Tag: John Bates

Steelers linebacker responds to ‘dirty’ accusation from Commanders TE John Bates

Steelers LB Patrick Queen responds to Commanders TE John Bates.

If you blinked, you probably would’ve missed it. During Sunday’s back-and-forth battle between the Commanders and Steelers, Washington tight end John Bates and Pittsburgh linebacker John Bates were called for offsetting penalties after a play. The TV copy didn’t show exactly what happened, but Bates spoke about it later.

“Like I said, I was just playing through the whistle, it’s just the way I play,”Bates said of his confrontation with Queen. “I mean, if you go back and watch the film, in my opinion, it was him probably trying to do something dirty to me. Things happened, and it is what it is.”

Thanks to Sam Fortier of The Washington Post, we have a full picture of the incident Bates refers to from Sunday’s game, and he had every reason to be angry.

It’s no wonder Bates was angry. Queen’s shot was dirty, and he could’ve broken Bates’ arm on an unnecessary play.

Bates is popular with coaches and teammates in Washington’s locker room because he does the dirty work and is an unselfish player.

Speaking of dirty, Queen, like so many athletes do in this day and age, apparently vanity searched his name on X and responded.

No, Pat, he was doing his job and got the best of you, so you took him down and tried to injure him. There’s quite a difference.

Of course, Steelers’ fans defended Queen — whom they hated for years prior to March — on social media, blaming Bates.

By the picture’s appearance in this story, Bates won this battle. Unfortunately for the Commanders, the Steelers squeaked by with a 28-27 victory.

 

Fantasy football outlook: Washington Commanders tight ends

Will youth upside or veteran steadiness win out in Washington?

There’s an NFL adage that a tight end is a young quarterback’s best friend. They can serve not only as a protector in blocking but run shorter routes and settle in soft spots in zones to create an easy receiving target.

The Washington Commanders are starting a new era with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and made a pair of tight end moves to give him a position upgrade, signing free agent Zach Ertz and drafting Ben Sinnott in the second round.

Which Commanders did Dan Quinn praise from the team’s first day in pads?

Quinn singled out a few players from the first day in pads.

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn spoke to the media ahead of Monday’s practice and was asked what he was looking for from the team’s first day in pads.

“Well, I think really the line of scrimmage is where the emphasis is,” Quinn said Monday. “One, I wanna make sure we’re doing it correctly. Our leverage of how we’re entering into a block or taking on a block, the pass rush. So, you hear, you know, coaches and others say about pad level, and so you can get into some bad habits and lose leverage if you’re not using your shoulders and your body to be in those spots.”

Quinn again met with the media on Tuesday for his daily press briefing. What players stood out from the first day in pads?

Offensively, it was fourth-year tight end John Bates. Quinn was impressed with Bates’ blocking.

“John Bates, just from a blocking standpoint, the physicality, what I think he can do and how he did it, I thought for the first day made some real strides,” Quinn said.

Here’s Quinn coaching up Bates during Tuesday’s practice.

Defensively, two players who stood out were defensive end Dorance Armstrong and defensive tackle Jonathan Allen.

Quinn praised Allen and how he uses his hands and offered this on the eighth-year pro:

“(ESPN’s) John (Keim), you’ve probably heard this: Player in shorts, he looks good, well, good news, Jon Allen, he looks better in pads,” Quinn said.

Quinn also praised rookie cornerback Mike Sainristil and wide receiver Kazmeir Allen in the return game and second-year safety Quan Martin for his tackling ability.

 

Commanders are better at tight end but don’t forget Armani Rogers

The Commanders have some new faces, but don’t forget about Armani Rogers.

When discussing Washington’s rebuilt tight end room, much of the discussion centers around veteran Zach Ertz and second-round pick Ben Sinnott. John Bates enters his fourth NFL season in 2024 but is used mainly for his outstanding blocking.

Next is Cole Turner and Armani Rogers, both of whom are entering their third NFL season.

Did you forget about Rogers? At this time last offseason, the Commanders got the difficult news that Rogers tore his Achilles and was lost for the season. It was tough news because Rogers received rave reviews for his work at tight end after playing quarterback in college.

