Tag: WR Dyami Brown

Dan Quinn’s answer about a No. 2 receiver is telling

The Commanders like their current group of receivers.

Throughout the 2024 offseason and training camp, it was a foregone conclusion that Jahan Dotson was Washington’s No. 2 receiver.

That is until preseason games began, and head coach Dan Quinn noticeably one day praised some wide receivers but neglected to mention Dotson. After a week of much speculation, suddenly, on the morning of August 22, Adam Peters had traded away Dotson and a fifth-round choice to the Eagles. In exchange, Washington would receive a third-round choice and two seventh-round choices.

To this day, fans and media still discuss the team’s need for a No.2 receiver. Quinn apparently doesn’t agree.

On Wednesday, when asked about “the lingering discussions” about the Commanders’ need to develop a No. 2 receiver, Quinn smiled and responded, “No, I’ll let you and the guys outside have those ones. For us, we’re really focused on the guys that are here, honestly, just absolutely battling for it.”

Olamide Zaccheaus leads the receivers (other than Terry McLaurin) with 10 receptions, averaging 11.4 YPR. Noah Brown follows him with 9 receptions, averaging 12.3, Luke McCaffrey (7/ 11.3), Dyami Brown (5/ 7.4), and Jamison Crowder (1/ 5.0).

Quinn interestingly added, “What you will see sometimes each week is some reps may change by the position, what’s needed maybe for that game plan or for how we’d want to attack. But we’re really pleased with the group and their competitive nature, what they stand for.”

For what it is worth, the Eagles were without DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown last week, and Brown has now missed the last three games. Dotson has not taken advantage of their absences, as he has only accumulated five receptions for 25 yards in his four games.

Two oddities regarding the Commanders’ depth chart

Some takeaways from Washington’s Week 1 depth chart.

So the Commanders’ defensive depth chart is “unofficial,” they say.

When I was looking through it on Tuesday, I read each name quickly and didn’t notice anything unusual. I caught Michael Davis and Dominique Hampton being listed as the backup not once but twice.

So, I looked a second time at the starters, and this time, I noticed they had listed an extra starter. The Commanders had listed 12 instead of ll as their starters. Why?

Though listed as such, the Commanders are not going to start Clelin Ferrell, Dorance Armstrong, and Dante Fowler at the same time. They could, yes, but not if they also start cornerbacks Emmanuel Forbes, Benjamin St-Juste, and Mike Sainristil.

https://Twitter.com/Mason_Kinnahan/status/1822802490443641122

This was not an error. The truth is that, for some reason, the Commanders wanted 12 starters on defense and 11 on offense listed. Had they not yet personally informed one of the 12 that he is not starting? Perhaps they felt it best that the player hear it first from the coaching staff and not social media?

Looking at the Week 1 opponent, the Tampa Bay Bucs, I noticed the Bucs list three wide receivers as starters: Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Jalen McMillan.

Perhaps the Commanders listed three cornerbacks to combat the three Bucs receivers. Does that mean they will alter the depth chart each week accordingly?

Over to the offensive chart, in the minicamps and training camp, Dyami Brown was often praised. Luke McCaffrey, on the other hand, not so much. Yet, the surprise on the chart was that Brown was listed as a backup and McCaffrey and Olamide Zaccheaus as the starters.

Perhaps the key word in the depth charts is “unofficial,” and we should simply view them as a guide from week to week, but not official.

2024 NFL preview: How ready are the Commanders at wide receiver?

How good can Washington’s wide receivers be in 2024?

The receivers group is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, question marks for the 2024 Commanders.

Terry McLaurin returns having caught 79 passes for 1,002 yards, four touchdowns, and 47 first downs, averaging 12.7 yards a reception. McLaurin has persevered and endured inconsistent quarterback play his entire NFL career (2019-2023) with Washington. So, if healthy, McLaurin will again be productive. Terry McLaurin 2023 highlights

All the DMV wants to be optimistic, yet the reality is Washington must replace its second and third receivers from 2023. Curtis Samuel was on the receiving end of 62 passes for 613 yards, four touchdowns, and 26 first downs, averaging 9.9 yards a reception. Samuel departed as a free agent and signed with the Bills.

Jahan Dotson, selected 16th overall by Washington in the 2022 draft, collected 49 receptions for 518 yards, four touchdowns, and 27 first downs, averaging 10.6 yards per reception. Dotson and the offensive coaches were not on the same page in training camp, and he was subsequently traded to the Eagles.

So, where will production come from this receiver group? Dyami Brown has been largely unproductive in his first three NFL seasons. He has flashed, but only a few plays each season. He has also struggled to catch some balls that were certainly catchable.

