Tag: kamren curl

How much cap space do the Commanders have?

They still need to sign their top two draft picks.

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The Washington Commanders completed their offseason after Tuesday’s final OTA. Head coach Ron Rivera chose not to have a traditional OTA practice, instead going for a light workout with team meetings ahead of breaking for training camp.

The Commanders now have six weeks off before returning to Ashburn for training camp, which begins on July 27.

What’s next for Washington?

There are several things on the agenda, No. 1 of which would be the team sale. The NFL reportedly gave owners two dates this summer to vote on the sale from Daniel Snyder to Josh Harris. If the sale is approved, as expected, Washington will have a new owner ahead of Week 1, giving the Commanders a chance to take care of some business.

Outside of the sale, Washington must sign its first two draft picks from the 2023 NFL draft, Emmanuel Forbes and Quan Martin. Forbes’ contract should count around $2.8 million against the cap in 2023.

How much cap space do the Commanders have? According to Over the Cap, Washington has $11.57 million in salary-cap space. So when the Commanders sign Forbes and Martin, they should have over $7 million in space remaining and have other ways to create additional space, if needed.

Will Washington look to sign safety Kamren Curl or defensive end Montez Sweat to an extension before the season? Those are items to watch once Harris and his ownership group take over.

As far as veteran additions, don’t be surprised if the Commanders sign a free agent, but it would be more about depth than signing a starter at this point.

Commanders donate money to D.C. school to fund football program

It’s been a difficult year for the Digital Pioneers Academy and the Commanders helped end the school year on a positive note.

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It was a trying school year for the Digital Pioneers Academy in Washington, D.C. The public charter school suffered three tragic losses, as two students were victims of gun violence, and teacher Keenan Anderson died in Los Angeles after he was tased by police while in town visiting family.

The two students were 14-year-old Antione Manning and 16-year-old Jakhi Snider.

On Wednesday, it was the last day of the school year at the Digital Pioneers Academy, and the Washington Commanders were present to surprise the school.

Team president Jason Wright, along with players Darrick Forrest, Kamren Curl, Saahdiq Charles, Jaret Patterson and director of alumni relations Tim Hightower, visited the school to announce a $75K donation to the Academy to fund its first-ever football program.

Mashea Ashton, the CEO and founder of the Digital Pioneers Academy, had the following response.

“Today, to be very honest, is so bittersweet because I can see Jakhi standing right here. I can see Antoine standing right here. I can see Mr. Anderson right here. And I think about them often,” Ashton said. “I think about how in this darkness, we’re going to turn this darkness to light.”

From now on, June 14 will be Washington Commanders Day.

“Your partnership, your presence, and your gift today is not just for our football players who are right here; it is for our whole community. June 14, 2023, and thereafter — mark it in your book — June 14 will always be the Washington Commanders Day,” Ashton said.

Kudos to the Commanders for making a difference in their community.

Darrick Forrest is on the NFL’s All-Underrated Team in 2023

Darrick Forrest earning some well-deserved praise.

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The Washington Commanders could have one of the better secondaries in the NFL in 2023. After selecting defensive backs Emmanuel Forbes and Quan Martin in the first two rounds of the 2023 NFL draft, the Commanders have outstanding depth at cornerback and safety.

Washington has three starting-level corners in Forbes, Kendall Fuller and Benjamin St-Juste. Martin can play corner or safety. Speaking of safety, the Commanders have Kamren Curl, Darrick Forrest, Jeremy Reaves and Percy Butler.

Curl receives a lot of praise — and deservedly so — but Forrest’s emergence last season helped take Washington’s defense to another level. Initially, when Curl missed the first two games, Forrest filled in for him. When Curl returned, defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio made Forrest a starter alongside Curl.

Forrest was outstanding last season. He played in all 17 games, recorded 88 tackles and tied for the team lead with four interceptions.

Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire recently named his All-Underrated Team, picking a secret superstar for all 32 NFL teams. Forrest was his pick for the Commanders.

