SonnySideUp

The lowest grade I've seen for our draft so far has been a B+. I've seen lots of A's, A-'s and A+'s.

Our draft and new QB has some fans of the Boys worried. Answer...yes, the NFC East DID just get tougher. Deal with it Dallas.

This may have been discussed somewhere but will he be holding a clipboard his first season or thrown in immediately to take over as starter? I can't imagine they would try and start him right off the bat would they?

I wish we had a time machine of some sort that would enable him to be on our current team today and in his prime. That would be an enormous addition to this defense. And while we;re at it, Sean Taylor too, may he RIP. If the defense we have right now had those two added to it, sheesh...I don't even want to think about what opposing teams would have to contend with.

Can we officially change the name of our new C from Tyler Biadasz to Tyler Badass? Not only is it easier to spell but psychological warfare is half the battle.

Chase Young probably hasn't even unpacked his bags in New Orleans yet but is already sidelined for a medical procedure. https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/report-chase-young-undergoing-neck-procedure-is-expected-to-be-sidelined-into-training-camp >>Report: Chase Young undergoing neck procedure, is expected to be sidelined into training camp<<

I can't believe how fast this team is changing and how much. Two years ago at this time, I suspect most people were resigned to the fact that we seemed destined to an interminable future of football ignominy and ridicule at the hands of you know who.I doubt anyone here at that time could see what was headed our way within a scant two years, or even a year ago for that matter. We've head an almost total flip of the coaching staff, one of the biggest flips of the roster any of us have probably ever seen (given what's likely to happen in the draft, which hasn't even started yet).The dramatic roster changes we are experiencing reminded me of 1987, the year of the NFL players strike, when Joe Gibbs coached a team of "scabs" (he was so good he won with them too). New coaches, new players, a new stadium coming, and repairs to the curent stadium. The velocity of change happening here is extraordinary and I'm loving this off-season. I hardly recognize the team anymore. I'm really excited to see what the on field product will look like later this year.

Reporterdly for a conditional 6th.....

I did a search and didn't find this already posted elsewhere. I apologize if it has been.

I hate to see him leave. I can see why the move was made though.Seattle seems really excited to have him and have apparently had their eyes on him for a while. He should have a good situation there. The only down side for him there is that he will have a head coach who is both a rookie and DC head coach. I think he is a much better QB than he was able to demonstrate during his time here. He joins the number of so many players who came here only to have their careers short circuited by the curse of our former owner. Many of them were lucky enough to get out and have great careers with other teams, ala Kirk Cousins. It wouldn't surprise me one bit if Sam goes on to be a starter at Seattle (or somewhere else) and has a reliable 10 year + career, regularly leading some other team to the playoffs each year and perhaps a SB or two along the way.

Rumor going around for several days now is that Commanders have been rejecting ALL offers to trade back.

Rumor going around that the Commanders are working on signing Patrick Queen to join Frankie Luvu and Jamin Davis. Reportedly it's down to Seattle and Washington but we would have to get his money down because of all the other needs we still have. I guess we are about to find out just how much cap, payroll and persuasion magic this new, high powered FO we now have can really muster. That would be a heckuva a line backing corp if it happened. Also, there is a good discussion of our kickers here too.

More love for Frankie Luvu. It really does look like Peters and Q had a good day today. It's so much fun to finally watch someone who knows what they're doing during free agency. https://riggosrag.com/posts/commanders-hit-significant-home-run-frankie-luvu-signing >>Commanders hit significant home run with Frankie Luvu signing This is just what the doctor ordered... Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters has pulled off a masterstroke with the signing of linebacker Frankie Luvu. Finding upgrades at the linebacker position was a key priority for the Washington Commanders this offseason. This area of the field was almost completely ignored by Ron Rivera throughout his four-year tenure - a mistake the new regime wasn't going to make. According to reports, the Commanders have pulled off a coup with the signing of Frankie Luvu. The former undrafted free agent out of Washington State joins the franchise after starring for the Carolina Panthers over the last three seasons. Simply put, he's exactly what this team has sorely lacked. Commanders pull off major coup with Frankie Luvu signing For those unaware, I also have the dubious distinction of covering the Panthers along with the Commanders. I've watched every snap Luvu's taken over the last three years since his arrival in 2021 free agency from the New York Jets. He went from a special teams ace to an integral part of Carolina's defensive strategy. This is a home-run hit by Washington during their first recruitment period with Adam Peters leading the charge. The Commanders are desperately thin of options at the defensive second level. Pairing Luvu with Jamin Davis instantly improves matters. This also looks like a tremendous fit in terms of the scheme Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr. plan to implement. There is nothing Luvu doesn't do well. He is a sideline-to-sideline presence against the run, boasting exceptional instincts to identify plays developing and getting to the contact point quickly with supreme aggression. There is also a lot to like about his ability to create pressure on opposing quarterbacks - something he accomplishes with a unique blend of explosiveness and ruthless aggression. Luvu is also scheme versatile. He can line up on the edge with tremendous effectiveness. After Shaq Thompson went down with a season-ending injury, the Panthers switched him to the interior as part of Ejiro Evero's creative 3-4 base system. The transition was seamless en route to another outstanding year littered with memorable moments. The Panthers might have been a two-win team last year, but that wasn't because of their defense. They performed well in difficult circumstances with key injuries everywhere. Derrick Brown was their best player. Luvu was their emotional leader and lynchpin. He plays every down like it's his last. Luvu competes with a ferocity and underdog mentality that will make him a fan favorite in no time at all. The energy and infectious enthusiasm he brings to the table will have an incredibly positive effect on defensive teammates in Washington. He's also durable, missing just one game over three seasons in Carolina. At the reported cost - which has a maximum value of $36 million - it could be a steal. Luvu will quickly emerge into the heartbeat of Washington's defense under Quinn and Whitt. There is still some work to do in pursuit of solidifying the secondary, but it's hard to envisage a scenario where this second-level enforcer doesn't make the Commanders' defense better. One only has to look at the dismay within Carolina's fanbase on social media regarding Luvu to see the esteem in which he is held. Peters pulled off a masterstroke by bringing him into the fold. He's a tone-setter who'll give everything to the cause. More importantly, he will make everyone around him better. A difference-maker in every sense of the word.<<

