Daily Slop – 22 May 24 -Joint practice has roots with Mike McDaniel’s time in Washington, Atlanta and San Fran

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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Articles

Commanders.com

Players love Kliff Kingsbury’s coaching style, desire to ‘maximize’ skill sets

There are plenty of new faces walking through the halls at the Commanders’ facility, but Kingsbury drew much of the attention thanks to his history with developing quarterbacks and his use of the “Air Raid” system. He was hired to fix an offense that sputtered and struggled to maintain balance in 2023, and his enthusiasm, as well as his teaching style, has won over his new players.

“He really helps us play to our strengths,” said wideout Jahan Dotson. “And that’s really what you want in a coach; someone who knows your capability and what you can do on the field and tries to maximize it.”

Kingsbury didn’t want to use the “Air Raid” label when he was first asked about the offense he plans to install in Washington. He wants Washington’s scheme to be its own thing, saying during OTAs that “the one major thing I try to do is make sure this was year one of the Commanders’ offense, not year five of the Arizona Cardinals.”

And so far, it looks like he’s keeping his word. Tight end Zach Ertz, the only player on the Commanders’ roster with experience playing for Kingsbury, does feel that it’s “a little different” from what he ran in Arizona, but there’s also some carry over. That’s not a surprise to Ertz, considering that he has seen the scheme be successful in the NFL.

The Cardinals had the sixth-ranked offense in 2020, led by a top 10 ground attack that averaged 139.8 yards per game. In 2021, the Cardinals ranked eighth with an average of 373.6 yards.

Kingsbury wants to maximize the Commanders’ personnel, putting players in a position that highlights their skill sets. That’s a typical statement used by most offensive coordinators around the league, but it looks like Kingsbury means it. He’s allowing input from his players as they work through the basic concepts of the offense, saying that “good ideas know no rank.”

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Commanders.com

New era gives Emmanuel Forbes ‘a fresh start’

“It’s definitely a fresh start,” Forbes told reporters May 14.

Forbes, the Commanders’ first-round pick in 2023 and the FBS leader in interceptions returned for touchdowns, was brought in to help fix the team’s problems with creating turnovers and preventing explosive plays. While he did improve over time, it still wasn’t the performance he had hoped for, as he ended his rookie season with just one interception while allowing 636 yards from receivers.

But now there’s a new staff in town with fresh philosophy and vision for the defense. Both could end up being exactly what Forbes needs to maximize his skill set.

“They demand perfectness,” Forbes said of the new coaches.

Forbes is working with an entirely new staff in the secondary, led by defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. and head coach Dan Quinn. They’re bringing with them a system that was one of the best in the NFL last season, ranking fifth in allowed, passing yards and fifth in points allowed.

It’s on Forbes to learn that system, and so far, that effort has been going well.

“It’s pretty simple, honestly,” Forbes said. “We have meetings, and [we’re] watching film and things like that. It’s just learning the ins and outs.”

Defensive backs coach Tommy Donatell, most recently the Los Angeles Chargers’ defensive pass game coordinator, has previous experience working with cornerbacks Asante Samuel Jr. and Michael Davis. Davis set a career hit in passes defensed (15) including a league-best 14 over the final 10 games of the season. Samuel Jr. recorded three passes in the team’s postseason game which is tied for the second-most in a single postseason game in NFL history.

Donatell’s assistant, William Gay, joined the Commanders with 11 years of playing experience — 10 with the Pittsburgh Steelers and one with the Arizona Cardinals. He played in 176 games, making 101 starts and recording 577 total tackles, 13 interceptions, 87 passes defensed, 34 tackles for loss, 10 forced fumbles and five interception return touchdowns, which is tied for the most in Steelers history.

Forbes is already excited to work with them.

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Riggo’s Rag

Prominent free-agent’s prognosis should put Commanders on high alert

Could this be a legitimate option for the Commanders?

Commanders should monitor David Bakhtiari’s progress closely

An interesting development regarding one of the best offensive tackles around shouldn’t go unnoticed by the Commanders. David Bakhtiari has undergone some torrid injury luck in recent seasons, but Ian Rapoport from the NFL Network revealed that the former fourth-round selection’s prognosis is good and he could be on track to make a long-awaited return during the 2024 campaign.

“Former Packers All-Pro LT David Bakhtiari, who is recovering from knee surgeries, had a positive follow-up exam with expert Dr. Brian Cole, and Cole proclaimed him on schedule for a 2024 season return. Cole is the chairman of Orthopaedics at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and chairman of surgery at Oak Park Hospital. When healthy, Bakhtiari is among the NFL’s best left tackles. While knee issues limited him to just one game last season, he’s now tracking to be ready to play in 2024.”

