Tag: Clelin Ferrell

Couple top 5 picks among former Raiders on Conference Championship teams

Today we learn which teams will be playing in the Super Bowl. And there are a few former Raiders on these four teams who are hoping to punch their tickets. Including a couple former top five picks.

Today we learn which teams will be playing in the Super Bowl. And there are a few former Raiders on these four teams who are hoping to punch their tickets. Including a couple former top five picks.

Noon (3pm ET) Washington Commanders vs Philadelphia Eagles

Known at this point like one of the bigger busts in Raiders history. Mainly because he was taken fourth overall in the draft and never did anything to even warrant being a first round pick. He was a reach at the time. If you don’t believe me, just ask the guy who drafted him. Mike Mayock admitted after Ferrell was selected that the team tried to trade down first, but got no takers, so they selected him anyway.

Ferrell never did much of anything with the Raiders. They didn’t pick up his fifth year option and after his rookie contract was up, they had no problem letting him walk. He spent the 2023 season with the 49ers and latched on with the Commanders this season, where is a rotational guy, having started ten games in 14 appearances while only taking more the 50% of the snaps twice.

Noon (3pm ET) Washington Commanders vs Philadelphia Eagles

Mariota spent two seasons with the Raiders, with no starts. He has settled into the role of primary backup. Now he’s behind Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels and he and the rest of the Commanders are hoping to hitch their wagons to a star.

3:30pm (6:30pm ET) Buffalo Bills vs Kansas City Chiefs

Coop was another fourth overall pick by the Raiders, just like Ferrell. But has had a far more successful career. Even still, midway through his fourth season with the Raiders, he was more valuable in trade than he was to the team, so he was sent to Dallas for a first round pick. Then, as expected, he commanded a huge new contract. A deal the Raiders would never have given him for his production — which was good but not great.

Three years into that deal, the Cowboys traded him to Cleveland. A couple years later — this season — the Browns sent him to Buffalo. And hence he finds himself playing for his first shot at a Super Bowl. And he could beat the Raiders bitter rival Chiefs to get there. You’d have to assume he’d be more excited about this meeting with the Chiefs than he was at any point when he played with the Raiders.

3:30pm (6:30pm ET) Buffalo Bills vs Kansas City Chiefs

Coop will line up opposite another former Raiders receiver. Hollins has his best season as a pro in his one season in Las Vegas. One could say that season is the whole reason he’s on this team in the first place. Having proven he can be a viable X receiver when called upon.

3:30pm (6:30pm ET) Buffalo Bills vs Kansas City Chiefs

Another guy who had a career year in his one season with the Raiders. He started a career-high 17 games and put up a career-high 47 combined tackles. He’s been on four teams in three years since then, including joining Amari Cooper in being traded from the Browns to the Bills.

Five former Clemson players hoping to reach Super Bowl

A look at the five former Clemson stars who can still win a Super Bowl ring entering Championship Sunday in the NFL.

Whether or not you’re a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles or Washington Commanders, five former Clemson football players will be looking to reach Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans on Championship Weekend in the NFL Sunday.

The NFC Championship Game between Washington and Philadelphia at Lincoln Financial Field features three former Tiger stars on active rosters, including two rookies. The Eagles boast rookie running back/receiver/kickoff specialist Will Shipley and linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. Washington features defensive end Clelin Ferrell.

Ferrell played in 14 regular-season games for the Commanders, totaling 26 tackles, 3.5 sacks, four tackles for loss and a forced fumble. He played in Washington’s 23-20 win over Tampa Bay in the Wild Card round and their 45-31 upset of the Detroit Lions in the divisional round. For the postseason, Ferrell has three tackles and a pass breakup.

Trotter, a fifth-round pick by the Eagles in the 2024 NFL Draft, recovered a fumble in Philadelphia’s 22-10 win over the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card round and had two tackles in the team’s 28-22 win over the Los Angeles Rams last Sunday. In the regular season, Trotter had 25 tackles and 0.5 sacks in 17 games.

Shipley, a fourth-round pick in 2024, had 30 carries for 82 yards and four catches for 35 yards in 16 games for the Eagles in the regular season.

Kickoff for the NFC Championship Game is at 3 p.m. ET in Philadelphia. The game can be seen on Fox.

In the AFC Championship Game, former Clemson star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins will be looking to reach his first Super Bowl in a remarkable 12-year NFL career when Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs host Josh Allen and the Bills at Arrowhead Stadium.

