Tag: Luke McCaffrey

Watch: NFL analyst with high praise for Commanders’ rookies not named Jayden Daniels

The Commanders’ rookie class continues to stand out.

In his latest edition of “Baldy’s Breakdowns,” NFL analyst and former NFL offensive lineman Brian Baldinger had some high praise for multiple members of the Washington Commanders’ 2024 draft class.

While Baldinger is a huge fan of rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, he highlighted the performance of both of Washington’s third-round picks in last week’s win over the Cleveland Browns.

Left tackle Brandon Coleman made his first NFL start, splitting half the snaps with veteran Cornelius Lucas. Both played well. But most impressive is that Coleman’s assignment was defensive end Myles Garrett, arguably the NFL’s top defensive player.

Baldinger came away impressed with the rookie tackle.

On one play, Baldinger highlights how the Commanders’ other third-round pick, wide receiver Luke McCaffrey chipped Garrett, allowing Daniels to hit Dyami Brown for a 41-yard touchdown. It was a beautiful play from start to finish.

Baldinger also highlighted McCaffrey’s receiving and blocking, but most importantly, his willingness to do whatever it takes. Baldinger praised McCaffrey’s route-running.

McCaffrey helped spring running back Jeremy McNichols on his touchdown run last week.

It’s early, but it looks like first-year general manager Adam Peters hit a home run with the 2024 draft class. Daniels, McCaffrey, Coleman, Mike Sainristil, Ben Sinnott and Johnny Newton all showed flashes in five games.

As Baldinger said, there is “lots to be excited about in the capital city.”

Commanders WR Luke McCaffrey on the verge of a breakout

Commanders’ rookie WR Luke McCaffrey is on the verge of a breakout.

Wide receiver Luke McCaffrey was one of the more unheralded members of the Washington Commanders’ 2024 NFL draft. The final pick of the third round in April’s draft was overshadowed by quarterback Jayden Daniels, cornerback Mike Sainristil and others.

McCaffrey is accustomed to being overshadowed. The son of former NFL wide receiver Ed and the younger brother of 49ers running back Christian, Luke McCaffrey played quarterback at Nebraska and Rice before transitioning to wide receiver for his final two collegiate seasons.

McCaffrey quickly developed into a legitimate wide receiver prospect, catching 71 passes for 992 yards and 13 touchdowns. This offseason, McCaffrey, along with Daniels, were often the first players to arrive at the Commanders’ Ashburn headquarters for offseason workouts, impressing teammates and coaches.

McCaffrey was quiet in the preseason, but former NFL scout and Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy called McCaffrey “this year’s Puka Nacua.”

Through five games, McCaffrey has yet to make that type of impact, but he does have 10 receptions for 98 yards and has been open often in each of Washington’s games, which could mean a breakout is coming.

McCaffrey routinely ranks among the NFL’s best in creating separation each week, which is impressive considering he’s a rookie with only two years of experience as a wide receiver.

While we await McCaffrey’s breakout regarding numbers, he’s making an impact. He’s one of several players who have embraced Washington’s team-first mindset.

Check out McCaffey on this block:

If you think this was a one-off, think again. There are plays like this all over McCaffrey’s film this season.

When you go back and watch Washington’s Week 5 win over Cleveland, you’ll see plenty of McCaffrey being open. Daniels has already found McCaffrey during some clutch moments through five weeks. Once the two are completely on the same page — and that time will come — McCaffrey will reward general manager Adam Peters’ faith in him and become the Commanders’ unquestioned No. 2 receiver opposite Terry McLaurin.

 

What stood out the most for Quinn in Commanders’ upset win?

What impressed Dan Quinn the most from Washington’s win?

Dan Quinn noticed something very early in Monday’s game against Cincinnati that he really liked.

The Bengals came out swinging, only needing six plays to go 71 yards on their first possession for a quick 7-0 lead.

“Early on, going for it on 4th down to extend our first drive, to go down and get points,” Quinn said, something that he thought was important Monday. “Cincinnati came down and scored right away. For us to come back and go right down and get points was like, ‘Hey man, we are about this fight today too.'”

