush grade of 62.7 from PFF was the fifth-best in his draft class. He was among the most utilized rookie defensive tackles in the league with 586 snaps, ranking third behind Braden Fiske and T’Vondre Sweat.

Questions to answer

— Who stays? The Commanders have some decisions to make when it comes to how to structure their defensive interior for next season, particularly at defensive end. Ferrell, a Day 1 starter who played in 14 games this season, had 26 tackles with 3.5 sacks. He was a serviceable player in 2024, but the team will need to decide if they want to retain him or sign or draft another player. As for Washington’s depth, Day and Holmes were both signed during the season and played meaningful snaps. Both players should be easy to re-sign if the team decides to do so.

— What’s next for Newton? Despite missing most OTAs and training camp, Newton ended up starting 11 games while racking up 44 tackles as a rookie. It was a strong start to his NFL career, but the Commanders took Newton with the belief that he could be more impactful in the near future. Newton was one of the most disruptive pass-rushers for his position at the college level. His quickness and ability to crash the pocket shined at times. However, his lack of size left him struggling as a run defender, and he will need to improve that going forward.

Free agency

Click HERE to see all the players the Commanders could pursue in free agency with their available cap space.

Draft

Click HERE to see Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.’s Big Board of draft prospects.

Hogs Haven

Why re-signing John Bates should be a top priority (no, really)

To start this article on John Bates, let me first introduce you to another TE with whom you may or may not be familiar: Charlie Woerner.

Woerner was drafted in the sixth round of the 2020 draft by the Niners when Adam Peters was Vice President of Player Personnel. While not possessing much receiving ability he immediately demonstrated plus blocking skills and recorded a 75.4 run grade/74.3 pass grade from PFF in 2021. In March of 2024, Woerner signed with the Atlanta Falcons and finished the season with the third highest PFF run-blocking grade among tight ends for the 2024 season.

Washington fans can see the similarity with our own John Bates, whom Logan Paulsen recently stated may be the best blocking “Y” Tight End in the league.

At this point in the article, you might be saying “What’s your point, John? We know Bates is a great blocker with limited receiving ability and Woerner seems cut from the same cloth.”

Here’s the answer. When Woerner signed with the Falcons last year it was for the following contract:

3 year, $ 12 million dollar contract with a 3 Million signing bonus and 6.6 Million guaranteed with APY of $ 4 Million.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the full Logan Paulsen quote mentioned earlier:

And John Bates is quite literally that good in-line. I’m not being hyperbolic when I say, try to find me a better blocking “Y” in the NFL than John Bates, and I’m not sure that you can. The NFL does value those guys.

There seems to be some idea that bringing back Bates would be at the expense of snaps for Sinnott. Other have already mentioned it, but I don’t see Sinnott and Bates as filling similar roles. In reality, Bates role shouldn’t impact Ben’s. Instead you should see Sinnott cutting into Ertz’s….

When faced with a lot of tough decisions sometimes the best thing to do is make the easiest decision first. Re-signing Bates before free agency starts is a way to help ensure Jayden Daniels’ continued good health which should be the number one priority this off-season. Which makes re-signing Bates a priority.

Commanders Wire

Commanders sign veteran cornerback

Washington signed several players after the season and added veteran offensive tackle Bobby Hart last week. On Monday, the Commanders added another NFL veteran to an offseason contract, signing cornerback Bobby Price.

If the name sounds familiar, Price, like Hart, spent time on Washington’s 2024 roster. While Hart didn’t appear in a game, Price did, appearing in three games, making one tackle. The 6-foot-3 cornerback did not play one defensive snap but did play 34 special teams snaps.

Price, 26, entered the NFL in 2020 as an undrafted free agent from Norfolk State. He spent three seasons with the Detroit Lions. In 2023, Price was with the Arizona Cardinals.

Sports Illustrated

Commanders could have free agency competition for Jeremy Chinn

Chinn, who turns 27 this month, tied his career-high in tackles with 117 while starting in all 17 games in his first year with the Commanders.

The 33rd Team writer Dan Pizzuta believes that Chinn fits with the Commanders, but there could be other teams interested in him this offseason.

“Jeremy Chinn was the perfect safety to fit into Washington’s defensive back-heavy defense. Chinn played all over the field but also lined up as a deep safety on a career-high 43 percent of his defensive snaps. He also had a career-high seven tackles for loss. Chinn can fit in plenty of defenses and be deployed effectively in a number of ways,” Pizzuta writes.

