Tag: Saahdiq Charles

Commanders have shown some real progress in two areas

Emmanuel Forbes continues to be a bright spot for the Commanders.

A local reporter believes confidently the Commanders have made real progress in two key areas of the roster this offseason.

The Washington Post Commanders reporter Sam Fortier went as far as Thursday on the Craig “Hoffman Show” on The Team 980 to suggest that if the Commanders were playing the Vikings and wanted to shadow wide receiver Justin Jefferson, it would not be Kendall Fuller, given the assignment. It wouldn’t even be Benjamin St-Juste.

No, Fortier declared it would be rookie Emmanuel Forbes who has yet to play his initial NFL regular-season game. “If you want to be CB1 by that definition, then I think (Forbes) is your guy right now. He has been impressive. In terms of minicamp for a rookie? He has looked pretty dang good.”

Hoffman then transitioned, “The offensive line is still a massive area of concern.” He asked Fortier, “Have you seen anything to ease your concern in that position group this Spring?”

Fortier’s response was noteworthy. “If you want to say that they are old, unathletic and immobile like they were last year at guard with Andrew Norwell and Trai Turner. Then, I have seen things to boost my confidence. Saahdiq Charles looks bigger and stronger, and Sam Cosmi is going to transition nicely into guard.”

Fortier continued; however, he did not feel Rivera was as confident in the offensive line as he would like to be. Hoffman referred to how confident coaches were in 2022 of their offensive line despite its ability being much less than in 2020-21. Hoffman suggested this is good in that it shows they are more aware of what they actually have and don’t have on the offensive line now than in 2022.

 

Will the Commanders keep or release Andrew Norwell?

Could we see news involving Norwell soon?

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Wasn’t it strange recently how Commanders head coach Ron Rivera completely omitted a 2022 starter when asked about who will move forward on the 2023 offensive line?

Recently when Commanders head coach Ron Rivera was asked about his offensive line, Rivera openly mentioned how at left guard second-year guard out of Tulsa Chris Paul and fourth-year lineman out of LSU, Saahdiq Charles will battle it out for the starting job.

What was amazing to those paying attention was that Rivera completely overlooked starter Andrew Norwell, not including him in the mix, though he remains on the current roster.

It is no secret to any close follower of the Commanders that the 2022 season was one in which the offensive line’s play took a downward slide from a fine 2021 season. Norwell certainly at times had his struggles.

In the previous off season, Washington had lost starting guards Brandon Scherff and Ereck Flowers. Scherff chose to leave for more money in Jacksonville, and the Commanders determined to release Flowers.

The Commanders then chose to bring in free agents Norwell and Trai Turner. These two however did not perform up to the level of play of Scherff and Flowers and the Washington offense struggled at times.

The Commanders released center Chase Roullier designating it a post-June 1 release which will save the Commanders more cap space. For months, many have expected the release of Norwell. Perhaps the Commanders will release Norwell after June 1. The release of Roullier and Norwell would save the Commanders around $12 million.

Norwell also managed apparently to not give any time to the media last season. Perhaps he was not actually pleased with his play in 2022? There is no mistaking that Coach Ron certainly appears to have moved on in his own mind from Norwell.

CBS regrades the 2020 NFL draft after three years and the Commanders remain the same

What grade would you give Washington’s 2020 NFL draft now?

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They say you can’t truly grade a draft until at least three years removed from that draft. So, now feels like the perfect time to go back and grade the Washington Commanders’ 2020 NFL draft.

That draft, of course, was the year Washington selected defensive end Chase Young at No. 2 overall. Over the last two years, we’ve seen some do redrafts, which is a silly notion, and give the Commanders quarterback Justin Herbert.

That sounds great, but we live in reality. You do not get do-overs.

As for Young, things began as expected. At times, he was a game-wrecker on the edge, recording 7.5 sacks and helping lead the Commanders to a surprising NFC East division title, albeit with a losing record, and won the NFL defensive rookie of the year.

Since that time, Young has only appeared in 12 games due to a significant knee injury. In the nine games before his 2021 knee injury, Young had just 1.5 sacks. He returned in Week 16 of the 2022 season and looked like his athletic self, but he did not record a sack.

The Commanders declined to pick up Young’s fifth-year option, guaranteed at over $17 million for 2024, making him a free agent after the 2023 season.

