Tag: Kliff Kingsbury

Commanders agree to terms with veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota

The Commanders add a veteran quarterback to the roster.

The Washington Commanders found their veteran quarterback. Adam Schefter of ESPN revealed on Tuesday that Washington agreed to terms on a one-year deal with Marcus Mariota. The deal has a base value of $6 million with an upside of up to $10 million.

The move gives Washington the veteran quarterback it lost when Jacoby Brissett agreed to terms with the Patriots on Monday.

Mariota, 30, was the Tennessee Titans’ No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft. After spending his first five seasons in Tennessee, Mariota has since played for the Raiders (for two seasons), Falcons, and Eagles in 2023.

The 6-foot-4, 222-pound Mariota brings plenty of experience to the Commanders. He has appeared in 90 career games with 74 starts. Mariota has a career completion percentage of 62.7%, 15,820 passing yards, 93 touchdowns, and 55 interceptions.

Also known for his running ability, Mariota has 2,064 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns.

Mariota joins a QB room in Washington with rising third-year passer Sam Howell and Jake Fromm. The Commanders are widely expected to select a quarterback at No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL draft.

Commanders TE Zach Ertz fired up to play for Dan Quinn and Kliff Kingsbury

Zach Ertz is a big believer in Kliff Kingsbury and praises Dan Quinn as a coach he wanted to play for.

The Washington Commanders released tight end Logan Thomas last week after four seasons. This week, they replaced him with Zach Ertz. Ertz, 33, signed a one-year deal with Washington that could be worth up to $5 million.

The former Philadelphia Eagle enjoyed a career renaissance when he was traded to the Arizona Cardinals in 2021. Ertz caught 56 passes in 11 games with Arizona that year and followed it up with 47 catches in the first 10 games of the 2022 season before suffering a knee injury.

Who was Ertz’s coach in Arizona? New Washington offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.

Kingsbury liked the veteran tight end so much that the Cardinals gave the then-31-year-old Ertz a two-year extension before injuries undermined the rest of his tenure in the desert.

For the Commanders, Ertz is a smart, short-term addition for multiple reasons. He’ll be a tremendous asset to a rookie quarterback and any other young tight ends Washington adds to the roster — and he’s not going to cost much.

You can bet that Ertz is excited to reunite with Kingsbury. In an appearance on the “Pat McAfee Show” on Thursday, Ertz said he was excited to play for head coach Dan Quinn and Kingsbury.

“Obviously, Kliff has been a huge part of my success the past two years in Arizona,” Ertz said.

“So when he got the job in Washington, and I was a free agent, it was very easy for me to say, ‘Hey, this is a place I would love to play for.’ They’ve essentially redone the entire building since when I first came into the league. New owner, new GM now, new head coach. And I’ve never heard anyone say a bad word about Dan Quinn. And so, I am extremely excited to play for him and get back on the East Coast is going to be fun.”

It’s refreshing for Washington fans to hear veteran players want to come to Washington to play for this coaching staff.

What type of impact will Ertz have in 2024? The Commanders have the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, which means Ertz will likely be catching passes from either Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels.

Ertz has shown in the past that he can be the best friend of a young quarterback. Washington hopes for something similar next season.

 

Former Commanders coach Ron Rivera is now an ESPN analyst

Rivera reveals who his pick would be if he were still in charge of the Commanders.

It didn’t take long for former Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera to land on his feet. On Wednesday’s edition of NFL Live on ESPN, Rivera was revealed as one of the network’s new analysts.

Rivera was fired on Jan. 8 after four seasons as head coach/GM of the Commanders with a record of 26-40-1. Rivera immediately told John Keim of ESPN he still wanted to coach, even if it meant being a defensive coordinator. Rivera enjoyed focusing more on Washington’s defense late last season after firing Jack Del Rio.

Rivera interviewed for two defensive coordinator positions, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys. Those jobs eventually went to Vic Fangio and Mike Zimmer, respectively.

Rivera could return to coaching, but for now, he will give his perspective on the NFL from the media side.

Adam Schefter immediately put Rivera on the spot in his debut, asking him if he were still in Washington what would be his quarterback plan.

“You know the big thing, more than anything else, is you have to look at the is style of offense they’re going to run,” Rivera said. “You’ve got Kliff Kingsbury, a guy that likes the mobile quarterback. The quarterback that can move in the pocket, that can make the plays when they’re downfield and throw the football. I think the big thing is you’ve got to have a mobile quarterback.”

So, who will that be, Coach?

