Tag: CB Michael Davis

Commanders make roster move for NFC championship game

Commanders make roster moves ahead of NFC title game.

It’s Saturday, and it’s time for the weekly Washington Commanders’ roster move.

This afternoon, the Commanders, having declared defensive tackle Daron Payne out against the Eagles due to an injured finger and knee, elevated DT Carl Davis to the active roster for Sunday’s NFC championship contest against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Payne played in all 17 regular-season games and the playoff wins over the Bucs and Lions. However, he was slowed by injuries, including a finger injury against the Bucs and an aggravating knee injury against the Lions.

Diehard Commanders fans will recall that Davis was brought up to the 53-man roster three times this season, appearing in three games (Titans, Saints, Eagles).

 

Davis, each time he was elevated previously to the roster, was taking the place of former second-round choice and Alabama Crimson Tide tackle Phidarian Mathis. The Commanders then released Mathis when fellow DT Jon Allen returned from his partially torn pectoral muscle.

The Commanders are also elevating to the active roster for the third consecutive game, CB Kevon Seymour. The previous two games meant CB Michael Davis, who had been signed as a free agent in March, was inactive. So look for this move again this week.

With Payne out against the Eagles, look for Davis to be active and get some reps at defensive tackle in a rotation involving Jon Allen, Johnny Newton, and Sheldon Day.

 

Commanders inactives vs Lions are announced

Commanders announce inactives vs. Lions.

The Commanders have listed seven players for tonight’s playoff game against the Lions.

  • K.J. Osborn
  • QB Jeff Driskel (Emergency Quarterback)
  • CB Michael Davis
  • RB Chris Rodriguez
  • LB Dominique Hampton
  • DE Andre Jones, Jr
  • G Chris Paul

Brian Robinson has been ineffective in recent games, raising concerns if he is playing injured. Yet Chris Rodriguez who has been more effective than Robinson is again inactive.

The Commanders announced they had elevated Jones earlier in the day, so it is surprising they then determined to leave him as inactive.

TE Ben Sinnott apparently has recovered from his injury last week against the Bucs. This means the Commanders are dressing Sinnott and Colson Yankoff tonight.

This is the second consecutive week Davis has been inactive. The Commanders again this week are choosing CB Kevon Seymour over Davis.

Osborn is again inactive and must be disappointed, having played with the Vikings in the playoffs previously. But, this is big business and the coaches are choosing to play those they believe will give them the best shot at winning.

Hampton, a rookie out of the U of Washington, has been active only one game this season. Adam Peters and Dan Quinn having drafted Hampton, no doubt would like to play him. However they again don’t feel it is the best move for the team.

Commanders make 4 roster moves ahead of playoff game vs Lions

Commanders make roster moves ahead of playoff game vs. Lions.

In preparation for Saturday night’s NFC divisional round playoff game in Detroit, the Washington Commanders have made four roster moves.

The Commanders have placed LB Jordan Magee on the injured reserve list. They have also activated TE Colson Yankoff off of the injured reserve list. Thirdly, the Commanders have elevated two defensive players, DE Andre Jones Jr. and CB Kevon Seymour, from the practice squad.

Seymour was activated last week as well and played, as the Commanders determined to leave CB Michael Davis as inactive against the Bucs. So, reason says, that will likely occur again against the Lions tonight.

Jones may be coming up to take the place of Magee on special teams. It is a move that makes sense, seeing the Commanders in recent weeks lost both Magee and S Tyler Owens on their coverage units for punts and kickoffs.

The Commanders had recently opened the window for Yankoff to practice with the team. Yankoff excelled in the preseason on both punt and kickoff coverage units. Also, TE Ben Sinnott was injured and left the game last week against the Bucs. So it could be the Commanders have determined Sinnott is not going to be fully healthy, and therefore, they are going with Yankoff against the Lions.

NFL analyst says Commanders should bench Benjamin St-Juste

NFL analyst weighs in on Washington’s cornerbacks once Marshon Lattimore is healthy.