Podcasts & videos

2024 Season Recap | Washington Commanders | NFL

NFC East links

ESPN

Dak Prescott says Cowboys ‘very close’ to winning Super Bowl

“I feel like we’ve competed with the Eagles and beat them for the most part when we’ve played them,” Prescott said Tuesday after announcing the models for this year’s Children’s Cancer Fund gala that will be held April 11. “I don’t want to say, ‘Check the record,’ when the other guy is holding the trophy, right? So credit to them. They’ve earned it, and they deserve it by all means. But, yeah, [we’re] very close.”

The Cowboys have not played in a Super Bowl — or been to a conference title game — in 29 seasons. They are coming off a 7-10 finish, as Prescott played just eight games before having his season end because of a partial avulsion of his right hamstring.

In 2025, Prescott will play for his third different head coach — Brian Schottenheimer — in 10 seasons.

Bleeding Green Nation

Eagles free agents 2025: Who will stay and who will go?

Defense

The defense is where, unfortunately, the Eagles will probably lose a couple of key players. Roseman will absolutely work to bring All-Pro Zack Baun back, and the linebacker has expressed his desire to stay in Philly. It also wouldn’t be surprising to see Milton Williams return to Philly, especially with Vic Fangio being so complimentary of the lineman throughout the season.

Roseman took a risk when he signed Isaiah Rodgers while the CB was still serving his NFL suspension, but that kind move can create some loyalty between the pair. Rodgers stepped in for Darius Slay on many occasions throughout the season, and time-after-time made huge plays for the Eagles defense. He’s someone who could be a long term fit alongside Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean in the backfield.

Oren Burks is another guy who stepped up to the plate for the Eagles and could be a cost-efficient developmental player that the team keeps around.

Veteran edge rusher Brandon Graham will likely officially announce his retirement in the coming weeks, especially after being able to return to play in the Super Bowl. But, Josh Sweat is someone who will be tough to lose. He hired new representation heading into free agency because he knows that some team is about to pay him handsomely — and unfortunately, the Eagles probably aren’t that team.

  • Josh Sweat (EDGE)
  • Brandon Graham (EDGE)
  • Zack Baun (LB)
  • Avonte Maddox (CB)
  • Milton Williams (DL)
  • Oren Burks (LB)

NFL.com

Eagles’ Josh Sweat on free agency: ‘Money’s important,’ but I want to be in ‘right situation’

The dust has hardly settled on Philadelphia’s Super Bowl LIX victory, but there’s already plenty to consider regarding the team’s championship defense.

Principle among those considerations after the Eagles manhandled the Kansas City Chiefs offense is how many upcoming defensive free agents — Josh Sweat, Milton Williams, Zack Baun and Brandon Graham (who could also retire) — Philly can bring back.

As far as Sweat, the team’s sack leader, is considered, a proper fit could play as big a role as the potential payday.

“Money’s important, sure, but I want to be in the right situation,” Sweat said following the 40-22 win, via the Philadelphia Inquirer. “I don’t know what it looks like for me now, but I’m happy.”

NFL league links

Articles

NFL.com

Assessing each new NFL head coach-team pairing during 2025 hiring cycle

Dallas Cowboys – 7-10 – HIRED: Brian Schottenheimer

The Cowboys did not interview any of the top candidates in this hiring cycle, opting for the familiarity of Schottenheimer, who has been on the Cowboys’ staff for the last three seasons, the last two as offensive coordinator, although he was not the play-caller. Familiarity is the key word here — for quarterback Dak Prescott, certainly, but also for team owner and general manager Jerry Jones. Schottenheimer, the son of the late Marty Schottenheimer, has spent more than two decades as an NFL coach, but he was last seen as a hot candidate about 15 years ago, when he spearheaded a Jets offense that had Brett Favre and Thomas Jones and later went to two AFC Championship Games with Mark Sanchez at the helm. That doesn’t mean he dropped off the map. The last time he was an offensive coordinator before he went to Dallas was in Seattle, where the offense finished in the top 10 in scoring each of his three seasons. Perhaps most importantly, because he was already inside the building, he understands — and can presumably handle — the unique dynamics of being the Cowboys’ head coach, who receives more scrutiny than most while also never being the top voice in the franchise. And he has seen up close what works and does not work for Prescott, who enjoyed his best season when Mike McCarthy was running the offense. As a first-time head coach, Schottenheimer’s staff will be important. Schottenheimer must decide who will call plays — himself or an offensive coordinator — but most of all he must figure out how to get the offense to rebound from 2024 and do something that others have failed to manage: take the Cowboys deep into the playoffs. Fixing the running game — and convincing the Cowboys to be more active in free agency than they were in a very quiet 2024 offseason — would be a good start.

