Tag: 2022 NFL Offseason

Commanders 2022 free agency preview: Tim Settle will have options

Tim Settle is a free agent, and he will have options. Washington should seriously consider retaining him.

The Washington Commanders have arguably one of the best defensive lines in the NFL. Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, Montez Sweat and Chase Young are all former first-round picks.

So, it is sometimes easy to forget about Washington’s other defensive linemen. Matt Ioannidis and Tim Settle are Washington’s reserve defensive tackles, and both could start for other teams. Ioannidis remains a part-time starter and key rotation piece for the Commanders.

What about Settle?

After four years in the NFL, Settle is a free agent and will for an opportunity to start somewhere. He should have multiple options after showing flashes during his time with the Commanders.

 

Landon Collins will leave Washington as a winner — financially

Landon Collins made big money for his three years in Washington.

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When the Washington Commanders signed safety Landon Collins to a then-record six-year, $84 million contract in 2019, many around the NFL said Washington would end up regretting that deal.

Before Collins ever hit free agency in 2019, some predicted Washington owner Dan Snyder would make a play for Collins because of the safety’s love of Washington legend Sean Taylor. So, it was no surprise when the Commanders locked up Collins early in that free-agency period.

On Thursday, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported that Washington was expected to release Collins after the two sides couldn’t agree to a restructured deal.

Collins told Josina Anderson of USA TODAY and CBS Sports that the two sides did agree to a deal, but after Washington traded for quarterback Carson Wentz, the Commanders wanted to come back to the table. Collins said no thanks.

Now that it appears Collins’ time in Washington is done let’s look back at that contract. Per Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap, Collins earned a cool $44.7 million for three seasons in D.C.

It wasn’t until his third season in 2021 when Collins made an impact. He moved to a hybrid linebacker role and thrived before a late-season injury. No team is signing Collins to be a deep safety, so it will be interesting to see where he ends up.

Washington wanted Collins back, but it sounded like with the trade for Wentz that was off the table.

 

Washington expected to release veteran safety Landon Collins

Washington is expected to release safety Landon Collins after the two sides could not agree on a restructured deal.

The Washington Commanders agreed to terms on a trade with the Indianapolis Colts for quarterback Carson Wentz Wednesday. Washington inherited Wentz’s contract, which will count $28 million against the salary cap in 2022.

After agreeing to a deal for Wentz, Washington was left with $5.9 million in cap room, per Over the Cap. Now, the team is working to create more space, and the No. 1 target is safety Landon Collins.

According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the Commanders are expected to release Collins after the two sides could not agree on a restructured contract.

Collins spent three seasons with the Commanders after beginning his NFL career with the New York Giants.

Collins struggled for the Commanders until moving to linebacker early last season. Collins was not isolated in coverage and was allowed to play closer to the line of scrimmage. While he bristled at being called a linebacker, he embraced his role and was arguably Washington’s second-best defensive player after the switch.

Washington wanted Collins back, but there was no way he was coming back at the $16 million cap number.

Collins confirmed to Josina Anderson of CBS and USA TODAY Sports, he was departing Washington. He said he agreed to an initial re-worked deal, but the terms changed once Washington acquired Wentz.

It will be interesting to see where Collins lands and at what price.

Conflicting messages from Carson Wentz’s one season in Indianapolis

There are some red flags surrounding Carson Wentz. However, teammates offered words of support after his trade.

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Carson Wentz’s NFL career hasn’t gone exactly as planned. The No. 2 overall pick of the Philadelphia Eagles back in 2016, Wentz burst onto the scene as a rookie, giving Washington fans nightmares of what the next 10-15 years could look like in the NFC East.

Wentz was headed for an MVP season in 2017 before he tore his ACL in a Week 14 win over the Los Angeles Rams. Wentz was lost for years, leaving Nick Foles as Philadelphia’s starting quarterback. Foles would lead the Eagles to their first Super Bowl championship in franchise history.

Wentz’s time in Philadelphia was never quite the same.

While he would return to the starting lineup in 2018, a segment of Philadelphia’s fan base always wanted Foles. There was no question, Wentz was the far more talented of the two; however, Foles was beloved.

In 2018, Wentz led the Eagles to a 5-6 record in his 11 starts. The following season, Philadelphia finished 9-7, with Wentz starting every game. Things fell apart in 2020 when the Eagles drafted Jalen Hurts in the second round.