What changes will the Commanders make in the lineup when Marshon Lattimore begins to play again?

Lattimore is currently recovering from an injured hamstring. He has returned to individual sideline work but has yet to be full-speed with the team in practice.

The Commanders began this 2024 season with Benjamin St-Juste and Emmanuel Forbes as the outside corners, and rookie Mike Sainristil held down the slot corner role.

Sainristil has been forced outside due to Forbes’ lack of development. The rookie from Michigan has continued to make progress playing outside. There is enough progress in the mind of one NFL analyst, who expressed his opinion Wednesday.

Mark Bullock, an NFL analyst who once wrote for the Washington Post, was a guest on the “Al Galdi Podcast” on Wednesday. At one point, Bullock strongly suggested what the Commanders should do when Lattimore enters the Washington starting lineup.

“I think I would leave him (Sainristil) outside right now. Because you see the improvement, and in the Eagles game, he was very good. I don’t think long term I would leave him outside. I would leave him out there to continue improving.”

Bullock pointed out that Lattimore would be the top team’s outside corner and would leave Sainristil on the outside and play Noah Igbinoghene inside in the slot.

“He (Igbinoghene) is holding up well enough in coverage, I would leave him there and put St-Juste to the bench.”

Igbinoghene has started seven games this season and played last season under Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt in Dallas.

St-Juste was drafted in the third round by Washington in the 2021 draft. He has 48 career games at corner and has started all 11 games this season at outside corner for the Commanders.

Meanwhile, Forbes continues to disappoint the staff, is not getting playing time, and may end up being another round-one bust pick by former head coach and general manager Ron Rivera. Michael Davis appears to have passed Forbes on the depth chart, getting defensive snaps against the Eagles.

Rivera missed on Chase Young (2020), Jamin Davis (2021), Jahan Dotson (2022) and now possibly on Forbes (2023) as well.

Commanders DC Joe Whitt wants to rotate more on defense

Whitt wants to rotate more defensively so the Commanders are fresh late in games.

Long before the preseason began, Joe Whitt Jr. told the fan base and media that the Commanders’ defense would not consist of merely 11 starters.

As early as June, Whitt was getting after it and did not want to talk starters on defense.

“We don’t have 11 starters; we have 17-18 guys,” he said. “We are going to go out there; we are gonna roll a deep crew and go out there and whoop people,” Whitt said. “We don’t have 11 guys; we have many personnel groups and now can they own those positions when we put them out there. When that comes, don’t ask me about who’s starting, please.”

Thursday, Whitt reminded those listening he had said this would be the case. “Well, day one, remember we talked about rolling with a deep crew and we want to be fresh in the fourth quarter. And the only way that you’re going to be fresh in the fourth quarter is if you play people and give people a break so they can go.”

Whitt explained Thursday that this applies up front and in the secondary as well. He wants his defense fresh in the final quarter of tough, hard-fought games and more depth for later in the season.

“It’s a long season; we want to roll with a deep crew. We want to make sure that we’re fresh not only in the fourth quarter but towards the end of the season when everything matters. That we still have a fresh football team that can run and hit to the way that we want to run and hit to.”

Whitt was clear, this is for his secondary as well.

“Yeah, we were mixing guys in the backfield, and that’s a little bit different because I want to see people in different spaces.”

He likes the effort he has seen from secondary starters and also added that he wants to see more of Emmanuel Forbes, Michael Davis, and Percy Butler (whom he clarified has been playing well and that Whitt sees Butler as a starter).

GM Adam Peters brought in over 30 new faces to this Commanders’ roster. Joe Whitt knows it is a lot better than it was. So now, he wants to get more of his guys game reps and develop them more now so they can be a building block for later in the season.

 

What does Commanders’ Whitt think of the team’s cornerback play?

Commanders DC Joe Whitt Jr. reveals his thoughts on the team’s cornerback play.