However, coaches have continued to insist that Brown has worked hard and produced throughout the offseason and training camp. Brown has been publicly praised more than once by Dan Quinn, and apparently, the Commanders believed enough in Brown and rookie Luke McCaffrey that they traded Dotson.

McCaffrey brings some size at 6-2, 198. Coaches believe the rookie has good upside because he converted from quarterback his last two years at Rice and only began playing receiver.

Jamison Crowder and Byron Pringle will not be putting up large numbers. However, the two have both shown that they can still make plays and play physical football, and both are willing and able to contribute on special teams.

According to Quinn, Olamide Zaccheaus has impressed throughout the offseason and training camp. He has experience at age 27 and 72 NFL games, catching 104 passes for 1,492 yards (14.3 yards per reception) and 10 receiving touchdowns. Can he produce enough? Well, in 2022, he caught 40 passes at a 13.3-yard average per completion. We shall see, but he earned more praise than Dotson in training camp.

Noah Brown was cut by the Texans and signed by the Commanders. He has had a few injuries, but he has a reputation for being competitive and physical, which the coaches seek.

Brycen Tremayne (Stanford) and Mitchell Tinsley (Penn State) were brought back and signed to the practice squad. Also, of note, this was not the duo’s first NFL offseason, training camp, or preseason.

Pro Football Focus top grades for the Commanders vs the Jets

Where did Jayden Daniels land? How about Dyami Brown?

I’m not sure how they do it, but Pro Football Focus has already provided the grades for the Commanders’ preseason opener at the New York Jets.

Of course, keep in mind that 11 Commanders did not even play in the game, and many of Saturday’s starters received very little playing time.

But hey, it’s preseason, and the Commanders 2024 football season opener is four weeks from today (Sunday). So, here we go:

With his big 42-yard reception in the first quarter and another reception for 13 yards, receiver Dyami Brown graded out the highest at 91.1.

New receiver Olamide Zaccheaus was actually the second highest-graded Commander with a 90.2. Interesting is the fact that Zaccheaus actually did not have an official reception. He did have one for a nice gain in the first half, that was negated by a penalty. He also contributed a nice 19-yard punt return.

Tight end Ben Sinnott scored an 87.2. On three targets, he made three receptions for 57 yards, including one where he was a bear to bring down, which gained 44 yards.

Starting quarterback Jayden Daniels was fourth with an 85.1. Daniels completed 2 of his 3 attempts for 45 yards and ran once for a 3-yard touchdown.

Offensive tackle Alex Taylor recorded an 82.2. Taylor is one of the newest Commanders. The Commanders don’t even have a photo of him yet for their online roster.

PFF states that players had to participate in at least ten snaps of the Jets game to qualify for their official grading system.

How do Commanders coaches really feel about Daniels’ audible?

What did Quinn really think of Jayden Daniels’ audible?

It was third-and-6 at the Commanders’ 34-yard line. Going no-huddle, the call was for Jayden Daniels to attempt a screen pass, get rid of the ball,  and avoid being hit behind an offensive line that was without their top three tackles (Cornelius Lucas, Andrew Wylie, Brandon Coleman).

Daniels instead called for an empty backfield, sending wide receiver Dyami Brown deep down the right sideline. With no running back to help pick up a penetrating pass rusher or blitzer, Daniels lofted a beautiful pass that Brown snagged for a 42-yard gain.

Did Daniels’ change from the screen pass to the long pattern for Brown impress or concern head coach Dan Quinn?

Well, first of all, Quinn is certainly not simplistic. So, is it out of the realm of probability that Quinn was both impressed and concerned?

On the one hand, Daniels’ move appears very confident, very assertive. That could speak very well to the rookie’s leadership skills and confidence in his physical abilities.

On the other hand, might it have been a demonstration of Daniels’ lack of understanding of the risks involved? Both could be true, quite true.

Daniels is confident, but he also does not yet understand the risks involved in the NFL. The SEC is a great football conference, but even most of the SEC players he faced won’t make it in the NFL.

What if Daniels had been hit hard, perhaps even injured? There is not one of us that wants to go down that path.

The experienced Quinn remained very positive with the media following the game. But Quinn, being the leader he is, do you think he will simply shrug his shoulders and let it go because the result was a short-term success?

In September, the pass rush Daniels will begin facing will be much more intense and much faster. Consequently, Daniels should not be surprised this week when he hears again the need to follow instructions from those who know much more than himself concerning what lies ahead this season.

