Tag: Dante Fowler Jr

Commanders’ Quinn expects more from the D-Line vs. Cardinals

The head coach expects more from his DL vs. Cardinals.

Though the Commanders’ offense is now rolling, the defense has been extremely disappointing through the first three games this season.

The defense has surrendered the second-highest yards per play in the NFL (6.6). Three teams have produced only one takeaway, and the Commanders are one of them. Only the Colts have given up more first downs (71) to Washington’s 70.

In scoring percentage defense, the Commanders are so bad that they are dead last in the NFL, permitting a score on 69 percent of the opponents’ possessions. How bad is it? Well, the Rams are second at 55 percent and the Jaguars third at 53 percent.

So, on Friday, a member of the press asked Dan Quinn, “What are you looking to see from the defensive line this week?”

“Number one, I have a lot of respect for (RB) James Connor,” opened Quinn. “He’s a factor. They have a good run game and the play passes that go off of it. So, being stout, being physical up front, that is going to be a key. Then finding ways on third down to making our presence felt, to when can get the individual rushes to go.”

Playing a mobile quarterback like Kyler (Murray) presents its own challenges. So, having the discipline from them to do that, will be front and center for us.”

Daron Payne, Jonathan Allen, Clelin Ferrell, Dorance Armstrong, and Dante Fowler have all really struggled. The Commanders need healthy substitutions from Johnny Newton, Phidarian Mathis, and Javontae Jean-Baptiste.

As Quinn was succinct and direct in his response, so too must the Commanders be direct in responding. Otherwise, Kyler Murray, James Conner, and the Cardinals’ offense will make Commanders Nation miserable on Sunday.

What stood out the most for Quinn in Commanders’ upset win?

What impressed Dan Quinn the most from Washington’s win?

Dan Quinn noticed something very early in Monday’s game against Cincinnati that he really liked.

The Bengals came out swinging, only needing six plays to go 71 yards on their first possession for a quick 7-0 lead.

“Early on, going for it on 4th down to extend our first drive, to go down and get points,” Quinn said, something that he thought was important Monday. “Cincinnati came down and scored right away. For us to come back and go right down and get points was like, ‘Hey man, we are about this fight today too.'”

Quinn said the execution and scoring on the Commanders first possession was saying, “We are here to bring it as well. And we’re going to be aggressive and take our chances when they come up. So, I’d say the way that the guys got ready, assuming there was going to be some third and fourth downs that we had to go nail. That would be one for me right off the get-go.”

Indeed, the Commanders were successful on five of nine third downs, and even more significantly, they were successful all three times they went for it on the fourth down.

The Bengals went up and down the field all night on Washington. They did not have to punt either, like the Commanders. Cincinnati outrushed Washington 124-108 and outgained them in passing, too, 312-248.

On the defensive side, perhaps the difference in the game was that the Bengals outgained the Commanders 7.3-6.2 in yards per play. Twice, the Commanders’ defense inside the red zone forced the Bengals to kick field goals. Instead of a possible 14 points, the Bengals came away with only 6 points.

Thus, the Commanders came away with their second win of 2024.

Rookie DT Johnny Newton: To be with Commanders is like a dream come true

The rookie defensive tackle has long admired new teammates Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne.

Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton is living his dream.

Bryan Colbert Jr. hosted another episode of “Raising Hail with the Rookies,” and Newton was his guest.

Newton was chosen No. 36 overall by the Commanders in April’s NFL draft. The former Illinois defensive tackle had been expected by nearly every analyst to be chosen in the first round. However, he fell to the Commanders at the fourth selection of round two.

“Kids dream about this. I still feel like a kid, you know,” began Newton. Arriving for his rookie minicamp and seeing guys with their uniforms, Newton said to himself, “It’s actually real. I’ve been playing football since I was five. So to be here is actually like a dream come true.”

How about on draft night, when Commanders GM Adam Peters called Newton? “I was trying to keep my composure…I was projected for Day One, so I was waiting for that call. I didn’t get upset about it, but it gave me that chip on my shoulder.”

Newton says that when he hung up with Peters, he told his family that he was going to be chosen by the Commanders, hugged his mom, and instantly broke down crying.

The rookie defensive tackle credits both his parents for being supportive of him in his football and basketball growing up. He talked of how he has no hard feelings about not being drafted in the first round, and he understands it is a business. “But I know there wasn’t 32 people better than me. But there is a plan for everything; it was already written. Now I just got to execute it and play to my God-given ability.”

When he was in middle school and began playing defensive line, he remembers Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne, both at Alabama. He also recalls Dante Fowler playing for the Florida Gators. Now, Johnny has become their teammate.

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.

