Tag: Ron Rivera

Commanders guard Sam Cosmi sees himself as one of the best in the NFL

Cosmi believes he’s already one of the NFL’s top guards.

Washington Commanders right guard Sam Cosmi is entering a contract year. Coming off a career year, the timing couldn’t be better for Cosmi.

One of the best things former head coach Ron Rivera did during his underwhelming four-year stint as head coach was move Cosmi to guard ahead of the 2023 season.

Cosmi settled in around midseason and proved to be one of the NFL’s better guards. Pro Football Focus awarded Cosmi an 80.6 grade for 2023. When new head coach Dan Quinn took over this offseason, Cosmi was considered one of the franchise’s young cornerstones.

Where does Cosmi see himself entering his fourth season — and second at guard?

“Last year was essentially my first year really playing guard, and I felt like I was able to put in my identity,” Cosmi said. “I want to be one of the best in this league. I feel like I am one of the best in this league. I’m going to be dirty, I’m going to be nasty. I’m not going to take, excuse my language, s–t from anybody. So, that’s what I’m going to do every time I step on that field, and that’s the type of player I’m going to be.”

Spoken like a true guard. “The Hogs” would be proud of Cosmi and his approach.

It makes sense that general manager Adam Peters wants to see the roster on the field before giving any contract extensions, but the longer he and the Commanders wait, Cosmi’s price will continue to rise.

Cosmi is one of the NFL’s best guards, even if fans and analysts around the league don’t know it yet.

New coaching staff having an impact on some young Commanders

Multiple former Washington draft picks already benefitting from coaching change.

When the Washington Commanders selected Alabama defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis with the No. 47 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft, it was to replace Daron Payne. Payne had one year remaining on his rookie deal. However, Payne would go on to have a career year in 2022, earning a four-year extension that made him the second-highest-paid defensive tackle ever at that time.

Meanwhile, Mathis was injured in Week 1 and missed the remainder of his rookie season. He returned to the field in 2023, appearing in 10 games for the Commanders, recording eight tackles.

The Commanders fired Ron Rivera in January, meaning the man who brought Mathis to Washington was gone. You’d think that would make Mathis nervous, but instead, he looked at it as an opportunity.

Earlier this week, Mathis was scheduled to return to Ashburn from his native Louisiana for the start of training camp. However, a global IT outage canceled flights throughout the country, and Mathis was among those impacted. Instead of using it as an excuse, Mathis took it upon himself to rearrange his travel plans in order to be at camp on time.

That impressed head coach Dan Quinn.

“I’ve really been impressed by Phil,” Quinn said Thursday. “He is just somebody that’s not going to miss this opportunity. I’m sure you guys saw some of the flight stuff. He was going to have a hard time getting in on time, and he wasn’t having it.”

It may seem like a small thing, but it impressed Quinn and the coaching staff. The coaching hasn’t only reenergized stars like Terry McLaurin and Jonathan Allen but other young players looking to turn their careers around, like Mathis.

“I just had to get here on time,” he said, per Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post. “I didn’t want to be late on the first day.”

A big reason for Mathis’ motivation is the new coaching staff.

“I just really feel like this is what a lot of guys needed, especially myself,” he said. “Just a new coaching staff that really just pushes us, man. I think they bring it all out of us. They make it exciting to be here every day. You can tell there’s a new standard around here.”

Washington’s players want to be coached. There’s a greater emphasis on teaching and technique at every position. Health aside, the coaching change could be what saves Mathis’ career in Washington. He’s not the only former Commanders’ draft pick trying to turn things around.

Cornerback Emmanuel Forbes is off to a strong start in camp. The staff wanted Forbes to add weight in the offseason, which he did. Through the first few days of camp, Forbes has looked like a different player. There’s still a long way for him to go, but the new staff has already impacted him.

Others, such as Jamin Davis, Benjamin St-Juste, and Dyami Brown, are all looking to turn things around in 2024 and have all expressed excitement about playing for Quinn.

