Tag: Logan Thomas

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.

 

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.

 

Friday’s roster moves make it clear that Adam Peters leads the Commanders now

Adam Peters talks potentially moving up to No. 1

Friday should have revealed to Commanders fans that Adam Peters is leading the way.

Only one day after Adam Schefter intentionally scared Commanders nation with his tweet regarding Josh Harris not merely being present at the NFL Scouting Combine but also participating in interviews of quarterbacks, Peters should have calmed fears on Friday.

Peters who is the leader of Commanders player personnel, Friday began launching his plan, making decisions concerning Commanders’ players. The Commanders announced they are parting ways with tight end Logan Thomas, offensive tackle Charles Leno and center Nick Gates.

Also on Friday, while at the Combine in Indianapolis, Peters was concise and clear with NFL Network’s Peter Schrager. Schrager inquired, “Is there a scenario where you guys (Commanders) would be willing to trade up to the number one spot and try to get in that number one seat?”

Peters replied, “I think we would do anything to make our team better. We would trade up, trade down. We had a lot of really good conversations with a lot of GMs this week, really productive. We are going to look through every avenue to make our team better.”

Though the Commanders are thin at both tight end and offensive tackle, Peters has determined to go ahead and move on from Thomas and Leno.

They have plenty of cap space, yet Peters made the decision to part with both veterans. The former Virginia Tech quarterback, drafted 120 overall in 2014 had a very productive 2020 season. But following a knee injury in 2021, he never returned to the offensive weapon he was in 2020. Though a fine route runner and receiver, blocking was always a weakness as well.

Leno was scheduled to be the fourth-highest paid Commander in 2024 ($11M) behind only Terry McLaurin, Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen.

Leno did not come into this league with fanfare and the celebrity status of a high draft choice. Just the opposite, he was not drafted until the 7th round (246) in the 2014 NFL Draft.

Through hard work and perseverance, Leno developed into a respected veteran who worked hard, played hard, starting 47 of his 51 games in three seasons with Washington. But he will be age 33 in October, and he is going to undergo hip surgery.

Commanders Wire understands life moves on and thanks both Thomas and Leno for the leadership and effort they provided the Commanders.

Peters, in making these moves now, reveals they are willing to move on despite these two playing better than others at their respective positions. It also shows Peters feels they must get younger and better at these positions.

Put your seat belt on, Commanders fans; this is going to be a busy 2024 offseason.

What does Commanders’ cap room look like after Friday’s moves?

Washington’s cap space looks even better after Friday’s moves.

The Washington Commanders are in a position to make some serious moves in free agency. In listening to the general manager Adam Peters recently, it doesn’t sound like he plans to go on a spending spree when free agency opens, though.

Heading into this week’s NFL combine, Washington had over $70 in available salary cap space. On Friday, the Commanders added to that number, releasing left tackle Charles Leno Jr. and tight end Logan Thomas. Washington will also release center Nick Gates when the new league year opens on March 13.

The release of Leno saves Washington an additional $7.2 million in salary cap space for 2024. The Commanders will incur an $8.25 million dead cap charge in 2024.

The release of Thomas saves the Commanders $6.5 in cap space. Thomas’ release has a $1.75 million dead cap charge for 2024.

Gates’ release isn’t a big money-saver for Washington. He signed a three-year, $16.5 million contract last March and still had some guaranteed money remaining. So the Commanders only save $333K in 2024 by releasing Gates and will incur a $5.7 dead cap hit for 2024 to get out of the contract. That’s not surprising, seeing how Gates struggled last season.

Overall, Friday’s moves saved the Commanders approximately $14 million in salary cap space for 2024.

According to Over the Cap, Washington has the second-most cap space for 2024, with over $91.5 million. The Commanders have $80.5 million in effective cap space, ranking second to New England.

Washington has multiple holes to fill in free agency. Will the Commanders look for value, familiarity, or make a splash?

Free agency begins on March 13 with the legal tampering period opening on March 11.

Twitter reacts to Commanders’ releasing multiple starters

Twitter reacts to the Commanders moving on from Charles Leno, Logan Thomas and Nick Gates.

The Washington Commanders were among the NFL leaders in salary cap space. Washington could make more moves to create additional space and, on Friday, the Commanders released left tackle Charles Leno Jr. and tight end Logan Thomas to free up additional cap space ahead of free agency.

Washington also plans to release center Nick Gates once the new league year begins on March 13.

The moves leave the Commanders without a starting left tackle and tight end. Of course, these moves weren’t surprises. General manager Adam Peters has a plan for both positions.

Washington fans were often critical of Leno — too critical. Yes, the offensive line was a weakness under former head coach Ron Rivera, but Leno was a solid player. He just wasn’t Trent Williams. That’s the biggest knock against him.

In addition to being in the lineup every week, Leno was a standout off the field, too. Leno and Thomas were remembered fondly by several fans Friday after they were released.

The reality is, both players are over 30 and dealing with — or have dealt with injuries. The Commanders needed to upgrade both positions.

How did Twitter react to Washington’s moves on Friday?

Commanders release veteran tight end Logan Thomas

The Commanders are moving on from Logan Thomas, too.

The Washington Commanders are moving on from veteran tight end Logan Thomas. On Friday, the team announced it had released tight end Logan Thomas and left tackle Charles Leno Jr.

Thomas, 32, signed a two-year contract with Washington in 2020 and was one of the most successful free-agent moves of the Ron Rivera era. In his first season, Thomas enjoyed a breakout campaign, catching 72 passes for 670 yards and six touchdowns.

Before the 2021 season, the Commanders signed Thomas to a contract extension, but injuries would follow him throughout the next three seasons.