Let’s head back to that 2020 draft for a moment. Washington also selected running back Antonio Gibson [third round], offensive lineman Saahdiq Charles [fourth round], safety Kamren Curl and defensive James Smith-Williams [seventh round].

Gibson has been excellent at times, rushing for over 1,000 yards in 2021 after scoring 11 touchdowns as a rookie. Charles has yet to establish himself but has logged several starts.

Curl is the gem of the class and is in line for a significant extension once new ownership takes over. Smith-Williams was also an excellent Day 3 pick, starting several games and becoming an important part of Washington’s defensive end rotation.

Pete Prisco of CBS Sports gave Washington a “B” after the 2020 NFL draft. Three years later, Prisco sticks with that grade and explains why.

The Skinny: They took edge player Chase Young with the second overall pick. He flashed star potential as a rookie, but then suffered a major knee injury in 2021. He wasn’t the same player last season. This year is big for him. After that, they took running back Antonio Gibson in the third after trading their second-round pick the year before to draft Montez Sweat. Gibson has been a big part of their offense the past three years. Fourth-round offensive lineman Saahdiq Charles has been a sometimes starter, although he will open as a backup in 2023. They hit big on seventh-round safety Kamren Curl, who is one of the better players on their defense. Seventh-round edge James Smith-Williams had 14 starts and three sacks last season. But he has mostly been a backup.

How I did: I loved the pick of Young, but who didn’t? The injury has changed the trajectory of his career. I questioned trading the second to draft Sweat the year before, but Washington nailed that decision. I liked the picks of Gibson and Charles since both were on my Better-Than team that year. I also said fourth-round receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden had a chance, but he retired after two seasons with just one catch.

That’s fair. While Young’s career has been disappointing thus far, not all of it is his fault; his production before the injury is a concern, though. But that potential still exists, and 2023 is a massive season for him.

Curl, Gibson and Smith-Williams were all excellent choices, especially when you consider where Washington landed them.

How has the Commanders 2020 draft class developed?

How would you judge Washington’s 2020 NFL draft class right now?

How many times over the years have you heard, “You can’t grade a draft until you have at least three seasons of play?”

While the 2020 Washington NFL draft has brought some disappointment, this draft by no means can be called a dud or unproductive.

Yes, Antonio Gandy-Golden (4th round) is already out of the NFL, and yes, Keith Ismael (5th round) did not last long in the Burgundy and Gold.

Yes, Chase Young (1st round) has produced only 9 sacks in three seasons and yes, he was the overall second selection in the entire draft.

Yes, Saahdiq Charles (4th round) has only played in 24 games in three seasons. Yet, he has shown enough that head coach Ron Rivera still believes he and Chris Paul will battle for the starting left guard spot this fall.

Also encouraging is third-round selection, Antonio Gibson. Gibson from Memphis has rushed for 2,378 yards and caught 124 receptions for 894 yards. With the Commanders releasing J.D. McKissic, look for new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy to readily use Gibson as the third-down back, getting the ball to him in space.

Khaleke Hudson (5th round, 162 overall) has been steady on special teams and showed in the season finale last season he can play more at linebacker if needed.

Seventh-round choices Kamren Curl and James Smith-Williams have been pleasant surprises who continue to contribute on defense. How often does a team have not one but two successful draft choices in the final round?

Both Curl and Smith-Williams are entering their final contract year with the Commanders. With these two being productive and reliable, the Commanders will need to get both re-signed for the 2024 season and beyond.

Who would have thought immediately after the 2020 draft, that after three seasons of play, not one but both seventh-round draft choices would be a top priority for the Commanders to resign for 2024?

Not a single one of us.

Ron Rivera very comfortable with Commanders offensive line

It also sounds like Washington’s next offensive line coach is already in the building.

Ron Rivera feels much better about his offensive line now.

The Commanders went out aggressively during the first week of free agency addressing their offensive line woes. As a result they made two quick additions, signing G/T Andrew Wylie and G/C Nick Gates.

Rivera, speaking with the local media at the owners meeting, Tuesday expressed, “I feel very comfortable with it, I really do. We made a concerted effort during free agency to go out and fortify the line. Add some depth to the line. Add some competition. We have some guys that are also position flex guys so it’ll give us an opportunity to see the best places to have these guys and integrate them with the guys that are currently on the roster.”

