Daily Slop – 24 May 25 – Blogging the Boys writes about the Cowboys: “this year feels different”

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

Commanders links

Articles

NFL.com

Most underappreciated NFL players: Top candidate for each NFC team entering 2025 season

Commanders – Quan Martin

While we’re talking about underappreciated players, how about an underappreciated NFL pipeline? The Illinois secondary has churned out a bevy of ballers in recent years. The 2021 draft brought Nate Hobbs, who established himself as one of the game’s better nickelbacks in Las Vegas before signing a $48 million deal with Green Bay in March. The 2022 draft offered Kerby Joseph, who just signed an extension with Detroit that made him the highest-paid safety in league history. And then the 2023 draft provided a trio of talents: Devon Witherspoon (a Pro Bowler in each of his first two seasons), Sydney Brown (a projected starter for the reigning Super Bowl champion Eagles) and Jartavius Quan Martin.

Martin took over as a full-time starter in Washington last season, acquitting himself quite well at free safety. He stuffed the stat sheet with 87 tackles, three forced fumbles, three passes defensed, one interception … and two separated shoulders? Yup, apparently, he played most of the year with janky joins in each arm before undergoing offseason surgery. I appreciate your preposterous pain tolerance, Quan.

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Pro Football Focus

Highest-graded player at every position from the 2024 NFL Draft

QB: Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders (89.6)

Daniels was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and enjoyed nothing short of one of the greatest rookie quarterback seasons in NFL history, and arguably the best. His 89.6 PFF overall grade ranked first among all quarterbacks drafted in 2024 and fifth at the position overall in the regular season. Daniels completed 69.0% of his passes for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns while leading the Commanders to their best record since 1991.

Even in the playoffs, the rookie never looked out of his depth. His 82.5 PFF overall grade in the postseason ranked fourth among quarterbacks, and his coolness in the pocket, as well as his rushing ability and decision-making skills, have already vaulted him into the conversation of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.

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NFL.com

2025 NFL season: Player departures that will have biggest impact on their former teams

Dante Fowler – Dallas Cowboys · Edge

FORMER TEAM: WASHINGTON COMMANDERS

Fowler was a tremendous value last season, racking up a team-high 10.5 sacks for Dan Quinn’s defense while playing on a one-year deal for less than $5 million. Fowler was due for a raise and received one from the Cowboys this offseason, while Washington is hoping Dorance Armstrong can step up in his second year with the team after signing a three-year, $33 million deal last offseason. If Armstrong can produce like Fowler did, the change won’t matter much, but Armstrong has never cracked double-digit sacks in his seven-year career.

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Commanders.com

Top 5 plays from Jacory Croskey-Merritt’s 2023 season

Croskey-Merritt goes off for 231 yards against Utah State

Technically, this is a whole game as opposed to one play, but Croskey-Merritt has so many good moments in New Mexico’s 2023 finale against Utah State that it’s hard to leave any out.

Obviously, the stats show that Croskey-Merritt had a good day. He rushed for 233 yards and a touchdown on 31 carries, both of which were career highs, but his first explosive run didn’t come until near the end of the first quarter. Most of Croskey-Merritt’s day was spent fighting for tough yards and breaking tackles for small gains to keep New Mexico’s offense churning down the field.

Croskey-Merritt didn’t get much free space against Utah State, but he made them pay when he got the opportunity. It took until three minutes left in the third quarter for him to break loose, and it resulted in a 22-yard touchdown that pulled New Mexico with three points of tying the score.

New Mexico ended the game with a double overtime loss, but it was a strong end for Croskey-Merritt, who also surpassed the 1,000-yard mark in the contest.

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Podcasts & videos

Mike Golic, Jr. Talks Josh Conerly, Laremy Tunsil, and the Tackle vs Guard Debate | Take Command

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Photos

PHOTOS | Class is in session

Take a look at the Washington Commanders’ coaching staff working with their players during OTAs.

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NFC East links

SB Nation

Saquon Barkley made a bold claim on Eagles’ placement in NFL’s greatest teams ever

“I firmly believe when you look at our team that we had last year … I think we’re a top-five team of all time. … If you really look at the season outside of the first four games, it was belt to ass.”

