Daily Slop – 3 May 24: Eagles fans award an “A” to Adam Peters for his first draft in Washington

A collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders, the NFC East and the NFL in general

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Bullock’s Film Room (subscription)

What TE Ben Sinnott brings to the Washington Commanders

Breaking down what the Commanders are getting from their second round tight end

Let’s start with the run blocking. It’s not the flashy part of the game that will be on highlight reels, but it’s something that could get Sinnott on the field early and often in his NFL career. Sinnott can be inconsistent with his technique, which I’ll get onto later, but he’s a feisty blocker that doesn’t shy away from contact and being involved in the run game. Let’s start with the most basic type of block he’ll be asked to do. Every team will run some form of zone run scheme and when they do, they’ll often ask the tight end to sift back across the line and cut off the back side defensive end with a cut block. Sinnott does this well.

Where most college tight ends tend to struggle in the modern game is blocking inline, especially in game schemes. With the game trending more and more towards the pass, its rare to find a tight end that can line up inline and execute a base drive block or an angle drive block as a core part of the run scheme. Sinnott though is capable in that regard.

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Commanders.com

Five things to know about Brandon Coleman

He was one of the most athletic offensive linemen at the combine.

Offensive linemen aren’t known for their athleticism as much as skill players like wide receivers or running backs, but don’t get it twisted; it’s an important skill set to have when you’re matching up against pass-rushers.

There were few offensive line prospects in this year’s draft who stood out more than Coleman at the combine.

Coleman was one of the most athletic prospects in Indianapolis, earning a Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 9.97/10. Just as a reference of how rare that is, Coleman’s RAS ranks fifth out of 1,524 offensive guards (we’ll dive a little more into his position later) from 1987-2024.

Coleman had the fifth-fastest 40 times among all offensive linemen, crossing the finish line in 4.99 seconds. He had a vertical jump of 34 inches, which was better than eventual first-round picks like Troy Fauntanu, Taliese Fuaga and Olu Fashanu. Add that to a 9-foot-6 broad jump, and it’s easy to see why Coleman received the highest RAS of all the Commanders’ picks.

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Commanders.com

Jayden Daniels intrigued by working with Commanders offensive staff

The Commanders went for a complete overhaul of the coaching staff once Dan Quinn was named the head coach, keeping only three assistants from the previous regime. Of coaches hired on the offensive side of the ball, four have specialized experience in developing quarterbacks: offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, assistant head coach/pass game coordinator Brian Johnson, quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard and assistant quarterbacks coach David Blough.

If the pre-draft evaluations are to be believed, Daniels already has a head start on his on-field maturation process because of how hard he worked leading up to his final college season. NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah praised Daniels’ poise and comfort in the pocket, showing proficiency in “anticipation, touch and accuracy.”

NFL analyst Lance Zierlein wrote in Daniels’ combine profile that the quarterback “possesses a rare blend of playmaking talent and command from the pocket.”

The tools are certainly there, but Kingsbury, who’s experience with bringing along Patrick Mahomes at the college level and Kyer Murray in the NFL is well-documented, will be charged with building an offense that highlights Daniels’ traits. Kingsbury had “a lot of input in the process,” Peters said, attending all the pro days. Like the rest of Washington’s coaches, Kingsbury was a “very, very, very big fan of Jayden.”

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Riggo’s Rag

5 decisions the Commanders might regret after 2024 NFL Draft

Not every decision will work out…

Commanders took Dominique Hampton in the fifth round

This is the only selection that I flat-out disagree with. Dominique Hampton may develop into a good safety. I’ve already speculated that Dan Quinn sees another Kam Chancellor when he watches the tall, hard-hitting former Washington Huskies standout.

However, there are concerns that Hampton will never develop into the type of strong safety that can effectively drop into coverage. That will limit his effectiveness, so hitting the ground running will be crucial during his initial transition.

Players chosen well into the fifth round are usually deficient in some areas, so this is not a surprise. But there were a lot of other prospects available at this point who would have been better bets.

