Tag: William Bradley-King

Patriots add depth to DE position with practice squad signing

The Patriots added some defensive line depth on Wednesday

The New England Patriots signed defensive end William Bradley-King to the practice squad, per MassLive’s Mark Daniels.

Bradley-King was originally drafted in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL draft. He played for the Washington Football Team/Commanders from 2021-2023. He was released from the Commanders’ practice squad on October 14.

Bradley-King has seven tackles and 0.5 sacks in his career.

New England could use depth at the defensive end position. The defensive side of the football has been hit hard by the injury bug throughout the season as a whole. Along the defensive front, Matthew Judon is currently on injured reserve, while Josh Uche and Keion White are dealing with injuries as well.

New England will need to right the ship on both sides of the football if they want to salvage the season. They currently sit at the bottom of the AFC East with a 1-5 record and defense being their best hope.

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Commanders place WR Dax Milne on IR: Re-sign DE William Bradley-King

Could we see Jamison Crowder on Sunday?

The Washington Commanders placed third-year wide receiver Dax Milne on the reserve/injured list Friday and re-signed defensive end William Bradley-King.

Milne is dealing with a groin injury from the preseason. With Milne out, the Commanders still have six wide receivers on the 53-man roster. However, the Commanders recently re-signed former starting wideout Jamison Crowder to the practice squad. Washington could elevate Crowder for Sunday’s game against the Cardinals to serve as the punt returner. Undrafted rookie Kazmeir Allen is also an option, but Crowder appears more likely.

Bradley-King’s signing is interesting. A seventh-round pick in 2021, Bradley-King has gone between the active roster and practice squad in his first two NFL seasons. He was released during final cuts and re-signed again to the practice squad. Earlier this week, the Commanders released him from the practice squad.

What does Bradley-King’s re-signing mean for the status of Chase Young? We will likely know the answer later on Friday when head coach Ron Rivera speaks to the media.

Commanders sign 9 players to reserve/future contracts

Troy Apke was among those signed to a reserve/future contract.

As is customary when the NFL season ends, teams sign players to reserve/future contracts before heading into the offseason.

The Washington Commanders signed nine players Monday to reserve/future contracts, including cornerback Troy Apke, quarterback Jake Fromm and wide receiver Alex Erickson.

Here is the complete list:

  • CB Troy Apke
  • DE William Bradley-King
  • WR Alex Erickson
  • CB DaMarcus Fields
  • QB Jake Fromm
  • G Nolan Laufenberg
  • WR Kyric McGowan
  • T Aaron Monteiro
  • G Keaton Sutherland

Apke may have set the team record for the most transactions in one season in 2022. However, the former fourth-round pick in 2018 will get another offseason with Washington to try and earn a roster spot.

Apke isn’t the only former Washington draft pick signed to a reserve/future contract. Defensive end William Bradley-King, a seventh-round pick in 2021, was also added.

Many of the others spent time on Washington’s practice squad this season, including the veteran Erickson, who was called up to return punts in Week 13.

What exactly is a reserve/future contract?

A reserve/future contract secures the player to an NFL roster for the offseason. When the new league year begins in March, the player will then be added to the 90-man offseason roster, and the player cannot negotiate with other teams while on a reserve/future contract.

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Montez Sweat credited with zero pressures in Week 3 loss vs. Eagles

The Commanders need more from Montez Sweat.

Remember in the summer of 2021 when Washington defensive end Montez Sweat predicted he and Chase Young would break the NFL sack record for a season by teammates?

That feels so long ago, but each week that passes without Sweat getting to the opposing passer and bringing them down, that comment comes back to mind.

In the ugly Week 3 loss to the Eagles, Sweat was credited with zero pressures on Jalen Hurts, according to Pro Football Focus. Per PFF, Sweat had 15 pass-rushing snaps and did not register one pressure. Sweat did not record a quarterback hit, either. For the season, Sweat has zero sacks after three games.

Look, we know sacks aren’t everything, but pressures and QB hits tell a bigger story. Sweat isn’t getting close. On more than one occasion Sunday, Sweat would rush the passer too wide against the offensive tackle, leading Hurts to step up and Sweat to run himself out of the play.

This is what we saw from Chase Young at times last season. It’s almost as if the speed rush isn’t working; Sweat lacks a countermove. Now, in fairness to Sweat, he had a terrific game in Week 1, although he didn’t record a sack. He was impactful. And with 21 sacks through his first three seasons, we know Sweat can wreak havoc.

