Tag: Percy Butler

Which players could the Commanders trade?

What other players could the Commanders trade?

Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters has proven he’s not afraid to make a deal. His first trade in March was trading 2023 starting quarterback Sam Howell to Seattle for draft picks. In the 2024 NFL draft, Peters traded back in the second round, adding another second-round pick.

Last week, Peters struck again. First, he traded a conditional draft pick to the Cleveland Browns for kicker Cade York. York shined in his debut for Washington, making both field goals and PATs in the final preseason game. However, Peters made headlines later last Thursday by sending 2022 first-round pick Jahan Dotson within the division to the Philadelphia Eagles.

There were already questions about which receiver would step up opposite Terry McLaurin, and those questions remain. Help could be on the way, though. The Commanders are No. 2 in the waiver priority order due to their poor record last season. That means only the Carolina Panthers are ahead of them if talented players at positions of need hit the waiver wire.

While Peters will likely be active on the waiver wire, don’t be surprised if he doesn’t make more trades. According to Ben Standig of The Athletic, the Commanders let other teams know about their surplus at specific positions, and this was before the Dotson trade.

That begs the question: Which other players could the Commanders trade on cutdown day (Tuesday) or later in the week?

We look at four players Washington could move.

DT John Ridgeway

Ridgeway is a third-year defensive tackle drafted by head coach Dan Quinn in Dallas. When the Cowboys waived him two years ago, they hoped to sneak him onto the practice squad, but Washington wisely claimed him. Ridgeway has provided good depth for the Commanders and had a strong preseason. Washington isn’t trading Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, or rookie Johnny Newton, meaning Ridgeway could be an attractive option for other teams. He has two years remaining on his rookie deal, and it’s cheap.

DT Phidarian Mathis

See above. Mathis is entering his third season and has two years remaining on his rookie deal. Unlike Ridgeway, Mathis was a much higher pick, going No. 47 overall in 2022. Mathis hasn’t contributed much in his first two seasons, but he showed up motivated to join the new regime. Quinn has praised him more than once. Mathis finished the preseason on a strong note. Washington would probably keep both if it didn’t have so many good options. Mathis and Ridgeway are similar, but Ridgeway offers a little more versatility.

LB/DE Jamin Davis

This doesn’t seem very likely but never say never. The Commanders moved the 2021 first-round pick to edge rusher this offseason, and he has worked at the position extensively throughout training camp and the preseason. Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. have praised his work ethic and determination to tackle a new position. Washington likes Davis’ progress and believes he could help as a rotational pass rusher at some point. But if someone offered a draft pick, would Peters take it and move on?

S Darrick Forrest

This one is unfortunate. Forrest looked like a building block two years ago, starting at safety for most of the season. However, he’s battled injuries in his career, and under this new regime, Forrest has been working behind others. Another injury in camp didn’t help his cause. Forrest can play. It appears he’s caught up in a numbers game, and if no one makes an offer for him, Forrest could be released on Tuesday. He will catch on somewhere, as he can help a team defensively and on special teams.

Commanders’ first-half observations vs. Dolphins

10 quick observations from the Commanders’ first half against the Dolphins.

The Commanders trail the Dolphins 10-6 at the half.

Here are some observations of the first half:

  1. Jayden Daniels looked poised and under control. He completed 10 of 12 attempts for 78 yards. He had a nice designed run of 13 yards.
  2. Jeff Driskel showed he has some wheels as well, with a 41-yard run. Driskel has been a pleasant surprise, making plays in the pocket in both games. He completed 7 of 10 for 57 yards.
  3. Was hoping Riley Patterson would kick well tonight and move towards winning the job, but with missing two field goals in the first half, it’s most likely not going to happen.
  4. Dyami Brown has won the confidence of Daniels. Brown received three targets early, catching all three passes for 19 yards.
  5. The Commanders had two runs of 11 yards from Brian Robinson and another 11-yard run from Michael Wiley.
  6. On a 3rd and 2, Austin Ekeler followed a good inside push by the OLine; however, Andrew Wylie was called for holding, setting up a 3rd & 12. That was huge, as it basically killed the drive, forcing a field goal attempt.
  7. Defensively, Jamin Davis had a nice rep when he forced a quick pass, and also leaped to block down the pass.
  8. Frankie Luvu was in on four tackles on the first Dolphins possession. He was very active out there.
  9. Percy Butler was beaten for a touchdown but recovered to get a finger on the ball, deflecting it just enough to save a touchdown.
  10. The Commanders exhibited plenty of Kliff Kingsbury’s uptempo offense.