“Jayden Daniels, because of the fact that everybody expects Caleb (Williams) to go first,” Rivera answered. “So, to me, if this is the style of offense you’re going to have, you’ve got to have that type of quarterback. A guy that can, again, move around in the pocket, hold onto the football, find guys downfield.”

Here’s the full clip in case you wanted to see Rivera:

Most Washington fans probably aren’t ready to hear Rivera’s opinions on the draft, considering his record of doing such over the past four seasons.

Rivera should excel in his new role. He’s well-liked, well-respected and obviously has contacts throughout the league. And, most importantly, he seems happy.

Commanders sign veteran tight end Zach Ertz

The Commanders add a veteran tight end on Wednesday.

The Washington Commanders released tight end Logan Thomas last week in a salary cap move.

On Wednesday, the Commanders found his replacement, signing veteran tight end Zach Ertz to a one-year deal that could earn him up to $5 million.

Ertz, 33, was the Philadelphia Eagles’ second-round pick out of Stanford in 2013. Ertz spent 8.5 seasons with the Eagles before being traded to the Arizona Cardinals in 2021. Ertz was waived in November.

Ertz’s coming to Washington reunites him with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. Kingsbury was Arizona’s head coach for Ertz’s first two seasons with the Cardinals.

It also reunites him with Washington’s quarterback coach, Tavita Pritchard. Pritchard was a senior during Ertz’s freshman season at Stanford and was part of the coaching staff for his final three seasons with the Cardinal.

Ertz becomes the most experienced player in the Commanders’ tight end room, which features John Bates and rising third-year players Armani Rogers and Cole Turner. Rogers missed last season with an Achilles injury, while Turner played sporadically. Washington will almost certainly look toward the draft to add to the group, too.

Ertz was a three-time Pro Bowler with the Eagles. When traded to the Cardinals, he was 30 and produced good numbers under Kingsbury. In 11 games with Arizona in 2021, Ertz caught 56 passes for 574 yards and three touchdowns. In 2022, Ertz had 47 receptions for 406 yards and four touchdowns in only 10 games. Ertz suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 10 after signing a three-year extension earlier that year.

He returned in 2023, catching 27 passes in seven games before he requested his release in November.

Ertz has enjoyed success against Washington over his career. He has 93 receptions for 888 yards and three touchdowns in 17 games.

 

Zach Ertz, Kliff Kingsbury reunited in Washington

Ertz gets a one-year contract worth up to $5 million to play for the Washington Commanders in 2024, where Kingsbury is OC.

The Arizona Cardinals fired Kliff Kingsbury as head coach over a year ago and released tight end Zach Ertz last season. The two will work together again.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Ertz has agreed to a one-year contract to sign with the Washington Commanders, where Kingsbury is now the offensive coordinator under new head coach Dan Quinn.

Ertz, 33 years old, played in seven games for the Cardinals in 2023, catching 27 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown. He went on injured reserve with a quad injury before asking for his release, which was granted. He later signed with the Detroit Lions’ practice squad in the playoffs but was never elevated and did not play for them.

Kingsbury loved Ertz when he coached him in Arizona. After the Cardinals acquired him via trade in 2021, he caught 56 passes in 11 games, which give him a tie for the franchise single-season record for receptions by a tight end before Trey McBride broke that record last season.

The one-year deal is worth up to $5 million, Pelissero reports.

The Cardinals will face Ertz, Kingsbury and the Commanders at State Farm Stadium in 2024.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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Trading down would be a ‘bold move’ for the Commanders

Would the Commanders even entertain trading down in the first round? They shouldn’t.

NFL free agency begins in less than three weeks. On Friday, the NFL announced the salary cap would be $255.4 million for the 2024 season — a $30 million increase from 2023.

No team has more salary cap space than the Washington Commanders. That’s good because Washington needs plenty of help. The Commanders also hold the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft and are expected to target a quarterback.

With so many needs, could Washington entertain moving down in the draft?

Aaron Schatz of ESPN recently suggested a “bold move” this offseason for all 32 NFL teams. His bold move for Washington was moving down.

Here are some of Schatz’s words:

The Commanders need a quarterback. There are a couple of top quarterback prospects in this draft class. Therefore, the obvious move is for the Commanders to use the No. 2 pick on a quarterback. However, that’s not the bold move. The bold move would be to trade down and accumulate more picks they can use to rebuild their whole roster.

Let’s start with the easy trade down: one spot to No. 3 with the Patriots. We all want to believe that we can properly rank the best quarterback prospects, but we certainly learned from the 2023 season that the higher-rated quarterback going into the draft doesn’t necessarily turn into the better quarterback in the NFL. So, if New England loves Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels, trade the Patriots the No. 2 pick, get a couple of lower-round picks and just use the No. 3 pick on whichever quarterback the Pats don’t want.

