Tag: Darryl Tapp

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.

New Commanders’ D-Line coach Darryl Tapp ready to work with Daron Payne, Jonathan Allen

Tapp is ready to help Payne and Allen return to form in 2024.

Darryl Tapp played 12 seasons in the NFL after an All-American career at Virginia Tech. Now, Tapp is coming home.

Tapp, a Chesapeake, Virginia native, was hired last week as the Washington Commanders’ new defensive line coach under Dan Quinn. Tapp, who grew up rooting for the then-Redskins, played for Washington in 2013 under Mike Shanahan.

Tapp began his coaching career in 2018, one year after his playing career ended, at Central Michigan. He quickly moved up the ranks, going to Vanderbilt in 2019, before returning to his alma mater in 2020 as Virginia Tech’s co-defensive line coach.

However, in 2021, Tapp received the opportunity of a lifetime to head to the 49ers as Kyle Shanahan’s assistant defensive line coach.

As a part of Quinn’s much heralded coaching staff that perfectly blends youth and experience, Tapp is charged with leading Washington’s defensive line room. In doing so, he has the opportunity to coach arguably the NFL’s top defensive tackle duo, Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen.

That opportunity is not lost on Tapp.

“It’s exciting to be around them. I’ve always been an admirer of the game that those guys put on film, like true animals out there,” Tapp said this week on “Grant and Danny” of 106.7 The Fan, courtesy of Lou DiPietro of Audacy.

“We’re going to do our best — me, Dan (Quinn), (defensive coordinator) Joe Whitt, and my assistant (assistant DL coach) Sharrif Floyd — to put those guys in the best position to make plays. Whatever vision of a player that they want to be that’s in their head, we’ll do our very best to help them meet that vision. That’s where our mindset is, and that’s what we’re trying to get accomplished.”

This is not only an opportunity for Tapp but also for Payne, Allen and some of Washington’s young defensive linemen. The 2023 season was a down one for Payne and Allen, but they remain a centerpiece for Washington’s defense, something Quinn has mentioned in more than one of his interviews since landing the job.

 

5 things to know about new Commanders defensive line coach Darryl Tapp

Getting to know Darryl Tapp.

The Washington Commanders finalized their coaching staff on Wednesday with three more hires: defensive backs coach Tom Donatell, running backs coach/run game coordinator Anthony Lynn and defensive line coach Darryl Tapp.

Lynn grabbed the headlines as a former head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers and a respected longtime NFL coach. However, Tapp, 39, was another big hire for the Commanders. An up-and-comer, Tapp spent the past three seasons with the 49ers as an assistant defensive line coach.

Now, with Washington, Tapp gets a chance to lead the room.

Here are five things to know about the Commanders’ new defensive line coach.

Commanders’ Dan Quinn promised people wanted to come to Washington

Dan Quinn said people want to be in Washington. He’s right.

Dan Quinn wasn’t kidding.

With new coaching staff hires on Wednesday, it reveals Quinn wasn’t exaggerating when last week he promised, “There are people that really want to be here.”

Quinn said in his introductory press conference he learned a lot from his head coaching experience in Atlanta and that if he could get one more shot at an NFL head coach position, he would make the most of what he learned.

Consequently, in this last week, Quinn has retained Ryan Kerrigan, Tavita Pritchard, and Bobby Engram from the staff of the 2023 Commanders. Also added to Quinn’s staff in the last week have been Brian Johnson (offensive pass-game coordinator), Jason Simmons (defensive pass-game coordinator), Larry Izzo (special teams), Bobby Johnson (offensive line), John Pagano (senior defensive assistant), Ken Norton Jr., (linebackers), David Raih (tight ends), Sharrif Floyd (assistant defensive line), Tom Donatell (defensive backs), Darryl Tapp (defensive line), and Anthony Lynn (running backs/offensive run-game coordinator).

Lynn has head coaching experience (Chargers) as does Kliff Kingsbury (Cardinals). Lynn played for and coached under Mike Shanahan and, most recently, was on Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers staff.

Simmons, 47, played defensive back in the NFL for a decade and has coached DBs with the Packers, Panthers, and Raiders.