In 2021, a hamstring injury cost him several games, and when he returned, a dirty hit by a Raiders defensive end sidelined him with a torn ACL. Thomas would return for the start of the 2022 season, but he wasn’t the same, at least initially.

He appeared in 16 games last season, catching 55 passes for 496 yards and four touchdowns. In his four seasons in Washington, Thomas appeared in 52 games, with 184 receptions, 1,685 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns.

Coming to Washington was a homecoming for the former Virginia Tech quarterback. Thomas was a record-setting quarterback for the Hokies and came into the NFL as a quarterback. He changed positions a few years into his career and enjoyed success.

Thomas, like Leno, was a beloved locker-room leader.

5 tight ends for Commanders to watch at 2024 NFL combine

The Commanders badly need help at tight end. Here are five prospects to watch at the NFL combine.

The Washington Commanders can use help everywhere in 2024. Washington likely goes quarterback at No. 2 overall, but somewhere during April’s NFL draft, the Commanders must address the tight end position.

Washington missed an opportunity last season to land a tight end in a historically deep class. However, while the 2024 class isn’t as deep, there are multiple future starters at the position.

The Commanders have veteran Logan Thomas, who has started the past four seasons. Thomas is over 30 and is a cut candidate. Armani Rogers has potential but missed the season with an Achilles injury. Washington will address the position, whether it’s free agency, the draft, or perhaps both.

Here are five tight ends to watch for the Commanders this weekend at the combine. Tight ends have their on-field workouts on Friday.

 

5 potential salary cap casualties for the Commanders in 2024

We look at five players who could be salary cap casualties for the Commanders in 2024.

The Washington Commanders could look a lot different in 2024. After finishing 4-13 and losing their final eight games, Washington fans will welcome change.

The Commanders have nine picks in the 2024 NFL draft, including the No. 2 overall pick and three of the top 40 selections. Washington will most likely find its quarterback of the future between Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels at No. 2.

The draft isn’t the only way to rebuild Washington’s roster. The Commanders have over $73 million in salary cap space in 2024. That’s No. 1 in the NFL, according to Over the Cap. Of course, Washington has numerous free agents it must decide on, including cornerback Kendall Fuller, safety Kam Curl and wide receiver Curtis Samuel.

While new GM Adam Peters stated the Commanders would build through the draft, he said Washington would use free agency to supplement the roster.

While the Commanders currently have an estimated $73 million in available cap space for 2024, that number could grow significantly if they decide to move on from some veterans.

We preview five veterans who could be cap casualties this offseason.

All contract numbers are courtesy of Over the Cap.

Commanders punter Tress Way emotional in describing what Ron Rivera means to him

Tress Way emotional in describing what Ron Rivera means to him.

The Washington Commanders will likely move on from head coach Ron Rivera on Monday after four seasons with the team. Rivera accepted the job as Washington’s head coach and, essentially, general manager in Jan. 2020.

Unfortunately for Rivera, things didn’t go as planned, and he finished his tenure in Washington with a 26-40-1 record.

On Sunday, after the Commanders’ 38-10 loss to the Cowboys ended the 2023 season, several players praised Rivera in the locker room after the game. One of those players was Washington’s longest-tenured player, punter Tress Way.

“I remember whenever my father got sick, during the COVID season (2020), Coach Rivera called every night to ask how it was going, and dad passed,” Way said, fighting back tears. “But, I’ll never forget that one, that was…..just called, every night, so, it was cool.”

Way has been with Washington since 2014 and has played for Jay Gruden, Bill Callahan and Rivera. One of the more popular players on the team, Way is a beloved locker-room leader and wasn’t the only player to have fond feelings for Rivera.

Tight end Logan Thomas and defensive tackle Daron Payne also praised Rivera.

Commanders’ 2023 season is finally over

Another ugly start was a preview of things to come for Washington — sounds like the entire season.

How about those Commanders?

Well, they lost 38-10, wrapping up the second overall draft choice in next April’s NFL draft.

On very first possession, they faced a 3rd & 1 on their own 49. Just prior to the snap of the ball, tight end Logan Thomas lined up under center. The Dallas defense was ready and quickly adjusted, preparing for the QB sneak by Thomas.

But Thomas, when taking the snap, faked an inside right dive to Brian Robinson, then pitched to Sam Howell to his right. Howell then passed downfield to a wide-open Terry McLaurin. It was a wonderful play design, destined for an easy touchdown. Howell badly underthrew McLaurin by at least five yards. It was a surefire 51-yard touchdown, and Howell simply got tight and didn’t deliver the pass accurately.

The play was there for Sam Howell. It could have provided him with a significant boost of confidence. Sadly, Howell didn’t execute the play.

A moment later, on 4th & 1 at the Dallas 31, Howell looked to his left and threw a quick screen to Brian Robinson. Robinson caught the pass at his 37. Left tackle Cornelius Lucas was easily beaten on the play, not allowing Robinson to cut upfield upon catching the pass, and the play was blown up for a 2-yard loss.

The two plays were indications of things to come. Washington either would not make a few plays available to them, or they would be beaten by the quicker, more aggressive Cowboys.

Oh, did I mention the two teams entered Sunday’s contest with Dallas a +73 in points scored in the first quarter this season, while the Commanders were a -86? That speaks to team preparation, but that’s for another story.

The Commanders had started the season 2-0 but sadly lost 13 of their last 15 games to finish 4-13. Not one of us saw this bad of a season coming for Ron Rivera. Especially after such a big name like Eric Bieniemy was hired as offensive coordinator.

This season couldn’t have ended soon enough…what a disaster.

Now enters new owner Josh Harris…