Schatz even suggested potentially moving down further for the Commanders with teams such as Denver, Atlanta and Pittsburgh to draft a quarterback, just not one as highly regarded as Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, or Jayden Daniels.

He’s right; this would be a bold move. It would also be a bad move. Any other year, I would agree with Schatz. Trading back is always a wise decision because it allows you to add further draft assets. But when you’ve had quarterback questions for decades and are in a position to draft one of three top QB prospects, you can’t pass up that opportunity.

Quarterback is the most important position in sports. Sure, Williams, Maye, or Daniels may not be successful in the NFL. No one knows. But the same thing has been said about some of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. You must attempt to find that guy every year until you land him.

Some Washington fans want the Commanders to trade back and build around Sam Howell. That didn’t seem like a bad idea around Week 9, but Howell fell apart over the second half of the season. In fairness to Howell, he didn’t have a lot of help, but some of Howell’s issues, such as taking too many sacks or turning the ball over, can be considered fatal flaws. He has proven he can play in the NFL and perhaps be a starter, but the Commanders are in a position to land a potentially elite talent and must go all-in to find that guy.

Washington has a new coaching staff. On offense, the Commanders have four former college quarterbacks on staff, led by offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. They are building an infrastructure to support their young passer — or passers.

The next move should be about using free agency to improve the offensive line. Then, in April’s NFL draft, Washington should select its quarterback and use the rest of its selections to continue building around him.

Trading down remains a great idea for the Commanders — in the second round and down. In the first round, they should take a quarterback at No. 2 overall and not look back.

 

WATCH: Commanders RB Brian Robinson Jr’s top plays from 2023

The top highlights from Brian Robinson’s 2023 season.

Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. took a big jump in his second NFL season. While Robinson’s rushing yards didn’t take a massive leap — he rushed for 64 fewer yards in 2023 — don’t blame him.

Washington was last in the NFL in rushing attempts in 2023, while Robinson’s yards per attempt were up from 3.9 to 4.1.

Robinson really stood out as a receiver in 2023. After catching nine passes in 12 games as a rookie, Robinson caught 36 passes for 368 yards with four receiving touchdowns last season. Robinson accounted for 1,101 yards and a team-leading nine total touchdowns.

Imagine if the Commanders had committed to running the ball in 2023.

The good news is Robinson will be a featured offensive piece for new coordinator Kliff Kingsbury in 2023. Additionally, running backs coach/run game coordinator Anthony Lynn is known for assembling a strong running game.

Here’s one final look back at 2023 with Robinson’s top plays.

Daniel Jeremiah talks which QB could best fit Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury

Which QB does Jeremiah like for the Commanders? And why?

It’s officially draft season. NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah held his annual conference call ahead of the NFL combine on Thursday, answering questions from reporters regarding the 2024 NFL draft.

Two teams control the draft: The Chicago Bears and the Washington Commanders. The Bears hold the No. 1 overall pick and are expected to select USC quarterback Caleb Williams.

The Commanders hold the second selection and will likely select a quarterback, But which one?

Jeremiah was asked which quarterback he thinks fits the Commanders and Kingsbury the best.

Well, I think Kliff — I think Kliff can use what he has and adjust a little bit with his offense. I don’t think it’s super, super rigid.

But I know over everything else you talk about guys that can get through things quickly and get the ball out and get it out accurately. So I think you can look at all these guys. I think all three of them would fit. I don’t think that there’s anybody you look at between those three and say Kliff couldn’t work with them.

I think you get mobility with all three. You get guys that are all three of them by everything I’ve been told are really, really bright, really, really smart guys. To me it’s more about kind of the ceiling of what you think they can be.

Drake Maye with just having a little more prototypical size and playing in a rugged division, I think that might be more of a decision-making point more so maybe than the offense would be. You know, the location and the division and playing outdoors in Washington. That to me would lean a little bit more towards Drake Maye.

When discussing the three, Jeremiah didn’t necessarily say this was his choice because Williams was already gone. Jeremiah, like everyone, assumes Williams will go No. 1 overall, but on more than one occasion, he has mentioned how much he likes Maye for the Commanders.

Jeremiah mentioned Kingsbury not being rigid with his offense, something Kingsbury pointed out in his opening press conference, refusing to call his offense the traditional “Air Raid.” Instead, Kingsbury will use his experience with the Cardinals and one year out of the NFL to adapt his offense to his personnel, including the rookie quarterback.