Barkley does make an interesting point. After a shaky 2-2 start to the season, the Eagles won 16 of their last 17 games, including a dominant Super Bowl victory. Their point differential over the course of the season was +160 per Pro Football Reference, which would be higher than the Super Bowl champions from 2018-2021 and outclass legendary teams like the 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The playoff run the Eagles had really set them into an elite tier, shutting down legendary players and coaches like Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid on the biggest stage.

However, if we compare them to other historic teams, I’m not sure if the Eagles stack up well. Using FTN Fantasy’s historical DVOA database, the 2024 Eagles’ 21.3% total DVOA wouldn’t even be the highest DVOA from last season, let alone from the Super Bowl winning teams. Their DVOA would be on par with the 2000 Ravens, who were a great team, but probably not the greatest Super Bowl winning team of all time if we’re using DVOA. Those metrics would go to Washington in 1991, the 1985 Bears, and 1996 Green Bay Packers.

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Blogging the Boys

The Cowboys are being grossly underestimated by oddsmakers

There is always a disparity between fans and oddsmakers when it comes to the Cowboys this time of year. It’s become a recurring gag for fans to say “this is our year!” when it, in fact, is not. Oddsmakers, as well as the national media, generally know this too.

Still, this year feels different.

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The Athletic (paywall)

In year of transition, Cowboys need Dak Prescott’s best, on and off the field

Lamb isn’t one to torpedo the team if his involvement isn’t up to his standards, but his body language during times he was targeted less has come under a spotlight the last two seasons. Pickens and the Cowboys are embracing the fresh-start narrative for the former Steelers star, but his reputation coming from Pittsburgh is less than glowing.

Aside from playing his position at a high level, managing the dynamic of Lamb and Pickens may be Prescott’s most critical task in 2025.

Although the upcoming season may feel like a continuation for Prescott, it’s going to be a big step in his career. When Prescott entered the NFL, he talked about how crucial All-Pro center Travis Frederick was to the quarterback’s growth and instant success. Frederick, Smith and Martin took care of everything up front, from blocking to setting protections, so it was one less thing on Prescott’s plate.

This season, four of Prescott’s five projected starting offensive linemen have less than four years of NFL experience, including rookie Tyler Booker and second-year players Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe.

A similar sentiment holds true with the wide receiver group. Since Prescott’s third year in the NFL, the wide receiver room has featured the veteran leadership of Amari Cooper or Brandin Cooks in all but one season. Now, Lamb, who turned 26 years old last month and just completed his rookie deal, is the elder statesman of the position. Lamb is an unquestionably elite talent. Now, he’s tasked with tightening things up and carrying a group that includes Pickens, who has a checkered past but will be crucial to any success the Cowboys have in 2025.

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ESPN

Giants 2025 roster in better shape than last year

[Out of] a total of 11 position groups, six are better than they were at this time last year; five are the same. None are perceived as worse. Four of the five defensive position groups are improved.

That should, theoretically, make the Giants a better team in 2025, which they hope leads to more wins. It seems pretty clear the Giants have a more talented roster.

“Yeah, on paper,” Schoen said after the draft. “Until we go out and do it, it doesn’t matter. It’s just on paper now.”

Considering we’re in the “on paper” portion of the NFL offseason, it’s better than the alternative. At this point last year, it seemed obvious it was going to be a long season. They finished with three wins.

At least this year, there is more realistic optimism.

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NFL league links

Articles

Pro Football Talk

Aaron Rodgers drops a hint that he’ll be heading for Pittsburgh

During an appearance last weekend in Austin with a rapper who goes by the stage name of “Mike Stud,” Rodgers was asked whether he’d ever sign with the Bears.

“I believe there’s a team that might play in Chicago this year on a road trip,” Rodgers replied.

The Steelers play in Chicago this year. The Saints do, too, but there has been no link between the quarterback-needy Saints and the free agent who says he’s up for anything and committed to nothing.

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All aTwitter

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