Tag: QB Jake Fromm

Why did the Commanders sign QB Jeff Driskel?

Why did the Commanders choose Driskel?

Recent days revealed many Commanders fans unimpressed with the Commanders signing veteran quarterback Jeff Driskel.

But a second look reveals the move by general manager Adam Peters makes good sense.

Yes, the Commanders will draft a quarterback in the first round of April’s NFL draft, increasing the total to four quarterbacks on the roster.

Why be surprised? Didn’t Peters publicly inform the media and fans recently he was going to add two more quarterbacks to the roster?

Not all signings are equal. They never have been, and they never will be. Peters knows his starter is going to be either Marcus Mariota or his rookie drafted in the first round.

Driskel is 31 and has had plenty of time to display and grow into an NFL starter. It is most likely not going to happen. Again, not all signings are equal because not all roster spots are equal.

This is true in the NFL, it’s true in college, even in high schools. You have your starters. Some might develop and challenge for a starting spot. Some are going to play special teams, and yes, some are there to fill out your roster, allowing you to scrimmage in practice and scrimmage other teams.

Consequently, the signing of Driskel is for two basic reasons. Driskel was not signed to come in and challenge for the starting job. He was also not brought in to challenge for the backup role.

It is perfectly reasonable to conclude that Driskel was brought in to compete with Jake Fromm to determine who will be the third quarterback next season.

And it is not out of the realm of possibility, that Driskel was brought in to be an “arm”, a “camp arm.” Your top two quarterbacks simply cannot be passing every workout, rep after rep, in training camp. That is an easy way for your quarterbacks to develop elbow or shoulder fatigue/inflammation.

Therefore, there are many reps and much extra work for receivers in the passing game. Fromm and now also Driskel are going to be there to get those players the reps they need in training camp and to fill out three preseason games of reps as well.

Peters signing Driskel to have four quarterbacks from now until the final cut day just prior to the regular season is wise.

Commanders’ brass to attend two QB pro days this week

Another big week for the Commanders and their search for a quarterback.

It’s a busy week for the Commanders’ Adam Peters and Dan Quinn.

Monday and Tuesday were the NFL Owners’ meetings in Orlando. Wednesday will be the pro day of potential Commanders selection LSU’s Jayden Daniels. If that is not enough, then the North Carolina pro day is scheduled for Thursday.

Last week the Commanders had some attend the USC Caleb Williams’ pro day workout, followed by the Michigan (J.J. McCarthy) pro day as well.

A major question leading up to the Jayden Daniels workout on Wednesday will be just how much he weighs after all. At the Scouting Combine, Daniels was the only quarterback to not weigh in.

The LSU roster for the 2023 football season had listed his weight at 210 pounds. However, Daniels chose to not weigh in at the Combine. The other top quarterbacks weighed in accordingly: Caleb Williams (214), Drake Maye (223), J.J. McCarthy (219), Michael Penix (216), and Bo Nix (214).

Consequently, flags were raised as interested teams naturally began to wonder, just how much did LSU exaggerate Daniels’ weight on the season’s roster? For had Daniels actually weighed 210 at the Combine, there would have been no big deal with all the other top quarterbacks weighing in at 214 to 223.

Drake Maye will be the object of the Commanders’ attention later in the week. Maye is less experienced than the other top prospects, which is one reason many have speculated he may have a higher ceiling than currently realized.

Meanwhile, Tuesday in Orlando, Commanders General Manager Adam Peters addressed the Commanders quarterback spot briefly, expressing, “We have 2 QBs on the roster right now with Jake (Fromm) and Marcus (Mariota) and we want to go to camp with 4, so we’re going to add 2 one way or the other.”

Did Jake Fromm do enough for Commanders?

Did Fromm convince Washington coaches to keep three quarterbacks?

Did Jake Fromm do enough to convince the Commanders to keep three quarterbacks?

Sam Howell, of course, is the starter, and Jacoby Brissett is the backup. Did Fromm on Saturday night accomplish enough that the Commanders offensive coaches will want him on the opening-day roster?

Fromm completed 13 of his 18 passing attempts totaling 144 passing yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Fromm was sacked twice, finishing the game with a passer rating of 132.6.

The former Georgia Bulldog quarterback began the second half for Washington trailing 10-7 and the ball on his own 6-yard line. In nine plays, Fromm drove the Commanders offense 94 yards, and Washington had the lead 14-10.

On the drive, Fromm completed passes of 22, 9, and 9, setting the stage for his 38-yard touchdown pass to Mitchell Tinsley. Only, replay revealed that Tinsley had stepped out of bounds at the one. Fromm then connected with Brycen Tremayne and Washington led Cincinnati 14-10.

In the final quarter, with Washington leading Cincinnati 14-13, Fromm began throwing again. This time he led the Commanders on a 75-yard scoring drive in eight plays.

With Washington at the Cincinnati 7-yard line, Fromm found tight end Brandon Dillon for the touchdown, which put the Commanders up 21-13 with just over ten minutes remaining.

Now the coaching staff must determine what they are going to do. Roster cuts mean each team must trim down to 53 players.

Will the Commanders keep all three quarterbacks (Howell, Brissett and Fromm)? Might they determine they will need another pass rusher, or offensive lineman, thus keeping only Howell and Brissett?

Another option could see the Commanders go ahead and release Fromm and then resign him to the practice squad, so they can keep him in the building and have that third quarterback in the case of another horrendous season where they are forced to play multiple quarterbacks.

Whatever the Commanders choose to do, this is one of the most difficult aspects for the coaching staff.

Was Friday the worst for the Commanders offense?

Local radio host evaluates what he saw from Washington’s offense.

“OMG, this offense is going to rank 44th in a league of 32 teams.”

That’s how The Team 980 host Chris Russell saw the Friday morning practice. Russell said in his first hour Friday (1-4 pm) that anyone going to that practice may have left practice with that thought in mind.

How bad was the Commanders offense Friday? Here are some select quotes from Russell’s opening monologue of that first hour of his program.

“There is nothing to hide here. Maybe it is because of a really good defense, or maybe because it is a really bad offense that is still learning what the hell they are trying to do. The offense is light years behind.”

“Listen, it is practice. They are going against a good defense. They are learning a new system. I am sure they are tired. I got it. Be better, do better. It was wretched.”

“In every way, shape, or form. The quarterbacks all stunk. The receivers stunk. Too many dropped passes, too many non-catches, too many falling downs, too many balls not fought for correctly, too many balls not held on to.”

The bottom line is the parts I saw (2+ hours) were horrific. A lot of it was of the unforced error variety. I wish I could just attribute it to, ‘Man, the defense was cooking today’. But that wasn’t the case.”

“It is still a work in progress. But we can all be responsible, grown adults and say, ‘They (offense) sucked today.’ And it has been a week since I thought the Commanders offense looked anything close to ‘above average/good.'”

“Since last Friday when Jake Fromm clearly outplayed Sam Howell and Jacoby Brissett, and the offense was sloppy in general (paused) and last Saturday in front of 10,000 fans and all three quarterbacks sucked, and the offense sucked as a whole, but it somehow didn’t stink as bad as it did today.”

“Today just made you want to barf.”

There was more, but we only have so much space…

Here is the audio link if you wish to listen to Russell express his frustration with the Commanders offense.