A popular pick for a breakout player in 2022, Sweat’s combination of size, power and speed sets him apart from most. Somehow, some way, the Commanders need Sweat to start getting to the quarterback more frequently.

The defense needs help, and defensive tackles Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen are doing their part. Sweat raising his game would do a lot for Washington’s struggling secondary.

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Commanders chose Toney over Bradley-King

Why did the Commanders choose Shaka Toney over William Bradley-King for the final defensive end spot?

William Bradley-King or Shaka Toney?

That was a decision the Washington Commanders’ brass was forced to make for the initial 53-man roster 4 pm deadline Tuesday.

The Commanders’ top 8 defensive linemen were already clearly established, while Chase Young is recovering from his torn ACL. Starting on the outside will be Montez Sweat and James Smith-Williams. On the inside, Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne are proven. Providing depth on the inside will be Phidarian Mathis and Daniel Wise, while Casey Toohill and Efe Obada conclude the top eight down lineman.

Keeping one more lineman who can be an extra pass rusher, the Commanders determined for now they would keep Toney (No. 58) on the active roster while placing Bradley-King (No.5 6) on the practice squad. So, how will the Commanders use Toney?

Both Toney and King saw time in the 2021 season for Washington. Toney appeared in 10 games and King played in 3. Toney appeared on 10.66% of defensive snaps; King on 5.33%. Toney was in on 14.84% of special teams snaps, while King was not used on the special teams’ units.

Toney was in on 2 solo tackles, 6 assists and one tackle was for a loss. He also contributed 3 QB hits and 1.5 QB sacks. King contributed 5 assisted tackles, 1 QB hit and .5 QB sacks.

Commanders analyst Logan Paulsen was confident Bradley-King had won the final defensive lineman spot, stating he had a more consistent training camp and preseason than did Toney. However, in fairness to Paulsen, he also had stated last week that though Bradley-King had been more consistent, it was Toney who possessed more athletic explosiveness that could be utilized in pass-rushing situations and coverage teams.

Lining up against 300-pound offensive tackles while weighing only 238 himself, Toney is at a huge disadvantage on running plays. Thus it is highly likely Toney would only see snaps (barring injuries) during definite passing downs.

In the preseason, Toney exhibited his pass-rushing ability (and agility) on some plays that one can’t help but notice how Toney can bend the edge with speed. His nice tackle on punt coverage against Kansas City demonstrated his ability in the open field. Yet, Toney was seen at times determined to head up the field, taking himself far out of some plays.

Bradley-King doesn’t exhibit the explosiveness of Toney, yet at 254 pounds brings more size than Toney. Bradley-King (Baylor) has not demonstrated the same explosiveness, yet he has been more consistent. He could again be brought up to the active roster sometime in 2022.

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9 players the Commanders should re-sign to the practice squad

How many of the players the Commanders released will re-sign to the practice squad? Here are nine they should bring back.

The Washington Commanders finalized their initial 53-man roster on Tuesday with some mild surprises. Washington didn’t cut any former stars or high draft picks, but the Commanders left some positions a bit thin on the initial roster.

Not to worry, says head coach Ron Rivera, who said Tuesday, “we are not done.”

While the Commanders will likely be monitoring the waiver wire and inquiring about potential trades to upgrade the roster main roster, they will also be busy filling out their 16-man practice squad.

The Commanders cut 25 players on Tuesday. Last season, Washington’s initial practice squad was made up primarily of players it released and could follow the same theme in 2022. After all, keeping players familiar with your system, who have spent the offseason and training camp practicing with your team, makes sense.

Here are nine recently released players who the Commanders should re-sign to the practice squad if they clear waivers.

 

6 Commanders players to watch in preseason Week 2 vs. Chiefs

Six Commanders to watch in Saturday’s preseason Week 2 game vs. Chiefs.

The Washington Commanders are on the road for Week 2 of the preseason with a trip to Kansas City to play the high-flying Chiefs. Kansas City head coach Andy Reid said the Chiefs could play the entire first half, meaning the Commanders’ defense will get a good look at Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.

Meanwhile, Washington coach Ron Rivera said he’d “ideally” like to play his starters for a half; however, injuries could make that impossible. The Commanders have injuries to their top four tight ends and top three guards. Most of the injuries aren’t serious and are of the soft-tissue variety, but the injuries have created a lot of shuffling for Washington recently.

For several young players, the injuries create opportunities. Here are six Commanders to watch vs. Kansas City on Saturday.

