Tag: Kazmeir Allen

5 players on the roster bubble who helped themselves vs. Browns

Which players helped themselves the most in the preseason opener?

As every team enters training camp, they have a good idea of who will make the roster. While it varies from team to team, most teams know of at least 50 roster positions for the 53-man roster ahead of camp.

The Washington Commanders entered training camp with one of their strongest rosters in years. Washington’s biggest question is if Sam Howell is a legitimate NFL starting quarterback. If he is, the Commanders are a playoff team, and the rest of the roster will benefit from Howell being the guy.

When the Commanders started camp, some positions were still up for grabs, such as the last cornerback, the final two receivers, and which players will round out the reserve offensive line.

Washington defeated the Browns in the preseason opener last Friday. It was a good night for several young players on the roster. Which players helped themselves for one of those final roster spots?

We look at five bubble players who helped themselves in the preseason opener.

9 performances we liked from Commanders’ preseason win over the Browns

There were some positive performances from Washington’s Week 1 preseason win over Cleveland.

The first week of the preseason is in the books for the Washington Commanders. Washington held on for a 17-15 win over the Cleveland Browns Friday in a game that was delayed for over an hour due to storms.

The game’s result didn’t matter as much as what we would see from some of Washington’s young players. How would young quarterback Sam Howell perform? What about the offensive line?

We liked several things about the Commanders’ win over the Browns. Here are nine performances that stood out the most from Friday’s preseason opener.

5 offensive players to watch for the Commanders in preseason opener vs. Browns

We identified five offensive players to watch for the Commanders Friday.

The Washington Commanders kick off the 2023 preseason Friday with a trip to Cleveland to face the Browns.

Washington’s starters will play. How much? Head coach Ron Rivera wasn’t about to divulge that information this week, but we should assume that starting quarterback Sam Howell and the offense will play at least two series.

One offensive player who will not play is tight end Logan Thomas. The veteran tight end has dealt with a calf injury over the last week. While the injury isn’t believed to be serious, the Commanders aren’t taking any chances with their 32-year-old starter.

Washington has a new offense in 2023 with Eric Bieniemy in charge. What should we expect to see in the preseason opener?

We identify five Washington players to watch in Friday’s preseason opener.

Commanders, Rivera hoping UCLA rookie earns roster spot

There is excitement that Kazmeir Allen can be Washington’s punt returner.

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It is no secret Ron Rivera is looking for a punt returner in his fourth season.

Thus far in his three seasons, Rivera has used seven punt returners, and it is no secret has liked what he has seen thus far in undrafted rookie free agent from UCLA Kazmeir Allen.

Some caution would be to be reminded that Allen only returned kickoffs in his final two seasons at UCLA. Will he show enough in preseason returning punts that Rivera and the staff will want to go with Allen as the punt returner? Will he unseat Antonio Gibson, being the kick returner as well?

Rivera, in his first season, primarily used Steven Sims, returning 24 punts for an average of 6.7 yards per return with a long of 25 yards. Isaiah Wright, Greg Stroman and Danny Johnson also saw very limited action on punt returns, none averaging 4 yards a return.

In his second season as head coach, Rivera enjoyed the consistency of DeAndre Carter. Carter, though only having a longest punt return of 16 yards in 2021, still managed to average 8.4 on his returns.

However, Washington was unable to re-sign Carter, the native Californian. Born in San Jose and having played his college ball at Sacramento State, Carter chose to return to southern California, signing with the Chargers for 2022.

Last season (2022), Rivera’s third in Washington, saw Dax Milne return 40 punts averaging 7.8 yards a punt, and Alec Erickson (4 for 25 yards). Commanders fans have frankly been unfair to Milne, unfairly judging him as a failure. However, the facts reveal though Milne never broke a long return (19 yards longest), he did finish 12th of those making enough punt returns to qualify.

But yes, Rivera and staff are hoping Allen will bring the bigger returns the team has been lacking in his previous three seasons.

 

Ron Rivera continues to single out undrafted rookie WR Kazmeir Allen

The undrafted rookie continues to impress on special teams and offense.

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As soon as the Washington Commanders signed former UCLA wide Kazmeir Allen after the 2023 NFL draft, we said they might have found their new kick/punt returner for 2023 — and beyond.

At Washington’s rookie minicamp, Allen caught the eye of head coach Ron Rivera, who made sure to single out Allen, even if he got his name a bit wrong.

At OTAs this week, Allen has been involved in the offense, with multiple catches and targets, according to Zach Selby of commanders.com.

