Tag: Adam Peters

Did the Commanders’ Adam Peters offer former Eagles cornerback a contract?

Veteran NFL cornerback says he didn’t sign with Commanders last offseason because he loved the Eagles “too much.” Yet

Did the Washington Commanders pursue the former Eagles’ cornerback Bradley Roby?

Last offseason, Commanders GM Adam Peters was indeed very busy nearly entirely making over and reconstructing the Commanders’ roster, ridding himself of many players Ron Rivera brought to Ashburn.

Interestingly enough, veteran cornerback Bradley Roby tweeted Sunday afternoon, implying he could have signed with the Commanders last offseason but refused to ink a deal with Washington.

Roby tweeted, “Didn’t sign to commanders this year bc I loved it in Philly too much and knew Eagles was destined for the ring this yr ! Gotta bring it home today.”

It is true; Roby was an unrestricted free agent last spring. In addition, I find no record that Roby signed with any NFL team during the free agency signing period, the summer offseason, or during this 2024 season.

So, why did Roby declare he didn’t sign with the Commanders because he loved Philly too much? Do we know that the Commanders even offered Roby a contract? Roby says he loved Philly so much. Thus, if Philly had offered him a deal, he would have signed with the Eagles, correct?

Whatever the truth is regarding the Commanders and Roby, the one truth we do know is that no team signed Roby all year, including the Eagles.

Thus, a logical question would be, “Was Roby tweeting he didn’t sign with the Commanders simply to get attention on Super Bowl Sunday?”

If so, Commanders Wire is not providing him the attention he desires. The Eagles never re-signed Roby, either. Therefore, is Roby attempting to claim the Eagles are his NFL team?

Actually, Roby, in his 10 NFL seasons, was with the Eagles only one season (2023) when he appeared in nine games, starting two.

Roby was drafted by the Broncos 31st overall in the 2014 draft out of Ohio State. Roby played five seasons with the Broncos, then played two years for the Texans, two with the Saints, and the lone 2023 season with the Eagles.

Adam Peters not signing Roby appears to have been the right move by Peters because no one else signed Roby either.

 

Ron Rivera was ‘fired up’ for Commanders’ successful season

Former Washington coach praises Dan Quinn, Jayden Daniels: Happy for the Commanders’ success.

Former Washington GM/HC Ron Rivera spoke highly of Dan Quinn and Jayden Daniels.

Rivera was a guest on the NBC Pro Football Talk Wednesday edition, hosted by Mike Florio and Chris Simms.

“This is a quarterback-driven league”, said Rivera. “If you have a quarterback, you have a chance to be good.”

No question, Rivera is correct. However, he then stated, “…With great quarterbacks, you are here at the Super Bowl, and that’s what we’re seeing. We’re seeing the two best quarterbacks in the NFL right now. Although I will say, Jayden Daniels, what a phenomenal performance by a rookie.”

Jalen Hurts is one of the two best quarterbacks in the NFL right now? Not sure where Rivera came up with that evaluation. Has any other NFL coach or analyst stated this?

Rivera, in his last season with Washington, went 4-13. He said that during the season, he and Marty Hurney had discussions about Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Bo Nix, and Drake Maye as draft possibilities.

However, owner Josh Harris fired Rivera after the season, replacing him with Adam Peters as GM and Dan Quinn as HC.

Unlike former owner Daniel Snyder, who reportedly hated seeing the Commanders’ successful season, Rivera said, “I was fired up.” He elaborated a bit, saying that Dan Quinn is a friend, and they talked. “I am happy where they are.”

Rivera also mentioned that Quinn, being a friend, had said, “We got to give Coach Rivera credit for doing what he did, putting us in this position.” Rivera said, “That was great; that really meant a lot to me. And it spoke of who Dan is as a man.”

It speaks quite highly of Quinn, who was taking the high road.

Isn’t it true that the team was so bad in 2023 that they earned the second overall draft selection?

Quinn was right; Rivera did put the Commanders in a position to select Jayden Daniels.

 

Latest ‘report’ further proves incompetence of Commanders’ previous regime

It gets even worse when looking back at Washington’s previous regime.