Looks like a lot of people like our new center. https://www.hogshaven.com/2024/3/11/24097514/washington-commanders-free-agency-cowboys-center-tyler-biadasz-expected-to-be-signed

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/commanders-bag-two-underrated-defensive-stars-in-frankie-luvu-dorance-armstrong/ar-BB1jIH08 >>Commanders bag two underrated defensive stars in Frankie Luvu, Dorance Armstrong The Washington Commanders hired Dan Quinn as their new head coach in part because they saw the need to re-define a defense that struggled (to put it kindly) last season under defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and head coach Ron Rivera last season. The Commanders worked to give Quinn two outstanding and underrated defenders in the first wave of free agency, agreeing to terms with former Carolina Panthers linebacker Frankie Luvu and ex-Dallas Cowboys pass-rusher Dorance Armstrong. Luvu was one of my favorite player in this free agent class because the more you watch his tape, the more you're stumped on the things he can't do as a linebacker. Last season, he played 56% of his snaps at inside 'backer, 23% outside, and the rest at the line of scrimmage as either a stand-up rusher or as a blitzer. Luvu had seven sacks, 20 total pressures, 84 solo tackles, 47 stops, 10 tackles for loss, and he was great in coverage when asked to do that. If you need a green dot guy in the middle of your defense, there's nobody better (or more versatile) in this free agency class. He'll be an ideal fit for what Quinn wants to do with his defense. Of course, Quinn already knows that Armstrong is a great fit for what he wants to do. The Cowboys selected Armstrong in the fourth round of the 2018 draft out of Kansas, and he became a force under Quinn, who was Dallas' defensive coordinator over the last three seasons. Micah Parsons was the talk of the Cowboys' pass rush, and justifiably so, but Armstrong racked up nine sacks and 35 total pressures last season -- one year after amassing nine sacks and 43 total pressures in 2022. No one-year wonder, he. The Commanders have a lot of work still to do on that side of the ball, especially in a secondary that might lose cornerback Kendall Fuller and Kameron Curl in free agency. But the first wave of Quinn Guys has what it takes.<<

Panthers fans not too happy about losing Luvu.

I guess the QB matter is settled. Ron Rivera says we should pick Daniels. https://www.si.com/nfl/commanders/news/washington-commanders-draft-former-coach-ron-rivera-jayden-daniels-kliff-kingsbury >>"Jayden Daniels," Rivera said. "Just because of the fact that everybody expects (USC quarterback) Caleb (Williams) to go first. So to me, if this is the style of offense you're going to have, you've got to have that type of quarterback." Rivera's opinion is based on stylistic football and finding the right fit for new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, which he says Daniels fits more so than other prospects like North Carolina's Drake Maye or even Michigan's J.J. McCarthy. "The big thing more so than anything else that you have to look at is the style of offense they're going to run," Rivera says. "You've got Kliff Kingsbury, a guy that likes the mobile quarterback - a quarterback that can move in the pocket - that can make the plays when they're downfield and throw the football. I think the big thing is you've got to have a mobile quarterback." Daniels certainly fits that mold, with nobody doubting his athleticism or even his deep arm. If there are questions about his game it's whether or not he can make every throw on the field including layered throws over the middle with defenders underneath and over the top of the routes he may be targeting. Of course, Daniels' athleticism has brought up some concerns as well. Not in whether or not he has it - he's got plenty of it - but in how he uses it. Namely, is his slight frame going to withstand the same amount of contact he was willing to take on at LSU? If Kingsbury, coach Dan Quinn, and general manager Adam Peters agree, then the No. 2 pick should be an easy one to make assuming Williams does indeed go No. 1 overall to the Chicago Bears or any other team. But if Williams is still there, or if the Commanders have the chance to trade up themselves, there's little doubt they'd be heavily compelled to bring him home to the DMV.<<