When Rivera met with the media Wednesday, he again singled out Allen.

“Well, there are a couple guys out there, but one of the more notable names, and I’m gonna have to look it up and so I can say it properly, but he’s a young man we got out of UCLA,” Rivera said when asked about the kick and punt return game.

“He’ll wear number 10 out there, Kazmeir Allen. He played some slot for them, some wide receiver for them, some running back for them, and then he returned both kickoffs and punts for them, and he did ’em in the bowl game in the All-Star games as well. So he’s a young man that most certainly has gotten our attention, and he’s a young guy that we went out and tried to make sure we were able to recruit and bring him in as a free agent.”

Rivera answered this by saying no other names. He also mentioned the multiple positions Allen played for Chip Kelly at UCLA, and we know how much Rivera values “position flex.”

Training camp is two months away, and Allen is a name you should remember when the team reports in late July.

Ron Rivera singles out rookie Kazmeir Allen as possible kick/punt returner for 2023

Have the Commanders found their primary returner?

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The Washington Commanders are looking for help in the return game. Washington received next to nothing from its punt and kick return teams in 2022 after it was a strength in 2021 with veteran returner DeAndre Carter.

For some reason, Washington allowed Carter to depart and used second-year wide receiver Dax Milne as the punt returner. Milne averaged 7.8 yards per punt return on 40 attempts. So finding a returner with a little more wiggle was a priority for the Commanders in 2023.

Enter undrafted free agent Kazmeir Allen. The jack-of-all-trades from UCLA was one of Washington’s priority signings after the 2023 draft. 

After the first day of Washington’s rookie minicamp Friday, head coach Ron Rivera singled out Allen when asked about the kick and punt return game.

“Well, there are a couple guys out there, but one of the more notable names, and I’m gonna have to look it up and so I can say it properly, but he’s a young man we got out of UCLA,” Rivera said.

“He’ll wear number 10 out there, Kazmeir Allen. He played some slot for them, some wide receiver for them, some running back for them and then he returned both kickoffs and punts for them, and he did ’em in the bowl game in the All-Star games as well. So he’s a young man that most certainly has gotten our attention, and he’s a young guy that we went out and tried to make sure we were able to recruit and bring him in as a free agent.”

After the 2023 NFL draft ended and we saw Allen signed with the Commanders, we immediately believed he could be Washington’s primary returner in 2023.

Allen has a ways to go to earn a roster spot, but he could make life difficult for Rivera and the Commanders to keep him off the 53-man roster this summer. When Rivera singled out Allen, you knew he had plans for him.

WATCH: Commanders UDFA Kazmeir Allen’s college highlights

Allen looks like he could fill Washington’s hole as a kick/punt returner.

The Washington Commanders wasted no time after the completion of the 2023 NFL draft to begin signing undrafted free agents.

As of late Saturday night, Washington had signed five players and also invited another to compete at the team’s rookie minicamp.

One of those players was UCLA wide receiver Kazmeir Allen. The 5-foot-8, 176-pound Allen was one of the more highly sought-after UDFAs, due to his speed and explosiveness.

During Brown’s college career, he was listed as a wide receiver but also played running back. Mostly a gadget option under former NFL coach Chip Kelly, Brown could find a similar role at the next level.

If you watch Allen’s highlights, it’s clear why NFL teams valued him as a priority free agent.

While Washington is loaded at wide receiver, with Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel, Jahan Dotson and Dyami Brown as the top wideouts. However, there is an opening for another receiver to serve in a special-teams role.

Dax Milne returned kicks and punts last season and Washington needs to upgrade. Could Allen be that guy in 2023? He certainly looks the part.

It will be interesting to see if the Commanders view Allen as an option to return punts and/or kicks this summer.

NFL Draft preview: A couple of UCLA Bruins offensive prospects

NFL Draft preview: A couple of UCLA Bruins offensive prospects that @joshkeatley16 is interested in #Browns #UCLA #NFLDraft

Recently we highlighted three prospects to watch from the Indiana Hoosiers with Tiawan Mullen not disappointing. Matthew Bedford had a strong showing before he left with an injury and now we highlight a bit of an odd choice.

Everyone and their mother will be watching the big games, but I will be taking a deep dive into the talent for the UCLA Bruins. Now full disclosure, I will have money on this game, but nonetheless, there is talent to watch, and sometimes watching elite talent against lowly MAC opponents is a blast.

The Bruins have a fantastic offense and I think some of the players I highlight will surprise you.