Chicago Bears – 5-12 – HIRED: Ben Johnson

As soon as the Detroit Lions lost in the Divisional Round, you could hear the sounds of the coaching cycle picking up speed. Johnson was one of the most sought-after candidates in recent years, and his choice of the Bears speaks volumes about their potential. Johnson is a creative play-designer, a fearless play-caller and the person who coordinated the NFL’s most explosive offense. Now, he gets to work with Caleb Williams — a huge win for Williams and the Bears — and he also gets receivers Rome Odunze and DJ Moore and tight end Cole Kmet (and a lot of salary cap space to improve the roster, especially the offensive line). That Johnson chose the Bears over the Raiders, where Tom Brady was wooing him, is a fascinating element of his decision. This was Brady’s first major action as a minority owner of the Raiders, but even he could not overcome Las Vegas’ lack of a quarterback, a roster with a lot of holes and an organization without a clear direction after firing its previous coach and general manager after just one season. Bears fans should be thrilled with this hire, because now Williams has a chance to develop into the quarterback everyone expected when he came out of USC. Quick improvement would not be a surprise, even for a first-time head coach in the very difficult NFC North.

NFL.com

Ranking all 74 starting running backs from 2024 NFL season

29 – Brian Robinson – Washington Commanders · Year 3

2024 stats: 14 games | 187 att | 799 rush yds | 4.3 ypc | 8 rush TDs | 20 rec | 159 rec yds | 0 rec TDs | 2 fumbles lost

Robinson got out to a hot start, registering two 100-yard games in the first month of the season and scoring six rushing TDs in his first six games. His production fell off down the stretch, but his two-touchdown day in the Divisional Round upset over Detroit was a nice performance to take into the offseason. That said, he’s capable of more in this offense.

39 – Austin Ekeler – Washington Commanders · Year 8

2024 stats: 12 games | 77 att | 367 rush yds | 4.8 ypc | 4 rush TDs | 35 rec | 366 rec yds | 0 rec TD | 0 fumbles lost

Ekeler was in and out of the lineup due to injury in his first year on the East Coast, and even when he was on the field, he often was the third option in the run game behind Brian Robinson Jr. and Jayden Daniels. Finding a role in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense, Ekeler was a nice change-of-pace back for a the NFL’s third-ranked rushing unit.

49 – Jeremy McNichols – Washington Commanders · Year 8

2024 stats: 17 games | 55 att | 261 rush yds | 4.7 ypc | 4 rush TDs | 9 rec | 27 rec yds | 0 rec TD | 0 fumbles lost

There were so many mouths to feed in Washington’s rushing attack, and McNichols’ 55 carries ranked fourth-most on the team. But because the Commanders still had a high volume of rushing opportunities — they finished with the fifth-most carries league-wide — McNichols set career highs in carries, rush yards and rush TDs.

Over the Cap

Jets to Move On from Aaron Rodgers

Removing Rodgers from the team should make it an easy decision to move on from Davante Adams who was brought in last year as a desperation attempt to save the season. Adams release will leave the Jets with $8.3 million in dead money. Releasing Adams saves the Jets $29.9 million in cap room, which would effectively offset the loss of $25.5 million in cap space due to taking all of Rodgers dead money in 2025. The Jets are currently 19th in cap space with about $21 million in estimated cap space for the year.

Discussion topics

ESPN

2025 NFL mock draft: Field Yates’ Round 1 pick predictions

29. Washington Commanders

Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State

As the Commanders look to surround Jayden Daniels with more playmakers, they could tap back into the Ohio State receiver pipeline to pair Terry McLaurin with Egbuka, who leaves Columbus with the most catches in school history (205). Egbuka is among the most ready-made prospects in this class, as he features pristine route running, reliable hands and a selflessness as a blocker that the Commanders would undoubtedly love. He caught 10 touchdowns for the Buckeyes this season.

Early NFL Power Rankings 2025: How do Eagles, Chiefs stack up?

6. Washington Commanders

2024 record: 12-5

Describe this offseason in three words: Keep on building

Washington nailed the 2024 offseason by hiring general manager Adam Peters, coach Dan Quinn and drafting quarterback Jayden Daniels. The foundation [is] set for many years thanks to this trio. But the Commanders also can’t ignore the work that needs to be done. Their 2024 success was unexpected and the roster still needs work for the team to become a consistent contender. The Commanders have [a bit under] $80 million in cap space available and seven draft picks. They need to fortify both lines (the run game remains an issue on both sides of the ball), find another playmaker on offense and add another corner on defense. — John Keim

All aTwitter