Category: Latest Washington News

Commanders are ‘the best job’ with no Dan Snyder anymore

If the Commanders move on from the current regime as expected, the GM/coach openings will be coveted.

When new owner Josh Harris took over in July, he made it clear there would be no significant changes at that time. For Harris and his fellow owners, their focus was on the 2023 season, fan engagement and making improvements to FedEx Field.

With four games remaining in the 2023 season and the Commanders sitting at 4-9, changes are coming. Harris is expected to part with head coach Ron Rivera after the season. Rivera also serves as Washington’s top football executive, with general manager Martin Mayhew reporting to him. Therefore, the Commanders will likely be making two separate hires.

Washington will have around $90 million in salary-cap room, with the ability to create more, a top-five NFL draft pick and five picks in the first three rounds of the 2024 NFL draft.

But most importantly, Washington has new ownership. Dan Snyder is gone. Harris and his ownership group have plenty of experience owning professional sports teams and are widely respected. When you factor in Washington’s resources and the presence of the Harris Ownership Group, the Commanders will be a destination job for rising general managers and head coaches.

One NFL source told Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post that the Washington job would be the “best job.”

“From an outside perspective, Washington is the best job now that Dan Snyder doesn’t own it,” a prominent NFL agent told Jhabvala.

Did you ever think you’d hear those words?

This season has been difficult for Washington fans. While most likely knew the Commanders wouldn’t make the playoffs, no one expected them to be this bad. However, Harris has preached patience, and soon, Jan. 8 to be exact, you’ll likely see ownership begin to reshape the franchise in their vision.

And for once, Washington fans can have real hope.

NFL analyst has an intriguing name for next Commanders’ general manager

Could the Commanders look to the Eagles for their next general manager?

Ross Tucker is everywhere. The former NFL offensive lineman calls NFL and college games as a color analyst and continues to host multiple podcasts, including the very popular “Ross Tucker Football Podcast.”

Tucker, who entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent from Princeton in 2001, began his career in Washington. Tucker also finished his career in Washington. Tucker also has deep ties to the Philadelphia Eagles. He grew up in Pennsylvania, where he lives today, and covers preseason games for the Eagles.

So, Tucker knows the inner workings of Philadelphia better than anyone.

On Tuesday, Tucker was a guest of the “Sports Junkies” on 106.7 The Fan in Washington and dropped a name of someone who would be an ideal candidate for the Commanders in their expected search for a new general manager.

“I am a big fan and believer of looking at certain organizations that clearly know what they’re doing and do it at a high level, so I’d probably look hard at the Eagles,” Tucker said via Lou DiPietro of Audacy.

“Not only are you getting someone who knows what they’re doing, you’re also hurting your division rivals. (Assistant GM) Alec Halaby is a Harvard guy who heads up the analytics side, but he’s really over the last five years he’s really come into the player development side. He’s a big reason why they started going for two and going for it on fourth down years ago when they had Doug Pederson.”

We’ve heard Halaby mentioned in conjunction with possible GM openings for 2024. Front-office executives from successful organizations are often the targets of rebuilding teams. The Eagles, 49ers and Ravens come to mind. The Cowboys also have some talented front-office executives. For years, teams tried to raid the Patriots to emulate their success.

Eagles general manager Howie Roseman is the best in the NFL. Roseman does everything right. He builds the trenches and values draft picks but is also aggressive in free agency and on the trade market. Roseman spares no expense to upgrade Philadelphia’s roster. He also is a strong believer in analytics.

New Washington owner Josh Harris has also prioritized analytics with his other professional sports teams. In October, Harris made his first significant hire for the Commanders in Eugene Shen.

Halaby has spent years learning under the best. Why would you not interview him? Also, like Tucker, he is an Ivy Leaguer, having graduated from Harvard. He’s in his 16th NFL season with Philadelphia and was promoted to assistant GM in 2022.

There’s also that Philadelphia connection for Harris. Remember, Harris has owned the Philadelphia 76ers for years and certainly knows about Roseman’s success.

As Tucker said, it makes sense. You pick someone smart and successful from an elite organization, which also happens to be a hated rival. It’s perfect.