Hopkins began the year with the Tennessee Titans before the Chiefs acquired him in a midseason trade. Between the Titans and Chiefs, Hopkins had 56 catches for 610 yards and five touchdowns in 16 games.

While he’s not on the Bills’ active roster, former Clemson linebacker Baylon Spector is hoping to work his way back from a calf injury. Spector saw the most snaps of his career in 2024, with a career-high 40 tackles, 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery in 11 games.

Kickoff for the AFC Championship Game is at 6:30 p.m. ET in Kansas City. The game can be seen on CBS.

Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions. 

Commanders receive some good injury news ahead of Week 6 vs. Ravens

Brian Robinson Jr. is a game-time decision, but the Commanders get two key players back.

The Washington Commanders released their final injury report, and only one player was ruled out: Rookie safety Tyler Owens will miss the game with a shin injury. Owens has played exclusively on special teams this season and doesn’t impact Washington’s defensive depth chart.

The Commanders’ biggest injury news concerns running back Brian Robinson Jr. Washington listed the third-year running back as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Robinson didn’t practice this week with a knee injury. Robinson didn’t practice last week either, but still played in the Week 5 win over the Browns, scoring two touchdowns on just seven carries.

What did head coach Dan Quinn say about Robinson’s status?

“We’ll take another look where he is at tomorrow to see if it’s just turning for the best and see where we go,” Quinn said. “And we’ll take it all the way up through the game or up to the game with B-Rob.”

Is Quinn worried this is a long-term issue for Robinson?

“It feels more short, but anytime you’re dealing with an injury you want to make sure, is there any longevity to that? We wouldn’t put him out there if that was the case.”

Outside of Robinson, Quinn delivered good news on a pair of key contributors. Defensive end Clelin Ferrell and wide receiver Noah Brown will play on Sunday. Ferrell missed the past three games with a knee injury, while Brown missed last week. Ferrell had sacks in Washington’s first two games, while Brown was a critical piece to the Commanders’ offense.

“Yep. So, Cle was able to get some work today, so that was good,” Quinn said. “So, getting work yesterday and again today, and Noah had a really good session; we thought yesterday and did some stuff to the side today. So, both of them had good weeks.”

Robinson is a game-time decision, but if we learned anything from last week, he’ll be ready to go on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.

Commanders will be without two key players in Week 5

The Commanders received good news about their RBs, but two key players are out.

During his Friday press conference, head coach Dan Quinn revealed some positive news about the Washington Commanders’ injury situation. Running back Austin Ekeler had cleared concussion protocol and would return for Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns.

Also, starting running back Brian Robinson Jr. was “trending in the right way” for Week 5 after missing two days of practice with a knee injury.

Unfortunately, the Commanders will be without two key contributors.

Starting defensive end Clelin Ferrell will miss a third consecutive game with a knee injury. Ferrell had a sack in each of Washington’s first two games.

Ferrell appears close to a return and Quinn doesn’t believe he’ll need a stint on the reserve/injured list.

“There’s none, and he’s doing well man, and just the fact we’re always going to just do the best we can for these guys, and then they can absolutely do their thing at full speed,” Quinn said. “It was awesome to have him back here at practice and, so he is definitely trending in the right space, but just not quite there just yet. But he really had a good week.”

Wide receiver Noah Brown, who signed late in the summer, will also be out for Sunday. Brown has been excellent for the Commanders, catching nine passes for 111 yards in his three games and been outstanding as a blocker.

“Yeah, and we’re bummed that Noah won’t make it in for this week because he’s added a lot to our team,” Quinn said of Brown. “We’ll miss Noah for sure, man. He not only is on the pass game, but the run game, the size, he’s really made his impact so far.”

Brown’s absence could mean more opportunities for Dyami Brown and Luke McCaffrey.

Commanders injury report: Two already ruled out for Week 4

The first injury report of the week is here and the Commanders already rule out two for Sunday.

It is a unique week for the Washington Commanders. After defeating the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football, the Commanders immediately boarded a flight for Arizona, where they’ll spend the week preparing for their Week 4 opponent, the Arizona Cardinals.

Head coach Dan Quinn revealed Tuesday that running back Austin Ekeler didn’t accompany the team on their flight West after suffering a concussion in the third quarter of Monday’s win. When Quinn met with the media on Wednesday, he ruled Ekeler out for Sunday, which was not a surprise.