Could you imagine where the Washington Commanders would be if Christian Darrisaw was playing left tackle? What about if Christian Gonzalez was one of Washington’s starting cornerbacks? Or what if the Commanders had selected wide receiver Chris Olave, lined up opposite Terry McLaurin?

Talking about what could have been is a fruitless exercise. It didn’t happen, and the past is in the past. But it’s easy to look at the Commanders and wonder what their roster would look like if the former regime had made more sensible draft picks.

In 2021, former coach Ron Rivera took raw linebacker Jamin Davis over a potential franchise left tackle (Darrisaw). In 2022, Rivera and company wanted to show everyone how smart they were, so they moved back in the first round, passed on Olave, and added extra picks, but they used the first-round pick on wide receiver Jahan Dotson.

Finally, in 2023, Rivera chose Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes over Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez. Literally, no one had Forbes ranked ahead of Gonzalez, and many worried that Forbes’ unusually slight frame would be a problem for him in the NFL.

No one will ever forget the video the team released AFTER the draft, showing Rivera driving to the team facility that day knowing Washington was selecting Forbes, regardless of what the rest of the draft board looked like.

It didn’t take long for everyone to realize Rivera missed badly on his first-round picks from 2021-23. We will give Rivera a break for 2020 because everyone thought Chase Young would be a superstar.

While we never know if Washington was close to selecting Darrisaw in 2021 or Olave in 2022, JP Finlay of 106.7 The Fan in Washington, D.C., revealed on his radio show Tuesday that there was a “screaming match” on draft day when Gonzalez fell into the Commanders’ lap, but they chose Forbes.

Here’s the audio:

Finlay didn’t reveal who was for or against selecting Forbes, but we know Rivera had the final say — on everything.

While Gonzalez was injured during his rookie season, he quickly became one of the NFL’s best cornerbacks in 2024. Meanwhile, new Washington general manager Adam Peters released Forbes. But Forbes wasn’t the first former Rivera first-round pick Peters moved on from.

In training camp, the coaching staff saw enough of Dotson to be OK with trading him to a division rival, knowing the Commanders needed help at wide receiver. While the Eagles are great and playing in the Super Bowl, Washington’s new regime correctly assessed Dotson.

And, in October, Washington released Davis after his transition to defensive end/edge rusher didn’t pan out. The Commanders released Forbes in November.

Washington is in good hands these days. Looking back at these three moves, particularly, makes what the Commanders accomplished in 2024 even more remarkable.

But we can’t help but wonder how Washington would approach this offseason if it had a franchise left tackle, a shutdown cornerback, and a legit No. 2 receiver.

 

Why the Commanders should not go ‘all in’ on Myles Garrett

Why the Commanders should not go all-in for Myles Garrett.

Wow, there is much excitement in the DMV on February 4, 2025.

Tuesday was spent hyperventilating about Cleveland defensive end Myles Garrett, requesting to be traded, and some asserting that the Commanders are a front-runner to get him this offseason.

The Commanders will select 29th overall in the annual April NFL draft. Unfortunately, Jayden Daniels had such a great year that the Commanders did not improve from the 2nd overall pick to 9th or 19th. Daniels led the Commanders all the way to the NFC Championship game, thus earning the 29th overall draft position.

For those wanting the trade, I will grant that a pass rusher of Garrett’s abilities will most likely be gone (long gone) by the time the Commanders are on the clock at 29. Consequently, that could be an argument for going after Garrett.

When Jonathan Allen was drafted by Washington 17th overall in the 2017 draft, Garrett was drafted first overall by Cleveland. Garrett has certainly come through for Cleveland, producing 102.5 sacks, and has arguably been the NFL’s best defensive player since entering the league.

Did I mention Garrett led the NFL in tackles for a loss (TFL) this season with 22? He was also second in QB sacks with 14. By contrast, Dante Fowler led Washington with 14 TFL.

But, as my dad who grew up farming, reminded me more than a few times, “Boy, there are two sides to every coin.”

One side of the coin is Garrett would bring more TFLs and more QB sacks. The other side is how much are you trading away to get Garrett? One side says Garrett is the missing piece the Commanders need. The other side in me says, No, Garrett is not the missing piece the Commanders need because the Commanders need more than one piece. They need several new players next season.

