Tag: John Bates

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.

The top 5 Washington draft choices for Ron Rivera

We look back at Ron Rivera’s top five draft choices thus far, beginning with No. 5.

Head coach Ron Rivera is now heading toward his fourth NFL season as the Commander-in-chief of the NFL’s Washington franchise.

The 2023 NFL draft only a couple of weeks behind us, leaves the question, who have been the top five draft choices for Rivera in the coach-centric leadership role he possesses here in Washington?

This week (Monday-Friday) Commanders Wire will reveal in ascending order the top-five draft choices Ron Rivera has made in his three earlier drafts. Consequently, none of the 2023 NFL draft will be eligible for this list, seeing they have yet to play in the NFL.

Of course, the very nature of such a question lends itself to subjectivity at least to some degree. I have attempted to remain as objective as possible. Though, I certainly agree with all of us there are at times a blurring of the distinction between objectivity and subjectivity.

Further, initially keep in mind that it is still much too early to know what Jahan Dotson, Phidarian Mathis, Percy Butler and Sam Howell are going to provide from the 2022 class.

Honorable Mention:

Chase Young also does not make our top five on the list because of virtually no productivity from the 2021 and 2022 seasons. But because of his high productivity in 2020, he nearly made the list and deserves an honorable mention.

Other honorable mention draftees during the Rivera era: Darrick Forrest and John Bates.

So here goes the list of the top five draft choices by Ron Rivera during his three seasons here in Washington (2020-22).

No. 5: Brian Robinson Jr.  RB Alabama, 2022

Robinson was chosen in the third round of the 2022 draft the 98th overall selection.

The former Crimson Tide running back made his impression in training camp and the preseason games, earning the starting role, dethroning Antonio Gibson.

Robinson, however, was shot twice in an attempted robbery of his car in downtown Washington just prior to the regular season. Missing only the first month of the season, Robinson made what many felt was a remarkable recovery, playing in 12 games, rushing 205 times for 797 yards and 2 touchdowns.

The hard-running Robinson brought toughness to the Washington offense in 2022, rushing for 49 first downs often in tight formations in predominantly known to be running / short-yardage downs.

Robinson no doubt would have accomplished much more; however, the Commanders offensive line fell back quite a bit in 2022 from its 2021 accomplishments.

The Commanders have addressed their offensive line this 2023 offseason bringing in two new starters likely in Andrew Wylie and Nick Gates and drafting a possible starter in Ricky Stromberg, a center from Arkansas.

With the planned move of Sam Cosmi from tackle to guard, the run game could be improved, and Washington fans could see even more production from Brian Robinson in 2023.

 

Fantasy Football: Potential bargains, must-plays from Giants-Commanders game

Here’s a look at some potential bargains for daily fantasy from the New York Giants-Washington Commanders Week 13 game on Sunday afternoon.

The New York Giants (7-4) host the Washington Commanders (7-5) this Sunday at MetLife Stadium in an important December division battle that also has playoff implications.

But what value does this interesting matchup have for fantasy players?

5 standouts from Commanders’ 19-13 win over the Falcons

We pick five players who stood out in Washington’s win over the Atlanta Falcons.

The Washington Commanders are now 7-5 and have won six of their last seven games after Sunday’s 19-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

Like many of Washington’s games, it wasn’t always pretty, but when the Commanders needed to make a play, someone came up big.

Washington’s strategy has been to win with strong defense, a powerful, ball-control offense and limiting mistakes in the passing game. That’s the recipe the Commanders followed again on Sunday, although a Taylor Heinicke interception cost Washington potential points at the end of the first half.

Who stood out in the Commanders’ latest win?

We pick five standouts from Washington’s win over the Packers.

Commanders tight end Cole Turner ruled out with a concussion

Unfortunate news for Turner and Washington’s tight ends.

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Injuries continue to mount for the Washington Commanders at the tight end position.

Just before halftime of their Week 7 game against the Green Bay Packers, rookie tight end Cole Turner went high for a Taylor Heinicke pass, which was broken up by Packers safety Adrian Amos. However, Turner landed hard on the ground, where he remained for a few minutes.

As Turner went into the locker room, the team gave an update on his injury and status for the remainder of the game. Turner is ruled out with a concussion.

Washington came into the game without starting tight end Logan Thomas, who missed his third consecutive game with an injured calf. Backup John Bates was on the injury report all week with a hamstring injury but did play.

With Turner out, we should see plenty of fellow rookie Armani Rogers in the second half.