Ekeler isn’t Washington’s only player out for Sunday. Defensive end Clelin Ferrell, who missed Monday’s game with a knee injury, was also ruled out. Like Ekeler, Ferrell didn’t make the trip to Arizona with the team and will have an extra week to rehabilitate his knee injury.

Here’s the full injury report for Wednesday:

Did not participate: G Sam Cosmi (Achilles), WR Jamison Crowder (NIR/rest), RB Austin Ekeler (concussion/ruled out), TE Zach Ertz (NIR/rest), DE Clelin Ferrell (knee/ruled out)

Limited participants: S Quan Martin (elbow), CB Benjamin St-Juste (chest)

Full participant: CB Emmanuel Forbes (thumb), DT Jer’Zhan Newton (foot)

Two players missed practice for the Cardinals: TE Trey McBride (concussion) and DT Khyiris Tonga (knee). Several players were limited, including star safety Budda Baker (quadriceps) and first-round pick WR Marvin Harrison Jr. (quadriceps).

Commanders were second in the NFL pass rush win rate in Week 1

Sometimes, numbers don’t tell the whole story. #RaiseHail

In the first game under new head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., the Washington Commanders’ defense resembled the 2023 unit that finished 32nd in the NFL.

Washington missed tackles, failed to get adequate pressure on Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield, could not force a turnover and allowed four touchdown passes in a 37-20 loss.

Commanders defensive end Clelin Ferrell had the team’s only sack in Week 1. However, others were close. Defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne had Mayfield in their grasp at different times, but he escaped only to make big plays down the field.

With only one sack and Mayfield completing 80% of his passes in Week 1, it would appear that Washington did not apply significant pressure.

That’s not the case, according to Warren Sharp of Sharp Analysis. The Commanders finished second in the NFL in pass rush win rate last week at 67%, behind only the Chicago Bears (71%).

What exactly is pass rush win rate?

Pass rush win rate is a metric created by ESPN that records how often a pass rusher beats his block within 2.5 seconds.

Sometimes, stats don’t always tell the whole story. That was certainly the case for the Commanders last week. It’s encouraging that Washington was winning one-on-one matchups up front, but the failure to finish haunted them throughout the game.

It wasn’t only pass rush win rate where Washington excelled. Sharp had the Commanders finishing fifth in run stop win rate. That’s more in line with the numbers, as Washington held Tampa Bay to 3.7 yards per rush attempt.

There were a lot of questions about Washington’s pass rush coming into the season. How would Dorance Armstrong perform now that he’s in a full-time role? Could Ferrell and Dante Fowler Jr. help as pass rushers? However, the most intriguing player is former linebacker and 2021 first-round pick Jamin Davis.

Davis played limited snaps in Week 1 but made two excellent stops, including beating Pro Bowl tackle Tristan Wirfs to take down a Tampa running back for a six-yard loss. In total, the Commanders had eight tackles for loss, which is encouraging.

Washington hopes that high pass rush win rate turns into more sacks against the New York Giants in Week 2.

Commanders P Tress Way doesn’t have a new number yet

Tress Way has a new number — sort of.

Just before the Washington Commanders opened rookie minicamp last Friday, punter Tress Way released a video revealing he had given his No. 5 jersey to rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.

It was an emotional decision for the Pro Bowl punter and Washington’s longest-tenured player. On Saturday, Daniels expressed gratitude by opening his press conference by thanking Way.

While last weekend was just for the rookie, the entire team reported back to Ashburn this weekend for the opening of Offseason Training Activities (OTAs). That meant Way would need a number.

He had a new number — sort of.

Way jogged onto the field sporting the No. 10 jersey, which second-year wide receiver Kazmeir Allen currently occupies. Way has yet to decide on a permanent number, so the No. 10 was a temporary decision.

Viewing that video, Way looked like a quarterback in that jersey throwing passes.

Way joked about asking defensive end Clelin Ferrell for No. 99 due to all the Chase Young jerseys that will be at FedEx Field in the fall. We aren’t sure if he’s serious, but Way in 99 would be a cool look and would probably sell.

 

Commanders release DE Shaka Toney

Toney was just reinstated last week.

That didn’t take long. Days after the NFL reinstated defensive end Shaka Toney from an indefinite suspension for gambling, the Washington Commanders released him on Monday.

Toney, a seventh-round selection in the 2021 NFL draft from Penn State, played two seasons for the Commanders, appearing in 26 games, finishing with 16 tackles, including two for loss, three quarterback hits and 1.5 sacks.