2022 was effectively a rookie season for Forrest, who was selected in the fifth round of the 2021 draft out of Cincinnati, but saw just 26 defensive snaps and 15 in coverage then. Washington saw fit to bump that up severely to 849 snaps and 508 in coverage last season, and Forrest responded quite well. Playing everywhere from outside cornerback to the box to the slot to free safety, Forrest allowed 25 catches on 46 targets for 308 yards, 119 yards after the catch, four touchdowns, four interceptions, five pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 68.0 — sixth-best among all safeties playing at least 50% of their defenses’ snaps.

Perhaps the most encouraging thing about Forrest’s 2022 season is how much he improved as it went along. He was in a bit over his skis to start, and that resulted in some out-of-position busts against the run and the pass. But as things progressed, Forrest became much more of the kind of deep-third player who could be trusted to make the big play at the right time. This athletic interception of a Jalen Hurts deep attempt to A.J. Brown in Week 10 is one such example.

The former fifth-round pick is a secret no more.

 

Ron Rivera thinks having sale over by training camp would be good for business

The sale would allow the Commanders to open contract talks with some key performers.

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Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera confirmed recently that any long-term contract extensions were on hold until the team was sold. That meant players such as safety Kamren Curl and defensive end Montez Sweat couldn’t really begin contract negotiations with the team.

As the Commanders finished training camp Thursday, Rivera was asked about the sale done by training camp.

“I think it’ll help a lot,” he answered. “I mean, there’s still some things that we’ve gotta be able to move on from and have decided on.”

We aren’t quite sure what Rivera was referring to, but his answer to the following question did clear up some things.

“Well, what we’ve tried to do more so than anything else is just kind of let everybody know exactly what you said,” Rivera answered when asked if the Commanders could talk to agents about contracts.

“We’re kind of on hold and just being able to let those people know that hey, yes, just a matter of time. We’ve gotta go through this. We’ve gotta be able to present the plan to the ownership, and they gotta be in agreement with it too. I mean, we can’t go on until we get a chance to explain to them exactly what our thoughts and ideas are and whether they agree or disagree.”

Rivera all but confirmed the team has likely had an open dialogue with representatives for some of their players. Curl, a seventh-round pick in 2020, is probably the No. 1 target to get done soon. Curl has far outplayed his rookie contract, and rewarding him would be an excellent decision. Curl proved his value last season when he missed five games.

Another intriguing decision could be between defensive ends Chase Young and Montez Sweat. The Commanders aren’t going to open up contract talks with Young. They want to see him produce on the field in 2023. If he plays up to his vast potential, Washington will need to open up its checkbook for Young.

Sweat, however, is a player the Commanders would love to extend. While he has yet to put up huge sack numbers — he has 29 through four seasons —he’s always around the quarterback and excellent against the run. Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio believes Sweat is on the verge of big-time sack numbers.

Could Washington open up contract talks with Sweat? If so, that would mean the end of Young, as the team cannot afford both in 2024.

Getting the team sold — and approving the deal — before training camp should be the NFL’s No. 1 goal this summer.

Percy Butler could be the next breakout player in the Commanders’ secondary

Keep an eye on Percy Butler this summer.

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The Washington Commanders selected former Louisiana safety Percy Butler in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft to fill a hybrid role in the secondary. Not only could Butler play safety, but he could also play the Buffalo nickel position in Jack Del Rio’s defense.

Additionally, Butler was known for his outstanding work on special teams.

What the Commanders didn’t envision in 2022 was second-year safety Darrick Forrest being so good. Washington loved Forrest — a fifth-round pick in 2021 — but after barely playing on defense as a rookie, no one was certain he’d be ready for an expanded role in 2022.

Forrest exceeded all expectations, starting the first two games in place of the injured Kamren Curl. Forrest was so good the Commanders adjusted their secondary and made him a permanent starter. He was outstanding at times, bringing a physical presence to the running game and tying for the team lead with four interceptions.

In the offseason, Washington used a first-round pick on cornerback Emmanuel Forbes and a second-round pick on defensive back Quan Martin. Martin can play all over the secondary, with many envisioning him in the slot as a rookie.

So where does that leave Butler?

Quietly, Butler is having a terrific offseason, standing out in OTAs and in minicamp. Butler had an interception on the final day of minicamp Thursday, leading Sam Fortier of The Washington Post to tweet this:

Head coach Ron Rivera mentioned Butler’s name unprompted Thursday when he was asked what to expect from the defense in 2023.