Texas offensive tackle Christian Jones would have been a good developmental player at a position of need. Florida State’s Jordan Travis would have been a dynamic quarterback to develop alongside Jayden Daniels. My first choice at this point would have been Purdue’s Tyron Tracy, Jr., a running back who transitioned from the wide receiver position during his college days.

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Commanders Wire

5 best remaining free-agent offensive tackles for Commanders

Donovan Smith will be 31 in June and has always remained healthy outside of missing eight games with the Chiefs last season. Smith spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Buccaneers before signing with Kansas City last offseason. He has never been a star but would be the perfect short-term addition to Washington’s roster for 2024. He is also a Maryland native.

A first-round pick in 2015, Andrus Peat spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Saints. He will turn 31 in November but has played mostly guard in his NFL career. The 6-foot-7, 316-pound Peat struggled at tackle early in his career but moved inside and became a three-time Pro Bowl guard. However, last season, Peat took over at left tackle for the final 11 games and played well. He’d be an excellent short-term addition.

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Sports Illustrated

Commanders Rookie Defensive Tackle Details What to Expect From Him as a Player

The Illinois product is going to be able to provide an immediate impact for Washington.

“I feel like I’m dominant,” Newton said after being drafted by the Commanders. “My football IQ is really high compared to other defensive linemen. I have a great pre-snap recognition. I know which plays coming at which down and distance, which formation brings which play. So, I just feel like my knowledge on the game is very high compared to other people.”

Given his IQ and knowledge as a football player, Newton is going to be able to provide a huge impact for the Commanders. Even if he plays limited snaps for Washington, the combination of knowledge and anticipation paired with his size and talent will allow him to consistently pressure and terrorize quarterbacks.

Newton had 18 sacks and 27.5 tackles for loss during his four-year career at Illinois, with 7.5 sacks coming during his final season with the program. He also finished his college football career with 187 total tackles. He’s a playmaker through and through, and he understands how important his football IQ was to him continually making big plays.

“It helped me out a lot. I’d probably say like four to five times a game when I could just recognize a difference in an offensive lineman’s stance. And it’ll help me out with knowing which play is coming right now. So again, adjusting my stance or just playing mind games with offensive lineman,” Newton continued.

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Podcasts & videos

Jordan Magee tells Rooster & Nell he’s ready to hit hard and make an immediate impact for Commanders

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NFC East links

Bleeding Green Nation

NFL Draft Grades: Analyzing the Commanders’ picks

Eyes on the NFC East.

Jayden Daniels

Commanders Outlook: There is basically no reason for Daniels not to start day one for Washington. His fit in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense is obvious and, by all accounts, Daniels is a great study when it comes to learning a playbook. Even as he gets adjusted to NFL defenses making windows a lot tighter, his mobility will be an asset for a rebuilding Washington team in year one. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Daniels in the running for OROY.

Johnny Newton

Commanders Outlook: Washington got a real steal with Newton in the second round. Head coach Dan Quinn must have seen shades of Grady Jarrett, who he drafted and developed during his time in Atlanta. While the Commanders already have two great interior lineman in Da’Ron Payne and Jon Allen, Newton will probably see a large role in his rookie year as a sub-package defensive lineman and pass rush specialist.

Mikey Sainristil

Commanders Outlook: The Commanders pass defense could use all the help it could get. Dan Quinn puts a high emphasis on “fast and physical” players and Sainristil fits that description to a tee. The question is fit. Sainristil is most likely a slot cornerback for the Commanders, but it’s possible they’d prefer his ball skills, recognition ability, and physicality at safety.

Ben Sinnot

What he can do: Ben Sinnott was one of the more peculiar players in the draft. He is a bit on the smaller side for a tight end prospect, but was a valuable chess piece in the Kansas State offense last year. Sinnott played in-line, in the slot, and in the backfield for the Wildcats, catching 48 passes in the process. In only 48 receptions, Sinnott ranked 4th among tight ends in forced missed tackles and 6th in catches of over 20 yards (both stats per Pro Football Focus). He is an extremely dynamic player even if he is not a “true” tight end.

Commanders Outlook: The Commanders took Sinnott higher (53rd) than the consensus had him projected (83rd), indicating they are enamored with his impressive skill set. Kliff Kingsbury could envision Sinnott as an offensive weapon they can deploy all over the field to create mismatches.