Perhaps, after all, Rivera’s draft picks may not look as bad with a more qualified staff coaching them.

Former Commanders coach Ron Rivera said he would’ve picked Jayden Daniels in draft

Rivera thinks Daniels will be successful in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense.

Former Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera popped back up on television screens ahead of the 2024 NFL draft after a brief time away, working as an ESPN analyst. When asked, Rivera discussed his former team and spoke positively of former LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels about the Commanders and the No. 2 overall pick.

On a new episode of the “Adam Schefter podcast,” Rivera was asked about Daniels and if studied him during his final season in Washington, knowing the Commanders would have a high pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

“Yes, during that part (of the season), you always start looking ahead and seeing,” Rivera said. “You start watching the quarterbacks and thinking, ‘God, this kid’s got it.'”

He then began talking about Daniels with the current staff in Washington.

“Because Kliff Kingsbury is there, I think that was a tremendous pick for them because that offense counts on the quarterback doing a lot and making things happen,” Rivera continued.

From there, Rivera discussed how Washington would need to protect Daniels from injury. Commanders’ fans are going to have some fun with that comment, considering Rivera’s refusal to adequately address the offensive line.

Finally, Schefter asked Rivera, if he had stayed in Washington, would he have taken Daniels second overall.

“No, that was the quarterback; I really think that was the quarterback,” Rivera said of Daniels.

Here’s the full clip:

 

Jason Wright out as Commanders’ team president

The 2024 season will be Wright’s last with the Commanders and he will serve as an adviser until the team lands a replacement.

The Washington Commanders and team president Jason Wright are parting ways, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post. Wright will move out of his role as team president and assume the role of senior adviser as the team begins an immediate search for a new team president. He will depart the organization by the end of the upcoming 2024 season.

Wright was hired in August 2020 as the organization had just changed its name from the “Redskins” to the “Football Team” after pressure from sponsors. He replaced Bruce Allen in the role, and he was in charge of leading the franchise’s business operations, financing, and marketing.

Washington first came under investigation for its workplace culture under former owner Dan Snyder in 2020. It wouldn’t be the first investigation into Snyder, who sold the team in July 2023 to a group led by Philadelphia 76ers owner Josh Harris.

Two of Wright’s primary goals were to help the team find a new stadium and rebrand the organization. The team still doesn’t have a location for the new stadium, which had more to do with Snyder, not Wright, but the team’s rebranding in 2022 was met with anger from most of the remaining fan base.

There would be other issues, too, from the misspelling of the team’s legends’ names on graphics to the Sean Taylor memorial outside of FedEx Field. These types of gaffes didn’t go unnoticed, and Wright took much of the blame in the eyes of fans. Many of the hires Wright made have since left the organization.

Jhabvala notes that Wright informed the team last week of his pending exit.

Wright released the following statement:

This feels like the right moment for me to explore my next leadership opportunity. I’m extremely grateful to my Commanders colleagues, our fans and this community for all that we have accomplished these past four years, and am looking forward to the start of a very successful season for the Burgundy and Gold.

Josh Harris also released a statement thanking Wright:

Jason has made a remarkable impact on the Commanders organization since he joined four years ago. He stepped in at a time of immense challenge and has led this organization through an incredible transformation that set that stage for everything that is to come. I am extremely grateful to Jason for his partnership to me and the rest of the ownership group over the past year. His guidance has been invaluable and his leadership has helped reshape our culture.

Harris and Tad Brown, the CEO of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, will lead the search for the next team president.

 

Montez Sweat was ‘angry’ when he was traded from Commanders to Bears

Montez Sweat discusses his emotions after the Commanders traded him to the Bears.

The Washington Commanders had always planned to extend the contract of 2019 first-round pick Montez Sweat. Throughout his first four seasons, Sweat was solid and dependable. But he always left you wanting a little bit more.

Last season, the Commanders decided to move on from Sweat, sending him to the Chicago Bears at the NFL trade deadline. Why? Washington was going nowhere in the last year of an old regime and its first year under new ownership.

