Daily Slop – 17 Jul 24: NFL wide receivers claiming headlines this week

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)

Breaking down Kliff Kingsbury’s GT Counter package

Looking at the GT Counter scheme Kingsbury likes to use and the package of plays he has to build off it

One of the schemes Washington Commanders fans can expect new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury to install this season is the GT Counter scheme. GT Counter is a variation of the basic Counter scheme, which itself is a variation of Power. For those that don’t know, Power is a core gap scheme run that sees a guard pull from their original position and work to the opposite side of the line, wrapping around some down blocks and working up to the second level to block a linebacker. Counter sees the guard pull but instead of wrapping around the down blocks and working to a linebacker, the guard kicks out the edge defender instead, keeping the defense on its toes and preventing defenders knowing exactly who is going to block them on any given play.

GT Counter is an evolution of the counter scheme. Older Washington fans may well recognize it from the Joe Gibbs era when they called it Counter Trey. GT is a more modern and basic name which simply indicates that both the guard and the tackle pull from the back side of the line. The guard does exactly what he normally does on counter, kicking out the edge defender on the opposite side of the line, but the tackle then follows him on a pull to the opposite side of the line and wraps around the down blocks to work up to a linebacker on the second level.

Kingsbury is a big fan of this scheme and in fact has a whole package of plays built around it, like any good NFL offensive coordinator should. There’s no point in installing an individual scheme if it doesn’t come with a package of plays you can build off of it. But before I get into that package of plays, let’s first look at how Kingsbury’s version of the GT Counter scheme varies from the version Washington fans will know and love from Joe Gibbs.

It’s a nice run scheme, but to run it like that with no extra protection on the back side is a risk. However, Kingsbury has an answer for that and that answer is the quarterback. The reason Kingsbury likes to run this from the gun as opposed to under center as we saw Joe Gibbs used to, is to allow the quarterback to read the unblocked edge defender from the pulling side.

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Commanders.com

Question of the week | Who emerges at WR?

Who fills the depth chart outside of Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson?

The top of the Commanders’ wide receiver room is clearer than most of the roster. Terry McLaurin, who is coming off his fourth consecutive 1,000-yard season, will be the undisputed No. 1 target, while Jahan Dotson has a firm hold on the No. 2 spot.

The rest of the position, however, is an open competition, and there will be 11 other receivers during training camp vying for a spot.

Well, technically there will be 10 players if you don’t include third-round pick Luke McCaffrey. General manager Adam Peters and his staff were excited about adding the quarterback-turned-receiver, both because of his family’s history and his own talents he put on display at Nebraska and Rice. He was a regular standout during OTAs and minicamp, establishing a rapport with Daniels and flaunting some impressive route running.

So, McCaffrey isn’t going anywhere for several reasons, but how far will he rise up the depth chart? It already feels like he’s the primary slot player, although he’ll still have to earn that in practice. For now, though, let’s just say he’s WR3 unless proven otherwise.

That leads us to WR4, which is where the competition becomes more muddled. It’s a hodgepodge of players from the previous regime, undrafted free agents and newcomers. If we’re going by investments, then Olamide Zaccheaus could be considered the top candidate. Though he’s coming off a 164-yard season with the Eagles, where he was behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, his final season as a full-time starter with the Falcons led to 533 yards and three scores.

Special teams could also play a role in deciding which receivers make the cut in August. Zaccheaus has experience covering punts and kicks, and he has already expressed a willingness to do the same in Washington. As for returners, Dax Milne and Jamison Crowder are back and will look to show how they fit in the new kickoff and kickoff return rules. Both caught kicks in OTAs, but the competition, which includes them and several others, will continue throughout camp.

There’s also Dyami Brown, who has had a puzzling career as he enters the final season of his rookie contract. Brown was drafted to be a deep threat, and while there have been moments of success, the best example of him doing what he was picked for came two years ago.

Every year brings a new batch of “training camp heroes,” and perhaps that will come from the receiver position in 2024. Players like Mitchell Tinsley, Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, Damiere Byrd and others all had their moments during OTAs. If one manages to stand out, whether it’s on offense or special teams, it could be enough to sway the coaches.

It’ll all come down to how many receivers the Commanders decide to keep.

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ESPN

Best trade fits for Brandon Aiyuk: Five teams that make sense

With one week to go before training camp starts and so far unable to secure the long-term contract extension he wants, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has requested a trade from the San Francisco 49ers.

Of course, this does not mean he will get one. After all, this is the NFL, not the NBA, and plenty of player trade requests go unrequited in this league.