Brandon Coleman

Commanders Outlook: The Commanders had a horrible offensive line last year, allowing 65 sacks on the season. It’s no wonder they would take a bet on a player like Coleman, whose upside is as great as any offensive lineman in the class. Coleman could start early in his career given the lack of talent on Washington’s line, and has the flexibility to play guard and tackle. That being said, Washington will need to be patient with him as he is still fairly raw.

Luke McCaffrey

What he can do: Luke McCaffrey, the younger brother of Christian, was a nightmare in the slot for the Rice Owls in 2023. He turned 13 of his 71 catches into touchdowns using a great blend of speed, physicality and great route running. While his athleticism and height could allow him to play as a perimeter receiver in the NFL, his short arms might make it hard to win snaps against more physical cornerbacks. Worth noting that McCaffrey started his college career as a quarterback and is still very much growing into being a wide receiver.

Commanders Outlook: Washington has a handful of talented pass catchers including Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson. Luke McCaffrey will be battling for a WR3 position and most likely would do the most damage as a big slot receiver who can make catches in traffic. He also has upside as a special teams player.

Dom Hampton

Commanders Outlook: The Commanders get much needed depth in their defensive backfield. People will remember that Dan Quinn has a propensity for bigger safeties who can step up into the box with ease like Kam Chancellor, Keanu Neal, and Jayron Kearse. Hampton is not close to any of those players as a prospect, but the Commanders clearly loved his physical profile and think they can maybe develop him into a role player.

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Over the Cap

Fifth Year Option Outcomes

With the final outcomes in for this years option eligible rookies I thought it would be a good idea to do a quick look at how the option rates have fared since the NFL went to a fully guaranteed fifth year option starting with the 2018 NFL class.

Inside the top 15 we essentially have a 75% hit rate with a majority of players being good enough to at least warrant a guaranteed fifth year salary. That number declines to 55% when we get into the 16 to 25 range of the draft. For the tail end of the draft things fall off a cliff with only a 25% exercise rate.

While tight end has not been a record mover the few players selected have all have their contracts extended by a year. Of the higher quantity selections we have good returns on left tackles, receivers. interior defensive line, and pass rushers.

QB comes in at 52.9% which is below average and I would expect this to fall further in the future. These numbers are propped up by mistakes made with Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold that I do not think will occur in the future.

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NFL.com

Steelers RB Jaylen Warren: ST coach said Justin Fields could be kick return option

In an appearance on Cam Heyward’s Not Just Football podcast, Steelers running back Jaylen Warren revealed Steelers special teams coordinator Danny Smith tossed out the idea of using Fields as a kick returner within the NFL’s new kickoff format in 2024.

The idea, according to Warren, is that Fields could be a valuable weapon under the new setup, which prevents players from moving until a returner touches the ball (or the ball touches the ground).

“I think it’s pretty good,” Warren said of the new format, per ESPN. “As soon as you touch the ball, that’s when everything starts to happen.

“Our special teams coordinator was talking about Justin Fields being back there. We’re like, ‘Hold up, hold up.’ We looked at him like, ‘Justin Fields is about to be back there?’ I don’t know. I think it’s cool.”

It’s May. These little nuggets of info drive traffic online, and with the 2024 NFL Draft now in the rearview mirror, the beast needs feeding. But don’t take this as much more than a wacky idea floated in a spring meeting. Hopefully Smith prefaced it with “call me crazy, but …” because it is exactly that: crazy.

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Pro Football Talk

Chargers add WR DJ Chark

It’s a one-year deal, worth “up to” $5 million. Which means, as we’ve learned especially this year, that the only way to get there is to hit some incentives that, at times, can be hard to achieve.

In 2022, Chark played for the Lions. Last year, the Panthers.

He was a Pro Bowler in 2019, his second season. It was his only 1,000-yard campaign, at 1,008. Last year, he had 525 yards in 15 games with the Panthers.

A week ago, the Chargers had four receivers on the roster. They added three — Ladd McConkey in round two and Brenden Rice and Cornelius Johnson in round seven — in the draft.

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