The 6-foot-5, 225-pound Rogers made Washington’s roster as an undrafted free agent in 2022. When he received opportunities, he flashed his elite physical talent.

Don’t you think Kliff Kingsbury can find a way to use this type of athleticism?

Rogers, of course, must win a spot on Washington’s roster. Ertz and Sinnott are locks, while Bates’ blocking should give him a leg up. The Commanders will choose between Turner and Rogers for the fourth tight end. Sure, Washington may not keep four tight ends, but Kingsbury plans to use plenty of 12 personnel, so you’d think the Commanders would keep four tight ends.

Zach Selby of commanders.com observed the following regarding Rogers during Wednesday’s minicamp action.

Armani Rogers spent the past year recovering from a season-ending injury, but he’s fully healthy now and ready to prove that he deserves a roster spot with the new regime. He made an impressive catch at the start of 11-on-11 drills fighting through some contact to haul in a grab near the middle of the field.

The coaches who signed Rogers are no longer here. General manager Adam Peters is looking for talent, though. Rogers has the talent, and he seems to have taken quickly to the tight end position. This should be a fun battle to watch this summer.

 

How bad were the Commanders in the first half vs the Jets?

Sam Howell was bad on Sunday, but in that first half, the entire team looked ridiculously bad.

Sunday, the Commanders coaches again pulled Sam Howell, but this game stands out in seeing just how bad Howell was against the Jets.

Howell was horrible, yes. But you should not simplistically think as bad as he was; it was all on him. In fact, you might be surprised to be reminded how bad the Commanders’ team was in the first half, Sunday.

On his first play, Howell hit Curtis Samuel right in the hands for what could have been a first down, but Samuel dropped it. On his second play of the game, Howell hit Logan Thomas in the hands, and the pass was then intercepted. Don’t you think that shakes up a young quarterback on the road in New York?

Tight end John Bates decided he would also contribute a dropped pass, so in the first quarter, Washington receivers dropped three passes on Howell. Isn’t it time we are as equally hard on the receivers for all of their dropped passes this season? Howell had a tough game, but it is true: the three drops in the first quarter were huge as well.

In addition, what was Terrell Burgess thinking on the Tress Way blocked punt? Five offensive plays, and Washington was down 10-0.

Early in the second quarter, Howell was about to start a possession in Jets territory because Jamison Crowder was returning a punt 24 yards, which he then mysteriously, with no contact, fumbled right back to the Jets. So much for that possession opportunity for Howell.

After a Casey Toohill fumble recovery, Chris Rodriguez scored to narrow the Jets lead to 20-7. The Commanders then put together an excellent defensive series, and the Jets were three out. Then, with the Jets in punt formation, Tariq Castro-Fields jumped offsides for some inexplicable reason.

The penalty provided the Jets a first down at their own 41, and they proceeded to drive the rest of the 59 yards for a touchdown, extending their lead to 27-7.

Yes, Sam Howell was bad Sunday. It was his worst game of the season, and the Commanders also contributed in various ways toward the worst first half of the season.

 

Commanders TE John Bates could see an increased role in 2023

John Bates will be an important part of Washington’s offense this season.

Washington Commanders tight end John Bates didn’t have the best preseason debut in last week’s win over the Cleveland Browns.

As Washington’s starting tight end, quarterback Sam Howell found a wide-open Bates across the middle for a significant gain. Bates dropped it. While the play has no bearing on where Bates stands on Washington’s roster, it wasn’t what Bates or the Commanders wanted in the first preseason game.

Entering his third NFL season, Bates could be in line for a career year. Bates is behind veteran Logan Thomas on the depth chart, but new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy will use multiple tight ends. And he loves involving the tight ends in the passing game. With Thomas still nursing a calf injury, Bates will have the opportunity to step up.

In his first two seasons, Bates has played in 33 out of a possible 34 games and made 15 starts. He has 34 career receptions for 357 yards with two touchdowns.

Could Bates eclipse his career numbers in 2023?

Bates had a starring role in Washington’s joint practices with the Ravens this week.