Ron Rivera likes the Commanders depth at defensive end

Ron Rivera and Jack Del Rio like Washington’s defensive end depth.

The Washington Commanders arguably have the NFL’s most talented defensive line. Defensive ends Chase Young and Montez Sweat, combined with defensive tackles Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne and Phidarian Mathis, give Washington an outstanding tor group.

However, with Young still recovering from knee surgery, there were concerns about Washington’s youthful depth at defensive end this offseason. It led the Commanders to sign veteran Efe Obada to serve in a backup role for 2022.

But what about some of Washington’s young pass rushers?

Head coach Ron Rivera spoke to the media Wednesday and offered high praise for some of the Commanders’ young pass rushers.

“[William] Bradley King has done a really nice job,” Rivera said of the second-year defensive end. “He’s a heavy-handed guy that’s physical.”

Bradley-King has been consistent throughout training camp and flashed multiple times in last week’s preseason opener. Rivera also praised Bunmi Rotimi and Shaka Toney. Toney, along with Bradley-King, were fellow seventh-round picks in 2021.

“You look at Shaka [Toney], Shaka is a situation pass-rusher type,” Rivera said. “Very explosive off the ball. We saw that in the game. He was getting around the corner and dipping stuff like that. So, we got a mix of young guys.”

Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio also spoke on some of Washington’s defensive ends, naming James Smith-Williams and Casey Toohill.

“I think James Smith-Williams is the first guy that comes to my mind,” Del Rio said. “He is running with the ones. I think he is a guy that is rugged. He has played a little bit inside and has moved outside full-time. He is doing a great job with it. Really happy with him.”

We know Young is out for at least Week 1. Perhaps he will miss a few games. Washington certainly isn’t going to rush his return. So the extra reps for players like Smith-Williams, Toohill, Bradley-King and Toney are critical in the preseason.

It’s clear that Commanders’ coaches believe in some of the young players and Obada, regardless of how long they must wait on Young. That’s something the Commanders were less confident about one year ago.

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Commanders fall short to Panthers in preseason opener: Everything we know

News, notes and analysis from Washington’s 23-21 preseason loss to the Carolina Panthers.

The Washington Commanders made a game of it in the fourth quarter, even taking a 21-20 lead late. Still, the Carolina Panthers connected on a 45-yard field goal with 24 seconds remaining to win the preseason opener.

Washington quarterback Carson Wentz played into the second quarter in his first game for the Commanders. Wentz completed 10 of 13 passes for 74 yards. Wentz mainly targeted undrafted rookie tight end Armani Rogers but did have one excellent completion to wide receiver Terry McLaurin.

Taylor Heinicke played the remainder of the second quarter before giving way to rookie Sam Howell in the second half. Howell gave the Commanders a spark, but it wasn’t enough in the end.

Now, here’s everything we know from Washington’s preseason loss to the Panthers.

Washington makes multiple roster moves, including adding 2 more to COVID list

Washington will be without its top three defensive ends for Sunday’s game against the Cowboys.

Just when the Washington Football Team thought it was getting healthy for the season’s final stretch run, the team received a string of bad news over the last several days.

First, there was tight end Logan Thomas going on season-ending injured reserve after last week’s dirty hit in only his second game back. Next, there was defensive end Montez Sweat, who the WFT expected to return in Week 14 from a fractured jaw. However, Sweat was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list and is out for Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys.

On Saturday, Washington received more bad news when defensive end James Smith-Williams and cornerback Darryl Roberts were placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Linebacker Khaleke Hudson was placed on the COVID list after Sweat, meaning Washington has placed four players on the list over the last week.

Losing Smith-Williams is a tough blow for Washington. The WFT is already without Sweat and Chase Young. Now, Washington will be without its top three defensive ends for Sunday’s NFC East battle. Rookie defensive end William Bradley-King and safety Jeremy Reaves were activated from the practice squad as replacements for Smith-Williams and Roberts.

In more bad news, guard/center Wes Schweitzer was placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury. Schweitzer is a backup but has started most of Washington’s games over the last two years and is a critical reserve.

Washington signed center Jon Toth from the practice squad to replace Schweitzer on the roster.

Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio will now be relying on young players Casey Toohill, Daniel Wise, Shaka Toney, Bunmi Rotimi and Bradley-King Sunday to apply pressure on Dak Prescott.

Meanwhile, the Cowboys continue to receive positive injury news.