Tag: NFL owners meetings

Report: NFL owners discussed Commanders’ sale and Dan Snyder at league meetings

But there were no decisions on a potential vote to remove Snyder.

We are less than three weeks away from the NFL owner’s meetings that begin on March 26 in Phoenix. Why is that date so significant? That’s been the date many have said the NFL hoped to have a resolution regarding the sale of the Washington Commanders.

In other words, NFL owners hoped to approve a new owner at the league meetings.

This week, some NFL owners met in West Palm Beach, Fla., for committee meetings, and, as expected, the Commanders were a hot topic.

According to Mark Maske of The Washington Post. owners discussed the potential sale of the Commanders and “other issues regarding team owner Daniel Snyder.”

Presumably, those other issues were likely the multiple investigations into Snyder, including the NFL’s Mary Jo White investigation. There’s also last week’s explosive report from ESPN that centered around a questionable $55 million loan Snyder received from Bank of America that created a rift between him and his former co-owners.

The following is part of Maske’s report from the meetings:

Some owners emerged from the meetings still hopeful that Snyder will agree to sell the Commanders without a vote to force a sale, said those people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the confidentiality of the bidding and the possibility of an eventual legal conflict with Snyder. Other owners apparently were not as optimistic about that prospect.

Maske mentioned how some of the owners hoped Snyder would sell the Commanders without the other NFL owners voting to force a sale. As of now, Snyder’s intentions remain a mystery.

As for the vote to force a sale:

The owners will not move toward a vote to remove Snyder at the March meeting, the person said.

Another interesting nugget from Maske’s report indicates that Snyder hasn’t given many details to the league or his fellow owners on the current bidding process. The only publicly known bids are from NBA owners Josh Harris and Tilman Fertitta.

It sounds like Snyder’s fellow owners will remain patient until their meetings begin on March 26. If there is no progress on Washington’s sale at that time, then things could get interesting.

Snyder’s wife and co-owner, Tanya, represented the Commanders at this week’s meetings.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbykgy681k112p8 player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

Important dates for the NFL offseason over the next few months

Some critical dates for the NFL offseason, beginning with the NFL combine.

The NFL offseason kicked off for all 32 NFL teams two weeks ago when the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII.

One of the more important dates on the NFL offseason calendar kicked off last week as the window opened for teams to place the franchise or transition tag on an upcoming unrestricted free agent. As of now, no team has applied the franchise tag, but several teams will just before the deadline.

One of the big dates on that calendar this year is the NFL owner’s meetings in March. That’s the date many have speculated that NFL owners would vote on a potential Washington Commanders’ sale.

Here is a look at the important dates on the NFL offseason calendar beginning with this week’s combine.

  • Feb. 28 – March 6: NFL scouting combine [Indianapolis]
  • March 7: Franchise/transition tag deadline
  • March 7: College pro days begin
  • March 7 – April 19: Draft-eligible players can visit team facilities. Each NFL team has 30 visits.
  • March 7 – April 26: Video or telephone interviews with draft-eligible players begin.
  • March 13-15: Legal tampering period
  • March 15: Start of the new league year. Unrestricted free agents are free to sign with other teams. All teams must be compliant with the salary cap by 4 p.m. ET.
  • March 26-29: League meetings [Phoenix, Az.]
  • April 3: Teams with a new head coach can begin offseason workouts.
  • April 17: Teams with returning head coaches can begin offseason workouts.
  • April 21: Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets with other teams.
  • April 27-29: 2023 NFL draft
  • May 1: Deadline for teams to exercise 5th-year option on players selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft.
  • May 5-8 or May 12-15: Teams can hold their rookie minicamps on these dates.
  • May 15: Rookie Football Development Programs begin

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbykgy681k112p8 player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

2023 NFL offseason: Important dates from the NFL combine to franchise tag deadline

Here are important offseason dates for the 2023 NFL offseason.

The NFL is a year-long sport. It is just sometimes they play games on Sundays.

For much of the calendar year, teams are working to assemble the best rosters they can and get ready for the 17-game campaign to determine who will be world champions by mid-February.

With the combine, free agency, draft visits, the draft itself, and various contract deadlines, there are a bevy of dates to keep track of.

Here is a look at the important dates in the 2023 NFL offseason from the start of the combine in Indianapolis to the franchise tag deadline in the middle of July.

Jay Glazer: Commanders are for sale and NFL hopes to have it done within 6 months

The NFL hopes to finalize the sale of the Commanders by the NFL owner’s meetings in March.

The Washington Commanders are for sale and could fetch as much as $7 billion, according to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports.

Forbes broke the story last week that Washington owner Daniel Snyder was “exploring” a potential team sale. It wasn’t specific as to whether it was a complete sale or a minority stake in the franchise to raise some capital.

