Category: Washington Training Camp

After Jahan Dotson trade, Kliff Kingsbury talks about what Commanders want from WRs

Kingsbury’s answers on what Washington seeks at receiver were telling.

Someone had to speak with the press on Thursday.

Given that there would be questions about the trade of wide receiver Jahan Dotson a day earlier, perhaps Adam Peters or Dan Quinn would have been an obvious choice.

So, there was Kliff Kingsbury.

The offensive coordinator, as expected, quickly punted, saying he would defer to Peters and Dan Quinn regarding the trade. Of course he did. That’s not to criticize Kingsbury in any way. He doesn’t make trades, so why should he have to answer questions about them?

He was then asked in a roundabout way about what the coaches are looking for from the wide receivers.

“DQ’s [Quinn’s] style of play. Be physical and play hard without the ball,” Kingsbury said. “I think that’s what we preach is like everybody’s gonna run routes and make catches at this level, but how do you play without the ball?”

After all we have heard over the last week regarding Dotson, that response from Kingsbury lets you know. The coaches just didn’t see Dotson as being physical enough to run his routes or block.

The team could be thin at receiver this season, as only Terry McLaurin has produced significantly. However, Kingsbury knows there are other people to whom quarterback Jayden Daniels can get the ball.

“Austin Ekeler has been fantastic. I think there’s a narrative out there that maybe he lost a step, or something was off, and that couldn’t be further from the truth from what I’ve seen. … Brian Robinson, he’s a No. 1 back in this league, there’s no doubt.”

So, Kingsbury likes his top two backs and is counting on getting both of them the ball often. He also knows that developing a running game will decrease the pressure on Daniels to beat the defense through passing.

Perhaps one of the more interesting things Kingsbury said was about WR Kazmeir Allen.

“So he’s a guy that we could see similar —I’m not comparing — but he has a Deebo-type role to move him around and do different things,” Kingsbury said. “He has that type of explosiveness and ability to play in the slot, or you can hand it to him.”

Compared to Allen, Samuel is much larger and stronger. He is a beast at his position. But the first two preseason games have shown that Allen is someone the coaches like for his explosiveness, and they are looking for ways to get him the ball.

Logan Paulsen responds to Commanders trading Jahan Dotson

The former Washington TE offers some excellent insight into the trade.

Logan Paulsen is level-headed, reasonable, and really attempts to be fair when evaluating Commanders’ personnel, coaching, and management.

So, what did the former Redskins tight end have to say upon learning the Commanders had traded Jahan Dotson?

Paulsen chatted with Craig Hoffman (The Team 980) an hour following the trade. Here are some selected quotes from Paulsen.

“I wasn’t really surprised. I think a lot of people are surprised when I say that.”

“I like Jahan as a person. I like some of the stuff he does as a receiver. Obviously, I was very high on him coming out in the draft. However, when you watch him, compared to the rest of the receivers in the room, there just seems to be a lack of urgency at times.”

“When you look at his production through practice and through the games, is he really offering that much more than a guy like Luke McCaffrey, who you brought in? When you talk about Luke McCaffrey, one thing you will never say about him is that he’s not urgent. He is one of the most urgent and deliberate players I think I’ve seen as a rookie.”

“This is just my opinion, I haven’t talked to anybody in the building about this specifically. But it appeared to me that Jahan was not engaging with the new culture, the way the other players we just mentioned are and have done (Jamin Davis, Emmanuel Forbes, Phidarian Mathis, McCaffrey).”

“This is a tough thing because I think we all have become fans of Jahan. We all wanted to see him succeed. I was really high on him coming out. But I do think in terms of watching practice and watching the games, it didn’t seem like it was working out for whatever reason.”

Here is the video of the entire discussion.

Some surprising Commanders raise questions

Some success stories this summer raise questions.

With one final preseason game to go, some roster spots will be settled against the Patriots on Sunday.

There have been some disappointments for the Commanders but also some pleasant surprises thus far.

Did any of us expect Dyami Brown to be passing Jahan Dotson in training camp? Probably not anyone saw that coming. Did you notice Jayden Daniels went to Brown twice early on the first drive against the Dolphins?

Speaking of Daniels, he has certainly been better than expected, and don’t forget Jeff Driskel. He has made enough plays in the first two games; he raises the question, would they keep him now?

I was certain that Chris Rodriguez would be the third running back. He ran really hard last season and was physical. But Michael Wiley has looked good enough both weeks that he has me wondering: Might he be the third running back?

Jamin Davis has made plays learning a new position. And this isn’t simply a different linebacker position. No, he is down on the edge doing battle every snap against huge offensive tackles. That is quite a transition, and he only weighs 234. Has he done enough?

