Daily Slop – 31 Jan 25: Will Washington pay the price of Dante Fowler’s successful ‘24 season to bring him back in ‘25?

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

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Washington Post (paywall)

The Commanders will have another busy offseason. Here’s what you need to know.

Washington’s foundation is now set, but there is plenty of roster construction remaining for General Manager Adam Peters.

Washington will have more than two dozen of its own players hit free agency in March, unless they re-sign earlier. All but one (Rodriguez) will be unrestricted and free to sign with another team when the market opens. Rodriguez can only sign with another team if he’s not tendered by the Commanders (exclusive rights free agents are typically tendered by their team).

Washington signed many veterans to one-year deals last March. Among those, Wagner would seem the likeliest to return. He is still playing at a high level, is an important leader and mentor in the locker room, and is a key starter at a position that lacks depth. Plus, he may not have a ton of options elsewhere, considering he will be 35 years old next season.

Way, the longest-tenured Commander, could also be back. His services weren’t needed as much with Daniels at quarterback, but he’s still one of the league’s top punters (he finished the season ranked fifth in net punting average, at 43.1 yards) and a respected veteran. Chinn may be back as well, but he’ll be 27 at the start of free agency and could draw interest from other teams, pushing up the cost to keep him.

Others who seem like candidates to return: Mariota, Bates, Gonzalez and Zaccheaus.

How many draft picks do the Commanders have?

Seven. They have four of their own picks — No. 29 in the first round, No. 61 in the second, No. 206 in the sixth and No. 249 in the seventh — and three others acquired via trades. Those picks are in the third (79), fifth (157) and seventh (237) rounds.

Accounting for multiple trades, the Commanders essentially acquired those picks and cornerback Marshon Lattimore in exchange for receiver Jahan Dotson, defensive tackle John Ridgeway and their own picks in the third (93), fourth (129) and fifth (165) rounds.

Are there notable contract triggers coming up?

March 15 (third day of league year)

• Another $4 million of Daron Payne’s $19.56 million salary for 2025 is guaranteed ($9 million of his 2025 salary was guaranteed last March).
• Right tackle Andrew Wylie is due a $1 million roster bonus.

March 17 (fifth day of league year)

• Cosmi’s $15.5 million salary for 2026 is guaranteed.
• Lattimore is due a $2 million roster bonus.
• McLaurin is due a $2.8 million roster bonus.

April 1

• Defensive end Dorance Armstrong’s $6.25 million salary is fully guaranteed.
• Long-snapper Tyler Ott’s $1.255 million salary is guaranteed.
• Center Tyler Biadasz’s $3 million injury guarantee vests to full guarantee.
• Linebacker Frankie Luvu has $4.5 million of his $9.15 million salary fully guaranteed.

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Bullock’s Film Room (subscription)

State of the Roster: Commanders Defense

Breaking down where things stand with the Commanders defense heading into the offseason

Defensive End

On the roster: Dorance Armstrong, Javontae Jean-Baptiste

Free agents: Dante Fowler, Clelin Ferrell, Jalyn Holmes

Analysis: This was quite an intriguing group to watch this season. Dorance Armstrong was the highest profile player of the group having received a significant free agent contract to follow Quinn and Whitt from Dallas. He was never going to be an elite edge rusher that put up 15 sacks in a season, that has never been his game. But he did play his role to a level higher than he did in Dallas. With the Cowboys, Armstrong was always the second or third rushing option. Micah Parsons was obviously the top rusher there and then DeMarcus Lawrence was the next rusher to be featured. Armstrong often had to move around and rush from different spots, often doing the dirty work on stunts to help free up the two bigger names.

In Washington, he didn’t have a Parsons or Lawrence to work with, so he became more of a focal point. Despite that, he still maintained a good pressure rate and took a step forward from the player he was last year. He was versatile, lining up on both sides and often shifting inside to defensive tackle on some of the Commanders more expansive rush packages. He also dropped into coverage off the edge a fair few times as part of the Commanders sim pressure packages. So he brought a lot to the table and proved worthy of his contract, in my opinion.