Quinn said the execution and scoring on the Commanders first possession was saying, “We are here to bring it as well. And we’re going to be aggressive and take our chances when they come up. So, I’d say the way that the guys got ready, assuming there was going to be some third and fourth downs that we had to go nail. That would be one for me right off the get-go.”

Indeed, the Commanders were successful on five of nine third downs, and even more significantly, they were successful all three times they went for it on the fourth down.

The Bengals went up and down the field all night on Washington. They did not have to punt either, like the Commanders. Cincinnati outrushed Washington 124-108 and outgained them in passing, too, 312-248.

On the defensive side, perhaps the difference in the game was that the Bengals outgained the Commanders 7.3-6.2 in yards per play. Twice, the Commanders’ defense inside the red zone forced the Bengals to kick field goals. Instead of a possible 14 points, the Bengals came away with only 6 points.

Thus, the Commanders came away with their second win of 2024.

WATCH: Commanders QB Jayden Daniels connects with Luke McCaffrey on 4th down

Washington’s rookies connecting early on Monday Night Football.

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn knew he would need to be aggressive if his team had any chance to upset the Cincinnati Bengals on the Week 3 edition of Monday Night Football.

Quinn was right. The Bengals went on offense first, and quarterback Joe Burrow found wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase for a relatively easy 41-yard touchdown to give Cincinnati an early 7-0 lead.

How would his rookie quarterback, Jayden Daniels, respond?

Daniels quickly led Washington across midfield but came up short on third down. Would Quinn settle for a field goal on the first drive or be aggressive and go for it?

Quinn was aggressive, and Daniels rewarded his decision. On fourth-and-2, Daniels calmy found fellow rookie Luke McCaffrey for 30 yards, setting up the Commanders with a first-and-goal.

Check it out:

https://twitter.com/Commanders/status/1838375236858675214

A few plays later, Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. punched it in for his second touchdown this season to tie the game, 7-7.

An encouraging NFL debut for Commanders WR Luke McCaffrey

Advanced stats indicate good times ahead for Luke McCaffrey.

No Washington wide receiver put up eye-popping stats in Week 1. The Commanders fell to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 37-20. Washington rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels passed for 184 yards in his NFL debut.

Running backs Austin Ekeler and Brian Robinson Jr. were Washington’s leading receivers from Week 1. The talented running back duo combined for seven receptions for 101 yards.

Where was Terry McLaurin? Well, the Commanders didn’t throw a lot to their receivers. McLaurin finished with four targets, catching two passes for 17 yards. Daniels missed McLaurin on a deep ball that would’ve gone for a touchdown.

It was rookie Luke McCaffrey who led the wide receivers with three receptions. Sure, he only finished with 18 yards, but he caught all three targets, including one tough grab near the goal line. There was also the two-point conversion ruled incomplete that the Commanders should’ve challenged.

While McCaffrey didn’t look like the 2023 version of Puka Nacua in Week 1, advanced stats were impressed with his debut. McCaffrey was in exclusive company as it was related to his separation ability vs. Tampa Bay.

https://twitter.com/ScottBarrettDFB/status/1833547943569391870

McCaffrey’s debut flew under the radar because he didn’t put up big numbers.

https://twitter.com/thorku/status/1832964629720338701

More proof that McCaffrey is Washington’s No. 2 receiver.

https://twitter.com/SmolaDS/status/1833151238256366031

Don’t get discouraged. Good times are ahead for McCaffrey.

Missed opportunities plagued Commanders in Week 1

Three missed opportunities from Sunday’s loss stand out and could’ve made a major difference.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers handily defeated the Washington Commanders 37-20 in Week 1. The Bucs and their quarterback, Baker Mayfield, spoiled the NFL debut of Washington rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Daniels was solid in defeat, completing 17 of 24 passes for 184 yards while rushing for 88 yards and two touchdowns, but there were some plays he’d love to have back.

Washington’s pass defense allowed Mayfield to complete 80% of his passes for 289 yards and four touchdowns. The defense looked like the 2023 Commanders, with receivers roaming free in the secondary and communication problems in Washington’s secondary.

But despite the final score, the game could have been much closer if not for the Commanders’ multiple mistakes.

First, there’s this near-interception from cornerback Benjamin St-Juste.

