Tag: Kyle Smith

Adam Peters, Commanders continue to shake up the front office

The Commanders continue to reshape the front office under GM Adam Peters.

It’s been a busy four-plus months for new Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters. First, he moved his family across the country and then jumped right into the middle of a coaching search.

Then, there was the NFL combine, free agency, pre-draft visits and so much more. With phase three of the offseason set to end next month, Peters finally has some time to relax.

Not so fast.

With the conclusion of the NFL draft, the offseason begins for NFL front offices, specifically scouts, personnel directors, etc. That usually means that teams, especially those with a new general manager, make some personnel moves.

Washington’s first shoe to drop was senior director of player personnel Eric Stokes. After four seasons, the Commanders moved on from Stokes. Stokes didn’t do anything wrong, but more of a case where Peters wanted to hire his own guys.

This week, the Commanders made more moves. David Whittington, who had been with Washington since 2009, most recently as a national scout, is taking a position with the Carolina Panthers, per Neil Stratton.

Stokes and Whittington aren’t the only ones departing Washington. Harrison Ritcher, who served as a college scout for the Commanders last season and had been with the team since 2017, is heading to the Atlanta Falcons. Ritcher will rejoin Kyle Smith, who was his boss in Washington. Smith departed Washington after the 2020 season.

 

Those are the only reported departures, but more will likely come. As far as who is coming aboard, Stratton names one who will follow Peters from San Francisco.

Stratton reports that Peters hired Jack Quagliarello, who spent last season with the San Francisco 49ers.

Quagliarello being called a grinder sounds a lot like Peters.

Before the NFL draft, Peters’s only front office move was hiring Lance Newmark away from the Detroit Lions to serve as his assistant general manager. The Commanders will hire more scouts, so don’t be surprised if they look to Detroit and San Francisco. Considering how the Lions and 49ers have drafted in recent years, that would be a wise choice.

Longtime NFL executive A.J. Smith dies at 75

A.J. Smith spent three seasons in Washington, working alongside his son, Kyle.

Longtime NFL executive A.J. Smith passed away Sunday at the age of 75. Smith spent over 30 years in the NFL, beginning his career in 1977 as a scout with the New York Giants.

Smith was with the Buffalo Bills from 1986 until 2000, beginning as a scout before moving up to the director of pro personnel. Smith played a role in building the roster of those Buffalo teams that went to four consecutive Super Bowls.

His best work came as general manager of the San Diego Chargers from 2003-12. While with the Chargers, Smith drafted Eli Manning No. 1 overall in 2004 before trading him to the New York Giants for No. 4 pick Philip Rivers and more draft choices.

Smith finished his NFL career as a senior executive/consultant with Washington from 2013-15. Smith was friends with former Washington president Bruce Allen, but the biggest benefit of taking the job was working with his son Kyle.

Kyle Smith spent 2010-20 with Washington, with many believing he’d become the franchise’s next general manager. However, he parted ways after the 2020 season and took a position with the Atlanta Falcons, where he has been ever since.

Feb 25, 2020; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Washington Redskins general manager Kyle Smith. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

 

Formern Commanders DE James Smith-Williams signs with Falcons

Smith-Williams’ departure makes it official. The book on the 2020 NFL draft is closed in Washington.

In the latest free agent signings, James Smith-Williams has departed the Commanders to join the Falcons on a one-year deal.

Drafted in the seventh round (No. 229) in the 2020 draft by Washington, the former North Carolina State Wolfpack defensive end played four seasons for the Burgundy and Gold.

When Chase Young went down in 2021 with a season-ending knee injury, Smith-Williams noticeably improved the Commanders defense for the remainder of the season. His defense against the run proved to be a contributing factor to the team winning four consecutive games when he entered the lineup.

He started the last six games of that 2021 season, recording 30 tackles (11 solo, 19 assisted), including four for a loss, 2.5 quarterback sacks, and five additional QB hits.

Smith-Williams started 14 games in the 2022 season, contributing 23 tackles (12 solo, 11 assisted), including five tackles for a loss, three QB sacks and 16 QB hits.

In his final season (2023) in Washington, injuries limited him to 13 games (7 starts), 22 tackles (11 solo, 11 assists), two tackles for a loss, one quarterback sack, and eight quarterback hits.

Here are highlights from his last two Washington seasons.

When the 2024  free agent signing period launched in March, the Commanders new administration determined to sign Dorance Armstrong Jr. and Dante Fowler Jr. both defensive ends who had played for new head coach Dan Quinn in Dallas.