The spot opposite Armstrong, however, was inconsistent and needs some work. Clelin Ferrell was signed to be a strong run defender on the edge on first and second down before Dante Fowler could come in on third down or linebacker Frankie Luvu could shift down to the edge in obvious pass rushing situations. Ferrell had a tough start to the year battling through some injuries and did have some solid games against the run, but he wasn’t consistent enough. With only two players under contract for next season at defensive end, the Commanders could bring Ferrell back for another shot on a cheap deal, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see them move on and try another veteran for the same type of role.

Dante Fowler ended up taking over from Ferrell during his time on the sidelines and surprisingly had one of the best years of his career. He put up over 10 sacks for only the second time in his career, the first time was when he played alongside Aaron Donald with the Rams. He didn’t have the same interior help this year but learned to finish better than he has throughout most of his career, which is something Dan Quinn attributed to the help of Ryan Kerrigan.

Fowler was a little hit and miss in the run game. There was definitely more physicality on the edge from a guy that is known as a pass rush specialist, so the willingness was there. It showed up a lot too, with Fowler often squeezing down the line when he saw pullers coming his way and he would blow them up routinely. But as we saw on the first play of the loss to the Eagles in the playoffs, he could also get a bit lost in the run game and lose contain, which led to some big runs.

I would imagine the Commanders would be doing their best to retain Fowler after the season he just had. He ranked eighth overall in ESPNs Pass Rush Win Rate statistic, with numbers similar to some of the best rushers in the league. His average time to pressure stat was also in the elite territory. That type of production is hard to replace, so the Commanders will probably want him back. But he is also the wrong side of 30 and thus isn’t a long term solution at the position. I’m not sure how much the Commanders could rely on him replicating those numbers next season given this appears to be somewhat of an outlier season in his career, but for Washington it’s certainly worth bringing him back to see if he can back it up with another strong year.

Javontae Jean-Baptiste was a seventh round pick that I wasn’t sure would make the team. He had the raw ingredients to be an interesting developmental player coming out of the draft, with long arms, good strength and a competitive motor. But he far surpassed those expectations. He wasn’t an outstanding player, but he did flash a lot more than most seventh rounders do. His length and power helped him set a pretty solid edge most of the time, but he did get worked into a few rookie mistakes on the edge too. I’m not sure he’ll ever become a top tier pass rusher but he played a pretty solid part in the defensive end rotation this year and the Commanders won’t feel uncomfortable with him being the last defensive end on the roster as part of the rotation next season too.

So there are some nice pieces here, especially if Fowler is resigned and able to replicate what he did this season. With those pieces, combined with the willingness to blitz from Quinn and Whitt, the Commanders could generate a solid pass rush again next year without adding too much to the roster. But the team is lacking a real presence on the edge to give them that headline act that they can rely on to help get pressure with just four when they want to play more coverage. In Dallas, Quinn and Whitt had Parsons as that headline act and filled in the group around him with pieces like Armstrong and Fowler, which led to the Cowboys having one of the best pass rush units in the league. They could pressure with just four when needed, but when Quinn and Whitt added on to the rush with more blitzes, they’d generate outstanding matchups for Parsons to take advantage of, which he typically did.

Finding that star pass rusher is much easier said than done. They don’t have a top 10 draft pick to find one this year and the edge rusher market in free agency is always very competitive. Eagles edge rusher Josh Sweat could be a potential free agent option to try and steal from a division rival, but I do wonder if the trade market might be more appealing. Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby has long been linked with a move away from Vegas while Myles Garrett’s situation with the Browns isn’t certain. There’s perhaps a universe that exists where Micah Parsons doesn’t get the contract he’s after in Dallas and tries to force a trade to reunite with Dan Quinn, who he always speaks highly of. I’d say all three options are pretty unlikely, but I’m sure the Commanders would have some interest if one of those three were to suddenly become available via trade. Giving up the 29th overall pick for a top pass rusher is a lot easier to swallow than giving up a top 10 pick.

