Daily Slop – 16 Jun 25 – Commanders beefed up DL is designed to stop Saquon Barkley

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

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Articles

ESPN

Can Commanders stop Saquon Barkley in 2025? With beefed up line, they think so

The 2024 season featured a combination of limitations and breakdowns, which resulted in a defense that ranked 30th in rushing yards per game and 28th in yards per carry.

Of the top 10 teams against the run last season, nine made the postseason. Of the bottom 10, only Washington reached the playoffs. It’s a hard life to sustain as only four teams in the past three years made the postseason while finishing bottom 10.

The Commanders signed tackles Javon Kinlaw (6-foot-5, 319 pounds) and Eddie Goldman (6-3, 320) and end Deatrich Wise Jr. (6-5, 280).

Whether that size will be enough remains to be seen. Perhaps it could help with an initial surge, if nothing else. Washington allowed 3.18 yards before contact per rush in 2024; only two teams were worse.

Whitt said the Commanders had planned to use Magee in various three-linebacker packages when other teams played two- or three-tight-end sets.

Washington allowed 5.4 yards per carry when facing those looks. However, in their past eight games, including three postseason contests, the Commanders allowed 7.2 yards per rush vs. those formations. And one team dominated them in this area: Philadelphia. The Eagles ran the ball vs. Washington 59 times with either two or three tight ends; they averaged 6.1 yards per carry with eight touchdowns.

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Riggo’s Rag

5 winners (and 2 losers) from Commanders 2025 mandatory minicamp

Loser No. 1 – Michael Gallup – Commanders WR

The Washington Commanders gave Michael Gallup a chance to galvanize his NFL career this offseason. He unretired after one year away from the gridiron. He was also highly motivated to remind the world why he was such a highly-regarded player once upon a time.

It hasn’t cost the Commanders much to find out one way or another. With Terry McLaurin holding out of Washington’s mandatory minicamp as frustrations build regarding his new deal, opportunities were expected to be plentiful for Gallup. Unfortunately, he was unable to make any sort of impression.

Gallup didn’t feature in the team’s mandatory minicamp after the team disclosed a hamstring strain for the wide receiver. Considering his injury history before retirement and having almost no margin for error in pursuit of making the squad, this was nothing short of disastrous.

The Commanders aren’t going to cut Gallup before giving him a shot at training camp. He knows Dan Quinn well from their time together with the Dallas Cowboys, so the head coach will be fair. That doesn’t guarantee anything, so hitting the ground running when things get more intense is critical.

There were already doubts about Gallup’s ability to contribute before he unfortunately got hurt. Hopefully, it’s not severe, and the former third-round pick out of Colorado State can return to something like his old form.

Winner No. 5 – Marshon Lattimore – Commanders CB

Much was made about Marshon Lattimore skipping voluntary OTAs after his less-than-stellar start to life with the Commanders. However, the veteran cornerback answered these critics and more throughout Washington’s mandatory minicamp.

Lattimore looked healthy. He was sharp and moved better than at any stage during the 2024 campaign. The prolonged rest to recover from a hamstring issue that blighted the early returns on his trade from the New Orleans Saints had the desired effect.

The four-time Pro Bowler admitted he never felt right last season. Lattimore fought through the pain barrier to repay the team’s faith, but it never came to fruition. Now, he’s feeling like his old self, which is great news for the Commanders and an ominous warning to their rivals.

Washington’s coaches will still approach Lattimore’s health cautiously. The former first-round pick out of Ohio State will be managed carefully over the summer to ensure he’ll be ready to hit the ground running in Week 1 against the New York Giants. It’s early days, but the gifted defensive back is on his way to achieving this objective.

He’s heard all the criticism and is eager to silence his doubters. This was just a glimpse of what a fully healthy Lattimore could bring in 2025.

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Commanders Wire

Top NFL analyst discusses pros and cons of 2025 Commanders

Many are perhaps unaware that Howard Cosell’s nephew is Greg Cosell, who created his NFL Matchup show (ESPN) 40 years ago. Cosell (Greg) is a respected voice in NFL coverage.

For instance, as a guest on the “John Keim Report” podcast, Cosell gave some noteworthy opinions regarding the Washington Commanders’ offseason and current roster by GM Adam Peters.

• Deatrich Wise: “I have watched for years with the Patriots. He’s not a guy who is going to get 15 sacks. But every D-Line needs one of those guys that is just a really good football player…an under-the-radar type of signing…Wise might be a little more versatile than Clelin Ferrell.”
• Javon Kinlaw: “I can’t tell you why it hasn’t worked out. When I was watching him come out of South Carolina, there were more pros than cons. He’s strong, a good athlete. It’s his third team now, maybe they can get it out of him, because I think it is in his body. Up to this point, he has been an up-and-down player, but I think it is in his body.”
• The Commanders: “They did address left tackle by trading for Tunsil. They drafted Conerly, who you could argue was one of the two most athletic tackles in the draft. Brandon Coleman, I watched him coming out of college and thought he was a really good guard prospect. If he plays left guard, I think that will be an upgrade. Allegretti is one of those attitude guys you really like to have. He is probably just not good enough to be your starter for 17 games.”

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Podcasts & videos

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NFC East links

Blogging the Boys

3 reasons the Cowboys will win the NFC East

George Pickens unlocks Cowboys passing attack

We’re not even two full years removed from Dak Prescott finishing second in MVP voting. Brian Schottenheimer was the offensive coordinator that year, too, so he knows what it looks like when Prescott is firing on all cylinders.