There are still young players who have yet to prove themselves. Apparently the plan is for two of them to compete at left guard. Rivera explained, “Our left guard will truly be a competition in terms of watching Saahdiq [Charles] and Chris Paul compete for that. I think both of those guys are young guys that have to play. Saahdiq is an explosive guy, very powerful. You watch Chris Paul in practice and the tape from some of the snaps he had in the Dallas game for sure, you see his play strength and his athleticism.”

There has been much speculation that both starting guards from last year Trai Turner and Andrew Norwell would not return. However, Rivera says that is not the case. “Andrew is going to be there as we go through the process and finish up all of our evaluations. We have to get through the draft as well.”

The Commanders also re-signed center Tyler Larsen and still have Chase Roullier. Rouiller was solid and dependable through the 2020 season. Unfortunately his last two seasons, he suffered bad injuries.

Who will be the next offensive line coach, replacing long-time veteran coach John Matsko?

“Well, we haven’t had an opportunity to finish the announcements and everything with everything that is going on. We will take care of that first opportunity very quickly, but we have a guy that is on staff, and we feel very comfortable with him.”

Travelle Wharton has been the assistant offensive line coach, even assisting Matsko back in Carolina as well. He played with the Panthers (2004-2013) starting 111 of the 115 games he played.

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Commanders coach Travelle Wharton talks offensive line

The assistant offensive line coach sees progress despite the rocky start to the season.

Travelle Wharton is a name most Commanders fans will not recognize, but the assistant offensive line coach is in his fifth season in NFL coaching.

Wharton played at South Carolina, grabbing the attention of enough scouts that he was drafted in the third round (94th) of the 2004 NFL draft by the Carolina Panthers. Wharton who played in the NFL for nine seasons (2004-2013), met with the media Friday.

The team has suffered so many offensive line injuries early in the season.
A huge loss was losing center Chase Roullier and Wharton addressed this.
“Chase is not just a good player, but just a leader on our line and in the locker room. So losing him was a big hit for us. His confidence and getting us in protections and things like that. You can hear it with other players when he talks, everybody listens. Guys have been really stepping up, so it just shows everyone, Hey, be ready.”

After losing two centers, Nick Martin was signed and had to start immediately.

“I thought Nick stepped in last week and has done really well for just coming in and picking up what we were doing. For everybody else on the line, it’s really staying fine-tuned and understanding those calls cause we rehearse it so much during the course of the week and meetings and stuff like that, or what you’ll call here on different looks.”

The offensive line has at times gotten beaten badly. But Wharton sees progress.

“We are consistently getting better every time we step out there. We gotta continue to work; that’s the big thing. You lose a couple guys here and there, and the next guys step up, but we gotta continue to go. That’s what you have to do as offensive line, play hard together.”

Saahdiq Charles replaced Trai Turner at right guard and made some plays last week.

“He’s been in a few times, a few snaps. He’s getting the opportunity to play, and that’s the biggest thing when you get an opportunity to play in NFL games; you have to take advantage of it. I think mentally he’s prepared.”

“He’s always been explosive, from year one to year two is a big jump, man. He’s really grown overall as a football player mentally and physically of what he needs to do. He played multiple positions. He’s one of those guys that can play multiple and you have to be a pretty smart player to do all that and have the athletic skill set to do it also.”

“Andrew Norwell came in and has been physical. Let me start by saying that, he’s a great teammate that plays great football and he’s been physical. The continuity of those guys and Andrew being in there has been really well because he can make the blocks on the front side and the back side and do a good job in pass pro.”

LOOK: This image perfectly describes Commanders in Week 4 loss to Cowboys

This image sums up Washington’s day.

In case you haven’t heard, the Washington Commanders lost again on Sunday. This time it was a 25-10 defeat at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys. Now, Washington is 1-3 on the season and has lost three straight games.

It was another ugly day from Washington’s offense. One week after quarterback Carson Wentz was sacked nine times, there was a fear he’d be sacked 10 times or more facing Micah Parsons and the Cowboys.

Believe it or not, Wentz was only sacked twice, although he was under pressure the entire day. While head coach Ron Rivera will go to the film and look for answers, one Twitter user may have discovered one of Washington’s offensive issues: The offensive linemen are blocking one another.