Then, the Commanders signed Clelin Ferrell, a former 49ers defensive end, whom new GM Adam Peters knew from his time as the assistant general manager in San Francisco.

The Commanders had also determined, this offseason, to re-sign Efe Obada over Smith-Williams. Obada has played both inside and outside on passing downs, accumulating 15 career sacks in his 74 NFL games played.

A couple of things are noteworthy. New Falcons free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins has the same agent as Smith-Williams (Priority Sports & Entertainment), and current Falcons assistant general manager Kyle Smith was with Washington and ran the draft board during the 2020 draft, Ron Rivera’s first with Washington.

Pac-12 men’s basketball report: Washington State becomes the top bubble team in the league

Washington State has moved ahead of Colorado and Oregon on the Pac-12 bubble.

The Pac-12 basketball season has unfolded in ways no one anticipated. Remember: USC and UCLA were both picked to finish in the top three of the standings and be solid, comfortable NCAA Tournament teams. The Trojans and Bruins will finish nowhere near those standards. It has been an upside-down year in most of the conference. Arizona is the leader, but even then, the Wildcats aren’t nearly as good as most people expected them to be. If you want to find the most pleasant surprise in the Pac-12 this season, you have two choices: Washington State and Utah.

Both teams won on Saturday to improve their March prospects. Utah is solidifying its place in the NCAA Tournament. You have known that for some time. The newer — and more surprising, and more potent — story in Pac-12 men’s hoops is that Washington State could realistically make the NCAA Tournament.

The Cougars are far from a lock. They’re very much on the middle of the bubble. However, it’s all going in the right direction at the moment for Wazzu and head coach Kyle Smith. Already owning wins over Arizona, Utah, and Colorado, the Cougars — who are in perilous bubble position because of their dreary nonconference resume — took another step closer to March Madness by winning in Seattle against the Washington Huskies. Beating Washington might not be a high-end win, but it’s a conference road win. The selection committee loves to see those at any point in time and at any place on a ledger sheet. Washington State is almost certainly the top “pure” bubble team in the Pac-12. In other words, of the Pac-12 teams whose March fates are uncertain, Wazzu has the best chance of getting in, one month before Selection Sunday.

Wazzu should be higher on the bubble than Colorado, which lost a crucial game at Utah on Saturday. Wazzu is definitely higher than Oregon, which stumbled at UCLA on Saturday. Colorado and Oregon took big bubble tumbles, while WSU is remaining steady. Colorado has a win over Miami and not a whole lot else. Oregon has a win at Washington State but has lost to Arizona, Colorado, and Utah, three teams Wazzu has beaten.

Imagine a March Madness bracket in which Utah and Wazzu are two of the three Pac-12 teams in the field of 68. Ridiculous, right? That would have been the consensus before the season began. Now? It’s a real possibility.

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What were Ron Rivera’s 2 biggest errors with the Commanders?

What were Rivera’s biggest mistakes during his time in Washington?

Ron Rivera was praised by players and Josh Harris as someone who was professional to the very end of his tenure.

Yet, the question can also rightly (and fairly) be asked, What were Rivera’s biggest mistakes during his four-year coach-centric term?

In Rivera’s case, two errors clearly outshine the others.

Parting ways with Kyle Smith

In the 2019 Redskins draft room, Kyle Smith (director of college scouting) asked the room whom they were going to draft at No. 15? Sources have agreed there was silence, and one voice finally answered: the owner himself. The choice was going to be Dwayne Haskins.

Smith reportedly proceeded to implore the room to please consider drafting one of three players. But the owner had spoken.

Rivera was hired the following January. Smith basically constructed the draft board and led the room through the draft. Rivera was pleased and publicly praised Smith for his leadership in that draft.

But in later months of that 2020 season, Rivera grew cold toward Smith; not praising him, nor even mentioning him. Rivera determined instead to hire Marty Hurney and Martin Mayhew.

Yes, Rivera got what he wanted, but he also lost what he had. In Smith, he had a young man, full of energy and a voracious work ethic. He also possessed, in Smith, the one man who carried courage in the organization to tell Rivera and Snyder what they needed to hear.

Smith understandably departed following the 2020 season. In all three drafts (2021-23) Smith would clearly not have drafted as Rivera and the Marty’s did. Do you think Smith would have reached on Jamin Davis at No.19? Valuing draft choices, can you even imagine Smith trading up for a long snapper (Camaron Cheeseman)?