Some Commanders’ bright spots against the Jets

We look at some of the Commanders’ bright spots vs. the Jets.

The Commanders lost to the Jets on Saturday, 20-17, at MetLife Stadium.

However, what were some of the bright spots?

Jeff Driskel

Third quarterback Jeff Driskel made some nice plays, passing and running. He completed 7 of 15 passes for 87 yards, with a 16-yard run. Was Driskel the second-best quarterback for Washington on Saturday?

Ben Sinnott

Rookie tight end Ben Sinnott and Driskel hooked up for the longest gain on Saturday. It was a 44-yard pass, and Sinnott demonstrated that he might be a tough ball carrier to bring down in the regular season. Sinnott finished with three receptions on three targets for 57 yards.

Jamin Davis

Jamin Davis knew he needed to make some plays. When he first entered the game, he made two stops on running plays, with the runs totaling only three yards. He displayed quickness and energy on the edge. There was one play where he decided to battle OT (Fashanu) and did not seal the edge, resulting in a 24-yard run.

Dyami Brown

Dyami Brown was covered well, yet he made a nice catch for a 42-yard gain. Later, Brown made another nice catch for 13 yards from Driskel. Brown is in his fourth year and the first three have been disappointments. This was a good start for him today if he is to make this team in 2024.

Cole Turner/John Bates

Did you see tight end Cole Turner on Daniels’ touchdown run? Turner lined up on the right side and drove his man to the back of the end zone. Tight end John Bates also took care of his man. Daniels was able to jog in for the score because these two did such a good job on the play.

Tyler Owens

Punt return coverage is a place where players can make an impression with their hustle and or a tackle. Such was the case today for undrafted safety Tyler Owens (Texas Tech). He is 6-foot-2, 213 pounds.

Tress Way

Also, there was a punt return that started right; the returner then reversed his field all the way left, and there was Tress Way. He came up and made the nice, clean tackle. I noticed the bench really reacted to Way’s tackle/effort. Don’t you know the coaches loved that as well when an older punter is hustling?

 

A closer look at the Commanders opening touchdown drive

A closer look at the Commanders’ opening drive.

Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels only saw action on Washington’s first possession, Saturday, during their 20-17 loss to the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

However, with the Commanders gaining 70 yards in 11 plays, concluding with a Daniels 3-yard touchdown run, he was pulled and sat out the remainder of the contest.

The opening drive featured Brian Robinson Jr. running hard, carrying the ball five times, gaining 20 yards.

The only negative for Daniels was on second-and-6 from the 34. He may have been nervous as he badly missed Austin Ekeler, sailing it over Ekeler’s head on an attempted screen pass to the right.

On the very next play, Daniels looked deep and found Dyami Brown for 42 yards to the Jets 24. More significantly, tight end Zach Ertz told Bryan Colbert on the Commanders’ sideline that Daniels “was able to check the play at the line of scrimmage and get us in a better play.” Indeed, the call from the sideline had been for a screen pass.

However, on the play, Daniels had the Commanders in a five-wide out alignment, which necessitates an empty backfield. Meaning that Daniels knew he had to get rid of the ball quickly because there was no running back to help pick up a free pass rusher.

The coverage by Jets corner Jarrick Bernard-Converse was actually good. However, Daniels laid the ball just beyond the reach of Bernard-Converse, and the outstretched Brown made a nice catch.

On first-and-10 at the 12, Daniels hit McLaurin on a swing pass to the right. Had Jahan Dotson kept his feet better, McLaurin would have penetrated much deeper than the 9 for a small gain of three yards.

After a Nick Allegretti false start, Ekeler showed good quickness in a four-yard run to the 3. On Daniels’ touchdown run, be sure to watch on the right side, noticing the job done by tight ends John Bates and Cole Turner. Their efforts resulted in Daniels being able to jog into the end zone for the 3-yard touchdown.

Some good and some not so good from Commanders, Thursday

Some good and bad from Thursday’s practice vs. the Jets.

There is no overarching narrative to the Commanders’ joint practice on Thursday; there were some good and some not very good moments.

Hey, it’s only the tenth day into this 2024 preseason. So, no need to overreact to what transpired in today’s joint practice with the Jets in New Jersey.

It was a joint practice on August 8, and the most significant thing to come out of Thursday might have been that the regular season opener at Tampa against the Buccaneers is to the day, September 8, a month away.

Where there were questions coming into Thursday’s practice, there will still be questions. Remember, this was the first scrimmage action prior to the first preseason game.

Jayden Daniels moved the ball around to several players and Dyami Brown made a nice catch deep. Daniels seemed to process at times and hit a few checkdowns as well.

