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Daily Slop – 2 Apr 25 – Commanders show interest in draft-eligible kicker Andres Borregales from “the U”

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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

ESPN

Commanders: Jayden Daniels to polish his dual-threat tools

“He adds the value of mobility and being outside the pocket and creating scrambles to run and on scrambles to pass,” Quinn said. “Teams wanted to try a certain unique thing, a spy or what have you, but we’ll just continue to look at that as we progress.”

The Commanders traded for receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. and left tackle Laremy Tunsil to bolster the lineup around Daniels. Quinn called Samuel an “explosive player” who creates problems because he can line up all over. General manager Adam Peters called Tunsil one of the “two or three best” pass protectors in the NFL.

But Quinn said Daniels can help himself improve through footwork and positioning. The team also wants him to continue improving his decision-making on the run. Quinn emphasized that during the season and said he liked how Daniels progressed.

“We thought he made a lot of improvement extending plays,” Quinn said. “Early on in the season, they were extending to run, and then now they got extending to throw the ball down the field. But for him, the footwork, that’s one thing I know he’s going to dig in hard on this year.”

Washington Post (paywall)

Dan Quinn, no longer ‘trying to sell hope,’ readies for Year 2 in D.C.

This time last year, Dan Quinn was barely two months into a full staff rebuild and roster overhaul as the new coach of the Washington Commanders. He didn’t have a quarterback, had no idea whether the one he and General Manager Adam Peters were eyeing would be available with the No. 2 pick in the draft and had more questions than answers about the franchise’s ability to dig itself out of a decades-long hole.

My, how times have changed.

At the NFL’s annual meetings this week, Quinn’s priority was not rebuilding but simply building more.

“The vision of who we want to be, that’s better than a year ago where we were trying to sell hope of what that is,” he told a table of reporters outside the Breakers resort Tuesday. “But now we’ve actually seen examples of that and … our play style.”

The Athletic (paywall)

What we heard from Commanders’ Adam Peters, Dan Quinn at annual league meeting

Next steps for Daniels

Quinn: “We call them work-ons. These are the things that we want to get better at. So, for him, some of the techniques that a lot of quarterbacks use are footwork and body position of where to go and where to throw. We thought he made a lot of improvement, extending plays early on in the season. They were extending to run, and then now they got extending to throw the ball down the field. So, having that balance of doing both of those, that’s a big deal.”

One mind-blowing aspect of Daniels’ Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign is realizing his growth potential going into his second season. Adjustments are coming from opposing defensive coordinators — and Washington. That’s play calling from Kliff Kingsbury, personnel upgrades (Samuel and Tunsil) and Daniels’ quarterback dynamics.

Quinn: “(Brandon Coleman will) go to the right side. But as far as tackle or guard, we’ll start at tackle. That’s where he’s got lots of experience, and we’ll go there first. So, that’s the plan.”

On where the staff intends to use cornerback Jonathan Jones

Quinn: “I’d say we’re probably a little more inside than out, but that’s where I’m at today. But knowing that he has the flexibility, he and a couple of guys will probably play both spots. … It provides some insurance when you can move guys around in different locations. So, we’ll do that with him too.”

Commanders Wire

Commanders give an update on Brandon Coleman’s new position for next season

Dan Quinn says that Brandon Coleman will be moved to the right tackle position and compete against Andrew Wylie during the offseason before deciding to move either player inside to guard, according to Nicki Jhabvala from the Washington Post. Coleman played 775 snaps at left tackle for the Commanders last season, but he also has plenty of experience at guard from his time at TCU.

Coleman played 716 total snaps at guard throughout his college career, and 255 of those were at left guard in his final season as he moved around at left tackle as well. Veteran Andrew Wylie restructured his contract this offseason, keeping him on the Commanders for the season after many thought he could be a release candidate to free up more salary cap. Wylie has been the Commanders’ starting right tackle for the last two seasons, and 2024 was the better of the two seasons as he fixed his sack issue from 2023, going from nine sacks allowed to not giving up a sack in 2024, according to PFF.

Podcasts & videos

Welcoming BACK Noah Igbinoghene to the Commanders ‼️ | Next Man Up | Washington Commanders | NFL

HC Dan Quinn Speaks to the Media at 2025 NFL Owners Meetings | Washington Commanders

GM Adam Peters Speaks to the Media at 2025 NFL Owners Meetings | Washington Commanders

NFC East links

NFL.com

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones doesn’t see urgency with Micah Parsons extension: ‘I’d rather pay more and get it right’

“We are there. I don’t view it as urgent at all,” he said. “Some say using the basis that the earlier you get something done, the cheaper. Well, the earlier you get something done, a lot of the time, the more mistakes you make. You might want to see a few more cards played, not just with that particular negotiation but with the whole team. I know I’m kind of being a little defensive here, but the idea that the only success is getting a contract done at an early time is incorrect.