The Commanders were ahead 34-6 early in the fourth quarter of last Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns and began substituting several players.

Several on both the offense and the defense were given some opportunities, which, of course, provided rest for those usually starting. But did you notice the corners? These guys continued to play with very little substitution for them.

Even though it was a blowout (final 34-13), starting corners Benjamin St-Juste, Mike Sainristil, and Noah Igbinoghene played 94%, 90%, and 87%, respectively.

During his press conference, defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr was asked about the corners Thursday.

Regarding Sainristil:

“Mikey, we’ve moved him inside and out,” Whitt said. “The last two games, he’s played outside, and we put him to the field the last two games, and he’s getting more comfortable there. He can play with vision; he played a lot more physical. He’s covering well. So, right now, that’s where we need him to be. So, he’s going to find a home back inside at some point. But from where the defense is right now, we need him to the field.”

Whitt expressed how Igbinoghene has grown from last season in Dallas”

“We got him late last year when we were in Dallas and with the trade when we traded [Kansas City Chiefs CB Kelvin Joseph] for him, and we had a number of guys that were just ahead of him. And with him coming in there late, he came in here at the same time with everybody else and he was able to put his performance out there. And he’s earned the right to go out there and get the reps in the starting position that he’s getting.”

When asked about 2023 first-round choice, Emmanuel Forbes. Whitt was succinct and direct:

“That’s the same as the Mikey question. Playing to the field. Each week, we’re going to play the guys in a position that we feel best, that gives us a chance to win that particular game.”

For interested readers regarding the cornerbacks, Forbes and Michael Davis each received four defensive snaps. Kevon Seymour was active for his first game this season. He didn’t play any defensive snaps, but he did play seven special teams snaps.

Commanders’ DC Joe Whitt waiting for a couple of cornerbacks to stand up

Whitt seems happy with safety play, but not cornerback.

“Once we get everybody healthy, then we can see where we are going to put Mikey (Sainristil).”

That was Commanders defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., talking with the media on Thursday.

The Commanders’ corners have struggled in coverage in their three games. They have the worst third-down defense (61.4%) and are tied for second worst in red zone defense when it comes to giving up touchdowns.

Whitt referred to Emmanuel Forbes’ thumb injury and their moving Sainristil outside for Forbes. With Forbes possibly playing Sunday, might Whitt move Sainristil back inside of corners Benjamin St-Juste and Forbes?

Then, he dropped this revelation. “It’s fluid. Nobody’s really said, ‘Hey, this is where I am going to be’. We’re waiting for a couple of guys to do that. Once that happens, it will solidify what we are going to do.”

Whitt was saying, he has played five corners and he hasn’t been satisfied with any of them. He is tired of this and he wants a couple of guys to step up, be agents of change and set the pace by being reliable and dependable.

When asked if he expects Forbes to play a significant role, Whitt did not respond in the affirmative. He expressed, “I expect each week it is going to be different people…I do expect whoever goes out there to play winning football. I do expect that.”

A second time, Whitt was asked about Forbes in particular. A second time, he replied about every corner. Whitt didn’t want to talk about Forbes. It’s his prerogative, and even more, no one knows that defense and their personnel better than Joe Whitt Jr.

Whitt then made a very important distinction. “I’ve been pleased with the safety group, their range and the way they have been playing.” He then complimented Quan Martin, Jeremy Chinn and Percy Butler. He made clear he also likes Darrick Forrest

Once again, the question was raised about the corners, and Whitt offered how they had disappointed.

“We haven’t found the group that is going to go out there. I’m still waiting on a couple of guys to say, ‘Hey, I am the guy that is going to do this each weekend.”

Whitt then emphatically added, “And I don’t care who it is.”

It sounds like Adam Peters will be looking for a couple of new corners in the next offseason.

 

Commanders’ Quinn ‘We are working hard to develop Forbes’

Dan Quinn remains positive about Emmanuel Forbes and his future.

Commanders cornerback Emmanuel Forbes had a rough 2024 season opener.