Tyler Owens was an undrafted safety who had transferred from Texas and made the CFP to Texas Tech. He has grabbed the attention of viewers in both preseason weeks. There is depth at safety. So, if Owens makes the roster, whom does he replace?

Olamide Zaccheaus was brought here simply to be a camp route runner for the reps and preseason games. At least, that was what I thought in April. He had a 19-yard punt return and a nice reception negated by a penalty, no fault of his. Might he be a receiver/punt returner on opening day?

When camp began, I thought Tariq Catro-Fields was gone. But he played some good man coverage last week, which made me wonder if some good coverage against the Patriots might get him a spot.

That was Colson Yankoff you might have noticed really hustling on some special teams efforts against the Dolphins. He is only 225 at tight end, but could his special teams efforts be the deciding factor for him?

 

Who will be the Commanders’ punt returner?

Who will return punts in 2024?

Who will be the Commanders’ punt returner for the 2024 season?

The primary punt returner for last season, Jamison Crowder, is back again with the team, so perhaps the discussion should begin with Crowder?

Crowder returned a career-high 35 punts for Washington in 2023, the third most in the NFL last season. However, he was not in the top ten in punt return yards, and his 7.9 yards per return was only 21st in the league, despite having a long return of 61 yards against the Falcons.

Crowder, who turned 31 in June, also collected 16 receptions in 2023, with one touchdown and 9.9 yards per reception.

Ben Standig reported that five players worked on punt returns during Wednesday’s practice.

That means Kazmeir Allen, Crowder, Jahan Dotson, Olimade Zaccheaus, and Davion Davis were getting those reps.

Last week against the Dolphins, the coaches were definitely trying to give Allen touches. He had two punt returns with a long of 10 yards and two kickoff returns (22 long). He also ran 3-13 with a long of 7 yards. However, he did lose a fumble. They like his explosiveness.

Dotson was a good punt returner at Penn State but has not returned this preseason. He has three short receptions in the two games.

https://youtube.com/shorts/V8v_NLPGM9g?si=QGPySQKTwlNkzdWP

Davis had three punt returns with a long of 10 yards against the Jets. He collected four receptions for 20 yards, including a 12-yarder against the Dolphins.

This leaves Zaccheaus, who had short receptions against the Dolphins (5, 4 yards) but also returned a punt 19 yards against the Jets.

The Commanders tried to get Luke McCaffrey some punt return work against the Dolphins. He could only manage one fair catch, which was perhaps not wanted, being on the 5-yard line.

It’s a job clearly not yet won, and perhaps there will be more than one Commander returning punts in 2024.

The first player Commanders’ Quinn and Peters watched on film

Quinn talks scouting with Peters, plus sliding.

Washington Commanders coach Dan Quinn, on his appearance Tuesday with the “Sports Junkies” (106.7 The Fan), was asked about when he and Adam Peters knew they were going to draft Jayden Daniels.

“I can remember it was the first player Adam and I watched back in the winter when I got here,” said Quinn. “We were through LSU and even went back to ASU (Arizona State). He showed me a game against Oregon. He (Daniels) was a freshman.

“He (Peters) had so much work already done on him that it was pretty clear to see how tough he was, the playmaking that he made. You knew this day would happen. I guess what was exciting to see was the how.”

He has absolutely gone for it: on the details, making sure early to get things right. Oftentimes he’ll come in the next day and already have gone through the script, the things he needed to do. So, I was really pumped up to see how he would compete for this thing, how he would go after it, and he absolutely did not stop.”

When Daniels did not slide Saturday, Quinn quickly took over, as did safety Jeremy Reaves, who was seen on television after the play twice motioning emphatically for Daniels to get down.

Daniels said Monday that sliding is not something he practices or works on. When Jason Bishop asked Quinn about this, he responded, “Hope is not a good plan, so we don’t go with that one for sure. Some QBs are more dive and roll. So that’s what Lamar (Jackson) does and what Jayden does…”

“If you’re a right-handed quarterback rolling on your left shoulder so you land that way…sometimes you see on the slide the defender still there ready to contact the guy up top. So, we do that more than the traditional baseball slide. Both of them are ways to what we call a ‘get down.'”

“So, yes, he caught an earful of not getting down into that space. But its definitely something that’s important because…let’s fight for the other three or four yards on a different down.”

“But ‘get down’ is a term we use, and it usually has a forward dive and a roll with it.”

Commanders’ HC Dan Quinn: ‘Some fun guys to coach on this team’

Dan Quinn discusses why this team is so much fun.

Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said Tuesday, “There’s some really fun guys to coach on this team.”

Quinn was a guest Tuesday with the “Sports Junkies” (106.7 The Fan) and seemed to enjoy himself, though he also displayed an ability to set some boundaries in terms of what questions he would answer.

Washington fans heard a lot about culture when the preceding head coach, Ron Rivera, arrived in 2020. He preached and preached culture and no doubt he felt he needed to change a good bit of the culture in Ashburn.

Yet Quinn is a much more energetic leader. He is much more vocal—not merely vocal in the sense of yelling and screaming, but vocal in the sense of frequently talking enthusiastically, frequently urging his team to compete, and also encouraging his team.

“If you are in this locker room and meeting rooms every day, often days it’s loud and fun,” said Quinn. We have a good time. We want to make sure we work our asses off and go for it in every way, really enjoy the people we do it with too.”

Yes, it is incredibly early. Yes, they have yet even to play a game that counts. However, in contrast to the Rivera team of 2020, though that team had an energetic leader in Chase Young, many on this team are displaying energy during this preseason.

“This crew is getting tighter all of the time. I saw that on the sideline the other night (at Miami). When you see somebody make a big play, ten guys run down the sideline to meet him. That’s the type of thing you can see when a team gets connected. When that energy comes from the guys that aren’t in the game, bringing to energy the guys that are. I’d hoped that would happen, so to see that take place down in Miami made me happy. To see that happen, that’s a big deal.”

It will be an even bigger deal if the team continues to develop team unity throughout the season. As former US President Harry S Truman (1945-1952) said, “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.”

Commanders’ Jayden Daniels becomes No. 8

A new number for Jayden Daniels — but not a jersey number.

Prior to the start of training camp, Commanders’ long-time punter Tress Way offered up his No. 5 to rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.

On Monday, Daniels became Washington’s No. 8. However, we are not talking about jersey number eight. No, on Monday, Daniels became the eighth quarterback to be named the opening-day starter for the eighth consecutive season.

That’s right. Did you realize Kirk Cousins is the last quarterback for the Washington franchise to start on consecutive opening days?

Cousins was the starter for three consecutive seasons (2015-17), and prior to that, Robert Griffin had been the starter for three consecutive seasons (2012-14).

Griffin and Alfred Morris led a potent ground attack in 2012. Griffin gained 815 yards on the ground and led the league in averaging 6.8 yards a carry. Morris gained a whopping 1,613 yards, which remains the single-season franchise record. It was also the last time Washington won ten games in a regular season.

But 2013 and 2014 were not winning seasons for Griffin and the Redskins. The last quarterback to lead Washington to a winning regular season record was Cousins. The Redskins were 9-7 in 2015 and 8-7-1 in 2016.

Following Griffin (2012) and Cousins (2015 & 2016), no Washington quarterback has led the team to a winning regular season record.

Here are the opening day named starters for the last eight Washington NFL seasons:

  • 2017 Kirk Cousins 7-9
  • 2018 Alex Smith 7-9
  • 2019 Case Keenum 3-13
  • 2020 Dwayne Haskins 7-9
  • 2021 Ryan Fitzpatrick 7-10
  • 2022 Carson Wentz 8-8-1
  • 2023 Sam Howell 4-13
  • 2024 Jayden Daniels ?-?

 

Three Commanders rookies working through injuries

Injury updates on three Washington rookies.

Brandon Coleman, Jordan Magee and Johnny Newton are three Commanders draft choices currently dealing with injuries.

Magee, drafted 139th overall in the fifth round out of Temple, had moved well in training camp before suffering an injured meniscus against the Jets in the first preseason game.

Head coach Dan Quinn said during Monday’s press conference that Magee’s knee required a procedure. The procedure has already been performed, and Magee will subsequently be out for a while. However, Quinn quickly clarified that Magee’s meniscus injury is not season-ending.

Newton surprised everyone when he was still available for the Commanders at No. 36 overall. Though they already had defensive tackles, Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne, Adam Peters felt Newton should not be passed up, so they grabbed him.

Newton, however, required foot surgery soon afterward to repair a Jones fracture. The surgery was said to be successful, and Newton has returned to individual workouts.

Coleman, an offensive tackle from TCU, was selected in round three (67th overall). Coleman pleased coaches in training camp until Quinn last week said he suffered a “strain in his shoulder and his pec.”

Monday, regarding both Newton and Coleman, Quinn said, “So far, you are going to see those guys work individual. It would have to be towards the end of the week if they would get any team reps.”