The 6-foot-2, 240-pound Toney faced long odds at making Washington’s roster in 2024. While the Commanders are without their top four edge rushers from a year ago, new general manager Adam Peters rebuilt the position this offseason, adding veterans Dorance Armstrong, Dante Fowler Jr. and Clelin Ferrell.

Armstrong and Fowler are close with new head coach Dan Quinn, while Ferrell followed Peters and new defensive line coach Darryl Tapp to Washington from San Francisco. The Commanders also re-signed veteran Efe Obada.

Additionally, Washington returns second-year edge defenders K.J. Henry and Andre Jones Jr., both of whom showed potential at times last season.

With nine picks in this week’s 2024 NFL draft, the Commanders are expected to select an edge rusher at some point. Washington hosted multiple edge defenders on top 30 visits.

Commanders new DE Clelin Ferrell: ‘I don’t expect anything’

Clelin Ferrell grew up a Washington fan and fondly recalls some of his memories.

The Commanders have signed an NFL player who grew up a Washington Redskins fan.

Former San Franciso 49ers defensive end Clelin Ferrell, who last week signed a one-year deal with Washington, met with the media on Monday.

Ferrell talked of growing up in Richmond, of attending some training camp days back when the Redskins trained in Richmond.

He also mentioned that he was actually in attendance at the 2012 season Playoff game at FedEx Field between Seattle and Washington. That game took place on January 6, 2013. Consequently, Ferrell was a 15-year-old high school student.

Today, 11 years after that playoff loss to the Seahawks, Ferrell sat before the media, enjoying the fact that he was now, for the first time, a part of the Washington franchise.

“I wanted to be a part of a place where we could really build, and what better place than where I grew up?”

His assistant defensive line coach in San Francisco was Darryl Tapp. Tapp played for the Redskins for one season (2013). When asked if Tapp coming to the Commanders coaching staff influenced his decision to play for Washington, Ferrell responded, “It was major. He is one of the biggest reasons why I am here. Obviously Tapps is homegrown too, he’s from Virginia…He’s someone who can bring the best out of me.”

Ferrell, who played his college ball at Clemson, was selected fourth overall by the Raiders in the 2019 NFL draft. His career has not gone as anticipated for one being drafted so high.

In his four seasons with the Raiders, he started 15 games in his first season, and 11 in his second. Though he played in 16 and 17 games his last two Raiders seasons, he started only a startling 0 and 4 games.

In his one season with the 49ers (2023), he started all 17 games, produced 3.5 sacks, 6 tackles for a loss, and 13 QB hits. These are not what was expected for a fourth-overall selection.

He turns 27 in May, yet there remains the fact that Adam Peters still only offered Ferrell this one-year deal and that Ferrell accepted the offer. In being the fourth overall selection five seasons ago, did he apparently not receive a three-year deal that would have taken him through his age-29 season?

GM Adam Peters, in signing Ferrell to this one-year contract, has provided Ferrell with an incentive to produce. If he produces enough, he will have the opportunity to sign another contract.

When asked what he expects from his role with the Commanders, Ferrell responded, “I don’t expect anything. I think for me the biggest thing is that I am going to earn everything I get. I know we start on April 2…In the end, I want to be somebody who is respected, who earns everything that anyone gives them.”

Commanders agree to terms with 49ers defensive end Clelin Ferrell

More depth to the defensive end room for the Commanders.

The Washington Commanders added more depth to the defensive end rotation Tuesday morning by agreeing to terms with 49ers defensive end Clelin Ferrell.

Ferrell, 26, was the Las Vegas Raiders’ No. 4 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft out of Clemson. He played four seasons with the Raiders, appearing in 58 games with 30 starts and recording 105 tackles, 15 for loss, and 10 sacks.

The Raiders declined Ferrell’s fifth-year option, making him a free agent last offseason. He signed with San Francisco, where he started all 17 games. Ferrell played in a rotation for the 49ers and finished with 28 tackles, including six for loss and 3.5 sacks.

Ferrell is Washington’s seventh expected signing and second defensive end, following Dorance Armstrong (Cowboys). A Richmond native, Ferrell played for Washington defensive line coach Darryl Tapp with the 49ers last season.

He will likely play in a rotation for Washington. Ferrell and Armstrong join second-year defensive ends K.J. Henry and Andre Jones Jr. as the defensive ends on the Commanders’ roster.

Washington will still likely search for a high-upside edge rusher in next month’s 2024 NFL draft.