Getting beat in coverage several times was bad enough, but then Forbes was called for not one but two penalties on the same play. He was then benched and or injured for the remainder of the game.

Following the game, Forbes had an X-ray, but the word was that it was not serious. Sure enough, Forbes had a splint on his thumb, but he was out there working at practice on Wednesday.

“We’re working really hard to develop him,” expressed Dan Quinn at his presser Wednesday. Would he want some plays back? You bet. But I’d also say this is a young player we’re developing and working with him. He’s improving, and going to improve.”

https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1651769851201871877

While Benjamin St-Juste was battling Mike Evans for much of the opener, Forbes continues to play well below the standards of what the 16th overall selection in the draft should be. Rookie Mike Sainristil was also given a rude introduction to the NFL by the Bucs.

It was also surprising Michael Davis, whom the Commanders signed as a veteran free agent, literally saw zero snaps at corner against the Bucs. I thought Davis was going to be spelling Forbes, keeping them both fresh and stronger at the game’s end. But no, Davis only saw special teams action.

This raises a question. Does defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. see Davis as too high a risk to play corner in the game? After seeing how Forbes struggled against the Bucs, might Davis be called upon more this week? Then again, if Forbes’ wrist is giving him problems during the game, does Whitt turn to Davis anyway?

This leads us to Noah Igbinoghene. He played 28 snaps at corner (44%) against Tampa Bay. He also made one of only two plays for the Commanders defense on Sunday where a pass was actually defended. This occurred when he was in very tight coverage and was able to get a hand on a ball, deflecting the pass. St-Juste recorded the only other defended pass. Igninoghene was also with Quinn and Whitt in Dallas for the 2023 season.

How ready are the Commanders at cornerback?

Previewing the cornerbacks.

What sort of group have the Commanders assembled at cornerback?

Do you realize the Washington Commanders gave up an unbelievable 518 points in 2023? The closest team to them (Cardinals) surrendered 63 points less.

The Commanders couldn’t pressure opposing quarterbacks, and the back seven made up for it by not covering anybody either! The passing defense was so bad that it gave up 344 more yards than the 31st-ranked Bengals. Opposing teams passed for 39 touchdowns against Washington—last in the league.

Ron Rivera was seen on a Commanders video excitedly driving to work on the morning of the 2023 NFL draft, anticipating drafting Emmanuel Forbes, available at No. 16. Rivera selected Forbes.

https://twitter.com/Tiller56/status/1693784745493111054

Forbes struggled terribly during the 2023 season, but what made it even worse was that the coach coaching the defensive backs (Brent Vieselmeyer) was an unqualified secondary coach, as Rivera was in a lame-duck year.

This year, Forbes has gained 15 pounds, and there is a qualified secondary coach (Tommy Donatell) who coached the Chargers secondary the last three seasons. Defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. coached the secondary for the Packers (9 seasons), Falcons (1 season), and Cowboys (3 seasons).

The Commanders’ current roster includes five corners: Forbes, Benjamin St-Juste, rookie Mike Sainristil, and veterans Mike Davis and Noah Igbinoghene.

Sainristil was great in college, but this is the NFL. There will be struggles in learning, but coaches say he has continued to get after it and looked good in training camp.

Davis and St-Juste both have plenty of experience starting outside, so they could very well be the choices to start the opener next Sunday.

Igbinoghene was the Dolphins’ first-round choice in 2020 (30 overall), but he just hasn’t developed as was projected coming out of Auburn. In fact, Igbinoghene has only started five games in his four NFL seasons. He did spend 2023 with Quinn and Whitt in Dallas and chose to follow them to Washington.

Note: Lastly, Commanders Wire had last read the Commanders have two corners on the practice squad (Chigozie Anusiem and Bobby Price). However, we noticed Price is actually listed on the roster. We’ve searched for confirmation but have yet to find any communication from the Commanders that such a move was made. Consequently, it might be a clerical error.