Now, Prescott is healthy and back under center in Dallas. Not only that, but star receiver CeeDee Lamb is now being flanked by George Pickens, who has done nothing but turn heads consistently in minicamp and OTA’s. His elite vertical threat should open up much more underneath for Lamb and others, like Jake Ferguson and Jalen Tolbert.

Defense clicks under Matt Eberflus

While his tenure as the Bears head coach was, shall we say, not a rousing success, Chicago never lacked for great defense under his watch. The same goes for the Colts when Eberflus was there.

Now, Eberflus gets to work with Micah Parsons, Osa Odighizuwa, DaRon Bland, and – eventually – both Trevon Diggs and DeMarvion Overshown. This bunch flashed in Mike Zimmer’s creative, yet complex, system last year but never really gelled as an overall unit. Eberflus’ more simplistic scheme seems to fit everyone much more comfortably.

Toughest opponents take a step back

The Cowboys draw a really tough six-game stretch towards the end of the season, wherein they’ll face off against the Eagles, Chiefs, Lions, Vikings, Chargers, and Commanders. Many expect the Cowboys to be underdogs in each one of those games, but there’s a decent chance at least one of them ends up not being that tough.

The Cowboys are plenty familiar with the Eagles and Commanders, of course. The Lions may have crushed Dallas last year, but they were 0-2 against the Cowboys in the Dan Campbell era before that, and have now lost both their coordinators to head coaching jobs.

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The Athletic (paywall)

Eagles mailbag: Will Nakobe Dean get Wally Pipp’d, potential veteran additions and more

With Jihaad Campbell potentially becoming a starting LB, how do the Birds get Nakobe Dean on the field when healthy or is his nickname Wally Pipp this year? — Fletch F.

“Potentially” is the key word there. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said last week that Campbell “won’t hit the practice field” until “sometime in August.” Still, I outlined in my last story why Campbell’s focus at inside linebacker might make him a quicker insert into the lineup than Cooper DeJean’s Week 6 debut as a starter last year.

We should also remember Jeremiah Trotter Jr. ran with the first-team defense in OTAs and Philly’s one-day minicamp. Trotter will have a full summer to keep Campbell at bay. If neither Trotter or Campbell show they’re better than Dean by the time he returns, this answer is simple: Dean resumes his role as a starter. If either Trotter or Campbell play in such a way that Fangio can’t take them off the field… you’ve likely created Wally Dean.

The Eagles will never be as glib, if this takes place. They’ll project respect for their 2022 third-round pick, embrace him as a backup for the remainder of his final contract year and enter offseason negotiations in which a healthy Dean would likely have little interest in returning as the defense’s third linebacker, rarely fielded in base packages. To follow your Wally Pipp comparison, Pipp finished 14th in MVP voting in his first year with the Cincinnati Reds. In this way-too-early thought experiment, perhaps the 2026 Bengals will need a linebacker.

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NFL league links

Articles

ESPN

Sources: Bengals, Trey Hendrickson resume talks on contract

For the first time in several months, there is some optimism surrounding Trey Hendrickson’s future with the Bengals.

The two sides have resumed communication on his contract and future with the team, sources told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Sunday. Hendrickson, who is coming off an All-Pro season and was the NFL’s sack leader with 17.5 in 2024, says he remains steadfast in his desire for a long-term contract extension.

But this is a positive turn in what has been a fierce stalemate. Hendrickson did not participate in any of the team’s offseason workouts, including last week’s mandatory minicamp. By missing the three-day session, Hendrickson was subject to fines of nearly $105,000.

The only time Hendrickson made an appearance this offseason was to hold an extended news conference with reporters to explain his side of the negotiation process. In those comments, Hendrickson repeatedly took umbrage with the lack of communication between himself and the Bengals in contract talks.

“When there’s a lack of communication in any relationship, where it’s a business or personal relationship, lack of communication leads to animosity, and that leaves my narrative only to me with no clear direction,” Hendrickson said May 13 when asked about whether he wants to remain with the Bengals.

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Discussion topics

ESPN

Fantasy football: Don’t be surprised if … these 19 things happen in 2025

Drake Maye outscores Caleb Williams

Then again, if we like Williams, then we really like Maye. It’s all about the running ability here. Maye did not get much help during his rookie campaign, but he still averaged better than 32 rushing yards per his 13 games. That number should rise, and the addition of WR Stefon Diggs saves the passing game. A new coaching staff and upgraded offensive line figure to make things easier in Year 2.

Saquon Barkley falls outside the top 5 RB scorers

What an amazing first season in Philadelphia for Barkley, with 2,005 rushing yards, 22.2 fantasy points per game and a Super Bowl championship. Be careful here, though. Of the eight prior running backs to rush for 2,000 yards, Chris Johnson is the only one to finish among the top 5 PPR RBs the next season. None reached 1,500 rushing yards. Several missed multiple games. Barkley entered 2024 with a track record for injuries, then he carried the heaviest volume of his career (378 touches) into February. The Eagles will be more cautious in Year 2.

Deebo Samuel Sr. is a bust in Washington

Samuel enters his seventh NFL season with a new franchise and is probably a bit overrated by fantasy managers. Samuel has finished among the top 25 fantasy WRs in two of his six seasons, buoyed by rushing production he may find challenging to replicate with the Commanders. This team has a running QB, a solid RB timeshare, and an elite WR already in place.

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All aTwitter

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