 

Commanders PFF grades: Best and worst performers vs. Seahawks in Week 10

Which Commanders performed the best in Sunday’s crushing loss? Which ones struggled? The grades are in.

The Washington Commanders lost another heartbreaker on Sunday, falling 29-26 to the Seattle Seahawks on a 43-yard field goal as time expired.

Washington quarterback Sam Howell was excellent again, completing 29 of 44 passes for 312 yards with three touchdowns. Unfortunately for Washington, its offense struggled in the second and third quarters before finishing strong. By that time, the Commanders defense, which was playing a bend-but-don’t-break style through the game, broke in the fourth quarter.

Which Commanders, outside of Howell, stood out vs. the Seahawks? Which players had a bad day?

The grades are in, per Pro Football Focus. Let’s examine the best and worst performers from Week 10.

Commanders Del Rio knows his unit can reduce the big plays

Jack Del Rio talks the importance of eliminating the big plays.

Jack Del Rio saw a good effort against the Patriots Sunday; then suddenly, the Commanders gave up two big plays.

“I thought we did a good job defensively last week. We had two plays that got away from us. One in the pass, one in the run. And other than that, we played real, real well.”

Indeed, the Commanders defense limited the Patriots on the way to a 20-17 victory. The two big plays?

Washington led 10-7, and the Patriots, from their own 16, had a 1st & 10. Lining up three eligible receivers tightly on the right side, Mac Jones faked a handoff and then found JuJu Smith-Schuster running across the field from tight right to the left side wide open. Smith-Schuster made the catch at the 23 and was pushed out of bounds on the 36, a 20-yard gain.

On the very next play, Washington ran a stunt, and linebacker Jamin Davis did not plug the closest gap to the right of tackle Daron Payne. New England’s Rhamondre Stevenson exploded through the hole into the secondary. He was met by safety Percy Butler, but he missed the tackle on Stevenson, who then raced 64 yards for a go-ahead Pats touchdown.

In two plays, the Commanders defense had surrendered 84 yards and a touchdown.

So, when defensive coordinator Del Rio was asked Thursday what is keeping this unit from rating as highly as the defensive unit last season in 2022.

“Yeah, explosive plays allowed. That’s been the big problem. We’re playing solid in a lot of areas, but the explosive plays allowed. Many of them kind of gift-type situations are the ones that keep us from ranking well and being able to beat our chest and say, look at our rank right here, which doesn’t mean a whole lot. I think what really means the most is give your football team a chance to win, play complementary football, and make sure we’re getting the ball back for our offense as often as possible.”

One player who was giving up some explosive plays prior to last week was rookie corner Emmanuel Forbes, Jr.  However, last week, Forbes played well enough that PFF graded Forbes as the highest Commanders defensive player last week. The performance pleased Del Rio.

“I think he’s just working at it. You know, he’s a good young player. We believe in him. He’s just gotta grind and work. That’s what he has done, and that allowed him to get himself back in the game, and then he played well.”

 

Commanders place safeties Jeremy Reaves, Darrick Forrest on IR

It creates an opportunity for a pair of recent draft picks.

Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera met with the media Monday and announced two injuries.

Safeties Darrick Forrest and Jeremy Reaves were both placed on the reserve injured list after suffering injuries in Thursday night’s 40-20 loss to the Chicago Bears.

“Just to give a couple of quick updates on some injuries from Thursday night,” Rivera said to begin his press conference. Darrick Forrest had a shoulder, and Jeremy Reeves had a knee, and we’ll be moving both those guys to IR. Pending further examinations, we’ll be able to determine the length.”

When asked about the specifics on the injuries, Rivera offered the following.

“Shoulder injury and knee injury. Once we get a little bit more from the doctors, we will probably be able to give you guys more in the next day or two.”

