Tag: 2024 Commanders

How similar are the Commanders teams of 1994 and 2024?

There are some striking similarities, but one major difference.

The parallels are striking.

The Washington Redskins finished a terrible 4-12 in 1993, fired their head coach Richie Petitbon, hired a new head coach in Norv Turner, owned the third selection in the 1994 NFL draft, and then used it to choose a mobile SEC quarterback out of Tennessee, Heath Shuler.

Fast-forward exactly 30 years, and the Commanders (I still don’t like the name) were horrible, finishing 4-13. So they fired their head coach, Ron Rivera, and hired a new head coach, Dan Quinn.

This team had the second overall selection in the NFL draft and also went to the SEC for a mobile quarterback, drafting LSU Heisman winner Jayden Daniels.

If that is not enough for you, both quarterbacks were known for their mobility in college, and yes, both would wear jersey number 5 for Washington.

But that is where the similarities come to an end, an abrupt end.

Shuler held out, was late coming to training camp, didn’t know the offense, and immediately demonstrated to some veterans in his first workouts that he couldn’t play in the pocket in the NFL.

Daniels did not miss a workout in the offseason. He has already demonstrated that he can pass the football while in the pocket. He goes to bed early, gets up early, and gets to work early to lead an NFL football team.

Daniels has already signed up for four years and last week replied to a reporter that he is not an NFL star quarterback, saying he is a rookie and hasn’t accomplished anything yet in the NFL.

Don’t you just love the sound of a young man who has his feet planted firmly on the ground?

Shuler’s rookie 1994 season saw him only complete 45 percent of his passing attempts, for 10 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, and he won only one of his eight starts.

Yes, there are several similarities, but the differences?

The differences are substantial. Those differences assure Commanders fans that Jayden Daniels is no Heath Shuler.

NFL Network analyst predicts Commanders 2024 regular season games

Washington is not picked to finish last in the NFC East.

As we move toward NFL training camps in July, the NFL prognostications have begun.

NFL Network analyst Adam Rank provided his game-by-game predictions for the Washington Commanders this week. In fact, Rank predicted all 32 team’s games for the upcoming 2024 regular season.

If you wish to watch the entire video of each team’s prediction, watch here.

Otherwise, what does Rank see first for the Commanders? Then, what does he see for the NFC East rivals?

Commanders fans won’t like it, but Rank has the Commanders only winning six games (6-11) in 2024. That’s not much analysis, although in his defense, how much analysis can one provide when you are undertaking the impossibly broad task of predicting all 32 NFL teams’ regular season?

Rank does point out that the Commanders have a new head coach in Dan Quinn, and also will be playing a rookie quarterback, Jayden Daniels.

The Commanders will start out extremely slowly, according to Rank. He has them 1-5 after their first six games. The only win in those first six games is a Week 2 home win over the NY Giants.

The other wins for the Commanders are a Week 7 home win over the Panthers, over the Steelers in Landover on Week 10, a Week 13 home win over the Titans, an upset win over the Eagles at Commanders Field in Week 16, then a finale Week 18 win at Dallas.

As for the remainder of the NFC East?

Rank has the Eagles winning the division, finishing 12-5, while the Cowboys fall considerably in 2024, only accumulating an 8-9 record. Finally, Rank has the NY Giants finishing last in the division, one game behind the Commanders, at 5-12.

Is Commanders punter Tress Way giving his No. 5 to Jayden Daniels?

Could Jayden Daniels officially be wearing the No. 5 by the end of this week?

Tuesday morning, the airwaves in the DMV conveyed that the Commanders are releasing a video on Friday.

During the “Kevin Sheehan Show” on The Team 980, Sheehan and his producer, Denton Day, discussed the rumor that the Commanders are releasing a video on Friday. The video is said to consist of Tress Way and newly drafted quarterback Jayden Daniels. The logical conclusion is that the Commanders are about to issue Daniels his first Commanders jersey.

Daniels wore No. 5 at LSU, so it would not be surprising that the Heisman Trophy winner wishes to wear No. 5 during his NFL playing career as well.

Way earned the Washington punting job for the 2014 season and has maintained a strong hold on in each of the ten NFL seasons (2014-23). Way was issued the No. 5 jersey during his initial Washington season and has worn it all ten of his NFL seasons.

If Daniels were going to be issued a jersey other than No. 5, then why would Way be included in the video? Consequently, it appears Way has agreed to part with No. 5 after ten seasons, permitting Daniels to begin wearing No. 5 this 2024 season.

After all, in this case, we are talking about Tress Way. Way has demonstrated love to his fellow teammates, resulting in his being a true team leader. More importantly, Way has exhibited maturity in placing his NFL employment in proper perspective in his life.

The former Oklahoma Sooner recently declared during an interview with “Sports Spectrum” that making the Pro Bowl a second time did not necessarily fulfill his life. He talked of losing his life for Jesus’ sake and actually finding a truer significance in his life as a result.

Thus, it would not be a surprise to find Way gladly giving over his No. 5 jersey to the younger Daniels as a token of welcoming Daniels to the franchise and, more significantly, demonstrating a selfless love for his new teammate.

Commanders sign WR Olamide Zaccheaus

The Commanders add their first wide receiver of the offseason.

Not only were the Commanders meeting with Drake Maye at the UNC pro day on Thursday, but they also signed wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus.

The former Virginia Cavalier was undrafted in 2019 but signed by the Falcons. During his four seasons with the Falcons (2019-2022), he started 23 games, contributing 94 receptions for 1,328 yards (14.1), 8 touchdowns, and 65 first downs. Here are some NFL highlights of Zaccheaus.

Zaccheaus’s signing with the Commanders might not be that much of a surprise, seeing as he spent the 2023 season with the Eagles. Brian Johnson, the Commanders’ passing game coordinator/assistant head coach, served as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator last season and must have developed a relationship with Zaccheaus.

Last season as an Eagle, Zaccheaus made one start and caught 10 passes for 164 yards (16.4), resulting in 2 touchdowns and 7 first downs. Following his 2022 season with the Falcons, he filed for free agency in March of 2023 and one month later signed with the Eagles.

Zaccheaus will turn 27 in July and has also spent considerable time on special teams. In the 2019 season, he recovered a fumble for a touchdown. He also achieved the longest reception during the 2019 season of 93 yards.