If the Niners were to change their minds and decide to trade Aiyuk, here’s a partial list of teams that might make for a good landing spot.

Washington Commanders

Washington also has the cap space to make this move without adjusting anyone else’s contract. The Commanders have Terry McLaurin atop their depth chart; he’s guaranteed $18.25 million this season but nothing in 2025 or beyond, so their long-term budget has room for a No. 1 wide receiver.

The jury remains out on 2022 first-round pick Jahan Dotson, who hasn’t reached 50 catches in either of his first two NFL seasons. Plus, the team is under new management and could jump-start a retooling of the wide receiver group with a move such as this one.

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Riggo’s Rag

What could Scott Fitterer bring to the Commanders’ front office?

This was a surprising addition to the Commanders’ front office.

His time in Carolina was nothing short of catastrophic. Having a meddling owner such as David Tepper breathing down his neck didn’t help, but his in-on-every-deal mentality brought almost nothing in terms of improvement.

Rash gambles in the trade market rarely came off. Poor draft choices and bad contracts for veterans in free agency were two more catalysts behind his demise. Fitterer came to the Panthers with a promising reputation, but his three-year stint at the helm quickly became an unmitigated disaster.

Scott Fitterer must repair his damaged reputation with the Commanders

His arrival in the nation’s capital means that the Commanders have two ex-Panthers general managers in front-office roles. This is an odd approach considering the NFC South outfit’s freefall to rock bottom in recent years. At the same time, there needs to be a level of trust attached to Peters’ decision-making process.

Not everyone is cut out to be a general manager. Fitterer falls into this category and he’s unlikely to get another opportunity in a top job again. However, there’s a reason why he was highly touted enough for the Panthers to give him a shot. This is something the Commanders can benefit from as part of their new cohesive ethos.

Fitterer is a respected talent evaluator, or at least he was before things turned sour in Carolina. He knows head coach Dan Quinn well from their time together with the Seattle Seahawks. He’ll also be aware of Peters having spent time on the scouting circuit over the last decade or more.

It’s a foot back in the NFL door for Fitterer. He’ll be an innocent bystander when the big decisions are due, but his primary task should center on running the rule over free-agent possibilities and draft prospects. That’s where he’s excelled previously and could do so again without the added pressure of being the football operation’s leader.

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Podcasts & videos

Logan Paulsen Breaks Down NFC East, Hail Yes or Hail No & Voicemails | Get Loud | Commanders

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NFC East links

Pro Football Talk

Giants place fourth-round TE Theo Johnson on active/PUP

The Giants placed rookie tight end Theo Johnson on the active/physically unable to perform list.

The team made Johnson a fourth-round draft pick out of Penn State, and he is expected to battle Daniel Bellinger for the starting job after Darren Waller’s retirement.

Johnson appeared in 44 games in four seasons, with 29 starts, with the Nittany Lions. He made 77 catches for 938 yards and 12 touchdowns.

In 2023, Johnson totaled a career-high 34 receptions for 341 yards and seven touchdowns. Johnson’s seven scores are tied for third in a single season among Penn State tight ends.

Johnson’s injury is unknown, but he can return to the roster at any time after passing a physical.

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Big Blue View

How Jayden Daniels might have been a Giant

‘Hard Knocks’ reveals that Giants coach Brian Daboll was willing to trade up for LSU quarterback

Jayden Daniels might have been the New York Giants quarterback of the future if the 2024 NFL Draft had played out a bit differently.

Tuesday’s episode 3 of ‘Hard Knocks’’ finishes with a teaser for episode 4, which will be draft-related. GM Joe Schoen asked a room full of coaches and staff if they would trade up from No. 6 in the draft for Daniels, the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback from LSU.

“I would,” Daboll says emphatically.

There is no context offered in the tease, but that’s noteworthy.

Daniels went No. 2 overall to the NFC East division rival Washington Commanders, and there was never any indication in the buildup to the draft that the Commanders ever seriously considered moving off that pick.

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Blogging the Boys

Jerry Jones, Mike McCarthy, or Dak Prescott: Someone’s got to go for the Cowboys to win the Super Bowl

Someone is not carrying their weight and that could mean big changes in Big D.

The Dallas Cowboys are really good at winning football games in the regular season. It’s the one thing they’ve been able to hang their hat on for years because they’ve gotten the job done from September through December. Over the last 20 years, the Cowboys have the eighth-highest winning percentage, winning 57.5% of their regular season games. And, it gets even better if you go back just 10 years as they rank sixth, winning 60.1% of their games.