Corner Emmanuel Forbes collected an interception during the 7-on-7 reps. However, he also gave up some sizeable yardage in man coverage. Benjamin St-Juste also gave up a big pass gain; keep in mind these were not against Aaron Rodgers, who sat out Thursday.

At times, Andrew Wylie and Brandon Coleman have been the starting offensive tackles. Well, neither one of those guys worked in scrimmage reps against the Jets defense. No word on what type of injury kept Coleman out Thursday. NFL coaches don’t need to publicly report injuries, and consequently, most of the time, they won’t.

Both kickers missed multiple kicks today. Apparently it was not that good a day for either Ramiz Ahmed or Riley Patterson.

Which Commanders/Rivera draft choices are in danger?

Which Ron Rivera draft picks could be in danger of not making the 53-man roster?

With a new coaching staff, new general manager and plenty of new free agent additions, which Commanders draft choices made by Ron Rivera are in danger of not making the 53-man roster?

Rivera’s drafts have proven to be largely ineffective. So, why would the new administration feel any obligation to hang on to anyone from a 4-13 team?

From Rivera’s 2023 draft class, clearly, Braeden Daniels needs to be impactful, or he is gone. In the 2023 training camp, Daniels proved he was not ready for the NFL and was placed on the season-ending injured reserve list.

Defensive back Quan Martin and running back Chris Rodriguez were the two most promising rookies during the 2023 regular season. First-round selection cornerback Emmanuel Forbes struggled tremendously, and third-round choice C/G Ricky Stromberg was injured, only playing in four games. Defensive ends Andre Jones and K.J. Henry also need to have good camps, with Henry having flashed more in 2023.

From the 2022 class, only Jahan Dotson and Brian Robinson are safe, while Sam Howell has already been traded. With the drafting of defensive tackle Johnnie Newton, are both Phidarian Mathis and John Ridgeway sure to make the roster? Mathis was a second-round choice in 2022, while Ridgeway was claimed from Dallas. Mathis has battled injuries keeping him off of the field, while Ridgeway has flashed more often than Mathis.

Defensive backs Percy Butler and Christian Holmes have both performed well on special teams, while tight end Cole Turner and guard Chris Paul have not produced as well as Rivera had sometimes proclaimed they would in their two years.

Guard Sam Cosmi (2021) appears to have become the best of the Rivera draft choices (2020-23), and tight end John Bates might be safe at tight end. However, 2024 is a must-year for linebacker/edge Jamin Davis, receiver Dyami Brown, corner Benjamin St-Juste, safety Darrick Forrest and receiver/returner Dax Milne.

Eight players were drafted in 2020 by Rivera, but heading into training camp in 2024, not a single of those players are still with the team.

Plain and simple: Adam Peters and Dan Quinn don’t owe anything to the players drafted by Rivera. So, why would it surprise any of us if several of the above players are cut during this upcoming preseason?

Commanders sign WR Damiere Byrd

The Commanders sign a WR with ties to Kliff Kingsbury.

The Commanders signed a veteran wide receiver on Wednesday.

After working out some receivers on Wednesday, the Commanders determined that they would be signing Damiere Byrd, per Tom Pelissero.

The 5-foot-9, 175-pound veteran played his college ball at South Carolina and was undrafted. He was signed first by Ron Rivera and the Carolina Panthers.

Three seasons in Carolina (2016-18) resulted in 12 receptions for 129 yards and two receiving touchdowns.

Why did the Commanders go with Byrd? A very logical explanation may be that Byrd has playing experience under new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. In 2019, Byrd spent one season with the Cardinals and Kingsbury. He was on the receiving end of 32 passes for 359 yards and one touchdown.

2020 Byrd enjoyed career highs when he caught 47 passes for 604 receiving yards playing for the New England Patriots.

Byrd caught 26 passes for 329 yards in 2021 for the Chicago Bears before moving again, this time to the Atlanta Falcons for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. 13 receptions for 268 yards and two touchdowns came in the first season in Atlanta, but only two targets (no receptions) came in his lone game last season.

Here are some big plays receiving and returning by Byrd.

The eight-year veteran turned age 31 in January and is hoping to make the Commanders his sixth NFL team. He will be in a battle with Kazmeir Allen, Dyami Brown, Jamison Crowder, Davion Davis, Dax Milne, Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, Mitchell Tinsley, Brycen Tremayne and Olamide Zaccheaus for roster spots.

The Commanders really need a few of these receivers to step up this offseason and preseason, as only Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, and Luke McCaffrey are sure bets to be on the 53-man roster.