After Wednesday’s practice, Rivera was questioned about which tight ends have stood out. He quickly mentioned Bates.

“I’ll tell you right now, I’ve been very pleased with what I’ve seen from John Bates,” Rivera said. “I thought he blocked extremely well. And then, as a guy coming out late after chipping or blocking, he presents a really nice target, made a couple of big catches today. That really kind of showed the kind of check down he can be for the quarterbacks.”

Bates is the type of player who will have a long NFL career because he is a traditional tight end. Many of today’s tight ends are glorified wide receivers. Not Bates. So, while Bates isn’t an explosive tight end, he has excellent hands and has found ways to get open in the passing game.

We’ll leave you with this one from Bates.

Ranking the tight ends on the Eagles’ 2023 schedule by PFF grade

We are ranking the tight ends the Philadelphia Eagles will face on their 2023 schedule by PFF grade

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The Eagles have a loaded 2023 schedule and face 7+ playoff teams as they work towards making the postseason every season in each season, Nick Sirianni has been head coach.

Philadelphia will face some high-powered offenses with MVP candidates at quarterback and elite talent at the wide receiver position.

The Birds will face Travis Kelce, George Kittle, T.J. Hockenson,Dawson Knox, Darren Waller, Zach Ertz and other talented pass catchers.

With training camp fast approaching, we’re ranking the tight ends on the schedule by PFF grades.

The tight end are listed below in order of their PFF grades and finish among all players at the position listed.

 

Ron Rivera has high hopes for the Commanders tight ends in 2023

There is excitement around the unit as a whole from Logan Thomas’ health to Cole Turner’s potential.

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It wasn’t long ago that the Washington Commanders were paying more for tight ends than any team in the NFL. That was when Washington had Jordan Reed and Vernon Davis on the roster. Washington received a total of four games played from Reed and Davis in 2019, and it was clear a reset was in order for the position in 2020.

Under new head coach Ron Rivera, Washington signed former college quarterback Logan Thomas in free agency. Thomas would catch 72 passes and six touchdowns in 2020, earning a three-year extension. Unfortunately, Thomas battled injuries in 2021, and while he played in 14 games in 2022, he was never all the way back from the knee injury he suffered in Dec. 2021.

So, over the last few offseasons, the Commanders have continued to add young talent to the position, beginning with fourth-round pick John Bates in 2021. In 2022, Washington drafted Cole Turner and signed undrafted free agents Curtis Hodges and another former college QB, Armani Rogers.

Unfortunately, Rogers injured his Achilles on Day 1 of OTAs last month, ending his 2023 season before it began.

With Rogers not an option for 2023, how does Rivera feel about his tight end room?

It starts with Thomas.

The guy that’s back, and you’re real happy to see him back, obviously, is Logan,” Rivera said. “He’s really showing us that some of the things that they did in Kansas City we’re gonna be able to do with him and the other guys.”

The Kansas City mention is Rivera referencing new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy’s offense. Bieniemy spent 10 seasons with the Chiefs, the last five as offensive coordinator. While the Commanders do not have a Travis Kelce on their roster — no one does — the position is important in Bieniemy’s offense.

Turner is the young tight end that has everyone talking. The 2022 fifth-round pick was terrific last summer in training camp before injuring his hamstring. Turner never seemed to get back healthy for the remainder of his rookie season as he also dealt with a concussion.

The early returns from Turner are encouraging this offseason.

“You look at what you’re getting from Cole,” Rivera said. “You look at some of the dynamic things he’s doing. Showing that’s pretty much the same thing we saw last year until, like you said, he got dinged up a little bit.”

If Turner can stay healthy, there is excitement about him in 2023.

Bates has a specific role. He is an excellent blocker and a competent receiver. His blocking will keep him in the lineup.

“You look at John [Bates], and you say, wow, this, that guy’s really grown,” Rivera said. “I mean, you know, his role for us is gonna be a little bit different than it’s been traditionally.”

An increased role for Bates?

Don’t forget about Hodges, either.