Drafting Chase Young in the 2020 NFL Draft

The previous owner, having laid down his law in the previous draft, Washington had been stuck with Dwayne Haskins at No. 15 overall.

As the 2020 draft arrived, Washington owned the No. 2 overall selection. Haskins, during his rookie season, had displayed an alarming immaturity, playing on a cell phone with fans in the stands prior to an NFL game’s conclusion.

Two quarterbacks (following Joe Burrow) were projected to be top-10 picks. Rivera could have approached Snyder expressing those two were far ahead of Haskins. He could have then stressed that when you are selecting No. 2 and you don’t have a quarterback, you should take a top-10 projected quarterback because he might be your guy for the next decade.

But Rivera wanted Chase Young and left Tua Tagovailoa (chosen 5th) and Justin Herbert (chosen 6th). Young disappointed tremendously and was traded in 2023.

Rivera spent his next three seasons attempting to find a quarterback in Ryan Fitzpatrick, Taylor Heinicke, Carson Wentz, Jacoby Brissett and Sam Howell.

Rivera earned a 26-40-1 .396 record because these were the two biggest errors of his Washington tenure.

Former Washington executive Kyle Smith lands a promotion with Falcons

Remember when many wanted Smith as Washington’s next GM?

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At one time, many believed Kyle Smith would be the next general manager of the Washington NFL franchise. Initially hired in 2010 as a scouting intern, Smith steadily moved up the ladder over the next 10 years.

The son of former Chargers general manager A.J. Smith, Kyle Smith went from intern to scout, to director of college personnel to vice president of player personnel.

Then, in 2021, Smith and Washington parted ways. When Ron Rivera took over as head coach in 2020, Smith was one of the few he kept, promoting him to vice president of player personnel and the pair worked together closely that offseason. In the 2020 NFL draft, Washington selected Chase Young, Antonio Gibson, Saahdiq Charles, Khaleke Hudson, Kamren Curl and James Smith-Williams. Not a bad haul.

However, Rivera restructured his front office, choosing to hire former Lions GM Martin Mayhew as his new general manager and former Panthers GM Marty Hurney in a senior executive role.

Smith was hired by the Atlanta Falcons as the vice president of player personnel. He held that for two years, and this week, Smith received a new promotion: Assistant general manager.

Many fans were upset when Rivera moved on from Smith, believing Smith had a large hand in drafting some of Washington’s young talent over the years.

Smith, 38, will be an NFL general manager. He’s been groomed for the position for years and had plenty of on-the-job training during his days in Washington’s dysfunctional front office.

Fans will always wonder if Rivera should have kept Smith. It’s not as if Mayhew has done a bad job. The new regime has also drafted some good young players, but Smith became popular with fans because he wasn’t Bruce Allen. This was during a time when fans pleaded annually for Allen’s firing.

Congratulations to Kyle Smith.

Minus ownership intrusion, Commanders’ Mayhew looks to freely draft

Mayhew and Ron Rivera are completely free to pick whoever they choose without owner interference in this week’s NFL draft.

The stories of the intrusions of Washington owner Daniel Snyder into the draft process for the NFL team are legendary…. and painful.

Last week, Commanders Wire reminded readers of the 2008 NFL draft via Vinny Cerrato’s appearance on the Grant & Danny Show. Snyder insisted Malcolm Kelly be a second-round choice instead of Cerrato’s spoken preference for Texas running back Jamaal Charles. Charles had a great career, Kelly caught zero touchdown passes, never recovering from a college injury to his knee.

The 2019 NFL draft is another painful memory for Washington fans of Mr. Snyder’s insistence on getting his way in the draft, though hired professionals that knew much better. Snyder declared to the personnel department the first-round choice (15th overall) would be Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins.

There have been reports that Kyle Smith who invested the most time of the department in scouting college prospects for the draft waited and waited and when no one else who outranked him would stand up to Snyder, Smith made his frustration known…and with much volume.

To make matters worse, Snyder or Bruce Allen worked a trade where Washington traded back up into the first round to draft Montez Sweat at No. 26. Sweat has produced, Haskins did not, and the trade for Sweat cost Washington dearly as the leadership agreed to give the Colts two second-round choices in return for that No. 26 selection in 2019.

Washington sent to Indianapolis the No. 46 selection in that 2019 draft. Compounding matters, Haskins was not ready to be an NFL quarterback, Washington only went 3-13 in 2019, and thus the Colts ended up getting Washington’s 2020 second-round pick which was the second pick in the round!