Formern Commanders DE James Smith-Williams signs with Falcons

Smith-Williams’ departure makes it official. The book on the 2020 NFL draft is closed in Washington.

In the latest free agent signings, James Smith-Williams has departed the Commanders to join the Falcons on a one-year deal.

Drafted in the seventh round (No. 229) in the 2020 draft by Washington, the former North Carolina State Wolfpack defensive end played four seasons for the Burgundy and Gold.

When Chase Young went down in 2021 with a season-ending knee injury, Smith-Williams noticeably improved the Commanders defense for the remainder of the season. His defense against the run proved to be a contributing factor to the team winning four consecutive games when he entered the lineup.

He started the last six games of that 2021 season, recording 30 tackles (11 solo, 19 assisted), including four for a loss, 2.5 quarterback sacks, and five additional QB hits.

Smith-Williams started 14 games in the 2022 season, contributing 23 tackles (12 solo, 11 assisted), including five tackles for a loss, three QB sacks and 16 QB hits.

In his final season (2023) in Washington, injuries limited him to 13 games (7 starts), 22 tackles (11 solo, 11 assists), two tackles for a loss, one quarterback sack, and eight quarterback hits.

Here are highlights from his last two Washington seasons.

When the 2024  free agent signing period launched in March, the Commanders new administration determined to sign Dorance Armstrong Jr. and Dante Fowler Jr. both defensive ends who had played for new head coach Dan Quinn in Dallas.

Then, the Commanders signed Clelin Ferrell, a former 49ers defensive end, whom new GM Adam Peters knew from his time as the assistant general manager in San Francisco.

The Commanders had also determined, this offseason, to re-sign Efe Obada over Smith-Williams. Obada has played both inside and outside on passing downs, accumulating 15 career sacks in his 74 NFL games played.

A couple of things are noteworthy. New Falcons free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins has the same agent as Smith-Williams (Priority Sports & Entertainment), and current Falcons assistant general manager Kyle Smith was with Washington and ran the draft board during the 2020 draft, Ron Rivera’s first with Washington.

Commanders plan to sign Cowboys defensive end Dorance Armstrong

Dorance Armstrong has 16 sacks over the past two seasons.

Just over one hour into Monday’s legal tampering period, the Washington Commanders are on the board. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the Commanders plan to sign former Dallas Cowboys defensive end Dorance Armstrong.

Armstrong reunites with Commanders head coach Dan Quinn, his defensive coordinator with the Cowboys for the past three seasons. Also, former Cowboys secondary coach Joe Whitt Jr. is now Washington’s defensive coordinator.

The 6-foot-4, 255-pound Armstrong was a fourth-round pick in the 2018 NFL draft out of Kansas. Armstrong, entering his seventh season in 2024, will not turn 27 until June. In 77 career games with 24 starts, Armstrong has 23.5 sacks. However, his production has ramped up under Quinn’s tutelage, combining for 21 sacks over the past three seasons in a part-time pass-rushing role.

Landing an edge rusher or two is a priority for Washington in free agency. Another former Cowboys’ pass rusher, Dante Fowler Jr., could also follow Quinn to Washington. Quinn coached Fowler at the University of Florida and with the Falcons and Cowboys.

Armstrong is expected to sign with the Commanders on Wednesday when the new NFL league year opens.

 

The Commanders are ‘expected to be active’ in the edge rusher market

The Commanders need pass rushers and they should be very active in that market.

At this point one year ago, the Washington Commanders had just paid defensive tackle Daron Payne. That meant Washington had locked up defensive tackles Payne and Jonathan Allen into long-term deals.

Presumably, next up were defensive ends Montez Sweat and Chase Young.

Things didn’t go as predicted, and Washington ended up trading both of its star defensive ends at the NFL trade deadline in October. The Commanders’ previous staff always wanted to lock up Sweat, but when the Chicago Bears offered what ended up being the No. 40 overall pick, it was too good of an offer to turn down.

Washington shipped Young to the 49ers for a pick at the end of the third round.

Now, the Commanders need help at edge rusher.

The good news for Washington is that it has plenty of cap room. According to Over the Cap, the Commanders have around $80 million in effective salary cap space.

While general manager Adam Peters has made it clear Washington will build through the draft, the Commanders have many needs and money to spend. According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler, the Commanders are “expected to be active in the edge rusher market.”

Graziano specifically mentions the Seahawks and Colts, along with Washington, as the three teams to watch. However, every NFL team is always looking for a pass rush. Danielle Hunter of the Minnesota Vikings is the top edge rusher, but don’t expect Washington to be in the mix for him.