“Curtis Hodges is a guy that’s really stepped up,” the head coach said.
“We were able to put him on injured reserve and then never got a chance to get him off of it. At the end, we designated him for return, and we obviously ran out of time with him, but we got to see some of the things that we wanted to, and we’re seeing it again. And, that’s cause for optimism.”

The Commanders will likely carry four tight ends and keep three active on gameday. Hodges is the likely odd man out if all four are healthy, but it’s clear Washington is happy with all four players.

You should expect the position to be a focal point in Washington’s offense for the 2023 season.

Eric Bieniemy seems happy with the Commanders’ tight end group

Eric Bieniemy likes Washington’s tight ends from top to bottom.

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The 2023 NFL draft class had unprecedented depth at tight end. Quality players could be found throughout all seven rounds of the draft. Yet, the Washington Commanders did not choose one tight end.

That shouldn’t have come as a surprise. Remember how head coach Ron Rivera praised the group ahead of the draft? He believed Logan Thomas was finally fully healthy this offseason and loved the young players behind Thomas [John Bates, Armani Rogers, Cole Turner and Curtis Hodges].

Unfortunately, Rogers injured his Achilles on the first day of OTAs two weeks ago and was lost for the season.

Coaches and players were excited about Rogers, the former college quarterback, who flashed in limited opportunities as a rookie last season. However, he’s not the only second-year tight end with potential. Cole Turner, a fifth-round selection in 2022, had everyone talking last summer before a hamstring injury killed his momentum.

Early through the OTAs, Turner is turning heads again, leaving Washington optimistic about the tight end position in 2023.

With new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, tight end is an important position in his offense. In speaking to the press last week, Bieniemy acknowledged as much while also letting everyone know he liked the current group.

“You know what the tight end room is doing a heck of a job,” Bieniemy said. “Coach Todd Storm has done a hell of a job with those guys. I mean, Logan [Thomas], [John] Bates, Cole [Turner], Curtis [Hodges]. Those guys are doing a heck of a job. In fact, those guys have stood out for all the right reasons.”

While Bieniemy comes across as overly positive in his assessment of the room, he isn’t shy about getting after his players for not producing on the field. So if he says he’s happy with the current group, it’s worth noting.

“Obviously, in this offense, it’s always been a tight end-friendly offense,” Bieniemy said. “Those guys, they show up, they’re making plays, and the quarterbacks have been doing a great job of locating them in the passing game. So far, so good. Like I said, these guys are hardworking, got a lot of veterans in that group. I think from top down, the depth is pretty good, and I’m just proud of where we are at this particular point in time.”

Bieniemy is assuming full health, obviously. Losing Rogers was a difficult blow. Washington would have likely carried four tight ends if Rogers was healthy with him, Thomas, Bates and Turner as the four.

If Thomas can return to full health and Turner emerges as a solid threat, Bieniemy will be proven right in his assessment to remain patient at the position in the offseason.

Commanders TE Armani Rogers suffers Achilles injury Tuesday

Tough news for the Commanders.

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The Washington Commanders opened OTAs Tuesday with mostly positive reviews, focusing on quarterback Sam Howell and the offense.

Head coach Ron Rivera met with the media Wednesday morning and informed the media that second-year tight end Armani Rogers suffered a non-contact Achilles injury Tuesday.

Rivera said he would be evaluated further next week, and there was no timetable for his return.

“It’s unfortunate,” Ron Rivera said, per John Keim of ESPN. “The young man progressed well for us last year. We feel confident in the group of tight ends.”

Rogers, a 6-foot-5, 225-pound former college quarterback, impressed as an undrafted free agent last offseason, forcing his way onto the final roster with a strong offseason. Rogers was slated for a more significant role in new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy’s offense.

Rogers is one of three second-year tight ends on Washington’s roster, along with Cole Turner and Curtis Hodges. All three dealt with an injury last season. With Logan Thomas and John Bates atop the depth chart at tight end, the Commanders will be looking for one of the young tight ends to step up this offseason. Turner was a fifth-round selection in 2022 and was impressive early in training camp before being sidelined with a hamstring injury.

We’ll have more on Rogers next week.