Daily Slop – 9 Feb 25 – SUPER BOWL SUNDAY!

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

Commanders links

Articles

Pro Football Rumors

Zach Ertz Will Play In 2025; Noah Brown Hopes To Re-Sign With Commanders

“I don’t know what the future holds,” the three-time Pro Bowler said (video link via Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post). “I still want to play football next year. I just want to make that clear that I’m not retiring.”

Approaching his age-35 season, Ertz is a pending free agent. He is clearly looking for a new deal to continue his career, and it would come as no surprise if the Commanders looked to give him another short-term deal this spring (especially since Kingsbury turned aside head coaching interest to remain in the nation’s capital for 2025). Failing that, any number of teams in need of a pass-catching addition at the TE spot could look to add him for next season.

In other Commanders news, wideout Noah Brown said (via Jhabvala) he wants to remain in Washington for 2025. The former Cowboys draftee was among the familiar faces who followed head coach Dan Quinn to the nation’s capital this past offseason (having spent 2023 in Houston). His debut Commanders campaign was of course highlighted by the Week 8 win which featured a Hail Mary pass he was on the receiving end of; overall, Brown averaged 12.9 yards per catch as a complementary receiving option before suffering a season-ending injury in December.

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Commanders.com

Commanders 2024 position review | Linebacker

— Wagner proved that he still has the skill set to be one of the best linebackers in the NFL at 34 years old. The 13-year veteran led the team with 132 tackles, marking the 13th time he has surpassed the 100-tackle mark in his career. He is now tied with former Washington linebacker London Fletcher for the most consecutive 100-tackle seasons all-time.

— Luvu was a terror for opposing quarterbacks because of his athleticism and versatility as a pass-rusher. Luvu set a career-high 33 pressures in 2024, which led to him recording eight sacks. The Commanders believed that Luvu was an ascending player when they signed him, and they were proven right by that throughout his first campaign with the Burgundy & Gold.

— Does Wagner come back? Wagner already had a Hall of Fame acumen before he signed with Washington last offseason. He added to that with another 100-tackle season, pushing him to 10th all-time behind Karlos Dansby and Junior Seau. Wagner not only produced on the field but also provided leadership for the defense and mentorship for Jayden Daniels. Wagner joined the team partly because of his relationship with Quinn, who was his defensive coordinator with the Seattle Seahawks. It’s unknown at this point whether he’ll re-sign with the team in March, but he clearly showed that he can still be valuable to a defense’s success.

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.

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Athlon Sports

Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels Explain How Patrick Mahomes Influenced Them As Quarterbacks

“I just think he’s out of the ordinary, outside the box, the arm talent that he has, all the arm angles and throws he can make, he trusts his arm,” Daniels said. “I think that’s the main thing. He’s out there playing football, playing freely, but he trusts his abilities.

As to that balance between structure and off-script stuff when it’s necessary, Daniels had his own thoughts.

“I think there’s a time and place for everything,” he said. “You obviously want to stay in structure, stay in rhythm, and keep the rhythm of the offense going. That’s the main thing as a quarterback. But when it’s time to make a play, and the play is presented, you go out there and make it.”

Both young players can imagine what it might be like to make the Super Bowl a habit as Mahomes now has, and the correct tie between structure and chaos is a very good place to start.

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Commanders Wire

5 moves that could save $63.5 million on the Commanders 2025 salary cap

Commanders restructure Marshon Lattimore

• 2025 salary-cap saving: $12.55 million

Adam Peters’ boldest move so far was acquiring stud cornerback Marshon Lattimore via trade from the New Orleans Saints. The general manager was methodical with his roster construction up to that point. Their early resurgence much sooner than expected saw the front-office leader get a little more aggressive.

It wasn’t an easy situation for Lattimore. He came into the organization with a hamstring injury. This restricted him to two games during the regular season before it flared up again. The four-time Pro Bowler returned for the postseason, but he never looked truly healthy.

Although this was disappointing, Peters made his stance on Lattimore abundantly clear. They acquired him for the future as well as the present. The Commanders also expect him to return to his old form with a full offseason to learn the defense and, more importantly, get healthy in the coming months.

That is the smart path to take. Given Peters’ supreme confidence in Lattimore and the fact he’s got two years remaining on his deal, working out a contract restructure with the former first-round pick out of Ohio State seems like a realistic avenue to go down.

Lattimore is still getting paid either way. A restructuring is projected to save the Commanders $11.46 million on Washington’s salary cap in 2025.

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Podcasts & videos

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NFC East links

ESPN

Sources: Saints expected to hire Eagles’ Kellen Moore as head coach

Moore has been the top candidate for the vacant Saints job since completing a pair of interviews with New Orleans last month.

The Saints are making sure they do everything by the book so as not to break any rules and risk potential penalties. New Orleans learned from the lesson of the Arizona Cardinals, who were penalized for tampering with then-Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, whom they eventually hired as their head coach.