One suggestion was trading away rookie offensive tackle Brandon Coleman — plus multiple premium draft picks. The Commanders’ offensive line often did not sustain the running game last season, and Sam Cosmi will be out much of the year, tearing his ACL in January.

So, would general manager Adam Peters trade Coleman — plus a lot more — after already not having Cosmi for much of next season?

Would Peters trade first round draft picks and a starter or two for Garrett and leave himself with more holes in next year’s roster than he already has now?

Commanders’ Josh Harris proud of the Commanders and past year

Commanders owner Josh Harris is proud of his team.

What is Commanders’ owner Josh Harris most proud of from this last year?

Harris conducted his annual end-of-the-season press conference Monday with the local media.

Harris said he is proud of much of last year, but first would be the leadership.

“I think I made the right leadership choices, and [Team President] Mark Clouse is now in the building, in the business, and we’re going to be a leader on the business side.”

Harris inherited Jason Wright, but much of the business side had received bad publicity from major disappointments in supervision and execution. Clouse has an actual record of running a business; thus, Harris wanted to make this move.

“My most important three jobs were picking a coach, picking a GM, and then picking someone to lead the business. And I feel great about where we are and the leadership we have in place.”

“I feel super proud obviously of how excited and happy the Washington community is too, and the reawakening of Washington football. And that’s everything from how we played on the field and what we did on the field. And really, I mean, obviously, we won four games last year, and to be going to the NFC Championship, how can you not be proud of that?”

Harris knows, experientially, having grown up in the DMV, what this team meant to the community under Vince Lombardi, George Allen, Jack Pardee, and Joe Gibbs. He desires the Commanders to be an encouraging force, a source of happiness.

“There’s very few things in the DMV that unites the whole DMV, and the Washington Commanders is front of the list. And so, that’s probably the thing I feel most proud about, that people here are appreciative of Washington football again like I felt when I was growing up. And so, let’s keep it going.”

Harris speaking openly and candidly with the media and answering questions is a refreshing change.

One year ago, Commanders name Dan Quinn new head coach

Looking back on the one year anniversary of the Commanders hiring Dan Quinn.

“We’re going to start right now; the first thing is a head coach; we’ve got to find a great head coach.”

That’s what Adam Peters said the day he was hired to be the new Commanders general manager.

One year ago, on February 3, the new coach Peters had found was announced as Daniel Patrick Quinn.

In the night, Quinn and his wife, Stacey, were greeted walking off the airplane by Peters and his wife, Jennifer.

The following day, Quinn walked into the Ashburn team facility to be greeted by Peters, Jason Wright, Doug Williams, and many employees. In the lobby, Peters pointed to the three Super Bowl Trophies won by Joe Gibbs (1982, 1987, 1991), and Quinn responded, “Makes us think about it every day when we walk in.”

Quinn received a phone call. It was Gibbs who began, “Hey, welcome aboard, man. Here we go, here we go.” Gibbs had arrived in 1981 to a team that had not made the playoffs since 1976 and had finished 6-10 in 1980 under Jack Pardee.

Quinn told Gibbs he had thought about Gibbs driving up to the facility and walking into his old office. Quinn thanked Gibbs for giving him some time to talk to Quinn when he became head coach of the Falcons and that it meant a lot to Quinn.

At his press conference, he said it was a privilege to have been chosen to coach for this franchise and that he realized it takes time to build trust from the fan base, players, staff, and entire organization. But he couldn’t wait to start earning that trust.

“There is nothing I enjoy more than doing hard s–t with good people,” said Quinn…We will hit the ground running; there is lots to do.”

Quinn then stressed, “You will not hear me say the word ‘rebuild’ at all. This is a ‘recalibrate,’ finding our north again.”

“I want to make sure, above all things, that our identity takes place about how we play football. You’ve got to be bold; you’ve got to be aggressive. When people watch us play, they know what Commanders football looks like.”

“We are going to be explosive; we are going to be physical. There’s a lot to get done, but I honestly do not see that word as part of my thinking at all.”

That was Dan Quinn’s first day on the job, one year ago, February 3, 2024.

Who is one free agent the Commanders should prioritize in 2025?

A familiar name for the Commanders.

The Washington Commanders shocked everyone in 2024, falling one game short of the Super Bowl. After winning only four games in 2023, the Commanders completed one of the best turnarounds in NFL history this season. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels took the league by storm, often strapping the team to his back.

