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Daily Slop – 2 May 25 – With the draft finished, Terry McLaurin contract extension moves up the to-do list for the Commanders

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Tennessee Titans v Washington Commanders
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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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Riggo’s Rag

Commanders on the clock again as Terry McLaurin deal takes center stage

This is now a big priority.

The gifted wide receiver became a shining light amid the chaos under previous regimes. McLaurin remained professional while others let their frustrations build and, in some cases, left when the first opportunity arrived. He was also highly productive as all around him crumbled.

McLaurin stuck around and was eventually vindicated for his loyalty. The Commanders are on a completely different path now. They have an ambitious owner, a masterful roster builder, and an experienced head coach. They also happen to have a franchise quarterback for the first time since the wideout was drafted.

Peters has already signaled his intent to make McLaurin another extension offer ahead of time. He’s got one more year on his deal, but this still represents a sound investment. Now that other priorities have diminished slightly, there is no better time than to reward the undisputed locker room leader for his sterling commitment.

McLaurin wants to stay. He loves the fanbase and cares deeply about the organization. He’s everything one looks for in a franchise cornerstone, so complications should be minimal during negotiations.

Depending on the deal, McLaurin has the scope to be a Washington football lifer when it’s all said and done.

Bleeding Green Nation

NFL Draft Analysis: Washington Commanders

Keeping an eye on the Eagles’ NFC East rivals.

Kain Medrano, Linebacker, UCLA

Kain Medrano looks and moves like a safety at 6’2” and 220 pounds. He is a truly excellent athlete at that size and it shows up the way he moves downhill and sideline to sideline. Considering Washington is looking to add speed to their rebuilding defense, this selection already makes sense.

Medrano thrived in coverage at UCLA but really, really struggled as a tackler. Size and technique worked against him as an in-the-box run defender. He missed over 20% of attempted tackles during his career, which is a shocking number.

As a late round flier, the Medrano pick is smart. He could potentially move to safety or be a Big Nickel defender for Dan Quinn. No matter what, he will need to improve his tackling if he wants to get on the field at all.

Commanders.com

5 things to know about Kain Medrano

He originally committed to UCLA as a wide receiver.

Medrano chose UCLA over Colorado State and Wyoming expecting to be a wide receiver. After all, that’s where he had the most impact at the high school level and was one of the better wideout prospects in the country.

Medrano saw little action as a freshman and only played in the 2019 season finale. That’s when then-head coach Chip Kelly presented him with an opportunity to play linebacker — a position that was largely unfamiliar to him.

It took about two seasons for Medrano to develop, but he ended his career as a team captain and one of the most important players for the Bruins’ defense. He wrapped up his senior season with 72 tackles, four pass breakups, 1.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and two interceptions.

The position is still new to Medrano, but if he continues to make progress, he could end up having a similar jump in the NFL.

WUSA9

Commanders’ $3.7B stadium to implement PSLs, raising affordability concerns

PSLs for NFL Stadiums currently under construction range from $750 to $75,000 per seat.

The Washington Commanders’ proposed $3.7 billion stadium on the former RFK site will implement Permanent Seat Licenses (PSLs). This widespread NFL practice could price out longtime fans despite owner Josh Harris’ stated commitment to inclusivity.

“My first question always is, how do we make it so that a family that doesn’t have all the money in the world, can be included in this?” Harris said regarding stadium planning, the day the announcement was made.

PSLs require fans to pay a one-time fee for the right to purchase season tickets, similar to a country club membership, and completely separate from the annual cost of the tickets themselves.

The Commanders confirmed PSLs will be part of the new stadium financing, but haven’t established prices since they haven’t completed stadium design or PSL analysis, which the team says are interconnected.

According to NFL data, 21 of the league’s 32 teams currently utilize PSLs, with Washington soon becoming the 22nd.

According to the term sheet agreement with the team, the District technically owns all PSL rights as the stadium owner, but will transfer these rights to the Commanders.

“We expect the team to use the value of the seat licenses to help finance the stadium,” Mayor Muriel Bowser said regarding the arrangement.

Petro explained that premium seat PSLs for the Bills’ new stadium cost up to $50,000 per seat, with lower bowl seats requiring PSLs up to $8,000 each. Even upper-level seats carry PSLs as high as $2,500.

Petro believes Washington’s PSLs will likely be more expensive due to the larger market and higher stadium cost.

PSLs for Allegiant Stadium range from $500 to $75,000, while the Tennessee Titans’ new stadium, which is under construction, has PSLs ranging from $750 to $75,000. Both stadiums cost roughly half the projected price of the Commanders’ proposal.

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Washington Commanders Draft GRADES | Jay Gruden’s Recap

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Pro Football Talk

Eight NFL teams will debut “Rivalries” jerseys in 2025

Starting in 2025, the NFL will introduce “Rivalries” jerseys inspired by the communities of the teams.

The first wave, debuting in 2025, will cover the teams of the AFC East and NFC West. The league will add two new divisions every year.

Via Jonathan Jones of CBSSports.com, the jerseys will be worn only by the home team in a division rivalry. Every team will be required to wear the “Rivalries” jersey at least once every three years. It can be used more frequently than that, against any of its three division rivals.

The AFC East and NFC West “Rivalries” jerseys will debut later this year, before the start of the season, for the Patriots, Bills, Dolphins, Jets, 49ers, Seahawks, Rams, and Cardinals.

While teams are limited to four games with throwback or alternate jerseys, this is just another jersey that fans can buy. Which is the obvious motivation here. The most zealous fans will want to have another jersey.

Front Office Sports

Bill Belichick’s PR Nightmare Is a Product of Losing Longtime Confidante

“Belichick has had a personal PR guy for 20 years. But he doesn’t have Berj [Najarian] anymore,” a source told FOS.

During one of the longest weeks of his career, Bill Belichick fumbled and stumbled during and after his cringey interview with CBS. Former players and NFL pundits asked: How can the 73-year-old coach put his career and legacy in the hands of 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson?

Sources tell Front Office Sports Belichick’s biggest problem is the absence of his secret weapon: Berj Najarian.

During Belichick’s 24-year run with the Patriots, Najarian stood by his side as the coach’s “consigliere,” according to the New York Times. One of his official titles was “chief of staff.” But reporters knew Najarian as the “gatekeeper” for the six-time Super Bowl–winning coach, according to the Times—and as Belichick’s “right-hand man” per CBS News. Belichick largely delegated his media relations to Najarian, allowing him to focus on football.

When Belichick was fired by Pats owner Robert Kraft in early 2024, Najarian joined former Patriots OC Bill O’Brien at Boston College as chief of staff. That left Belichick adrift without his key media advisor and protector. Since then, Belichick has tried to put Hudson in Najarian’s role, according to former Pats players like Julian Edelman.

That’s led to obvious problems since the ex-cheerleader doesn’t yet have the training or experience to pull it off.

“Belichick has had a personal PR guy for 20 years. But he doesn’t have Berj anymore,” said one source directly familiar with Najarian’s confidante role with the Pats. “Berj works for Bill O’Brien at BC now. So Bill’s all by himself.”

As Hudson did during the infamous CBS sitdown, Najarian tended to quietly hover while Belichick conducted big interviews. He’d also let Pats beat reporters know when the boss was displeased. But none of Belichick’s Pats interviews turned into a fiasco the way the CBS sitdown did, with Hudson angrily telling Tony Dokoupil the couple would not answer questions about their relationship. She also allegedly stormed off the set, causing a 30-minute delay. That violated the first rule of media management: Never make yourself the story.

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