Players to watch for the Commanders are Jonathan Greenard (Texans), Dorance Armstrong (Cowboys), Bryce Huff (Jets) and Dante Fowler Jr. (Cowboys). It wouldn’t be a shock if head coach Dan Quinn brings both of his former proteges from Dallas with him to Washington.

Peters and Quinn will be looking for the right fit for the Commanders, not necessarily the top of the market. That doesn’t just go for edge rushers, but other positions, too.

Could Dan Quinn bring any free-agent Cowboys’ defenders to the Commanders?

Which Cowboys could Dan Quinn target in free agency?

Lots of cap space, a new head coach and a new general manager. Might this lead Dan Quinn to try to bring some Dallas Cowboys to the Commanders?

According to Spotrac.com, the Cowboys will have 14 free agents this offseason. It is not out of the realm of possibility to think there might be a couple of defensive players who, because they enjoyed playing for Quinn in Dallas, might like a change of scenery to again play under Quinn and, of course, obtain a pay increase.

Of those 14 Cowboy free agents, eight were on Quinn’s defense: CB Stephon Gilmore, DE Dorance Armstrong, SS Jayron Kearse, CB Jourdan Lewis, DE Dante Fowler, Jr, CB Noah Igbinoghene, DT Johnathan Hankins, DT Neville Gallimore.

The first name in the list that jumps out at me as a possibility is Fowler. His average annual value was only around $3M, he is age 29, and still displays an explosion on the edge to rush the passer. Fowler and Quinn were also together briefly at the University of Florida. In a rotational role (no starts) in 2023, Fowler contributed 4.0 sacks, 5 TFL and 7 QB hits.

Gilmore, who makes $10M and is now 33, may not be what GM Adam Peters has in mind when it comes to rebuilding the Commanders’ roster.

The other name that sparks interest to me is Armstrong. He is another DE who is younger (age 26), and he would also cost more money. His AAV was $6M, and at 6-4, 255, he is lean and can run down a quarterback. In 2023, Armstrong only made one start, yet he did contribute 7.5 sacks, 7 TFL, and 12 QB hits.

Remember Quinn’s introductory press conference last week? He pointed out that the Commanders are strong at defensive tackle. He certainly realizes they are going to need to probably sign an edge rusher and draft one as well.

The Commanders moved on from defensive ends Montez Sweat and Chase Young during the 2023 regular season, trading them to the Bears and 49ers respectively.

Falcons Week 7 injury report: Dante Fowler out again

Falcons linebacker Dante Fowler was held out of practice on Thursday, while safety Jaylinn Hawkins returned.

The Atlanta Falcons (2-3) are favored by 2.5 points for this Sunday’s matchup against the Miami Dolphins (1-5) at Hard Rock Stadium. Both teams currently sit at the bottom of their respective divisions, but the Falcons are much healthier entering Week 7.

On Thursday, Atlanta was without linebacker Dante Fowler for a second consecutive day. Here’s a look at the team’s latest injury report.

 

Dante Fowler on taking paycut: ‘I have something to prove’

“I have something to prove regardless, said Fowler. “You know, I was hurt last year. It is what it is.”

The Falcons were one of a few teams who were in the red financially prior to the league year beginning in March. In order to alleviate cap stress, Atlanta was forced to release and restructure a handful of players. Dante Fowler found himself on the restructure end.

Fowler’s $18.5 million cap hit was among the highest on the team. In a press conference on Monday, Fowler discussed why he sought a restructure to dampen his high cap hit.

“The situation was basically me understanding what happened last year and stuff like that. And showing that I want to be here for a good amount of time,” stated Fowler on Monday morning after the Falcons practice. “I feel like under the circumstances that we were in, I felt like I could do my part to help the team get better in any type of way… Yes, it’s a tough decision.”

Fowler joined the Falcons in 2020 after posting career numbers in 2019 with the Rams. However, his impact in Atlanta was minimal, amassing 10 total tackles through 14 games. This also comes with a missed tackle percentage of 31.9 percent as he missed seven tackles in those 14 games.

Fowler’s cap number in 2021 is only $10.7 million and the restructured deal brought on an added voidable year for the 2022 season. Meaning, after this season, Fowler can hit the market as a free agent.

When asked if this meant he has something to prove coming into the 2021 season, Fowler stated he is ready to put 2020 behind him.

“I have something to prove regardless. You know, I was hurt last year. It is what it is. I’m ready to make a statement and show you guys that last year was last year and put that behind us.”

After Raheem Morris stated honestly that Fowler was just not good enough last season, Fowler fought back and added that he was playing despite suffering an unknown injury in training camp.

“But they won’t tell y’all I been hurt since training camp and sacrificed my body basically playing on one leg for 15 weeks, SMH,” stated Fowler in a since deleted quote tweet of Morris’ comments.

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