Daniels’ brilliance hid some of Washington’s weaknesses in 2024, primarily a struggling defense. That’s not to say the Commanders’ high-powered offense couldn’t use more help, too.

The bad news is Washington’s success has them picking 29th overall in the 2025 NFL draft. You will not hear any reasonable Commanders fan complain about that being the price for success. But there’s also good news. According to Over the Cap, Washington enters the offseason with around $80 million in salary cap space, which is third in the NFL.

The Commanders could approach the offseason similarly to last offseason, signing several veterans to either one-year deals or selective players to reasonable multi-year deals to fill holes on both sides of the ball.

Washington could also splurge on an elite player—someone like Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. Several analysts believe the Commanders should make a play for Higgins, giving Daniels two star wideouts in Higgins and Terry McLaurin.

Jordan Dajani of CBS Sports recently named one free agent that all 32 NFL teams should prioritize this offseason. Higgins was his pick for Washington.

The Commanders have plenty of work to do on the defensive side of the ball this offseason, but they also can’t run it back with what they have at wide receiver. Jayden Daniels needs someone other than Terry McLaurin to throw the ball to, and Tee Higgins is arguably the top free agent in this entire class. The 26-year-old caught a career-high 10 touchdowns this past season in just 12 games played.

CBS isn’t the first, nor will be the last, to believe the Commanders should pursue Higgins. However, we explained why it’s doubtful that general manager Adam Peters will give out a large contract to Higgins. Washington will likely extend McLaurin and look elsewhere for receiver help.

But, never say never.

Commanders RB Austin Ekeler reflects on special season

Commanders RB Austin Ekeler reflects on the season and looks toward the future.

Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler just completed his eighth NFL season. It was his first in Washington after spending seven seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Ekeler’s season was full of ups and downs. He suffered two concussions, which led to a trip to injured reserve and forced him to miss five games. However, Ekeler proved a valuable weapon for rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels when he was on the field.

Ekeler rushed for 367 yards and four touchdowns and caught 35 passes for 366 yards. He made multiple big plays throughout the season, including in the playoffs. He signed a two-year deal last March and is under contract for 2025.

After the Commanders cleaned out their lockers last week and headed out of town for the offseason, Ekeler joined “Grant and Danny” of 106.7 The Fan for one final time this season and reflected on such a phenomenal year.

“When you have a new core group of guys come in like we did and a new coaching staff, they bring in the new philosophy. So, something that’s gonna carry over will be the standard of the team,” Ekeler said via Lou DiPietro of Audacy.

“The expectation of this team now is at a new level internally because we now know our capabilities, so having a new core group with new philosophies and that are gonna be here for a second year, I think we’re really in a position to build off of what we’ve done this year. It won’t be the same team, but it will have the Dan Quinn flavor, Jayden’s coming back and we’ll have our offensive identity, and I think we really solidified that this year.”

Everything Ekeler said echoed what Quinn and others have said. While Bobby Wagner and Zach Ertz were lauded for their leadership, Ekeler was in the same position. A highly productive veteran, respected on and off the field, he proved he still had plenty to give the Commanders.

Ekeler hopes that owner Josh Harris, general manager Adam Peters and Quinn do everything possible to keep the core of the 2024 team together this offseason.

“Look at the teams that have been there and done that, like the old Patriots or the Chiefs now — once you find a chemistry that works, I hope ownership is doing everything to really hold on to that, because it’s rare,” he said.

“You see the shuffle every year, but that’s what the NFL is: how can we put the best group of men together, and support staff together, to actually push this thing forward and sustain success. I hope they do everything they can to continue to keep us in a place where we have a winning culture. There’s no guarantees, but it’s a new opportunity, so I hope we bring in good guys who buy into the vision and the brotherhood.”

There’s that word again: brotherhood. Quinn’s message to his players after their NFC championship loss to the Eagles resonated. This was a special group that cared for one another, and he truly wanted them to enjoy more time together. The NFL dictates that no one roster will remain the same the following year.

Quinn and Peters hope the culture veterans like Wagner, Ertz and Ekeler helped establish in 2024 will be a part of the locker room for years to come, regardless of who’s on the roster.