“Brandon’s a little bit further along than Johnny, but not by tons. Both of them I see on the way up. As far as getting them to the game, I’ll have a better sense for that as we get to the end of the week. You’ll see Brandon this week really ramping up the contact and that kind of stuff.”

“You will see more running with Johnny. So, those are two guys that are on the arrow up, but I don’t have an official game timeline for them yet.”

“There’s next week’s practices (following game vs Patriots), and the following week. I think I’ll have a better assessment once I go through a few days with him (Coleman) this week and see if we have a realistic shot for him to play Sunday night or not. He is certainly trending in that way. We’re just going to use all the caution we can with him and Johnny to make sure there’s no setbacks.”

Commanders Quinn was joking, but…

What was Dan Quinn really thinking?

Commanders head coach Dan Quinn joked again Saturday night with the press following the Commanders 13-6 loss to the Dolphins in Miami.

When Jayden Daniels called an audible for an empty backfield deep throw to Dyami Brown, Quinn joked later, using the Top Gun movie as an analogy.

Saturday, when Daniels, who is quite thin, allowed himself to take a hit on a called-run play, Quinn again joked with the media, this time using an Animal House movie reference to Daniels now being on “double secret probation.”

Quinn is good with people. He is wise and experienced, and he knows how to deflate or de-escalate a situation for the public or the media.

But don’t fool yourself. Quinn was not happy. And why should he be? You know they told Daniels several times this week to get a first down and get down, avoiding taking a hit.

We caught a glimpse of Quinn on the sideline, wasting no time showing Daniels he was not happy with Daniels’s decision not to slide.

Quinn and Kliff Kingsbury have watched the LSU film. They are not stupid. They know well, quite well, that Daniels is young and naive when it comes to taking hits. Several of the hits he took at LSU were entirely unnecessary and not wise on his part.

The coaches have Daniels’ and the team’s best interests at heart. Do you think they want to face the Giants, Eagles, and Cowboys with Marcus Mariota or a healthy Jayden Daniels?

When the real games begin in September, the hitting will be much more intense, and Daniels risks injuring himself and the team if he doesn’t learn now when to run and when to slide.

Dan Quinn was right. So right, if you noticed, standing to Quinn’s left on the sideline was safety Jeremy Reaves, and he was also telling Daniels to get down and avoid the risk.

That tells us all that Daniel’s teammates really believe in him and want the best for him. They want him healthy. Now, it’s his turn to learn it, and he should learn it now.

The old saying is true: ” Men learn from experience, but wise men learn from the experience of others.”

Second-half observations from Commanders’ preseason loss to Dolphins

10 observations from the Commanders’ preseason loss to the Dolphins.

Mitchell Tinsley did not make the catch that would have been a fourth-down touchdown from the 7-yard line as the Commanders fell 13-6 to the Dolphins.

Here are my Top 10 observations from the second half of Saturday’s game:

  1. The Commanders’ first defensive possession saw bad tackling to 75 yards gained by Miami. However, on third down, rookie defensive end Javontae Jean-Baptiste came up with a -6-yard sack, forcing a field goal.
  2. On the Commanders’ first offensive possession of the half, Luke McCaffrey and Ben Sinnott (two rookie draft choices) had catches, and Sinnott again displayed toughness in refusing to go down.
  3. When Miami had driven to the Commanders’ 14-yard line, Jamin Davis broke through and executed a sack-fumble, which Andre Jones recovered.
  4. Trace McSorley was in a tough spot, this being only his third day with the team. He fumbled his first snap, was sacked, and threw an incompletion on third down; it was a tough first series.
  5. Rookie Michael Wiley again impressed tonight. He appeared to help in pass blocking and had a 23-yard reception during his three receptions. Wiley is making enough plays that other teams in the NFL now know about him.
  6. Colson Yankoff only had one catch for 6 yards but I spotted him twice on special teams really hustling. Don’t count him out yet. He has next week to also make an impression at tight end.
  7. Kazmeir Allen has the coaches liking his explosiveness. Last week, it was an end-around. This week, he was returning kicks and getting carries in the backfield. But then he fumbled.
  8. Noticed some good corner play in the second half. Noah Igbinoghene and Chigozie Anusiem both charged forward, each converting a tackle for the loss. Tariq Castro-Fields, in the second half, displayed some very capable pass coverage on more than a couple of occasions.
  9. Receiver Davion Davis had Trace McSorley put a pass right in his hands, which would have been a first down, but Davis dropped it.
  10. Dominique Hampton and Tyler Owens, two rookie safeties, exhibited size and aggressiveness. Hampton made four tackles (two solo), and Davis contributed three (two solo) with one for a loss.