Level of need: High

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Sports Illustrated

Will Commanders re-sign sack leader Dante Fowler Jr.?

Dante Fowler Jr. is a free agent for the Washington Commanders this offseason.

Why do the Commanders need Fowler back?

“It’s good to be the Commanders considering how much cap space they have to build around Jayden Daniels. There’s a lot of work to be done, though. Ertz, Igbinoghene and Chinn turned out to be great one-year signings by general manager Adam Peters, but after exceeding expectations, they’re all going to rightfully want more money this time around,” Barnwell writes.

“The most productive one-year signing had to be Fowler. Signed for $3.3 million after spending the past two seasons with coach Dan Quinn in Dallas, he had the best season we’ve seen from the 2015 No. 3 pick in years. He racked up 10.5 sacks and forced two fumbles. The only regulars in the league with higher sack rates on a per-rush basis were Trey Hendrickson and Nik Bonitto.”

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Riggo’s Rag

Insider launches smear campaign on Commanders’ assistant GM after Jets snub

Tony Pauline from Sportskeeda proceeded to launch a smear campaign on Newmark citing anonymous sources. The insider stated many thought the Jets had a lucky escape with the front office figure, proclaiming his overall body of work as unimpressive despite the recent success in Washington and Detroit.

“Many believed the Jets dodged a bullet not signing Lance Newmark, who seemed like a shoo-in for the job just last week. While Newmark has had a good run recently as assistant with the Washington Commanders after coming over from the Detroit Lions, people say his overall body of work has been terrible. The Jets hired Darren Mougey to be their next general manager. Mougey is a great story, starting as a scouting intern and working his way up the ladder. People from Denver that I’ve spoken with say he’s smart, hard-working and knows talent. The best compliment of all? Someone from the Broncos said Mougey is “an Adam Peters type,” referring to the general manager of the Washington Commanders.”

Tony Pauline

It’s funny how often this happens when questions get asked.

Newmark played a leading role in Detroit’s renaissance. He did the same in Washington and received lavish praise from Peters along the way. The Jets had every right to go in a different direction, but to discredit his work when the evidence should be staring critics in the face is unwarranted and disgraceful in equal measure.

This wasn’t a good fit for whatever reason. It’s not a big deal and the Jets aren’t exactly the poster child for stable franchises under team owner Woody Johnson. It was their prerogative to go with Mougey, even though it’s ironic that they were looking for someone like Peters without appointing the man who worked closest to him over the last year.

Their snub is the Commanders’ gain. Newmark will continue to work alongside Peters during a pivotal offseason. Starting better than anticipated is one thing, but kicking on with the same urgency represents a different challenge entirely.

Having stability will help. Peters knows how to take the Commanders forward and Newmark is a respected evaluator despite what Pauline (or those talking to him) would have you believe.

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Commanders.com

Senior Bowl notebook | Pass-catchers and edge rushers stand out in Mobile

The road to the NFL Draft starts in Mobile, Alabama, at the Senior Bowl. As usual, the all-star game is full of talented players trying to show the 32 NFL teams in attendance that they are ready for the professional level.

The Commanders, who pick 29th in the first round, got almost half their draft class from last year’s attendees, including Ben Sinnott, Luke McCaffrey, Brandon Coleman and Mike Sainristil. All four players ended up having roles in the 2024 offense. That will likely be the same case this season, and perhaps the Commanders’ first-round pick is among the nearly 150 players practicing at Hancock Whitney Stadium.

Here are some highlights from the week of practice.

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Podcasts & videos

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Commanders’ DT Jon Allen Part of Tough Decisions | Risky Free Agents and Jayden Daniels Development

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NFC East links

Bleeding Green Nation

Eagles Injury Report: Brandon Graham sounds optimistic about playing in the Super Bowl

The Eagles opened Graham’s practice window to return from injured reserve earlier on Thursday. He was seen wearing a brace on his left arm during practice. Speaking to reporters in the locker room, Graham noted that he only participated in individual drills but he could be ramped up to team drills on Friday. Overall, Graham seemed to be optimistic about his chances of playing in New Orleans. But we’ll still need to see how he progresses in practice over the next week.