Rick ‘Doc’ Walker has interesting nickname for former Commanders coach

The legendary former Washington tight end had some great analysis on the Commanders’ season.

Former Washington Redskins TE Rick “Doc” Walker was once again on a roll, Saturday.

Walker was a guest on the most recent episode of the Kevin Sheehan Podcast, and he was hilarious! Here is the link to the entire episode. 

Doc played for Joe Gibbs and Joe Bugel, and he is not afraid to speak his mind about winning in the NFL. He is also a very good listener, and he didn’t disappoint this time either.

Here are a few select quotes from Doc.

  • “The kid (Saquon Barkley) scored on their first play of the game! And yet, it wasn’t a kill shot. And I still believe if Ekeler doesn’t lose the ball, you can’t convince me we aren’t still in it to the very end.”
  • “I’m irritated as hell because I know this team will never be the same. Because you will never have the same circumstances, the hunger, and you will never catch people off guard.”
  • “I mean, people looked at this team, ‘This is Rivera’s team; this team is scum.’ Now they are going to dream about you, they are going to prepare for you. Anytime, anywhere, all that stuff, now they are all locked in. That’s the way it goes.”
  • “We won with a super-human individual and a spirit and that can carry you a long way. But in the end, I’d rather just be boring, methodical and just grind you to death. And I think our team will take on more of that personality for the upcoming season.”
  • “I’d rather be the bully, I’d rather be unimaginative. I’d rather you think I am boring. But like Philly, I am bigger and stronger. I can maul you. There’s nothing you can do about it, you’re defenseless because I don’t have to trick you.”
  • “I don’t want to be dependent on hocus pocus. I want 3rd & 1 to be automatic. For us you got to hold your breadth. You got to hope some guy (Jayden Daniels) pulls a rabbit out of a hat. That is too risky.”
  • “If you overpay someone (defensive lineman) and they don’t require a double team, the joke is on you. Anybody that wants a bag (of money) better be able to demand a double, or I am kicking his ass out of the office.”
  • “Our guy (Jayden Daniels) to be a puppy is going up to the Westminster Show, and he is winning all the ribbons. Usually, we never get that guy. We are always the one that overpays and gets a junker. We’re the guys that get fleeced. We’re the suckers.”
  • “Finally, you get Peters (Adam), DQ (Dan Quinn), and even more importantly to me, the strength of our organization is our assistant coaches. This is one of the best teaching group of individuals I have ever been around. Because they took Coach Dumb-Dumb’s people, dumped all of them d____ near, flipped the team, and they are going without two years of draft picks, and had one of the best seasons they have ever had.”

2025 NFL draft: Who is the perfect prospect for the Commanders in Round 1?

Who is the perfect prospect for the Commanders in the 2025 NFL draft?

Despite finishing 12-5 in the regular season, winning two playoff games and making it to the NFC championship, the Washington Commanders have multiple needs to address this offseason.

Fortunately for Washington, it has $90 million in salary cap room and seven draft picks. General manager Adam Peters’s primary goals this offseason are to improve the defense and continue to develop more weapons around quarterback Jayden Daniels.

While Washington needs to add a top wide receiver opposite Terry McLaurin, the Commanders just need more good players. That could also mean another tight end. The 2025 NFL draft is loaded at tight end, and Penn State’s Tyler Warren is at the top of that list.

Pro Football Focus recently named the perfect first-round prospect for all 32 NFL teams. Warren was the pick for the Commanders.

The ageless Zach Ertz has been a useful weapon for Commanders rookie QB Jayden Daniels this year, as he has contributed 70 catches and seven scores, but Washington would do well to start stockpiling youthful weaponry for its new franchise signal caller.

Tyler Warren has proved to be one of the best physical mismatches in college football this season, amassing 100 receptions for 1,178 yards and eight scores with 63 first downs (before Penn State‘s semifinal matchup against Notre Dame). Warren has also been excellent on contested balls, hauling in 13 of 21 such targets this season.

Even if Zach Ertz returns for one more year, he’s not a long-term solution. The key here is the development of 2024 second-pick Ben Sinnott. How do the Commanders feel about Sinnott? Do they think he could be Ertz’s replacement? The goal is to add the best players. Warren is one of the draft’s top players and unlikely to be around when the Commanders select 29th.