Thanks to Twitter user “KB” for the entertainment.

Rivera likely will not find the humor in it, but we’d all like to know what Andrew Norwell and Charles Leno were thinking on this play.

Second injury report for Commanders vs. Eagles, Week 3

Two Commanders did not practice Thursday, while two were limited.

The second injury report of the week is out, and two players missed Thursday’s practice for the Washington Commanders.

Defensive end Casey Toohill [concussion] and defensive tackle Daniel Wise [ankle] each missed practice for the second consecutive day. Either player missing Sunday’s Week 3 game against the NFC East-leading Philadelphia Eagles would be a difficult blow to Washington’s defensive line depth.

The Commanders are already without rookie defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis, who injured his knee in Week 1. At defensive end, Washington is still a few weeks away — at least — before Chase Young makes his 2022 return.

The Eagles listed 12 players on Thursday’s injury report, but it was more of a rest day. Wide receiver A.J. Brown, guard Landon Dickerson, offensive tackle Lane Johnson and defensive tackle Fletcher Cox were among those listed as limited for Philadelphia.

Cornerback Avonte Maddox [back] and linebacker Haason Reddick [knee] are the only players believed to be dealing with injuries.

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First injury reports for Commanders vs. Eagles, Week 3

Three players did not practice Wednesday for the Commanders.

The first injury report for Week 3 is out and featured some good and bad news for the Washington Commanders.

First, the good news. Defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, safety Kam Curl and guard/center Wes Schweitzer all practiced fully. Curl is on track to play his first game of the season on Sunday against the Eagles. Schweitzer is Washington’s likely starting center now that Chase Roullier is on injured reserve.

Now, the not-so-good news.

The Commanders had three players who did not practice and three who were limited Wednesday. Defensive Shaka Toney [illness], defensive end Casey Toohill [concussion] and defensive tackle Daniel Wise [ankle].

Offensive lineman Saahdiq Charles [shoulder], linebacker Cole Holcomb [quad] and right guard Trai Turner [quad] were all limited.

Meanwhile, things looked much better for the Eagles.

Wide receiver Quez Watkins [illness] was the only player to miss practice. Cornerback Avonte Maddox [back] and linebacker Haason Reddick [knee] were limited.

Commanders offensive line getting healthy at the perfect time

Washington’s offensive line is finally healthy.

Until this week, the Washington Commanders haven’t had their projected offensive line together on the field at the same time. Throughout training camp and the first two weeks of the preseason,  all but right tackle Sam Cosmi has missed a portion of camp with an injury.

Guard Trai Turner missed all of camp until this week. Head coach Ron Rivera stated that if this were the regular season, Turner would likely be practicing, but there was no need. Guard Andrew Norwell missed some time over the past week after a dominant performance in Washington’s first preseason game.

Center Chase Roullier began camp on the physically unable to perform list but has slowly worked his way into the lineup and started in last week’s preseason game at Kansas City.

Left tackle Charles Leno Jr. missed last week’s game but is back. Then, top reserves, tackle Cornelius Lucas and guard/center Wes Schweitzer also missed time.

All are back now, just as the Commanders wrap up the preseason against the Ravens on Saturday. It’s unknown which players will suit up on Saturday. Rivera did say starters would play on a “very limited” basis.

While it has been difficult for Rivera and the offensive staff, it has given young players like rookie Chris Paul and third-year pro Saahdiq Charles valuable practice and playing experience.

Rivera praised some of Washington’s young offensive linemen this summer, including Charles, on Thursday.

“Saahdiq’s had a pretty good camp,” Rivera said. “It’s a lot to ask a guy to work all three of those positions, but he’s done a nice job at it. And position flex for a guy is important, and he’s still a young guy, still developing and growing. But the more he knows, I think the better it’ll help him in his game.”

Charles, who played left tackle at LSU, has played tackle and guard in the NFL. That type of versatility makes him valuable, especially on game days.

Over the past two years, Washington began each season with questions about the offensive line. However, by the end of the season, they were ranked among the top 10 offensive lines in the NFL. Offensive line coach John Matsko is one of the best, and Washington’s depth each season contributed to the group’s success.

Barring catastrophic injuries, expect Washington’s offensive line to be a team strength in 2022.

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