After a disappointing end to his five years in Philly, Wentz was shipped to the Indianapolis Colts, reuniting him with head coach Frank Reich — his former offensive coordinator in Philadelphia.

His lone season in Indianapolis started slowly but seemed to improve as the season progressed. Unfortunately for Wentz, the Colts fell apart in their final two games, missing the playoffs after an embarrassing 26-11 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the season finale.

That finish led to Indianapolis GM Chris Ballard not endorsing Wentz’s return in 2022, despite giving up a first-round pick for him. Reich offered similar sentiments later.

After Wentz’s trade on Wednesday, Zak Keefer of The Athletic wrote an outstanding piece on his one season with the Colts.

Some of the nuggets from Keefer’s story weren’t encouraging from a Washington perspective. Some of the following things were said about Wentz: “lack of leadership, resistance to hard coaching, and a reckless style of play.”

Remember, the leadership aspect was raised during Wentz’s time in Philly.

You now consider Wentz will be on his third team in three years, and you tend to believe there’s something to the rumors. Why would the Colts trade Wentz just one year after giving up a third-round and first-round pick for him?

Why would the Eagles trade him one year after signing him to a massive contract extension?

Wentz’s play is one thing. He is reckless. Early in his career, that recklessness often benefitted the Eagles, as he’d escape pressure and sling the ball downfield for a big play. Those plays have been less recently.

Another interesting nugget from Keefer’s story was Wentz reached out to Irsay to “clear the air” after hearing his time in Indianapolis could be in jeopardy. The meeting didn’t happen, allegedly because Irsay was out of town. The two did speak later.

Was Wentz on shaky ground with management or the locker room? According to several of his former teammates, Wentz was a popular player. Multiple players, including star linebacker Darius Leonard, took to Twitter to wish Wentz well.

Starting wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr.

Look, there’s no doubting the rad flags surrounding Wentz. You don’t get traded twice in two years after a team spends two premium draft picks in acquiring you. However, it doesn’t appear as if Wentz is despised in the locker room as some hinted at on social media recently.

For Washington, if things don’t work out, the team can cut him at the end of the season and only lose two draft picks. It could be worse. It could always be worse.

 

Carson Wentz trade is ultimately a low-risk gamble by the Commanders

Ultimately, Carson Wentz gets one year to prove he’s Washington’s franchise quarterback.

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Last month, former Washington head coach Jay Gruden was on a Washington-area radio show discussing quarterback options for the Commanders in 2022. New Washington quarterback Carson Wentz wasn’t mentioned in Gruden’s conversation with “Grant and Danny” of 106.7 The Fan in Washington.

However, while talking about his former team’s options, Gruden said if Washington found a guy who was an improvement over the current starter, the team should do whatever it takes to acquire that passer.

That’s exactly what head coach Ron Rivera and the Commanders did Wednesday in sending two third-round picks to the Indianapolis Colts for Wentz. There’s also a pick-swap in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft.

The initial reactions to Washington’s trade weren’t positive. Some ridiculed Washington for trading valuable draft selections for a player Indianapolis would undoubtedly release. But after striking out on Russell Wilson Tuesday, Rivera and the Commanders weren’t going to take any more chances.

No, Wentz is not Wilson. However, Wentz represents a significant upgrade over anything Washington has had under center in the last four seasons. Is he better than Kirk Cousins, who left in 2017? That’s debatable. Arguing about Cousins is a favorite pastime for many Washington fans, even though the current Minnesota Viking has been the franchise’s most productive quarterback in a long time.

Of the draft picks, one can become a second-rounder next year if Wentz plays 70% of the snaps this season. That’s not ideal, but it’s a steal if Wentz resembles the player he was in 2017. Yes, it’s asking a lot for Wentz to resemble the player from 2017.

What if things don’t work out with Wentz? Then it’s a one-year gamble, and the Commanders are back in the hunt again next year when the draft class is expected to be stronger than the current one.

Wentz has three years remaining on his current deal; however, Washington can easily cut Wentz after the 2022 season if things end badly. Wentz will count $28.3 million against Washington’s salary cap in 2022. He has no guaranteed money left in 2023, meaning the Commanders can release him and save over $26 million in cap space.