It also helped that the Bears’ offer of a second-round pick would be a top-40 pick.

Sweat’s situation was different than Chase Young’s situation. The Commanders had no interest in a long-term deal with Young but had always wanted to retain Sweat. Before his trade to the Bears, Sweat led Washington with 6.5 sacks. That was good enough to lead the team for the entire season.

After his trade to Chicago, Sweat had six more sacks, which also led the Bears. Yes, Sweat led two teams in sacks last season, which was good enough to earn a trip to his first Pro Bowl.

The Bears rewarded Sweat with a new four-year deal worth $98 million for his excellent play.

In an interview with Dan Pompei of The Athletic, Sweat reflected on his trade from Washington to Chicago. He wasn’t happy about it.

“I was shocked,” he says. “In disbelief.”

Sweat reflected on a text from then-head coach Ron Rivera to meet him in his office to discuss the trade.

“I was very emotional,” he says. “I was angry and probably said some things I wanted to take back. Maybe.”

Sweat acknowledged that the fear of starting over scared him.

“It felt like somebody kind of gave up on you, like you aren’t good enough anymore,” Sweat said.

Things worked out for Sweat. While the Commanders could use him, the Bears are likely one year ahead of Washington in their rebuild. Sweat’s value was at an all-time high, and owner Josh Harris agreed to the deal, giving the next regime a high second-round pick and potential building block.

 

Commanders cornerback Emmanuel Forbes confident ahead of 2nd season

Emmanuel Forbes confident ahead of training camp.

It’s hard to call your second NFL season make or break, especially when you’re a first-round pick, but that’s what Washington cornerback Emmanuel Forbes faces in 2024.

The No. 16 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft appeared in 12 games as a rookie with 10 starts. He finished his rookie season with 27 tackles, 10 passes defended and one interception. On the surface, those aren’t bad numbers, but Forbes’ performance in a Week 4 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles is what everyone remembers.

Forbes was matched up one-on-one against Eagles star A.J. Brown, who finished the game with nine receptions for 175 yards and two touchdowns. The next week, in a blowout loss to the Chicago Bears on Thursday Night Football, Forbes was matched up with Bears star D.J. Moore.

Moore caught eight passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns. Forbes wasn’t covering Moore the entire game, but it was enough for Washington coaches to bench him.

Forbes did not play the following week and played only 5% of the defensive snaps in the following two games. So, the coaching staff who chose him lost confidence in him after five games.

Remember the post-draft video of the previous staff smiling as if they pulled one over on the rest of the NFL by choosing Forbes?

That tells you all you need to know about the former staff. Washington had an overmatched secondary coach last season, and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio had no answers. Both were fired after a Thanksgiving blowout loss in Dallas.

Head coach Ron Rivera was fired in January, and the Commanders hired Dan Quinn to replace him. Quinn’s new defensive coordinator, Joe Whitt Jr., followed him from the Cowboys, where the duo led the Dallas defense to a top-five finish in each of the last three seasons. The Cowboys also led the NFL in forced turnovers.

So, when Quinn and Whitt came aboard, Forbes was excited.

In a recent social media post, Forbes expressed confidence ahead of a critical season for him.

Forbes and the Commanders report to training camp in three weeks. Fans need to see more from the second-year cornerback than social media posts. The new coaching staff did not draft him. Quinn stresses competition and Forbes must earn his spot in 2024.

The secondary struggled badly last season. Washington needs Forbes. And if Forbes resembles the same player from last season, general manager Adam Peters will not hesitate to move on from him. The pressure is on Forbes, something he understands. A fresh start could be exactly what Forbes needs.

Do the Commanders still have one of the NFL’s worst rosters?

How much has Washington improved its roster this offseason?

Remember when former Washington head coach Ron Rivera told the media he wasn’t worried about being fired ahead of last season?

Here’s the full quote, courtesy of Audacy.com:

“I don’t worry about being on the hot seat,” Rivera said last summer. “If we go 8-8-1 this year, and he (owner Josh Harris) fires me, and next year they win the division with 40 of the 53 players we drafted and the same quarterback? I’m vindicated; send me my Super Bowl ring. That’s the way I look at it. I want us to be right and to see this community have that excitement again.”