“I’d rather pay more and get it right than pay less and screw it up. You can screw it up real good. You can go too early and misread athletic ability. You can misread availability for the future. You can get a lot of things screwed up by going early, but any contract that’s worth noting, as you well know, it takes two to have an agreement. But more importantly, nine times out of 10, if I wanted to close it, I’d close it. And we don’t because I’m looking for other cards to be played.”

NFL league links

Articles

NFL.com

NFL owners vote to adjust ball spot on touchbacks to 35-yard line on dynamic kickoffs

The results in 2024 were a success. The league saw 332 more kickoff returns, bumping the previous 21.8% return rate up to 32.8%. There were also 59 big-play returns (returns of 40 or more yards) last season, which was the highest figure since 2016.

“That’s why we felt the time was now to move the touchback back to the 35, to go back to the original formation that we had proposed.”

By improving field position for teams on the receiving end of touchbacks, the league hopes teams will be deterred from kicking the ball into the end zone, which could lead to more returns in the 2025 season and beyond.

Aside from changes to spotting of the ball, other aspects of the dynamic kickoff will remain the same.

Onside kick rules did not see any modifications at the Annual League Meeting on Tuesday, but team owners could consider changes at a later date, per Rapoport and Pelissero.

The Athletic (paywall)

NFL owners approve rule change allowing both teams to possess ball in regular-season OT

The new regular-season overtime rules will now more closely resemble the playoff format, in which both teams are given at least one possession. That rule has been in place since 2022. Unlike the playoff overtime period, which lasts 15 minutes, regular-season overtime will remain just 10 minutes.

The average overtime possession is five minutes, so officials weren’t overly concerned with a lengthy possession prohibiting both teams from possessing the ball. Competition committee chairman Rich McKay did note that the Atlanta Falcons lost an overtime game last season after the Washington Commanders held the ball for over seven minutes before scoring. However, under the new format, if the initial receiving team does possess the ball for the entirety of the overtime period and scores at the end of that 10-minute drive, the game ends without the second team possessing the ball.

Commanders.com

Replay-assist system expanded

On-site officials will now be able to reverse penalties for hits to defenseless players, face mask grabs, horse collar tackles, tripping and running into/roughing the kicker. Officials will be able to reverse these penalties when clear and obvious video evidence is present.

Washington Post (paywall)

Jerry Jones says he knows the ‘potential’ an 18-game season holds for the NFL

“I would say that there’s a lot of talk” about extending the regular season, the Cowboys owner said. “But certainly it’s in the future.”

“I know the potential,” Jones said as the owners completed the three-day annual league meeting at a Palm Beach resort. “But there are several things that I can see in the future that are potential. But I also know that you have to evolve and things can take time. You can’t just snap your fingers just because somebody says that’s a good idea.”

Lloyd Howell, the NFLPA’s executive director, told The Washington Post in July that the union had engaged in high-level discussions with the NFL about the potential implementation of an 18-game regular season but the talks had not yet progressed to formal negotiations.

The collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and NFLPA expires after the 2030 season and specifically prohibits the league and owners from unilaterally extending the regular season to 18 games. They would need to reach a deal with the union on the issue.

There was some discussion of an 18-game season among the owners at this week’s meeting. But the issue was not discussed in depth, Jones and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said.

“I would say that there’s a lot of talk about it,” Jones said. “But certainly it’s in the future. … But it wasn’t really a main topic” at this meeting.

Discussion topics

Pro Football Rumors

NFL To Use New Measurement Technology In 2025

The technology does not track the ball to determine if the ball crossed the line. An official is still needed to spot the ball and replay assist will confirm the accuracy of that placement. Once the spot is determined the tracking system will optimally notify officials if a first down was reached instantly, speeding up pace of play by avoiding lengthy measurements.

The setup requires six cameras to be used for the virtual line-to-gain technology, along with 12 boundary-line cameras and 14 Hawk-Eye’s SkeleTRACK cameras that monitor more than two-dozen skeletal points on a player’s body. Using the technology behind the scenes last year, the league reportedly saw a reduction in the time it took for a measurement from 75 seconds on average with the chain gang to 30 seconds on average with the new technology.

In order to accommodate and implement the system, all 30 NFL stadiums, as well as any international stadiums where NFL games will be played, will be equipped with 32 cameras each. With the additional cameras, there, theoretically, should be increased and improved replay angles, as well. The league will continue testing the system this spring during UFL games played in NFL stadiums like Detroit’s Ford Field.

While discussions of the use of this type of technology have been ongoing for years, a line is naturally going to be drawn between this rule and a Josh Allen fourth-down quarterback sneak that was ruled short of the line to gain in the fourth quarter of the Bills’ AFC Championship loss to the Chiefs.

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