The Commanders released a statement shortly after the Forbes report, stating they were exploring “potential transactions.”

Regardless, the potential buyers are already lining up, with Byron Allen expecting to make a bid. And, unsurprisingly, Jeff Bezos is also reportedly interested.

There will be others.

And the sale of Washington could happen soon.

“The other interesting part is the timeline,” Glazer said. “This is not going to be a long, drawn-out process. I’m told the hope is to have this done within the next six months and actually have it finalized by the NFL owner’s meetings next March.”

The Commanders are hosting the Minnesota Vikings in Week 9 at FedEx Field.

Jim Irsay on Daniel Snyder: ‘I believe there is merit to removing him as owner’

Colts owner Jim Irsay with strong comments regarding Daniel Snyder.

The Washington Post reported back in September that some NFL owners’ opinions toward Washington Commanders owner Daniel Snyder had shifted. The story noted that multiple owners believed “serious consideration may be given to attempting to oust Snyder from the league’s ownership ranks.”

The NFL owner’s meetings began Tuesday, and while Snyder’s current situation was not on the agenda, it was expected to be a topic of conversation among owners.

In what should be considered a massive development, Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay went on record with his thoughts on Snyder’s ownership.

Snyder is currently under multiple investigations by the NFL and the U.S. House Oversight Committee, and ESPN published an explosive report last week saying Snyder reportedly told those close to him he had “dirt” on other NFL owners. Much more was included in ESPN’s report, which can be found here.

In addition to the quote Ian Rapoport tweeted, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated had more from Irsay, where he went even further.

For the NFL to remove Snyder as an owner, they would need 24 votes from other owners. In ESPN’s report last week, it was reported that Snyder had lost the support of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who denied that report.

It will be interesting to see if any other owners go on the record regarding Snyder.

Wickersham defends ESPN report on Commanders owner, Daniel Snyder

Seth Wickersham discussed ESPN’s report on Daniel Snyder.

John Keim spoke with ESPN investigative reporter Seth Wickersham concerning the explosive report last week regarding Commanders owner Daniel Snyder.

It’s a great listen, and here are a few excerpts as well from Wickersham.

JK: “How many were interviewed for the story?”

“It was around 30, and then we added some more on top of that (later). I’m not exactly sure, so it was between 30 and 40.”

“We are under no pressure to deliver a story by a certain time.”

“When that (stadium in Virginia) all fell apart, and he had no other options for a stadium, outside of paying for it himself somehow, that to me is when the flare lights went on.”

“I knew when the stadium became a non-option, I knew that his peers, the owners, who will ultimately decide a bunch of this with him, would be enraged and upset by it because it is going to cost them money.”

JK: What surprised you most in the reporting from your end?

SW: “How aware everybody was that Snyder told people that he had collected so much dirt, bragged about the dirt and seemed defiant in a moment where he seems weakened and how not surprised owners and others were that Snyder had bragged about employing a private investigator.”

“Maybe these are scare tactics or a bluff .. with Dan Snyder it was yes, we are all aware of that, and no, we are not shocked at all.”

“They (owners) are angry and what we reported in our story about him losing Jerry Jones and about how Jones has told Dan personally that he might not be able to protect him, that stuff is accurate.”

“I don’t know who is the most powerful owner. There was an executive joking that it was Dan Snyder who is the most powerful owner because the owners don’t want to do anything. Jerry is certainly one of the more influential ones, and he tends to get his way when he wants something.”

“If they were to call a vote on Tuesday, questioning Snyder’s ownership, if they didn’t get 24 voters, which is the requisite they would need, Dan would find out everyone who voted for him. So, they want to be as careful as they possibly can; however, it happens, whenever it happens.”

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbykgy681k112p8 player_id=none image=https://commanderswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Mike Florio: ‘No doubt’ Daniel Snyder’s situation comes up during NFL owner’s meetings

The NFL’s owner’s meetings begin Tuesday.

Washington Commanders owner Daniel Snyder’s situation may not be on the agenda at this week’s NFL owner’s meetings, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be discussed, at least according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

Snyder’s status is expected to be discussed during the owners-only session, which is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. While there is not expected to be a vote on his status, his current situation will certainly be discussed.

Florio noted that both investigations into Snyder, the NFL’s led by Mary Jo White and the second from the House Oversight Committee, remain active. Perhaps the owners are awaiting the final word from each of those investigations before determining their next move.

Florio closed with an interesting thought:

If the House Oversight Committee wants to try to move the needle come Tuesday, Monday would perhaps be a perfect day to release something.

That’s interesting because we know the timing would not be coincidental.

We will continue to follow this story if there are any new developments.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbykgy681k112p8 player_id=none image=https://commanderswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

The NFL has no plans to vote on Commanders owner Daniel Snyder next week

There will be no vote on Daniel Snyder at next week’s owner’s meetings.