Washington could still select a quarterback with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft. Is it likely? I would say no. However, it is an option if the right player falls. Perhaps Washington can move down the board and recoup that third-round pick and select a young quarterback in the process. I would bet against that, though.

Wentz is Washington’s latest attempt at solving the quarterback position. Will it go the way many expect? Or, will Wentz surprise everyone? The pressure is on offensive coordinator Scott Turner to design the offense around Wentz’s strengths.

Washington fans are understandably unhappy. You spend months being told how aggressive the team is in its search for an answer at quarterback, and Washington ultimately trades for Wentz. Washington fans saw the end of Wentz’s time in Philly, and it wasn’t pretty.

Should the Commanders have waited until the Colts cut Wentz? Maybe, but what if Wentz chose to sign with someone else? The Commanders weren’t willing to take that risk, so they traded for Wentz and can now look ahead to free agency and the draft to build a team around him.

This trade is not a long-term commitment. If Wentz plays well, it can be, but Washington has him under contract for three more seasons at a reasonable rate.

As Gruden said, you do whatever it takes to get better at quarterback. In this case, that’s what Washington did instead of waiting any longer. If it doesn’t work, the Commanders can wash their hands of Wentz and look again in 2023.

 

Bobby Wagner would be the perfect linebacker option for the Commanders in 2022

Bobby Wagner could be a perfect short-term solution for the Commanders at linebacker.

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The Seattle Seahawks disappointed the Washington Commanders Tuesday when they traded franchise quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos.

Washington desperately wanted to acquire Wilson, reportedly offering three first-round picks for the Pro Bowl quarterback. Now, Washington will turn its attention to Deshaun Watson, free agency, and the NFL draft to pursue its next starting quarterback.

While the Seahawks didn’t trade Wilson to Washington, they released a player who could help the Commanders in 2022. Longtime starting linebacker Bobby Wagner was informed Tuesday evening he was being released, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Wagner, 31, played 10 seasons for Seattle, is a six-time first-team All-Pro and a two-time second-team All-Pro. He is also an eight-time Pro Bowl selection.

This is big news.

Outside of quarterback, inside linebacker is arguably Washington’s top need. While some intriguing options are available in the 2022 NFL draft, the Commanders could sign Wagner this week. He doesn’t cost Washington draft picks, only cash and cap room, which the Commanders have plenty of at the moment.

Last season, Wagner played 16 games and recorded 170 tackles. He remains one of the best linebackers in the NFL and a respected locker-room leader. He has missed just 10 games over his 10-year career.

If Washington signed Wagner, it could release Landon Collins and go with a linebacker trio of Wagner, Cole Holcomb and Jamin Davis.

According to Pro Football Focus, Wagner graded out well in 2021, finishing with an overall grade of 71.8.

Maybe Wagner wants to play for a Super Bowl contender, and Washington isn’t an option. Or, perhaps, Washington makes a serious offer to Wagner that he will have a difficult time in turning down.

One thing is certain, Wagner will have options — plenty of options.

NFL combine: Browns news and rumors from Indy

From the ground in Indy, lots of insider notes about the rumors, murmurs and thoughts about the Browns 2022 offseason ending with “If the draft were today, Cleveland selects at #13….”

The NFL combine is complete for this year with an uncertainty on whether it will return to Indianapolis or not. Long its home, the NFL is looking to branch out the event similar to what they did with the NFL draft a few years ago.

This year’s combine was rife with problems for basically everyone involved but that had nothing to do with the city that was hosting it.

As a credentialed media member at the combine, there is a unique opportunity to keep up with some of the conversations that are happening behind closed doors. The after-hours events, starting around 11 PM now due to primetime drills made for television, gives a chance for coaches, scouts, front office and media to interact with each other.

We covered ESPN’s rumor notebook yesterday. Today gives me a chance to share with you things I heard while at the event:

Commanders appear focused on 2 QBs if they take a passer in the 1st round

The Commanders may prefer a veteran quarterback, but they’ve done their due diligence on the rookie class and appear focused on two passers in the first round.

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The NFL combine is the place where lots of juicy rumors get starters — and for good reason. All 32 NFL teams are present, coaches go out to dinner with other coaches, and executives do the same with fellow executives.

It’s where tampering also begins. You know, the illegal kind that’s occurred for years, a little over one week before it becomes legal tampering. Yep, it’s complicated.