Covey was listed as limited once again. The Eagles’ primary punt returner seemingly has a chance to be activated for the Super Bowl. Especially if he’s able to be a full participant in practice at some point prior to the game.

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Blogging the Boys

Without a philosophy shift, the Cowboys could be chasing the Eagles for years to come

During Brian Schottenheimer’s introductory press conference, Stephen Jones mentioned how the Cowboys are going to take a “long hard look” at how they’ve operated in free agency and change some things if needed. Getting back to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1996 may hinge on just how truthful Jones was with that statement.

It’s hard to look at a division rival’s success and marvel at it, but the Eagles are operating the way the Cowboys should be. If the Cowboys want to catch them in the coming years and not continue lagging in the rearview mirror, they’ll need to adopt Philadelphia’s organizational philosophy and start acting the way America’s Team should.

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NFL league links

Articles

Washington Post (paywall)

NFL will look into allegations of inappropriate conduct by Justin Tucker

The Ravens kicker denied the allegations of inappropriate behavior during massage therapy sessions between 2012 and 2016, made in a report from the Baltimore Banner.

The NFL will review allegations of inappropriate conduct in massage therapy sessions made against Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker, the league said Thursday through a spokesman.

Tucker denied the accusations, which were made in a Baltimore Banner report detailing alleged incidents between 2012 and 2016.

“We first became aware of the allegations from the reporter investigating this story as they were not previously shared with the NFL,” league spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a written statement. “We take any allegation seriously and will look into the matter.”

The Banner reported Thursday that Tucker was accused by six massage therapists of behaving inappropriately at four spas and wellness centers in the Baltimore area. Tucker allegedly exposed his genitals and brushed his penis against two of the women, the Banner reported.

The management of two spas banned Tucker from returning, according to the report.

Tucker called the allegations “unequivocally false” in a statement posted to social media.

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NFL.com

2025 Senior Bowl: Daniel Jeremiah’s top 12 standouts from week of practice

Elijah Arroyo – Miami · TE · Junior (RS)

I had Arroyo near the bottom of my Top 50 rankings coming into the week, but I think he’s going to leave the Senior Bowl with some first-round buzz. We all knew about his size and speed before he arrived in Mobile — he showed that during his breakout season with Miami in 2024. The thing that stood out to me in practice this week was his route polish. He blocked well, too. The arrow is pointing all the way up here.

Mason Taylor – LSU · TE · Junior

Taylor makes it all look so easy, much like his dad — Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Taylor — did for so many years in the NFL. Mason Taylor caught the ball well and ran great routes in practices. He’s only 20 years old, but he looks like he’s going to be ready-made with no assembly required at the next level. I see some similarities to Zach Ertz when he was entering the league back in 2013. Taylor should have a long NFL career.

Azareye’h Thomas – Florida State · CB · Junior

I had Thomas ranked No. 43 in my initial Top 50, and I might have to think about moving him up the board a bit next time given how he performed in practices this week. Like Hairston, Thomas competed every day. I love his length, fluidity and physicality.

Kyle Williams – Washington State · WR · Senior

I knew Williams had good speed, but what impressed me in practice was the polish he showed in his release. He created separation throughout the week and caught the ball well. He’s put himself in the mix to be drafted on Day 2 and he should benefit from this receiver class not being quite as strong as others we have seen in recent years. Williams helped himself a lot.

Grey Zabel – North Dakota State · OT · Senior

Zabel is in consideration for the first round after the way he played this week. He looks like a Day 1 starter. We knew he would be ready to compete at guard and tackle, but he looked really comfortable at center in practices, as well. If you can play every position on the offensive line, that is going to endear you to a lot of GMs and coaches around the league.

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