At this time, Tampa Bay was leading 3-0 in the first quarter. It faced a second-and-11 from the 50-yard line. St-Juste did an outstanding job reading the play and jumping the route. Unfortunately, he dropped the interception, which could have been a game-changing play. Sure, it would have been a tough catch, but these are the types of plays Washington’s defense has lacked for years.

Next, there is this play from rookie wide receiver Luke McCaffrey. Daniels threw to McCaffrey on what looked like a wide receiver screen but stepped back to pass and thought better of it. After further review, Daniels was open with blockers in front of him. Had McCaffrey pulled the trigger, this could have been a touchdown.

Head coach Dan Quinn joked about this play on Monday. If McCaffrey gets this chance again, there’s no way he won’t throw it.

Finally, there’s this deep ball from Daniels to Terry McLaurin.

Daniels throws a beautiful deep ball, and McLaurin clearly had the defender beat. Daniels will not miss many of these in the future, but this one hurt.

What happens if these three plays go Washington’s way? The Commanders still may not have won the game, but the final score and the narrative could be much different this week.

Let’s not forget Washington’s kicking situation. Cade York missed two field goals and kicked another one out of bounds. All three led to eventual points for the Bucs. York was released on Monday.

Quinn made some coaching errors of his own, whether it was clock management or his decision not to go for two in the third quarter. Going for two and converting would’ve made the score 23-15.

There is a lot to improve on for Week 2. Yes, Washington lacks talent at critical positions, but this team was a few plays away from a different game in Week 1.

 

Were the Commanders holding back Luke McCaffrey this summer?

Luke McCaffrey is listed as one of Washington’s starting wide receivers in an updated depth chart.

On Tuesday, the Washington Commanders released their depth chart ahead of Week 1, and four rookies were in the starting lineup.

Wide receiver Luke McCaffrey, left tackle Brandon Coleman, quarterback Jayden Daniels and cornerback Mike Sainristil were all listed as starters. Daniels and Sainristil were not a surprise; neither was Coleman. However, Coleman missed all of the preseason after an excellent start in training camp.

Is Coleman atop the depth chart because he’s healthy and the team is confident in him, or is it due to Washington’s lack of depth at the position?

Next is McCaffrey. When the Commanders traded former first-round pick Jahan Dotson, almost everyone believed that would mean more work for the third-round pick and younger brother of Christian McCaffrey.

Throughout training camp, McCaffrey was quiet. Brycen Tremayne and Mitchell Tinsley were the young wideouts everyone heard about. It wasn’t that McCaffrey was bad; he wasn’t. He just wasn’t on the daily highlight reels.

Perhaps that was by design.

Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury has some advantages heading into Week 1. He has a new offense, a rookie quarterback, and some overall mystery surrounding what type of offense we will see. Maybe the Commanders knew in the spring that McCaffrey was special and had always planned a significant role for him as a rookie.

In 2019, former head coach Jay Gruden limited Terry McLaurin in the preseason. Gruden said he knew from the moment he first saw McLaurin that he was special and would immediately be the team’s top receiver. Gruden was right and McLaurin had a huge game in his debut.

Could McCaffrey be on a trajectory similar to McLaurin’s in his rookie season?

While outsiders express concern about Washington’s receivers, general manager Adam Peters, head coach Dan Quinn and Kingsbury have expressed confidence in the current group. Maybe that’s because they know what they have.

Fantasy football expert Matthew Berry recently predicted big things for McCaffrey.

https://twitter.com/LeBatardShow/status/1828793765202710678

It sounds like you should start buying stock in McCaffrey if you’re into fantasy football. It’s important to note that while McCaffrey is atop the depth chart, Dyami Brown should also see plenty of time.

Commanders WRs Jahan Dotson and Luke McCaffrey disagree on who the emergency QB is

Which wide receiver should be the Commanders’ emergency QB?

Every NFL team has an emergency quarterback on game day. If a team carries two quarterbacks on the game-day roster, they must designate someone else as the emergency third quarterback if the starter and backup are both injured during the game.

Rookie Jayden Daniels is likely to start for the Washington Commanders in 2024. Veteran Marcus Mariota should be the backup. However, even if the Commanders keep Sam Hartman on the 53-man roster, that doesn’t mean he’ll be active on game days, which means they’ll need an emergency quarterback.

