A collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders
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Commanders.com
‘He’s hard to fool’: Mike Sainristil’s rookie season sets strong standard for Year 2
Although Jayden Daniels was one of the most notable stories in the NFL this season, another Commanders rookie also had a stellar season: cornerback Mike Sainristil. The second-round pick was a large part of the Commanders’ defensive success, leading all rookies in tackles with 62.
“Mike’s somebody that, he’s hard to fool,” Head Coach Dan Quinn said. “Much like Jayden, he’s got a little bit of an older soul about him, he takes to coaching quickly, he doesn’t repeat mistakes. And so, for him, the opportunity, when it comes to go and nail it — he delivered on that.”
Sainristil delivered throughout the regular season, finishing with 93 tackles and two interceptions. He credits his background playing wide receiver for the first two years of his collegiate career at the University of Michigan to helping him understand the receivers he is tasked with covering and staying calm as a defender.
Riggo’s Rag
Full list of Commanders free agents in 2025: Big decisions await Adam Peters
Peters has some huge decisions to make in the coming weeks. The Commanders are well positioned to strengthen the ranks with almost [$90] million in salary-cap space and seven draft selections. Before that, the respected front-office leader must first determine the fate of the team’s free agents.
The Commanders hedged their bets with most acquisitions under Peters. Very few signings received long-term commitments. Most got one-year, prove-it deals with the promise of more if they prove themselves. Washington must figure out which ones should come along for the ride.
Some will be moved on with little fanfare attached. Others have done more than enough for extensions after sterling efforts throughout a campaign to remember. A select few could legitimately go either way.
Commanders Wire
Jayden Daniels gets some help in the new Daniel Jeremiah mock draft
In his first mock draft for 2025, Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL Network has Washington selecting Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons with the No. 29 overall pick.
The Commanders’ offensive line has played well above expectations, but I think they need to upgrade the talent to protect Jayden Daniels going forward.
Simmons, 22, spent his first two seasons at San Diego State before transferring to Ohio State ahead of the 2023 season. He started every game for the Aztecs as a redshirt freshman in 2022 at right tackle. In 2023, Simmons started 13 games at left tackle and every game in 2024 until an injury prematurely ended his season.
Simmons could allow the Commanders to move Coleman to right tackle — Andrew Wylie is a free agent — or kick him inside. Many teams thought Coleman’s NFL future was guard.
Commanders.com
Commanders have hope, optimism for future as offseason begins
Like last year, the Commanders will undergo a significant overhaul to prepare for the 2025 season. Twenty-eight players will be free agents in March. While the Commanders will certainly try to retain some of them, it’s a guarantee they will not have the same group that pulled off moments like the Hail Mary over the Chicago Bears, taking down the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football and beating the Detroit Lions at home in the Divisional round.
A to Z Sports
Three NFL teams are interested in swiping one of the Commanders’ most underrated coaches
Kliff Kingsbury is officially back with the Washington Commanders for the 2025 season after Tuesday’s news, but that may not be the case for assistant quarterbacks coach David Blough.
Per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Chicago Bears have all requested to interview Blough, the first-year coach who has four previous seasons as an NFL quarterback under his belt. The Jets and Jags are interested in him taking the quarterbacks coach position, while the Bears are interested in making him their passing game coordinator.
Both titles are considered promotions, which falls in line with the NFL’s rule that teams are only allowed to poach coaches under contract if they’re offering a promotion.
Podcasts & videos
2-parter with Logan Paulsen. In Part 1:
* NFCCG takeaways
* Now what for 5 (and Kliff Kingsbury) this off-season?
* 2025 RB/WR/TE rooms
* Adam Peters’s sober examination after deep playoff run
* Peters/Quinn news conference, player exit interviews.https://t.co/n307YbDxFO— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) January 29, 2025
Episode 996 – Guest: @DVNJr. Outstanding info & intel .
– how Joe Gibbs saved the Commanders in compelling Dan Snyder to sell
– absurd lengths Dan went to not sell
– Dan’s unhappiness with the team’s success
– why Don believes another rebrand is coming…https://t.co/MJRNbsP4jN— Al Galdi (@AlGaldi) January 29, 2025
NFC East links
Bleeding Green Nation
Report: Kellen Moore has emerged as a lead candidate for the Saints head coaching job
The Eagles could have yet another new offensive coordinator next season.
Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore has “emerged as a lead candidate” for the New Orleans Saints’ head coaching job, according to a report from NFL insider Adam Schefter.
From his ESPN article:
No final decision has been made by New Orleans, which has held second interviews with three known candidates: Moore, Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver and New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka.
In addition to this report, NFL insider Jordan Schultz said “it’s starting to seem like Moore is the leader in the clubhouse in New Orleans.”
NFL insider Mike Garafolo adds that Moore “remains the most likely head coach in New Orleans but nothing is, or can be, finalized at this point.”
Losing Moore doesn’t seem ideal. The Eagles’ offensive coordinator spot continues to be a revolving door:
- 2022 — Shane Steichen
- 2023 — Brian Johnson
- 2024 — Kellen Moore
- 2025 — ?
Jalen Hurts has long talked about his desire for play-caller continuity.
Blogging the Boys
Report: Will McClay signs an extension to stay with the Cowboys
According to Todd Archer of ESPN, McClay and the Cowboys have agreed to a new contract to keep him with the team for a long time.
McClay’s contract was set to expire after the conclusion of the 2025 NFL Draft, so there was uncertainty about how much longer their VP of Player Personnel would be sticking around.
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Articles
Front Office Sports
NFL Viewership May Be Slipping, but Super Bowl Still a Hot Commodity
A confluence of factors is helping Fox reach levels for Super Bowl LIX advertising sales not widely thought to be possible.
Even in a season of declining viewership for the NFL, Fox is reaching unprecedented levels for Super Bowl LIX advertising sales.
The network has sold roughly a dozen 30-second ad units for at least $8 million each, according to industry sources and multiple reports. That’s a record level that builds meaningfully off prior sales for the game hovering around $7 million per unit.
In November, company CEO and executive chair Lachlan Murdoch said Fox was “already sold out and at record pricing,” for Super Bowl LIX, a highlight of a solid quarterly earnings report. Since then, however, a larger-than-normal number of ad buyers have dropped out of the game—including insurance company State Farm, which bowed out amid the recent wildfires in Southern California. That, in turn, has helped allow Fox to resell that recaptured ad inventory at even higher rates, with the network dipping into a company waiting list started last spring.
The NFL remains by far the biggest attraction in the entire media industry and still holds an ability to aggregate audiences like nothing else—in or out of sports. The league’s 2024 viewership declines, meanwhile, also are far less than heavy retreats seen elsewhere, particularly on cable television.
The continued splintering of entertainment audiences, particularly as traditional TV now holds a minority of overall viewership, makes the massive scale of the Super Bowl only stand out more.