Harris fired Rivera in January, quickly hiring Adam Peters as Washington’s new general manager. Before Peters could work on Rivera’s roster, he hired Dan Quinn as the new head coach.

So, about Rivera’s roster comments.

Peters thought so highly of the roster he inherited that he began blowing it up during the early part of free agency. No team was busier during the first week of free agency than the Commanders. And it wasn’t like Peters was handing out big-money deals to anyone. He was fortifying the 2024 roster with several one-year deals and a few multi-year deals to keep Washington competitive while it rebuilds through the NFL draft.

The Commanders had nine selections in the 2024 NFL draft, including six top 100 picks. Peters hopes these six players serve as cornerstones for turning the franchise around, led by quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Still, work remains for Washington. The 33rd Team recently ranked the 10 worst rosters in the NFL, and the Commanders were ranked No. 6.

Regardless of how the case is presented, the 2023 Washington Commanders undeniably were bad. Ranking 31st in team DVOA, 32nd in points and yards allowed, and 28th in scoring rate, their offense couldn’t function, and the defense stopped no one.

It’s easy to see why they finished the season with eight straight losses.

A new coaching regime should help, and a large batch of rookies added depth across a roster lacking impact starters and reliable role players. An offensive identity carved around rookie QB Jayden Daniels will help augment what was a woeful run game and maximize explosive receivers like Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson.

The Commanders’ offensive line still has a few question marks at the tackle spots, but Daniels will reduce the astounding sack rate Sam Howell produced in 2023.

The defense definitely lacks individual edge-rushing talent and playmaking, but the foundation up the middle is improved. Veterans Dorance Armstrong, Frankie Luvu, and Bobby Wagner bring consistency and respectability on a down-by-down basis, raising the floor from horrible to competent.

The passing defense still has ways to go, and young cornerbacks Benjamin St-Juste, Emmanuel Forbes Jr., and Mike Sainristil will ultimately determine whether the unit can produce enough turnovers to overcome its talent deficiency.

One quote stood out: “Raising the floor from horrible to competent.”

That’s what Peters set out to do this offseason. He knew Washington wouldn’t be contending for a Super Bowl right now, so his job was to improve the roster around his rookie quarterback, Jayden Daniels while preserving future cap flexibility.

Mission accomplished.

Regardless of how many games the Commanders win in 2024 — they will be better — it was an impressive offseason. Not only for the roster moves but Washington’s entire structure, beginning with the front office, was overhauled, adding some of the NFL’s most respected minds.

So, while the roster may still have a way to go, things could look drastically different if Daniels becomes the star many think he will be.

How bad was the Commanders defense in 2023? This 1st quarter stat reveals how bad

Some really ugly numbers here.

During his four seasons as head coach of the Washington Commanders, Ron Rivera’s teams always seemed to get off to a slow start. Without elite quarterback play, it was always difficult for the Commanders to climb out of an early deficit.

In 2023, the defense was supposed to be a team strength. With four former first-round picks in the starting lineup on the defensive front, the Commanders defense should have made life easier for the offense.

Not only did that not happen, but Washington’s defense was even worse than the offense.

Here are the ugly numbers:

Those are some ugly numbers. Last season’s performance led Rivera to fire defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and secondary coach Brent Vieselmeyer after a blowout loss to the Cowboys.

If you think those numbers are bad, Warren Sharp had another that showed Washington’s defensive ineptitude.

Insanity is the correct word. Quarterback Sam Howell never had a chance. It’s remarkable that the Commanders allowed so many first-quarter points, and that stat alone tells the complete story of the 2023 Washington Commanders.

Washington’s defense will be better under head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. in 2024. While the Commanders have some question marks, namely at edge rusher and cornerback, Quinn’s defenses always find a way. If nothing else, Washington will force turnovers — another thing it could not do last season.