“You see the growth and development, especially out of guys like D-Foe [S Darrick Forrest] and [CB] Benjamin [St-Juste] and those guys in the secondary, they have that much potential for growth,” Rivera said. “You see Percy [Butler] out there and see him running around, and that’s good to see.”

No one asked about Butler. Rivera mentioned him.

If everyone remains healthy, Washington’s secondary has a chance to be really good in 2023. There is finally depth at cornerback with Kendall Fuller, St-Juste, Forbes and Danny Johnson. Martin and Butler can also play cornerback. At safety, there is Curl, Forrest, Butler, Jeremy Reaves and Martin.

Butler is an excellent athlete who plays fast. With one year of NFL experience under his belt, he could be the next Washington defender to enjoy a breakout season.

LOOK: Kam Curl shows off his new haircut ahead of minicamp

Kam Curl has a new look.

Washington Commanders safety Kamren Curl is entering the final season of his rookie contract in 2023. While Curl remains a strong candidate for an extension, that situation is unlikely to be resolved until Josh Harris takes over as owner.

In the meantime, Curl has been present for all of Washington’s offseason work, including the first two weeks of OTAs. On Monday, Curl reported back to work for Commanders’ media day ahead of this week’s mandatory minicamp.

And he returned to Ashburn with a new look.

This is a picture of Curl in December, before the new haircut.

Curl is a core member of Washington’s defense. He missed the first two games of last season, and the secondary struggled. Washington’s secondary also struggled in Weeks 16 and 17 when Curl was out with an ankle injury.

 

 

How NFC East teams rank at the safety position

The NFC East is expected to be competitive once again, but are the safeties on each team on similar plateaus? | From @cdpiglet

The NFC East had three teams make the playoffs last season, including the Philadelphia Eagles who represented the conference in the Super Bowl. A far cry from the division once dubbed the NFC Least, due to its inability to produce a relevant contender. This group appears to be the best combination of teams in the NFC.  So what will make the difference in who emerges as the champion for 2023?

This is a breakdown of each team and how they rank position by position. The series begins with the safeties.

Is the Cowboys’ three-headed approach worthy top spot? Will the loss of Bobby McCain to the New York Giants doom the Commanders at the position? Can Xavier McKinney bounce back from a poor third season? Will the loss of both starters, including the interception leader in the league, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, set the Eagles back at all? Here is a look at how the safety rooms match up in the NFC East.

What could a Kam Curl extension look like for the Commanders?

How much could Kamren Curl earn in a new contract?

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The Washington Commanders want to extend safety Kamren Curl. Curl, a seventh-round selection in the 2020 NFL draft, is eligible for an extension after playing three years in the NFL.

The Commanders, under head coach Ron Rivera, have shown a willingness to lock up their best homegrown players to contract extensions. Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne and Terry McLaurin first come to mind, but former center Chase Roullier was the first player Rivera extended back in Jan. 2021.

Curl has way outplayed his draft status, quickly becoming one of the NFL’s better safeties over the past three seasons. More importantly, he proved his worth more than ever last season by missing five games. In four of those games, Washington’s secondary struggled badly without Curl.

While there are no right or wrong ways to go about handling contract negotiations, Curl chose to report for voluntary OTAs this week in Ashburn. He talked to the media Wednesday and kept it simple on why he reported to work.

Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus recently came up with a list of players from the 2020 NFL draft who were early extension candidates, and Curl obviously made the list.

What kind of contract does Spielberger believe Curl could earn?

Three years, $40 million ($13.33 million per year), $26 million total guaranteed.

That’s a good deal for Washington and Curl. However, head coach Ron Rivera said this week that while the team is moving forward on the football side in business-as-usual mode, things such as contract extensions are on hold until the team is officially sold.

The goal is for Josh Harris to become Washington’s owner by Week 1. For the Commanders, you’d have to believe an extension for Curl would be high on their priority list.

Curl has been an absolute steal of a seventh-round pick since he was drafted in 2020, immediately contributing in Week 1 of his rookie season and becoming entrenched as a full-time starter by the second half of the campaign. As evidenced by the above graphic, Curl is extremely versatile, lining up as a deep free safety, slot cornerback and box player.

