Tag: 2024 Commanders OTA’s

Longtime Commanders’ reporter deliveres a huge one-liner about the team

Some proper perspective after a hopeful June.

John Keim has been on the Redskins/Football Team/Commanders beat since the 1994 season.

That means Keim has reported on head coaches Norv Turner, Terry Robiske, Marty Schottenheimer, Steve Spurrier, Joe Gibbs (2.0), Jim Zorn, Mike Shanahan, Jay Gruden, Bill Callahan, Ron Rivera and now Dan Quinn.

The leading passers for those teams: Heath Shuler, Gus Frerotte, Trent Green, Brad Johnson, Tony Banks, Patrick Ramsey, Mark Brunell, Jason Campbell, Donovan McNabb, Rex Grossman, Robert Griffin, Kirk Cousins, Alex Smith, Case Keenum, Taylor Heinicke and Sam Howell.

Keim sat down with the Team 980 afternoon host, Craig Hoffman, on Tuesday, discussing this current Commanders offseason practices. Yes, practices have looked good under Quinn. Thus, at one point, Hoffman reminded himself and his listeners, “Of course, it’s June. You always want to put that caveat on it.”

To which the veteran Keim succinctly replied, “It was June last year.”

Wow! Did Keim ever pack a punch with so few words?

In addition, Keim though quiet, was so confident. “It was June last year.” Hoffman clearly got the message, following up with Keim that he thought the overall process was cleaner this June than in recent years.

Keim, again, echoed his earlier declaration with, “It’s been a better June than they have had in a long time (pause), for sure.”

Every offseason, NFL fan bases are optimistic.  But this was John Keim. “It was June last year.”

Keim saw Ron Rivera desperate to keep his job and hire an offensive coordinator no one else in the NFL pursued. He saw what happened to the offense last offseason. By training camp, Ron Rivera had already heard and had enough.

The Harris Ownership Group was not permitted to begin until NFL owners finally officially approved their taking over the franchise in July.

Just how bad was last June, according to Keim?

Keim had heard Rivera vault untested Sam Howell to QB1 and not adequately replace defensive backs coach Chris Harris. Chase Young actually thought he should have been extended the option year, and Keim was unimpressed with the four Rivera draft classes and free-agent signings.

Now, of course, in 2024, they are still in shorts, and no one is getting hit.

To which Keim might most likely respond, “Yes, and that was the case last June.”

Because of Keim’s experience, it’s safe to conclude the Commanders are trending upward this June.

Santana Moss likes what he sees in two Commanders rookies

Santana Moss already likes what he sees in a pair of rookies.

First impressions are important in life.

What did former Redskins receiver Santana Moss think this week when he first watched Commanders’ first-round draft choice, quarterback Jayden Daniels?

“First, things looked well. I don’t like to get too high on a kid,” said Moss. I don’t like to put too much pressure on anybody; it doesn’t matter who you are.”

Moss was a guest with the Team 980 show host, Craig Hoffman, on Thursday.

“Looked like a quarterback; looked like a second overall pick quarterback. Some of the things that was glaring was his footwork, how that ball jumped out of his hand. Those things like that, you either got it or you don’t.”

“When you look at a kid that they talk so much about, and that dynamic was because of how well he ran the football, they never try to highlight how well he threw the football.”

Moss told Hoffman he thinks Daniels has shown the ability to both throw and move well, and that is going to be so important because defensive pressure comes so often from those getting bigger and faster.

Hoffman added that he liked how the coaching staff efficiently used the time that all four quarterbacks were passing and how one phase of a drill led to another phase of the game.

With the Jets and Redskins, Moss recalled how he was coached well on some teams and not so well on others. He thought watching the energy and intensity of Dan Quinn might also help explain why the Dallas defense improved in 2021 upon his arrival.

Catching 732 NFL passes for 10,283 yards and 66 touchdowns, Moss knows how to play receiver in the NFL. He told Hoffman he liked what he saw from third-round pick, receiver Luke McCaffrey.

“Every cut, every plant is very violent.” Moss pointed out he could already see McCaffrey has a discipline and a motor. “He doesn’t look like a rookie right now. It’s early, I’m not trying to get too far ahead of myself, but I like what I see.”