Eric Bieniemy wouldn’t allow Commanders’ players to wear hats backward

Washington’s offensive players weren’t allowed to wear their hats backward last year. How ironic is it that Dan Quinn is the new coach?

There’s a bit of irony with the Washington Commanders hiring Dan Quinn as their new coach this offseason. Quinn is unique. He’s the only NFL coach you’ll see who wears his hats backward and owns a vast collection of Air Jordans.

One year ago, Washington players, at least offensive players, weren’t allowed to wear their hats backward, according to right guard Sam Cosmi.

“Last year, I was not allowed to wear my hat backwards [in the building],” Cosmi told Candace Buckner of The Washington Post in a story about Quinn.

“So that’s a little fun fact there. That was something that we as players, offensive side, we weren’t allowed to wear our hat backwards.”

Cosmi said he loved Quinn’s look and noted how his wife preferred for him to wear his hat backward, which he couldn’t do last season.

That rule came from Washington’s offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. When former head coach Ron Rivera hired Bieniemy, he gave him the assistant head coach title and more authority, leading to a more hands-off approach from Rivera.

How’d that rule work out? You can do those things when you are delivering as a coach or player, but when you aren’t thriving in your position and you have silly rules such as this, it only makes things more difficult in the locker room.

At the end of last season, it was clear Washington players weren’t fans of Bieniemy. Logan Thomas, Charles Leno Jr. and Cosmi were some of those players who displayed frustration and used restraint in discussing Bieniemy.

Remember how Washington players were accused of being soft when taking issue with Bieniemy? How many former players across the NFL and some in the media immediately took Bieniemy’s side and blamed the players? As it turns out, the players had every right to be unhappy with the coaching staff last season.

It’s a new day now. Every returning player, regardless of which side of the ball they play on, has embraced Quinn and his staff.

Quinn is not wearing his backward to make a point. He’s done this long before Bieniemy made it a rule in Washington for one season.

“I respect people’s individuality and things that mean something to them,” Quinn told The Post. “So whether it’s a hairstyle or no facial hair — like, all the rules that we’ve all heard throughout our life, I don’t necessarily see it that way. I like that people are unique and different.”

The Commanders report to training camp beginning on July 18, and, for once, most players aren’t dreading the beginning of training camp.

How similar are the Commanders teams of 1994 and 2024?

There are some striking similarities, but one major difference.

The parallels are striking.

The Washington Redskins finished a terrible 4-12 in 1993, fired their head coach Richie Petitbon, hired a new head coach in Norv Turner, owned the third selection in the 1994 NFL draft, and then used it to choose a mobile SEC quarterback out of Tennessee, Heath Shuler.

Fast-forward exactly 30 years, and the Commanders (I still don’t like the name) were horrible, finishing 4-13. So they fired their head coach, Ron Rivera, and hired a new head coach, Dan Quinn.

This team had the second overall selection in the NFL draft and also went to the SEC for a mobile quarterback, drafting LSU Heisman winner Jayden Daniels.

If that is not enough for you, both quarterbacks were known for their mobility in college, and yes, both would wear jersey number 5 for Washington.

But that is where the similarities come to an end, an abrupt end.

Shuler held out, was late coming to training camp, didn’t know the offense, and immediately demonstrated to some veterans in his first workouts that he couldn’t play in the pocket in the NFL.

Daniels did not miss a workout in the offseason. He has already demonstrated that he can pass the football while in the pocket. He goes to bed early, gets up early, and gets to work early to lead an NFL football team.

Daniels has already signed up for four years and last week replied to a reporter that he is not an NFL star quarterback, saying he is a rookie and hasn’t accomplished anything yet in the NFL.

Don’t you just love the sound of a young man who has his feet planted firmly on the ground?

Shuler’s rookie 1994 season saw him only complete 45 percent of his passing attempts, for 10 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, and he won only one of his eight starts.

Yes, there are several similarities, but the differences?

The differences are substantial. Those differences assure Commanders fans that Jayden Daniels is no Heath Shuler.