Washington could have simply selected Sweat at No. 15 or someone else they wanted, and they would have retained these two second-round choices. However, fans are only left to wonder how much of an impact those two second-round choices might have made in the last couple of seasons.

Mr. Snyder did not intrude into the draft last year (2022), and Martin Mayhew engineered trades back in the draft which brought Jahan Dotson, Brian Robinson Jr. and Sam Howell.

Mayhew has already mentioned he likes the possibility of trading back in NFL drafts. If only Washington had done this more often during Mr. Snyder’s years.

Former Washington QB Dwayne Haskins will remain in Pittsburgh

Former Washington quarterback Dwayne Haskins may get a chance to compete for Pittsburgh’s starting job in 2022.

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Apparently, Dwayne Haskins is wanted by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported Sunday afternoon that the Steelers will place a restricted free agent tender on the former Washington quarterback drafted in round one by Washington owner Daniel Snyder.

Interestingly enough, the restricted free-agent tender will be an original-round tender. “Original-round” tender brings back quite the memories for Washington fans. During the 2019 NFL draft, Washington owner Daniel Snyder made it known he wanted Haskins with the 15th overall selection.

Kyle Smith, then the director of college scouting, reportedly watched as other members of the Washington staff silently did not agree with the Snyder preference of Haskins. One coach reportedly was sick to his stomach about it as the tension increased in the room as the time drew nearer for the 15th selection by Washington. One report had Smith, when no one else would speak up, raising himself up, standing and delivering a passionate speech expressing his displeasure. And can you blame him? After spending all of that work and effort as director of college scouting, only to have your owner make the pick himself?

The first-round tender by Pittsburgh means the Steelers will have to pay Haskins a salary somewhere in the range of $2.5 million for the 2022 season. It also assures Pittsburgh that Haskins will undoubtedly be with the Steelers for 2022. No other NFL team in their right mind is going to even consider offering a first-round choice nor match the tender offer for Dwayne Haskins.

Ben Roethlisberger is supposedly going to retire, Mason Rudolph has struggled in relief and Haskins has yet to prove himself ready. The Steelers know they are in trouble at quarterback.

After being 3-10 in the 13 games he started, Haskins was released by Ron Rivera, on Dec. 29, 2020, after violating NFL Covid protocols for at least a second time. Haskins was signed by Pittsburgh three weeks later but did not take an offensive snap in 2021.

 

 

Falcons hire Washington’s Kyle Smith as VP of player personnel

The Falcons are hiring Kyle Smith away from Washington, making him the new VP of player personnel.

In a move that will surely frustrate a large portion of the fanbase, the Washington Football Team has lost a key member of the front office. Kyle Smith, the young hotshot VP of player personnel who has been credited with a lot of the young talent that’s been added to Washington’s roster over the past few seasons, is heading to Atlanta.

The Falcons announced on Friday that they have hired Smith as their VP of player personnel.

With the addition of both Martin Mayhew, the new general manager, and Marty Hurney, the new cxecutive VP of football/player personnel, it seemed that Smith was being pushed to the side as Ron Rivera opted to get more experience into the front office. With both Mayhew and Hurney now at Rivera’s sides, there are more than 60 years of front-office experience in Washington.

After letting young coaching talents like Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan, Matt LaFleur and Kevin O’Connell leave Washington to find greener pastures elsewhere, it makes sense that fans are a bit wary to let Smith leave, especially when they had an open GM spot this offseason.

Nonetheless, it is Rivera who is making these moves, and he’s the one who is still in charge. Losing Smith hurts, but the front office remains in good hands with plenty of experienced talent evaluators.

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Falcons name Kyle Smith VP of player personnel

On Friday, the Atlanta Falcons named Kyle Smith as the new vice president of player personnel. 

On Friday, the Atlanta Falcons hired Kyle Smith as the new vice president of player personnel. Smith joins the team after spending the last decade working as a member of the Washington Football Team’s scouting department and front office.

In 2011, Smith joined Washington as a scout — a role he held for six seasons — before being promoted to the director of college personnel in 2017. After three years in that role, Washington named him the vice president of player personnel in 2020.

Smith, 36, was a wide receiver and punt returner at Youngstown State before spending time on multiple NFL practice squads. After failing to catch on with the Vikings and Buccaneers, Smith played for the NFL Europe League, the CFL and the AFL before becoming a scout.

Kyle is the son of A.J. Smith, who served as the general manager of the Chargers from 2003-2012.

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