NFL power rankings roundup: Where are the Commanders after the bye week?

After a week off, where are the Commanders in the various NFL power rankings?

The Washington Commanders had the week off and won more by not playing than [anyclip-media thumbnail=”undefined” playlistId=”undefined” content=”dW5kZWZpbmVk”][/anyclip-media]in weeks. Washington has lost four games in a row and six of seven to fall to 4-9 with four games remaining in the season.

The playoffs are no longer an option. The Commanders are much closer to landing the top pick in the 2024 NFL draft than they are landing one of the NFC’s seven playoff spots. After Week 14, Washington now holds the No. 4 overall pick in the upcoming draft. Every team with a similar record to Washington won over the weekend.

After last week’s blowout loss to the Miami Dolphins, Washington continued to tumble in the NFL power rankings. The Commanders had an average ranking of No from the various power rankings. 30.

What about this week? We look at the Week 15 power rankings from multiple media outlets.

Commanders 2024 NFL draft value growing larger

The higher Washington picks in the 2024 NFL draft, the more options that will be available, including trading down.

Week 14 was a gift to the Commanders… a very large gift.

In Week 14 the Patriots, Bears, Jets, Giants and Titans all won.

How much did this help the Commanders?

Well, for starters, they are now the only NFL team sitting with only 4 wins. The Bears, Jets, Giants and Titans all won their fifth game over the weekend. Meanwhile, the Patriots increased their win total from two to three.

Don’t overlook the Cardinals. Arizona was 1-8, then quarterback Kyler Murray returned.  Don’t misunderstand; Murray has not performed exceptionally. He’s completed 60% of his passes, and his TD/INT ratio is only 3:2.  Yet, he has been good enough that the Cardinals are 2-2 in his four games. They “could” finish better than the Commanders as well.

Most Commanders fans will think the major issue is the Commanders might pick third or fourth in next April’s NFL draft. Well, that’s true, they might. It is also true the value of their pick, if it is third or fourth could be very valuable.

For instance, if the new GM and head coach like Sam Howell enough, they may feel the wiser route to take in the 2024 draft could be to draft the best player available, like, say, Penn State offensive tackle Olu Fashanu or Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.

In addition, they might actually take the highest trade offer they receive for the pick, trade down and accumulate an extra draft choice or two.

I recall the 1981 draft, and Redskins general manager, Bobby Beathard, had the 9th pick and traded down all the way to 20th. He knew what he was doing, he chose Mark May, an offensive tackle, and May played 9 seasons and 123 games, starting 115 as part of “the Hogs.”

Also, in that 1981 draft, Beathard made two other trades, and in return, the Redskins had gained future Hall of Fame guard/center Russ Grimm, starting cornerback Vernon Dean and running back Joe Washington.

So, the higher the draft position, the higher the value the pick possesses. Being in the 3rd or 4th position also results in more draft capital to lure others to trade up with you.

It will also lure candidates to be your new head coach or general manager as well.

How to buy Washington Commanders vs. Los Angeles Rams NFL Week 15 tickets

Want to watch the Commanders at Rams in person? Tickets still remain for this Week 15 matchup for as low as $35.

The Washington Commanders are well rested after a Week-14 bye and ready to finish the season strong.

Next up, the Commanders travel across the country to take on the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Dec. 17 at 4:05 p.m. EST.

Want to watch the Washington Commanders in person this weekend? Check out Seat Geek to find the perfect Commanders tickets for you and anybody else you want sitting beside you as Washington looks to get a big win

As of this publication, the cheapest available Commanders vs. Rams tickets were priced at $35.

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Commanders’ Rivera provides injury updates

In addressing Washington’s injuries after the bye week, Rivera hinted at a free-agent mistake without saying it.

It’s no secret the Commanders are 4-9 and hoping to get some people back in the lineup.

What may be a secret, however, is that the Commanders have actually been one of the healthiest teams in the entire league this season, and yet they have managed to lose nine of their last 11 games after opening the season 2-0.

Yet, there are some injuries, and head coach Ron Rivera was asked during his weekly Monday press conference when those players might return to action during the last four weeks of the season.

