Baltimore Sports Today

Baltimore Sports News Continuously Updated

Daily Slop – 17 Jun 24: Frankie Luvu, Mikey Sainristil, Tyler Biadasz, Jamin Davis, Jeremy Chinn links

by


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

Commanders links

Articles

Sports Illustrated

Washington Commanders Added ‘Under-The-Radar’ Star Defender This Offseason

Could the linebacker provide a big role under Dan Quinn’s defense for Washington this season?

The seventh-year linebacker has 20 career sacks and 338 combined tackles. Luvu might not be getting enough attention because the team made a plethora of moves, bringing in plenty of talents who will get to make a big impact within the team.

“The former Panthers starter got big money to join Washington in free agency, but he’s probably not getting the attention he deserves. After an increasingly active role rushing the pocket in Carolina, he has a chance to be a difference-maker at the heart of Dan Quinn’s defense,” Benjamin wrote.

With Dan Quinn taking over as the Commanders’ head coach, the defense will be intruiging to watch. He was the defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys previously, and he could have the Commanders looking sharp on that side of the football.

In addition to Luvu’s 20 sacks, he’s got 46 tackles for loss and 41 quarterback hits. He’s going to be a disruptor and impact player for the Commanders, and whether or not he can blossom into a star or not for Washington will be interesting to watch.

Commanders.com

Soon-to-be dad Mike Sainristil excited to create memories and be a role model for daughter

“It could be any minute, any day this week,” Sainristil say. “I wouldn’t say I’ve been scared. I’ve been more anxious like, ‘When is it gonna happen?’, ‘What day is it going to be?’ ‘Where am I going to be?’ ‘What’s going to be going on?’”

It’s been the quite the couple months for the 23-year-old who, in addition to gearing up for fatherhood, is getting ready for his first season as a pro. In this busy but uniquely special time, the impending arrival of his daughter has highlighted for Sainristil the importance of being where his feet are and striving to be the best person he can be.

Emotions are running high with the any-minute-now nature of the pregnancy, but the overwhelming feeling for both Sainristil and his partner Seliana is excitement.


“I know that she [Seliana] is super ready to give birth, and I’m ready to be there and be super supportive,” he said. “I’m just ready to meet our daughter, see her for the first time, hold her for the first time.”

To be what he needs to be as a football player, partner and a future dad, Sainristil is challenging himself to identify where his focus should be put at any given time and to not have one space impact the other too much.

“Biggest thing for me is just being present wherever I am. If I’m at home, being attentive at home. If I’m at work, being attentive at work,” he said. “Just being 100% all in wherever I am just so I can give the most of myself to what I’m doing at the time.”

Commanders Wire

Where does Commanders center Tyler Biadasz rank among the NFL’s best in 2024?

In four years with the Cowboys, Baidasz started 53 games. He took over midway through his rookie season and never relinquished the job. Signing him was a no-brainer for the Commanders.

Pro Football Focus recently ranked every starting center ahead of the 2024 NFL season and ranked Biadasz at No. 13.

The former Pro Bowler carved out a nice role for himself as a three-year starter with the Cowboys before joining their NFC East rival Commanders in the offseason. His 68.6 overall grade in 2023 was a career high, despite his allowing 25 pressures — the most of his NFL career.

Biadasz’s replacement, Brock Hoffman, is ranked 32nd.

Quinn feels good about Biadasz, having competed against him every day in practice for the past three years.

Sports Illustrated

33rd Team: Washington Commanders Rookie Had One of the Best 1st Seasons This Century

The Washington Commanders had one of the most electric rookie seasons on record this century.

When Washington selected Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Robert Griffin III out of Baylor in 2012 it drafted the eventual Offensive Rookie of the Year, and conductor of the second-best rookie quarterback season this century according to 33rd Team’s Dan Pizzuta.

“Griffin’s rookie season combined two things we now point to for immediate rookie success — a mobile quarterback and a Shanahan offense. Griffin had an explosive debut, including an 88-yarder for his first touchdown pass, and it didn’t slow down from there,” writes Pizzuta. “Griffin’s 13 games with positive EPA matched Matt Ryan’s, and his rushing ability raised the floor in every game. Griffin had 825 non-kneel rushing yards, a rookie record, and added seven rushing touchdowns. He did fumble six times but only lost two. Otherwise, he was great at taking care of the ball, with a 1.3 percent interception rate that tied Tom Brady for the league lead.”

Unfortunately, after suffering an ACL injury things were never the same for Griffin and the franchise that drafted him. Eventually the team turned to Kirk Cousins, who they selected in the third round of the very same draft, and then on to a rotating crew of quarterbacks ever since.

Podcasts & videos

Austin Ekeler on being a 0-star recruit, Jayden Daniels, Commanders, & why RBs have been devalued

All a’Twitter