Now that the combine is over, some information is beginning to trickle out from the past seven days. Free-agency buzz is the most popular this time of year, but this year, it’s all about the quarterbacks. Actually, it’s always about the quarterbacks.

Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN recently discussed some quarterback buzz from the last week, beginning with Aaron Rodgers.

The duo also discussed the QB-starved Washington Commanders.

Fowler noted that the Commanders have focused on Wilson and Deshaun Watson, but those are far from the only names. Essentially, Washington is calling everyone about quarterbacks.

Graziano spoke about Washington more in terms of the draft, specifically mentioning Pitt’s Kenny Pickett and Liberty’s Malik Willis:

I do have my eye on the Washington Commanders at No. 11 for the spot where the first quarterback could go off the board. Washington has been calling around on every veteran option, but I’m told it also has been focused on the rookies. The Commanders know they need a quarterback for 2022, but they’re obsessed with finding the answer at that position for the long term. Even if they sign a veteran in free agency, don’t be surprised if they use their first-round pick on a quarterback as well. The top candidates are Malik Willis and Kenny Pickett.

If Washington signs a veteran such as Mitchell Trubisky, Pickett appears less likely. The biggest positive regarding Pickett is NFL teams believe he can play right away. However, if the Commanders sign Trubisky or another former starter to compete, it could be a clue the team will do what it takes to draft Willis next month.

Commanders remain interested in trade for Deshaun Watson

The Commanders remain interested in Deshaun Watson.

The Washington Commanders were never an option for Aaron Rodgers. The Commanders attempted to trade for Russell Wilson but were rebuffed.

So where will Washington look next in its never-ending search for a difference-maker at quarterback?

Only one other potential franchise quarterback remains available, and that is Deshaun Watson of the Houston Texans. Watson, of course, is facing numerous civil lawsuits and some criminal complaints,  but there is hope his situation could receive clarity soon.

Washington never seemed like a natural fit for him because of owner Daniel Snyder’s own issues, and Watson would also have to waive his no-trade clause to approve a trade.

But, according to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network, the Commanders are one of two teams who remain interested in a trade for Watson.

The Washington Commanders and Carolina Panthers remain interested in Watson, per league sources. Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman previously conducted significant due diligence on Watson before last season, even sending an investigator to Houston to look into the legal situation and contacting Rusty Hardin, Watson’s attorney, per sources.

Once Watson’s legal situation becomes clear, there will be more interested teams. However, if teams like the Steelers and Broncos add another passer in free agency or via trade, it would give Washington less competition in its quest for Watson.

If Watson becomes a realistic option for Washington, acquiring him won’t be cheap. The Commanders would likely be forced to part with three first-round picks and perhaps one or two position players.

Seahawks turn down Commanders’ trade offer for quarterback Russell Wilson

Washington made a “strong” offer for Russell Wilson. Seattle said, “no thanks.”

Washington head coach Ron Rivera told anyone who would listen the Commanders would swing big on a quarterback this offseason. This offseason, the obvious top targets for Washington and other quarterback-needy teams were Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson and Deshaun Watson.

Rodgers wasn’t interested in Washington, and it’s not known if the Commanders even made an offer for the two-time defending MVP. Earlier this week, Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said Wilson wasn’t going anywhere. Legal issues complicate Watson’s situation.

On Friday, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported that Washington did indeed make an offer to Seattle. And according to Rapoport, it was a “strong” offer that included multiple first-round picks, but trade talks “didn’t go anywhere.”

Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post earlier reported the Commanders made a “competitive” offer for Wilson.

Here’s my question: What was the offer? Was it two first-round picks and perhaps a player, or three first-round picks? There’s no way Seattle was accepting only two first-round picks for Wilson.

Another question: Who leaked this offer? It really wouldn’t make sense for the Seahawks to leak the news. However, for Washington, it makes perfect sense. Rivera has been outspoken about acquiring a veteran quarterback. He has some fans excited, while others were more realistic.

Washington may have leaked the offer to appease fans, conditioning them for disappointment. Maybe it was all a part of the grand offseason plan. Attempt to trade for an elite quarterback, knowing the outcome, while planning on signing a veteran like Mitchell Trubisky and/or drafting a quarterback in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft.

It’s not a bad strategy, exhausting all options while being somewhat transparent with fans knowing you’d likely have to settle for Plan B or Plan C at quarterback.

Hey, at least you tried.