Cornerback Emmanuel Forbes and defensive end James Smith-Williams: “Forbes had a good week of rehab. He’ll be evaluated through practice this week, as will James Smith Williams for the most part.”

Ricky Stromberg: “Stromberg, actually, you know, he had the surgery. He’s still going to be down for a while.”

Safety Darrick Forrest: “DeFo, he’s got to be re-evaluated by the doctors. We’ll go from there.”

Left guard Saahdiq Charles: “We’re gonna check in on him tomorrow and see where he is. Then we’ll go from there.”

Rivera was asked a follow-up regarding Stromberg, “Does it sound like then he’d probably be done for the year?” “It looks like it obviously because of the surgery, and it’s unfortunate. The young man showed he had the tools you are looking for. Big, stout, physical guy, very smart, intelligent football player. He showed that to us and, unfortunately, got hurt playing. That was a tough one because, between him and Tyler (Larsen), I felt we could have been very, very stout up front for the remainder of the year.”

Did you catch that? Rivera was planning on not using Nick Gates in the middle any longer? Was Rivera admitting by implication that the Nick Gates experiment did not go well? Was the signing determined to have been a mistake?

Rivera was then asked if Brian Robinson was going to be able to practice this week. “We’ll see him tomorrow, and he will be re-evaluated, and we’ll see. He should be ready to go for practice, I’m anticipating that. But we’ll see everybody again tomorrow.”

 

Who is Commanders owner Josh Harris leaning on inside the organization?

Josh Harris has been leaning on someone already in Washington’s organization.

Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris is expected to make sweeping changes to the organization that he, along with his fellow minority partners, purchased for $6.05 billion back in July.

That means head coach Ron Rivera, who has a 26-36-1 record in four seasons with Washington, is likely gone after the season. Rivera is also the head of all football operations for the Commanders, meaning Harris is likely looking for a new general manager, too.

Sure, Martin Mayhew is Washington’s current GM, but he works for Rivera. Rivera hired Mayhew and has been the organization’s top football decision-maker since 2020.

Marty Hurney is another one of Rivera’s front-office hires. Rivera hired Hurney as Washington’s executive vice president of football for player personnel in 2021. Hurney, a former beat reporter who covered the then-Redskins in the 1980s, joined Washington’s PR department before following legendary GM Bobby Beathard to the Chargers. Hurney spent years working for Beathard before the Carolina Panthers hired him in 1998. In 2002, Hurney was promoted to general manager.

Hurney would have two stints as Carolina’s GM and is responsible for hiring Rivera as head coach there in 2011.

And, according to Kevin Sheehan of Team 980 in Washington, D.C, Harris has been leaning on Hurney in recent months.

“What I’ve learned is that Marty Hurney, who was a long-time executive in Carolina with Ron Rivera and a long and now has been with Rivera here for the last 2 ½ years, has become a trusted voice in the organization for Josh Harris,” Sheehan said Monday, per Lou DiPietro of Audacy. “And David Tepper, who Josh Harris knows and is the current owner of the Panthers, was apparently high on Hurney as well.”

Relax, Washington fans.

“Remember, Hurney has been in this league a long time and knows the key players, and while I’m not saying he’ll be the hire, as Josh Harris is looking for an opinion he trusts, he may be a voice of who to bring in for an interview and what names fill what buckets,” Sheehan continued.

What does this mean? Well, it could be as simple as Harris trusting Hurney, who has worked in the NFL for over 30 years in a variety of roles. It doesn’t mean Harris will promote Hurney. As Sheehan noted, Carolina owner David Tepper leaned on Hurney when he purchased the Panthers. Harris could be having Hurney evaluate Washington’s roster. He could also be questioning him about up-and-coming executives and coaches from around the NFL.

Rivera, Mayhew and Hurney know the deal. When a new owner took over, their job security was on the clock.

The Commanders have four games remaining on the 2023 schedule, and then the real work begins for Harris.

Commanders received plenty of help in Week 14

The Commanders pick up a rare W by not even playing in Week 14.

Week 14 of the 2023 NFL season was an off week for the Commanders, but they still received some help.