Could this possibly happen? Could we actually get something going for Parsons? It sounded like an off handed, pipe dream comment (he said he'd love to follow Quinn to Washington) when he made it earlier but now this has happened with his contract. I can't imagine Dallas would ever let him out of there though, especially to here. They would probably franchise him before they let that happen. It's a great testimonial on how Dan's players regard him if nothing else. What a difference a year and a new ownership makes for this team. https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/cowboys-wont-make-a-position-designation-when-picking-up-the-micah-parsons-fifth-year-option >>None of it matters if the Cowboys sign Parsons to a new deal before the deadline for exercising the fifth-year option. He has earned a second contract. Whether the Cowboys give it to him remains to be seen.<< https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/micah_parsons_reacts_to_dan_quinn_taking_head_coaching_job_with_washington/s1_17236_39907971 >>“Super happy for him, not because he went to a rival, but just because he was like a big uncle to me,” Parsons said, via Cameron Wolfe. “I know how much this means to him and I know it was a step he wanted to take [becoming a head coach again]. He stayed with me as long as he could, but I know any team out there is lucky to have him.” On top of singing his praises, Parsons also begged the players in D.C. to cherish Quinn, telling them “no one” will love them like their new head coach. “They’re getting a real upstanding, outstanding guy, man. I hope those players buy-in and play extremely hard for him, and understand that ain’t no one going to love them and care more about them than Dan Quinn. Man, please appreciate his presence, appreciate his greatness and take care of my guy.”<< https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2022/10/3/23384758/dallas-cowboys-micah-parsons-on-dan-quinn-ill-go-where-you-go-defensive-coordinator >>Talking about both men yesterday, Eric Andrews shared this simple yet significant statement from Parsons about Quinn: “I’ll go where you go.”<<

I'm not sure whether to believe this or not. Based on the fact that I've twice heard Kiem say that Daniels was not a good fit for the NFL unless he changes his style of play, it doesn't exactly surprise me that Peters might have said those things at one time though. I did notice that when Daniels made his comments about the Commanders being cool at the combine last week, Peters wasn't one of the names he mentioned. That could mean nothing though. The only reason I give this report any credibility at all is because like I said, I have twice heard Kiem personally make those same kind of comments attributed to Peters.

Nice to see quality prospects apparently liking the Commanders.

One could probably say they started back when Young and Sweat were moved out although those were trades and not cuts. I think we are about to see a lot more suitcases being packed too.

Some "positive" thinking about Quinn as the HC for the Commanders... https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/power-of-positivity-why-quinn-is-considered-perfect-coach-for-commanders/ar-BB1j6iz4 Power of Positivity: Why Quinn Is Considered 'Perfect' Coach For Commanders The Washington Commanders hired Dan Quinn as the new head coach in hopes that he'll be the man to turn around the struggling franchise, but one trait of his has already become a talking point. Rather than focus on the negatives of the team's situation, Quinn seems to radiate a positive energy that some have speculated could uplift the locker room and the overall culture of the franchise. "The team has been so bad, and they hired the most positive person in a long time," NFL Insider Ian Rapoport said. "Dan Quinn has never had a bad day. There’s a lot of reasons why we thought this was a really good fit. He’s an excellent coach, hired a really good staff and is a really good leader. There’s a lot to like, but he is so positive…it is so much better than it was." There are two types of people in the world: those who see a glass as being half empty and those who see it as half full; based on the statements made at the NFL Combine by Rapoport and his colleagues, Quinn sounds like the latter. It can become easy to get discouraged by a lack of winning and let that permeate the culture in a locker room with toxic negativity that prevents a franchise from taking steps forward. Luckily, Quinn sounds like a breath of fresh air for a Commanders team that literally had its pipes bursting with waste last season. Quinn is highly qualified as a former Super Bowl-caliber NFL head coach and a proven terrific defensive mind, but the power of his positivity could be what helps this team grow in the right direction in 2024. First, though, Quinn and the rest of Washington's front office must identify players at the Combine who share his positive mindset so that he can help coach them from being the second-worst team in the league a season ago to a legitimate playoff contender.<<

I think the key is not to set expectations too high because we no longer have you know who running the show. I'm trying to remind myself to be patient and allow this group to make mistakes. The danger with such a high powered coaching staff is that people may have no tolerance for anything less than perfection (i.e. a "Pats" type dynasty, etc).

OK. I've been waiting 25 years for press like this for the team. The season's barely over and we haven't even put a team on the field yet.