Just when Bakhtiari will be ready wasn’t disclosed. The veteran is working his way back to health and is seeking alternative employment following his release from the Green Bay Packers. It’s a big gamble considering how much football he’s missed, but the rewards could be substantial providing there are no further complications on the injury front.

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Commanders Wire

Commanders named as one of the NFL’s 6 most improved offenses for 2024

Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News recently named six offenses that he believes will be the most improved in the NFL next season. These five teams, along with the Los Angeles Chargers, were his choices.

Here’s what he said about Washington:

The Commanders’ offense also won’t look like anything it did the past few seasons under Eric Bieniemy and Scott Turner. Daniels gives them a dynamic running element along with his big downfield arm. Kingsbury will put him in position to succeed right away by spreading the field, using his former Cardinals blueprint with Kyler Murray.

Ekeler, Ertz, McCaffrey, and Sinnott provide more than enough to upgrade short-area passing, as the team moved on from Curtis Samuel between perimeter wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson. Allegretti and Biadasz will contribute to better interior blocking. The running game also gets an extra boost with Daniels and Ekeler playing off Brian Robinson Jr.

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Podcasts & videos

Jayden Daniels INNOVATING at QB, Schedule Reaction, OTA Insights | Podcast | Washington Commanders

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Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels Starting Low in NFL Rankings | Secondary Improvements | UDFA

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NFL league links

Articles

NFL.com

2024 NFL season: Buccaneers, Cowboys among most vulnerable reigning division champions

Any Given Sunday is a fine tenet on which to build a league, and it almost always holds true. Still, there are some teams that feel more vulnerable to losing their spot atop the division hierarchy than, say, the Kansas City Chiefs, whose grip on the AFC West is about as tight as the New England Patriots’ was on the AFC East for nearly two full decades.

With the most significant parts of roster construction complete, here is an offseason ranking of the 2023 division champions who are at greatest risk of slipping from their perch in 2024, with the closest the NFL gets to a sure thing residing comfortably — invulnerably — at the bottom.

Rank 1A – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – NFC South · 2023 record: 9-8

This ranking should not be read as concern about the Bucs’ offseason, during which they locked up quarterback Baker Mayfield (who led a surprisingly smooth and successful first season of the post-Tom Brady era), receiver Mike Evans and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. Rather, it’s a reflection of the NFC South, which the Bucs won in 2023 with a 9-8 record, edging out the Saints, who had the same record. The biggest difference from the offseason should come in Atlanta, where the Falcons signed Kirk Cousins, then drafted Michael Penix. The Falcons finished just two games behind the Bucs and Saints last season, and you have to assume that Cousins is good for at least two wins more than Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke were.

Rank 1B – Dallas Cowboys – NFC East · 2023 record: 12-5

This ranking should definitely be read as concern about the Cowboys’ offseason, which has been … quiet? Underwhelming? Setting aside the odd approach to Dak Prescott’s contract, the offensive line and running game have changed significantly (goodbye, Tyron Smith; welcome back, Ezekiel Elliott), and likely not for the better. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Eagles gave their offense an injection with the addition of Saquon Barkley and used their first two draft picks to rebuild the secondary, adding Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. The Eagles’ confounding second-half collapse last season opened the door for Dallas to finish with one more win and, thus, the NFC East title. Barring a repeat of that faceplant, the Cowboys figure to face a far more difficult path to repeating as the division champions.

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CBS Sports

NFL to test optical tracking system for line-to-gain rulings in preseason with eyes toward 2024 implementation

A successful trial run could yield a big change in the NFL in 2024

The NFL is moving forward this preseason with an optical tracking system for line-to-gain rulings, sources tell CBS Sports. The system had been tried out in a few NFL stadiums this past season, and it will get a full preseason trial this summer.

If the trial goes well and everyone’s on board, the tracking system will be implemented full time for the 2024 NFL regular season, sources say.

In March, the NFL’s competition committee quietly approved its use across all teams in the preseason. But before the league fully implements it for the full season, it wants to make sure the system works well enough to be trusted.

The chain gang won’t exactly become a thing of the past, though. Sources say the chains will still exist on the sideline, but they’ll be used both as a backup for game operations and as a reference point for coaches, players and fans in the stadium.

All game footballs are microchipped and have been for years. But this technology doesn’t employ the chip and instead relies entirely on optical tracking. The system, which was used at MetLife Stadium and Hard Rock Stadium last year, would need to be installed across all 30 NFL stadiums as well as any international stadium where NFL games are played.

If the system works, it would make for a more accurate measuring system that reduces the amount of human error. If the league sees there are problems such as latency issues in the preseason, the move can be tabled until 2025 with the chain crew continuing to do the same job as always.

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