Former Washington QB Colt McCoy talks about why he liked playing for Kliff Kingsbury

McCoy played two seasons, starting six games for Kingsbury in Arizona. He likes him.

Colt McCoy was a record-setting quarterback at the University of Texas, starting 53 games and finishing his collegiate career with a 45-8 record.

While McCoy didn’t enjoy quite the same amount of success at the NFL level, he did play 13 seasons, appearing in 56 games with 36 starts. Six of McCoy’s 13 seasons came in Washington, while the final two were in Arizona. It was with the Cardinals where he played for new Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.

These days, McCoy is working as an analyst breaking down quarterback film with Josh Norris for Underdog Fantasy. Recently, McCoy broke down North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye. Maye, Caleb Williams (USC), and Jayden Daniels (LSU) are the top quarterbacks in the upcoming 2023 NFL draft and could be the first three players selected.

McCoy likes what he sees from Maye. He discussed his arm strength and athleticism. McCoy also talked about North Carolina’s offense, which has been criticized. Norris specifically focused on the clap cadence, and McCoy mentioned his experience. The talk turned to Kingsbury.

“I think I have a unique perspective with the clap cadence because I have used it in the NFL with Kliff,” McCoy said. “And I was very unsure about it when I got to Arizona.

McCoy then praised multiple innovative offensive coaches around the NFL and their willingness to go against the grain and try new things, where the talk turned back to Kingsbury.

“One of the things I loved about Kliff was like, ‘Hey, I’ve been in college. Everyone in college uses the clap, and I don’t understand why we can’t use it in the NFL.’ So, we did, and it worked great. We went to Seattle and won a divisional game, and I used the clap the entire time. And I don’t know that the offensive linemen loved it, especially tackles,” McCoy said while explaining why tackles, who are often defending top pass rushers, may prefer a more traditional cadence.

The point: McCoy loved Kingsbury’s adaptability. Before Arizona, he had never coached in the NFL. So, he wouldn’t let traditional NFL narratives keep him from doing things he had success with in college football—that impressed McCoy.

As for what he thought of Maye, we’ll break down McCoy’s thoughts on Maye, Williams, and Daniels at a different time. He’s one of the best analysts and could easily have a big future in coaching.

As for Kingsbury, McCoy experienced some of the most success of his NFL career while playing under Kingsbury in 2021 and 2022. McCoy appeared in 12 games, making six starts with the Cardinals, and clearly believes in Washington’s new offensive coordinator.

 

Commanders new RB coach Anthony Lynn is a big fan of Brian Robinson Jr.

Good news for Brian Robinson Jr.

Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. took a big step in his career in 2023. After missing the first four games of his NFL career in 2022 after suffering gunshot wounds in an attempted carjacking, Robinson somehow was able to return in Week 5 and have a solid rookie season.

Even more remarkable is that Robinson was never 100% but still managed to rush for 797 yards and score three touchdowns in 12 games.

Robinson was better overall in 2023 despite fewer rushing yards. In 15 games, he averaged 4.1 yards per attempt and ran for 733 yards and five touchdowns. But it was his work in the passing game where Robinson flexed his versatility. He caught 36 passes for 368 yards and four more touchdowns.

Robinson would have easily gone over 1,000 rushing yards if former offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy had committed to the run more. Washington was last in the NFL in rushing attempts.

Bieniemy is gone. Enter Kliff Kingsbury. While the former Arizona Cardinals head coach is known more for his connection to the Air Raid offense, Kingsbury does run the ball. And even better news for the Commanders and Kingsbury, they hired former Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn away from the San Francisco 49ers as the new running backs coach and run game coordinator.

Lynn is one of the most respected coaches in the NFL and is known for his work with the running game. He played for Mike Shanahan and spent the last two seasons under Kyle Shanahan. Now, he brings that expertise to Washington to help Kingsbury.

Lynn is excited to be in Washington, and he’s also a big fan of Robinson.

On Wednesday, Washington’s assistants met with the local media and discussed numerous topics, and Lynn asked about the Commanders’ star back.

If healthy, Robinson is about to have his best NFL season yet. He’s been excellent through two seasons despite facing different obstacles. His growth in the passing game will help him stay on the field for three downs next season. And Lynn will give the Commanders a competent running game.

You can also expect new general manager Adam Peters to invest heavily in the offensive line this offseason. Additionally, Robinson’s former backfield mate Antonio Gibson is scheduled to be a free agent. Washington will bring in another back, but Robinson is the unquestioned starter in 2024.