The ESPN bombshell report from Tuesday morning gave insight into the NFL’s feelings on Washington Commanders owner Daniel Snyder. And also Snyder’s plan if the owners attempt to remove him as Washington’s owner.

Well, according to Rob Maaddi of the Associated Press, there is no plan to vote on Snyder’s status as owner of the Commanders at next week’s owner’s meetings.

This news is sure to disappoint Washington fans, who’ve grown tired of constant negative news surrounding the once-proud franchise.

Of course, this doesn’t mean it can’t happen. As Mike Florio of NBC Sports noted, when a group of 24 NFL owners decides the time is right to vote Snyder out, they can do it whenever and wherever they choose.

There is also the possibility that the other owners are waiting until Mary Jo White’s investigation is complete. As the ESPN report noted, the other owners fear what Snyder could do, so having White’s investigation, along with Washington’s financial struggles and failed stadium search, could give some owners what they need in order to potentially remove Snyder.

 

Colts’ owner Jim Irsay: ‘It was very obvious’ Colts had to move on from Wentz

It’s clear moving on from Carson Wentz was Jim Irsay’s decision — not Frank Reich or Chris Ballard’s.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbykgy681k112p8 player_id=none image=https://washingtonfootballwire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay spoke to the media Tuesday at the NFL owner’s meetings and discussed his former quarterback — and the current Washington Commanders quarterback — Carson Wentz.

Irsay spoke of his disappointment in Indianapolis missing the playoffs after a horrible and embarrassing blowout loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Wentz was terrible in that game, something he acknowledged when he was introduced as Washington’s quarterback earlier this month.

Irsay was frustrated multiple times during the 2021 season, with the Colts’ slow start and miserable finish. That frustration led him to one conclusion: Carson Wentz’s stint with the Colts would last only one season and that was not negotiable.

“I wish Carson well, I think he has a chance to go into a different environment and play great in Washington,” Irsay said per Zak Keefer of The Athletic. “It’s just, for us, it was something we had to move away from as a franchise. It was very obvious.”

He later clarified his remarks on Wentz.

“Carson is not the scapegoat,” Irsay said. “It simply didn’t work out for us and what we are trying to accomplish. I mean, he’s a good man, a good father and a guy who put a lot of effort into the year and worked really hard and wanted to have success. It just didn’t work out.”

It seems like Irsay is speaking out of both sides of his mouth. “It was very obvious” Wentz had to go, but he wasn’t the scapegoat? The Colts had more problems than Wentz in 2021. We’ve heard more than a whisper this offseason that the owner wasn’t a fan of Wentz because of his choice to not receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Now, was Wentz great in 2021? Absolutely not. But all the praise Colts head coach Frank Reich has heaped on Wentz is authentic. It likely wasn’t Reich or GM Chris Ballard’s decision to move on from Wentz after only one season.

If you listen to Reich and Ballard talk about Wentz, then Irsay, you have no doubt where the decision came from. The owner even admitted that the Colts would have likely cut Wentz even if it did cost the team the $15 million Wentz was guaranteed for 2022.

As the old saying goes, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”

We shall see if the Commanders have better luck with Wentz in 2022. He’s certainly wanted in Washington, something that wasn’t the case in Indianapolis — at least from ownership.

Ron Rivera on Chase Young: 2021 season was an ‘awakening’

Ron Rivera: “For us, I hope that the realization that we hadn’t arrived has set in and that just showing up is not good enough.”

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbykgy681k112p8 player_id=none image=https://washingtonfootballwire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

The 2021 season was a forgettable one for Washington defensive end Chase Young. The 2020 NFL defensive rookie of the year played in nine games and recorded only 1.5 sacks before tearing his ACL in November.

Much of the drama last offseason was Young skipping voluntary offseason workouts. While that didn’t necessarily correlate to Young’s struggles last season, head coach Ron Rivera would prefer his young star pass-rusher be with the team.

In his chat with reporters Tuesday at the NFL owner’s meetings and the coach discussed Young and his disappointing 2021 season.

“I think for Chase, it was a little bit of an awakening, a little bit of a realization,” Rivera said via Ethan Cadeaux of NBC Sports Washington.

Young has mostly stayed away from the spotlight as he works back from his knee injury. Rivera has been impressed with Young’s recovery and expects him to be present for the offseason.

“In my conversations with him, he said he’s going to be here, and I’m pretty excited to see him here,” Rivera said.

That’s encouraging news for Rivera and Washington. While it is within Young’s rights to skip offseason activities, it is one less distraction for a team that hopes to rebound from a 7-10 season, which saw the defense take steps backward.

One quote that stood out from Rivera on Tuesday and this wasn’t about Young in particular, but the entire team:

“For us, I hope that the realization that we hadn’t arrived has set in and that just showing up is not good enough,” Rivera said.