Curl’s 6% missed tackle rate over the past two seasons is the fourth-lowest mark among 99 safeties with at least 50 total tackles over the span. In 2022, Curl’s 80.8 PFF grade ranked seventh among safeties, and he allowed an open target rate of just 47.2%, which ranked eighth among safeties with at least 25 targets into their coverage area. Two total safeties earned run-defense and coverage grades of at least 80.0 in 2022: Minkah Fitzpatrick and Kamren Curl.

It’s time for Curl to get paid. And Rivera is undoubtedly pleased with Curl showing up for OTAs this week as he and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio have each called Curl a leader.

Commanders safety Kam Curl on reporting for OTAs: ‘I like being around my team’

The Commanders want to pay Curl, but everything is on hold at the moment.

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Everyone knows how important fourth-year safety Kamren Curl is to the Washington Commanders. While much focus is on Washington’s defensive line, led by Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne — and rightfully so — Curl is an integral part of the Commanders’ secondary.

When Curl missed the first two games of the 2022 season, the defense, particularly the secondary, struggled. When Curl returned in Week 3, everything settled down. That didn’t go unnoticed by Washington’s coaching staff and Curl’s teammates.

Curl also missed the final three games of last season, and the Commanders struggled badly in losses in Weeks 16 & 17.

There is a lot of talk about the contract status of defensive ends Montez Sweat and Chase Young. Both are free agents at the end of the 2023 season after the Commanders declined Young’s fifth-year option last month. But it is Curl who is perhaps Washington’s most important free agent in 2024.

And, despite no new contract as of now, Curl reported to OTAs this week, unlike Sweat and Young. Yes, it’s voluntary, but Curl also has a lot to lose; being a leader, he felt it was essential to be with his team, even if he only participated in individual drills so far this week.

“Nah, you know, I am just coming to work being with the guys,” Curl said when asked about his contract situation. “I like being around my team; that’s why I’m here.”

That answer is why head coach Ron Rivera and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio have praised Curl’s leadership.

It’s not that Washington doesn’t want to extend Curl. Due to the ownership situation, the Commanders cannot do anything significant at the moment, something Rivera alluded to Wednesday.

“For the most part, everything’s on hold,” Rivera said. “We’ll let the process as far as the ownership piece continues to unfold and develop. I know about as much as you guys do. As that process goes, we’ll continue to do as much of the football business as usual as we can.”

Once Washington’s ownership situation is resolved, don’t be surprised if the team is on the line with Curl’s representatives with a new contract.

Who does PFF view as Commanders’ breakout player in 2023?

Kam Curl’s value was evident during the time he missed in 2022.

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Who is a potential breakout player for the Washington Commanders in 2023?

Quarterback Sam Howell comes to mind, of course; that depends on who you talk to, as some think Howell is the NFL’s worst starting quarterback, while there are others who are high on his potential.

What about third-year wide receiver Dyami Brown? Howell’s former college teammate had a huge game against the Tennessee Titans in Week 5 last season and was rarely used again.

According to Pro Football Focus, which names one breakout player for every NFC team in 2023, that player is Washington safety Kamren Curl.

Wait, what?

We could argue that Curl broke out as a seventh-round pick during his rookie season in 2020. Now in line to receive a contract extension, Curl has quietly become one of Washington’s most valuable defensive players, and his absence was evident in the five games he missed for the Commanders in 2022.

Here’s PFF’s explanation on Curl:

Similarly to Neal, Curl’s breakout would be him being able to play an entire season at the level he’s shown before. Curl was PFF’s second-highest-graded safety in 2022 (82.9), but he has yet to play more than 900 snaps in a season and ranked 58th among safeties in snaps played in 2022 (727).

Is this really fair? In his first two NFL seasons, Curl only missed one game. 

Washington’s defense, particularly the secondary, looked lost without Curl during the first two games and in Weeks 16 and 17. With the additions of cornerbacks Emmanuel Forbes and Quan Martin to the secondary for 2023, Curl could be in line for his best season yet. 

The Commanders likely want to lock Curl down to a multi-year extension but are likely waiting until new owner Josh Harris officially takes over.