Last year, it was tight end Logan Thomas. Thomas was a record-breaking quarterback at Virginia Tech before eventually moving to tight end a few years into his NFL career. Thomas is gone, and now third-year wide receiver Jahan Dotson holds that distinction.

On Friday’s episode of “Up & Adams” with Kay Adams, Dotson was asked about being the emergency quarterback.

“I am the team’s emergency quarterback, for sure,” Dotson said. “If we ever lose all of our quarterbacks, I am the guy that goes in. I take that role with a lot of pride.

Adams jokingly asked Dotson why he was stealing reps from Daniels.

“I need ’em, too,” Dotson replied. “If he goes down, we need another guy to fill in, and it’s going to be me.”

Adams then reminded Dotson he completed both passing attempts while at Penn State. Dotson said he’s lobbied offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and wide receivers coach Bobby Engram for an opportunity to throw the ball this season.

Finally, Adams asked Dotson about fellow wide receiver rookie Luke McCaffrey, a former college quarterback.

“Luke has been great; he’s been awesome,” Dotson said. “He’s a very smart guy. I played him while I was in college, and he was the quarterback, so he has a great mind on his shoulders.”

Adams interrupts and asks Dotson if McCaffrey is going to come for those quarterback reps.

“No, no, no, no, we’ve talked about this earlier,” he answered. “Luke, you know I’m the emergency quarterback.”

McCaffrey played three seasons as a quarterback in college, including the first two at Nebraska. In 2020, McCaffrey’s Cornhuskers defeated Dotson and the Nittany Lions 30-23. McCaffrey reminded Dotson of that game on X.

McCaffrey completed 13 of 21 passes for 152 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. He also carried the ball 13 times for 67 yards and another touchdown. Dotson caught two passes for 27 yards on that day. Penn State’s quarterback in this game was current Tennessee Titan Will Levis. Levis began his career at Penn State before transferring to Kentucky.

So, which wide receiver should be the emergency QB?

Fantasy expectations of Washington Commanders WRs

A rookie QB and new OC usher in a fresh start for this WR corps.

Coming into last season, the Washington Commanders looked to have a talented receiver room poised to make life tough on opposing secondaries. Their quarterback situation was a bit of a mess, though, which is driven home by the fact that neither Sam Howell (Seattle Seahawks) nor Jacoby Brissett (New England Patriots) are still with the club, replaced by No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels and journeyman Marcus Mariota, respectively.

While leading receiver Terry McLaurin returns, Curtis Samuel (62-613-4) signed with the Buffalo Bills, creating a lineup hole in the team hopes it filled with the selection of WR Luke McCaffrey. Jahan Dotson also is back, coming off a disappointing sophomore campaign.

Where this unit lands will have a lot to do with Daniels, and how ready he is to step in to deliver for new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, who led some prolific offenses in college. Although we can expect some growing pains from the rookie, the pieces are in place for Washington to produce some fantasy-worthy receivers.

WATCH: Commanders WR Luke McCaffrey preparing for training camp

The rookie wide receiver is preparing for his first NFL training camp.

Days before he officially begins his NFL career, Washington Commanders rookie wide receiver Luke McCaffrey is hard at work.

The No. 100 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft will report to training camp on July 18 with the rest of Washington’s rookie class. The veterans report five days later.

McCaffrey isn’t taking it easy, with only a few days off before a long season begins. The Colorado native was home preparing for his first NFL training camp this week.

Brian Kula of Kula Sports Performance in Centennial, Colorado, shared an Instagram video showing the Commanders rookie getting ready for training camp.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C9Ul3y0OgbX/?hl=en

There is a lot of excitement surrounding McCaffrey — 49ers star Christian McCaffrey’s younger brother.

Luke McCaffrey is a former college quarterback who has only been playing wide receiver for two years and looks the part of a polished pro. As a senior at Rice last season, McCaffrey caught 71 passes for 992 yards and 13 touchdowns. He can line up anywhere, from quarterback to running back to wide receiver, something offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury will likely utilize in 2024.

Washington’s depth chart is questionable beyond Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson, meaning there’s an immediate opening for McCaffrey if he has a strong training camp. He and fellow rookie, quarterback Jayden Daniels, used the spring to develop a rapport, arriving at the practice facility ahead of everyone else.