The Saints, with their history of being in the NFL’s crosshairs, don’t want to bend or break any rules and therefore will wait until after Super Bowl LIX on Sunday before working to try to finalize any agreement with Moore, according to sources. The sides are not expected to have any challenges to get a deal done, sources said.

Moore privately has told people he is interested in and wants the Saints job, according to sources, and the Saints want him, which is why a deal is expected to get done once the sides can meet again after Super Bowl LIX, barring an unexpected breakdown in contract talks.

Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury opted not to pursue the Saints job, and Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady opted to stay in Buffalo instead of pursuing a second interview with New Orleans. A third candidate, Aaron Glenn, interviewed virtually with the Saints but was ultimately hired as the head coach of the Jets.

The Saints also interviewed Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver and Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka multiple times, and they also showed interest in Mike McCarthy before he opted to focus on the 2026 coaching cycle instead. Rizzi also interviewed for the job.

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Bleacher Report

Jerry Jones: I Wouldn’t Have Signed Dak Prescott Contract If Cowboys Weren’t Win-Now

“I wouldn’t have signed Dak Prescott, the highest-paid player in the NFL, if now wasn’t when we wanted to win,” Jerry told The Athletic’s Dianna Russini ahead of Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. “This is a shocker, to be here at this Super Bowl, and not have the Cowboys here. I didn’t plan on that when I made that agreement.

“So we’re going to do everything we can do get there… I know what it takes to get there, and we’ll do those things.”

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Dallas Morning News

As Cowboys manage salary cap, Eagles GM Howie Roseman spends for Super Bowl glory

“You get the best possible players and the best possible people on and off the field to try to win world championships,” Eagles executive vice president Howie Roseman said. “It’s not going to work every year because there are not the same picks or money. But I feel like every offseason we’re trying to find ways to get better and do better than the year before.”

The Eagles and Cowboys share one philosophy. Draft and develop. That’s a bedrock principle for both. The difference is Philadelphia pours more dollars into free agency year in and year out. Will Dallas alter its approach? Will the Eagles bill come due soon?

That’s really not at the forefront of Roseman’s mind as the Eagles find themselves in another Super Bowl.

“I don’t really want to be part of a doomsday strategy,” Roseman said. “We’ll just continue to try to get better and bring in talent.

“That’s our job. Every year, we have to bring in young, good talent. When we stop doing that we’re going to be in trouble.”

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NFL league links

Articles

ESPN

Super Bowl buzz: Latest on NFL free agency, draft, coaches

What does Garrett’s trade request mean for the pass-rush market?

Fowler: People I’ve talked to about Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett’s trade market agree that his immense talent should garner at least two quality picks in return — either two first-rounders, or a first-rounder and a high-level Day 2 pick package. They also agree the list of potential suitors would be condensed due to his desire to join a contender after requesting a trade. I’ve spoken to several teams that openly admit they will probably reach out to Cleveland, with the expectation that the Browns will say no to any offer. Cleveland has no plans to budge on its stance that Garrett won’t be moved.

As one league source predicts, “Maxx, Myles and Trey will all be tied up in [trade] talks.” The expectation is Crosby and Hendrickson will get strong trade interest if their respective teams decide to entertain calls. But teams must figure out this edge rush market, either by proactively signing their own players to high-end money or finding a way to get younger and cheaper at the position.

Which teams could make sense for a Kupp trade?

Fowler: Execs predict Rams receiver Cooper Kupp will have a trade market because he’s quarterback-friendly, makes contested catches and is the type of first-one-in, last-one-out worker who resonates with a new team. Questions about age (31), declining production, lower-body explosiveness and injuries loom. But he can still play — he caught 67 balls for 710 yards and six scores this season (missed five games).

The contract is an issue, though. Kupp is due $20 million in 2025, and all but $5 million of that is guaranteed in the form of a roster bonus. The Rams would likely be willing to eat some of the contract to facilitate a trade. A few musings on prospective teams:

• As one AFC exec said, the Patriots would be “foolish” not to entertain a deal, given their receiver situation.
• The Steelers looked into Kupp’s market at the trade deadline and still have a need at the position.
• Kupp would have instant chemistry with Jared Goff if the Lions were willing to make a move.
• The Commanders could be looking for a complementary receiver to Terry McLaurin.

Are the Commanders going all-in?

Graziano: Expect the Commanders to be aggressive this offseason in pursuing roster upgrades on defense. Much like the Texans last year after C.J. Stroud’s dazzling rookie season, Washington believes it has something special in quarterback Jayden Daniels and wants to maximize his rookie-contract window. Getting to the NFC Championship Game in Daniels’ first year only makes Washington more likely to get aggressive for someone like Garrett if and when Cleveland decides to move him.

Washington needs a lot of work on defense, and don’t be surprised to see the team stretch for an impact player or two in the coming months. The Commanders were 19th in defensive EPA this season.

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All aTwitter

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