Donatell played defensive back at Iowa and has served on Pete Carroll’s staff with the Seahawks, worked with Norton for three seasons, and most recently served on Brandon Staley’s staff with the Chargers.

Johnson (Brian) most recently was the Eagles OC employing an innovative run-pass option offense led by Jalen Hurts. Previously, he worked on the Dan Mullen staff at Mississippi State (Dak Prescott) and then Florida (Kyle Trask).

Johnson (Bobby) had the misfortune of the Giants offensive line spending more time in rehab than on the field, thus giving up the most sacks in the NFL. But the previous season, the Giants made the playoffs and won a playoff road game, utilizing an effective running game with Saquon Barkley and Daniel Jones.

Do you notice a trend? Both Johnsons have worked with systems utilizing a running quarterback. All three of the top quarterback draft prospects, Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye, are dual-threat quarterbacks. Come to think of it, so is Sam Howell.

Add to that, Lynn comes from the 49ers rushing attack as the running backs coach. Don’t make the mistake of thinking Kingsbury will only be throwing the ball in 2024. He is surrounding himself with people who know how to creatively run the ball in their schemes.

This coaching staff is loaded with experience, knowledge and talent.

All of them will not be able to be powerful and the smartest man in the room. It will be up to them to lay aside their egos and accept their assigned roles on Quinn’s staff.

But compared to the Ron Rivera staff of the last four seasons, couldn’t Quinn’s team be a much better-coached team?

Isn’t it fun thinking about how much better this franchise is already trending upward?

Twitter reacts to Commanders’ coaching staff hires

The reactions are mostly all positives for the Commanders’ new coaching staff — and assistant GM hire.

Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris said one of new coach Dan Quinn’s strengths was his ability to bring elite people with him to Washington.

In two weeks on the job for the Commanders, Quinn has put together an impressive coaching staff consisting of two former head coaches (Kliff Kingsbury & Anthony Lynn) and four former coordinators (John Pagano, Ken Norton Jr., Brian Johnson & Larry Izzo), along with other respected coaches from around the NFL.

Quinn’s staff features a good mix of young and veteran coaches. Except for Washington’s hiring of offensive line coach Bobby Johnson — formerly of the Giants — the fan base has been excited about most of the hires.

Washington’s staff has been widely praised across the NFL, too.

On Wednesday, the Commanders hired Lynn, Darryl Tapp, and Tom Donatell. New GM Adam Peters also hired Lance Newmark away from the Detroit Lions as his assistant GM. Fans were having a good time with the moves.

It’s indeed a new day in Washington.

Here are some of the best reactions across X — formerly Twitter — regarding the Commanders’ new hires.

 

Commanders hire Darryl Tapp as defensive line coach

The Commanders hire Darryl Tapp away from the 49ers as defensive line coach.

The Washington Commanders made another impressive hire for new head coach Dan Quinn’s coaching staff on Wednesday. After hiring Anthony Lynn away from the San Francisco 49ers, Washington returned to San Francisco, hiring its assistant defensive line coach, Darryl Tapp, as the Commanders’ new defensive line coach.

Tapp, 39, had a Hall of Fame college career at Virginia Tech before entering the NFL as a second-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks in 2006. He would enjoy a 12-year NFL career, including a stop with Washington in 2013. He last played in 2017 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

He quickly began his coaching career in 2018 as a defensive quality control coach at Central Michigan. In 2019, Tapp moved to Vanderbilt and was the quality control/special teams coach before returning to Virginia Tech in 2020 as the co-defensive line coach.

Tapp’s coaching ascent continued in 2021 when he joined the 49ers as an assistant defensive line coach. He served under then-defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans (his former teammate with the Eagles) and respected defensive line coach Kris Kocurek.

The Commanders’ coaching staff is nearly complete. Washington had two positions open on the defensive staff Wednesday before hiring Tom Donatell as defensive backs coach and Tapp as defensive line coach. Earlier this week, the Commanders hired Ken Norton Jr. as linebackers coach.

Washington also hired Sharrif Floyd as assistant defensive line coach and franchise legend Ryan Kerrigan returns as a pass rush specialist/assistant linebackers coach.