Sadly, that’s where the fun stops. Once January rolls around, it’s a different story. We all know it’s been nearly 30 years since the team has advanced past the divisional round of the playoffs, but sometimes they don’t even get that far. The Cowboys have a 4-10 record in the playoffs over the last 20 years, putting them in the bottom five for post-season winning percentage.

Good, but not great. That’s been the Cowboys’ mantra for the better part of two decades, and it leaves us fans scratching our heads. Why do they only go so far? What is the missing ingredient for them to finally go on a deep playoff run? Many good things are happening in Dallas, but something is holding them back. Today, we’ll examine the three most influential factors and place our bets on which is causing them the greatest detriment.

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NFL league links

Articles

Over the Cap

Brandon Aiyuk Seeks Trade

Contract disputes are common in the NFL as are trade requests but often times we jump to conclusions when we hear reports like this that a relationship is beyond repair when in reality things often sort themselves out a few weeks later.

The way the system is designed gives the players very little leverage in situations like this one which is a big reason why these things work themselves out. If Aiyuk is really dug in on looking to be traded he would need to hold out from training camp to prove he is serious about not wanting to play with the 49ers this season.

The CBA mandates massive fines for players on their fifth year option who make that decision to hold out. The fines are $40,000 per day and in the ballpark of $785,000 for every preseason game that is missed. If a holdout continues into the regular season the player will give up his salary ($785K) for every game missed and if he fails to report at all would have his contract toll to 2025 where he would remain under contract to the team. The financial penalties really put the ball in the 49ers court here.

Option 2 is the “hold in”. This is where the player shows up to training camp but will complain about a sore hamstring, ankle, etc…any kind of minor injury that can keep him off the practice field. This is a technique that is usually used when two sides are closer to an extension and the player doesn’t want to risk a camp injury destroying his salary. Sometimes these can drag on for awhile but at some point the team is going to force a player to play.is

It is hard to say what offers have really been traded between the two sides. IF the last offer was made in May it was probably made with the Amon-Ra St. Brown and AJ Brown contracts considered to the top two contracts in the market, with both being valued around $28 million a year. Since then Jaylen Waddle slightly moved the market upward and then Justin Jefferson signed a legit market outlier type of contract.

If the 49ers were willing to make Aiyuk the highest paid receiver you would probably have been looking at a contract worth about $28.25 million a year with the first four years of the contract guaranteed. It is hard to say what that number would be now but my guess would be that Aiyuk would be looking for a contract that is a legit $30 million per year.

Both of those numbers may be questionable for San Francisco and they could be lower when you look at their roster structure. The 49ers currently rank 4^th in the NFL in spending and they rank 5^th in spending for 2025. These numbers are in spite of having a QB who earns pennies (his salary is so low it actually doesn’t even count in the offseason salary cap in 2024) and will be in line for a massive raise in 2025 when he is extension eligible. Their roster is not really designed for multiple cuts in 2025 to free up significant cash and there is potential for the owners around the NFL dealing with the fallout of a massive loss of money from a lawsuit over Sunday Ticket. These scenarios don’t really lend themselves to making an offer for someone to earn top of the market money.

There is also the question of how much SF wants to invest in their passing game. The 49ers were dead last in passing attempts last season and many consider the offense they run to be capable of using many interchangeable parts while still being successful. Having two receivers earning in the top 11 at the position along with the 3^rd highest paid tight end seems like it could be overkill for what they run.

From a timing perspective it would be odd for San Francisco to make a trade unless Aiyuk really did hold out and dig in on the holdout. Trades of players like this happen in the earliest stages of free agency or at the latest during the first day of the draft. It gives a team time to replace the player and also have a draft pick to use in the current season. A contending team trading a top line player at this point in the offseason would be odd. San Francisco has the ability to franchise Aiyuk next season and could just trade him next year that way as well when the timing makes more sense, At the worst the 49ers should not entertain a trade until a few weeks into the year if things just went horrifically bad on the season and they fell out of contention right away.

I think Aiyuk right now has unfortunately fallen into a weird place in a positional market that doesn’t make the most sense in the world. He and Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb both seem to be stuck in limbo over how much should a team invest in the position. Both of these teams are at a bit of a crossroads with their rosters, Dallas with the uncertainty at QB and the 49ers with an already overwhelmed payroll, and both have some old school front offices that have seen these types of scenarios play out. Dallas was in the middle of one of these years ago with Dez Bryant when the Cowboys and Denver Broncos both got star wideouts to accept that the top contracts at the time were not attainable.

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