Forrest has started at safety since the start of the 2022 season, while Reaves is a backup safety but makes his presence felt on special teams. Reaves was a first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler on special teams last season.

While this is difficult news for the Commanders, there are a pair of young players waiting in the wings with prime opportunities.

“That’s a role that Percy [Butler] and ‘Quan’ [Martin] will be looking at,” Rivera said of Forrest’s starting safety role. 

Butler is a second-year safety from Louisiana who was a fourth-round pick in 2022. He has seen plenty of action through the first five games. Martin is a rookie second-round pick who has yet to play a defensive snap.

The Commanders have allowed 30 or more points in four consecutive games and play the Atlanta Falcons in Week 6.

5 potential breakout players for the Commanders this season

We look at five potential breakout players for the Commanders in 2023. Who are your picks?

Every season, new stars emerge across the NFL. Some are expected, some are not. Every NFL team has breakout players. Which player for the Washington Commanders will have a breakout season in 2023?

Second-year wide receiver Jahan Dotson is a popular choice. Many outlets call Dotson a potential breakout candidate for 2023, and even Dotson agreed.

Since Dotson is such a popular choice, we look at five other Commanders who could be potential breakout players in 2023.

5 defensive players to watch for the Commanders in preseason opener vs. Browns

We identified five defensive players to watch for the Commanders Friday.

It’s been a great summer to buy stock in the Washington Commanders defense. Yes, it’s only training camp, but one of the NFL’s top defenses last season has been impressive and should be even better in 2023.

Defensive end Chase Young is back and healthy. The Commanders also added a pair of premium picks by drafting defensive backs Emmanuel Forbes and Quan Martin.

There aren’t a lot of questions surrounding Washington’s defense as it opens the preseason Friday against the Cleveland Browns. It’s doubtful that head coach Ron Rivera will play his defensive starters too much, although it wouldn’t be surprising to see Forbes and Martin get some additional time in their debuts.

We’ve picked five defensive players to watch in Washington’s preseason opener.

Rivera names Percy Butler as a player to keep an eye on

Could Percy Butler be the Darrick Forrest of 2023?

When the Washington Commanders selected safety Percy Butler in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft, they had special teams in mind. Butler was a player that NFL draft expert Daniel Jeremiah called the best “special teams coverage player in the entire draft.”

The 6-foot-0, 194-pound Butler put on a show in his pre-draft testing, running the 40-yard dash in 4.36 seconds. A three-year starter at Louisiana, Butler blossomed into an All-Sun Belt Conference performer on defense.

The Commanders loved Butler’s athletic profile, his physicality and his versatility when selecting him in the fourth round. As a rookie, Butler could fill a number of roles, such as safety, slot cornerback, or Buffalo nickel. But his main role would be on special teams.

Butler would play in 15 games as a rookie, participating in 66% of the special teams’ snaps. He played just 135 snaps on defense.

Could he see a bigger role in 2023?

If you ask head coach Ron Rivera, then yes, he could.

“You know, another young guy to keep an eye on is Percy [Butler],” Rivera said. “You know, Percy’s a guy that runs very well and plays very fast. So, you’ve gotta find ways to get those types of players on the field.”

Rivera mentioned Butler in response to a question about third-year safety Darrick Forrest Jr. Forrest was a fifth-round pick in 2021, and he played mostly special teams as a rookie. In eight games played, Forrest participated in 82% of the special teams’ snaps and just 26 snaps on defense.

Last season, Forrest impressed throughout the offseason enough to earn a starting spot in Week 1 with Kamren Curl out. Forrest was so good, bringing down a key interception that led the Commanders to a win, that when Curl returned, defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio made him a permanent starter.

Butler is a lot like Forrest. He starred on special teams, is athletic and also a hard hitter. While Curl and Forrest have the top two safety spots locked up, there is a role for Butler in 2023.

Could Butler be the 2023 version of Forrest?

The Commanders have an exciting young secondary featuring Curl, Forrest, Butler, Benjamin St-Juste and rookies Emmanuel Forbes and Quan Martin, paired with veterans Kendall Fuller and Jeremy Reaves.