Sitting at 4-9, losers of nine of their last 11, there are only a couple of hopes for these last few weeks of the season.

After a hard-fought game in Seattle that was lost on a walk-off field goal, the Commanders have bottomed out, losing the next three games 31-19 at home to the Giants, 45-10 at Dallas on Thanksgiving and 45-15 at home to the Dolphins.

Fans are hoping that quarterback Sam Howell can have a good last four games. But the prospects of winning any of these four games are not favorable. Possible, yes, but not probable.

Many in the fan base are frankly hoping the Commanders lose the remaining four games, thus improving their draft position for 2024.

Sunday, the Jets won their fifth game of the season, defeating the Houston Texans 30-6. The Bears also helped the Commanders by surprising the Lions 28-13. The Lions entered the game 8-4, and the Bears were 4-8.

Clearly, the Jets and Bears are not interested in tanking, and neither should a single member of the Commanders. They are being paid well as professionals and thus need to prepare and show up as professionals seeking to be the best they can be.

On Monday, the 4-8 Giants surprised the Green Bay Packers, while the 4-8 Tennessee Titans shocked the Miami Dolphins in a massive upset.

What a Week 14 for Washington.

 

Jets coach Robert Saleh doesn’t know if Aaron Rodgers will be cleared for Week 16 vs. Commanders

Could Aaron Rodgers be cleared in time for the Jets’ Week 16 game vs. Commanders?

On Monday morning, a TMZ report stated that New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers expected to be cleared in time for New York’s Christmas Eve game against the Washington Commanders.

Rodgers tore his Achilles tendon in the Jets’ season opener against the Bills. The 39-year-old Rodgers was presumably lost for the season as the recovery from Achilles’ surgery is often lengthy, with players missing a full year before returning to action.

However, Rodgers has surprised everyone by saying he will return this season.

As for the TMZ report, Jets head coach Robert Saleh was having none of it on Monday.

“I don’t have any knowledge on that one,” Saleh said. “If that’s something that he’s had with his personal doctor out in LA, I’m not privy to that yet.”

The odds are still against a Rodgers’ return, but we should know more soon. As for Saleh, of course, he’s going to deny Rodgers is returning in Week 16. That’s 12 days away.

The Commanders would represent the ideal opponent for Rodgers’ potential return. Washington is last in scoring defense and in the bottom five of every major statistical category.

The Jets benched Zach Wilson for the third time in two seasons recently. However, Wilson returned for New York’s Week 14 blowout win over Houston and had the best game of his career.

A look at the current 2024 NFL draft order

There’s a path for Washington to climb even higher in the NFL draft order.

The Washington Commanders received plenty of help in Week 14. Ahead of the weekend’s NFL action, we posted a Week 14 rooting guide for the Commanders. Of course, rooting guides are often used regarding a team and its playoff chances.

Not Washington. Its rooting guide consisted of the 2024 NFL draft. The Commanders held the No. 4 overall pick coming into the weekend but had played one more game than other four-win teams. The Bears, Giants, Titans and Jets all sat directly behind Washington.

All four teams won.

So, courtesy of Tankathon, here’s a look at the current top 10 picks in the 2024 NFL draft.

Tankathon

It’s amazing, considering where Washington sat weeks ago. Many fans felt the Commanders were in for another six or seven-win season, meaning a pick somewhere in the mid-teens.

Now, the game has changed. And there is a path for Washington to climb as high as No. 2. The Patriots have a difficult remaining schedule, but the 5-8 Jets are on their schedule. New England looked rejuvenated in last week’s upset win over Pittsburgh.

The Cardinals, like Washington, were off in Week 14. Arizona won in Week 13 and has looked competitive throughout the season under new head coach Jonathan Gannon.

Arizona plays San Francisco and Philadelphia but has two winnable games to finish the season against Seattle and Chicago.

The Commanders are expected to move on from head coach Ron Rivera. If that occurs as expected, Washington could be one of the more attractive GM and coach openings in what should be a busy 2024 carousel.

Of course, the Commanders must lose out to move up in the draft order, and judging by their recent play, that shouldn’t be a problem.