Washington’s defense should be fun to watch in 2023.

Ranking Commanders 25 most important players for 2023: No. 23

Darrick Forrest is the latest Day 3 draft pick to become a standout for the Commanders.

As we look toward the 2023 regular season, we count down the most important players for the Washington Commanders ahead of training camp. On Monday, No. 24 was running back Antonio Gibson.

We continue our countdown with No. 23, safety Darrick Forrest.

Entering the 2022 NFL season, Forrest was a backup safety and key special teamer. As a rookie fifth-round pick in 2021, Forrest played only eight games. In those eight games, he mainly played on special teams. He played 26 defensive snaps, 20 of which were in Week 18.

In 2022, Forrest stood out in training camp, and it was clear he would impact the defensive depth chart at some point during the season. That came in Week 1. With starting safety Kamren Curl out with a wrist injury, Forrest moved into the starting lineup and played so well that he earned himself a promotion for the remainder of the season.

In the Week 1 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, Forrest played 96% of the Commanders’ defensive snaps, recorded five tackles, defended two passes, forced a fumble and had a game-changing interception.

It was truly a breakout performance from Forrest. He played 100% of the snaps in Week 2. Curl returned in Week 3, and while Forrest remained a part of Washington’s rotation in the secondary, he didn’t become a permanent starter until Week 10. From that point forward, he played 100% of Washington’s defensive snaps for the final eight games.

Now, Forrest is an integral part of Washington’s defense. The Commanders released veteran Bobby McCain in the offseason and spent a first-round pick on cornerback Emmanuel Forbes and a second-round pick on Quan Martin. Forbes will be one of Washington’s top three corners, while Martin can play the slot, outside cornerback, or safety. Martin is expected to cover the slot for the Commanders, but much of that will be determined in training camp.

Everyone knew Forrest was a physical presence who could impact the running game. However, Forrest proved he could handle playing deep safety, too. That type of versatility makes him a critical piece to Washington’s secondary.

Percy Butler could be the next breakout player in the Commanders’ secondary

Keep an eye on Percy Butler this summer.

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The Washington Commanders selected former Louisiana safety Percy Butler in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft to fill a hybrid role in the secondary. Not only could Butler play safety, but he could also play the Buffalo nickel position in Jack Del Rio’s defense.

Additionally, Butler was known for his outstanding work on special teams.

What the Commanders didn’t envision in 2022 was second-year safety Darrick Forrest being so good. Washington loved Forrest — a fifth-round pick in 2021 — but after barely playing on defense as a rookie, no one was certain he’d be ready for an expanded role in 2022.

Forrest exceeded all expectations, starting the first two games in place of the injured Kamren Curl. Forrest was so good the Commanders adjusted their secondary and made him a permanent starter. He was outstanding at times, bringing a physical presence to the running game and tying for the team lead with four interceptions.

In the offseason, Washington used a first-round pick on cornerback Emmanuel Forbes and a second-round pick on defensive back Quan Martin. Martin can play all over the secondary, with many envisioning him in the slot as a rookie.

So where does that leave Butler?

Quietly, Butler is having a terrific offseason, standing out in OTAs and in minicamp. Butler had an interception on the final day of minicamp Thursday, leading Sam Fortier of The Washington Post to tweet this:

Head coach Ron Rivera mentioned Butler’s name unprompted Thursday when he was asked what to expect from the defense in 2023.

“You see the growth and development, especially out of guys like D-Foe [S Darrick Forrest] and [CB] Benjamin [St-Juste] and those guys in the secondary, they have that much potential for growth,” Rivera said. “You see Percy [Butler] out there and see him running around, and that’s good to see.”

No one asked about Butler. Rivera mentioned him.

If everyone remains healthy, Washington’s secondary has a chance to be really good in 2023. There is finally depth at cornerback with Kendall Fuller, St-Juste, Forbes and Danny Johnson. Martin and Butler can also play cornerback. At safety, there is Curl, Forrest, Butler, Jeremy Reaves and Martin.

Butler is an excellent athlete who plays fast. With one year of NFL experience under his belt, he could be the next Washington defender to enjoy a breakout season.