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Daily Slop – 27 Mar 25 – Could DE James Pearce Jr. be the right guy at pick 29?

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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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Bullock’s Film Room (subscription)

NFL Draft Profile: DE James Pearce Jr.

Pearce is an impressive athlete, standing at 6-foot-5, 245 pounds with nearly 33-inch arms. Pearce ran a fantastic 4.47 40-yard dash, which to put into perspective at just how impressive that is, top running back prospect Omarion Hampton ran a 4.46 40-yard dash. Pearce ran nearly the same time as a top running back despite being 25 pounds heavier. He also had a 1.56 10-yard split, which is the more important number for defensive lineman because they work in smaller spaces where it’s more about initial burst than long speed. That was the fastest 10-yard split of any defensive end at the Combine this year.

That athletic ability is the first thing that stands out when watching Pearce. He uses that athleticism and burst to great effect as a pass rusher, bursting off the line of scrimmage and threatening tackles with pure speed off the edge.

That burst and quickness makes Pearce a significant threat to attack the edge on every play, but if tackles overset trying to cut off his speed, he can change direction and work inside without losing much of his speed.

Commanders.com

Five things to know about WR Michael Gallup

He wants to be part of what the Commanders are building.

Gallup could have stayed in retirement but felt as if there was still “a lot of meat on that bone” for his NFL career at 29 years old. He chose to reignite his career with the Commanders because he believes in what the franchise established last season, and he wants to be part of it.

“I want to be a part of the game,” Gallup said. “I don’t necessarily gotta be the top wide receiver on the team, but I want to be a part of it.”

While Gallup doesn’t know many players on the Commanders’ roster personally, he did watch as the team he played against for six seasons turned into one of the best squads in the league under head coach Dan Quinn. They improved to a 12-5 record and advanced to the NFC Championship with quarterback Jayden Daniels at quarterback, providing a level of confidence in the franchise that has not been experienced in decades.

Gallup’s career would indicate that he has something to offer to Washington’s offense, despite not catching a pass since Jan. 7, 2024. He recorded 34 receptions for 418 yards during the 2023 season, which would have ranked fifth on last year’s team.

Gallup said he is rested and ready to prove himself.

“I’m gonna bring that fire. I’m gonna bring that energy and bring that juice. If you need something, I’m gonna go get it for you.”

Commanders Wire

Surprise: Commanders land arguably the draft’s top wide receiver in new mock

CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco recently released his very first mock draft of the year, and he predicts that the Washington Commanders will select a wide receiver with the 29th overall pick.

29. Washington CommandersTetairoa McMillan WR – Arizona • Jr • 6’4” / 219 lbsPROSPECT RNK – 7thPOSITION RNK – 1stREC – 84 REYDS – 1319 YDS/REC – 15.7 TDS – 8They traded for Deebo Samuel, but he’s playing the last year of his deal. They need a young receiver to help grow with Jayden Daniels. McMillan is a big-bodied receiver who would help.

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Should the Commanders Draft an Edge Rusher Early? | Take Command

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Big Blue View

Daniel Jeremiah not impressed by New York Giants signing of Russell Wilson

Jeremiah says Giants have gone “from vanilla to French vanilla”

During an appearance on the ‘The Rich Eisen Show’, Jeremiah said the Giants still have the “fourth-best” starting quarterback in the NFC East. In terms of whether they have upgraded from Daniel Jones, he said the Giants have gone from “vanilla to French vanilla.”

Jeremiah believes the signings of Wilson and Jameis Winston don’t preclude the Giants from selecting Shedeur Sanders of Colorado at No. 3.

“If you love Shedeur Sanders and you have big grades on him I don’t think this would stop you from doing that,” Jeremiah told Eisen.

“It feels so necessary that they win this year, and that’s why they’ve covered themselves with a couple veteran quarterbacks. It leads me to believe more so they are going to take another play to help them win this year.”

Jeremiah said the Giants could try to “have their cake and eat it, too” by getting their quarterback of the future by trading back into Round 1 for Jaxson Dart or another quarterback.

Jeremiah was not optimistic that Wilson could help Brian Daboll salvage his job.

“You’re the fourth-best quarterback in that division,” he said. “Where does that go in him vs. what they had in Daniel Jones? Maybe it’s an upgrade … I think they just went from vanilla to French vanilla. I don’t know that you’re going to get that much more impact.”

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Washington Post (paywall)

NFL competition committee proposes changing touchback spot on kickoffs

The football would be spotted at the 35-yard line instead of the 30 on a touchback on a kickoff, a modification designed to boost the return rate.

The competition committee is proposing to make the kickoff format permanent, with possible changes. The owners approved the format last offseason on a one-year basis, mandating that there would be reconsideration this offseason. League leaders have called the first-year results a success, saying the new format fulfilled its dual mandate of increasing returns while making the injury rate more comparable to that of a play from scrimmage.

But the league and competition committee have said they would like to bolster the return rate even further after 32.8 percent of kickoffs were returned last season, up from 21.8 percent during the 2023 season. They will attempt to achieve that by moving the spot of the touchback on kickoffs from the 30- to the 35-yard line. That is designed to discourage the kicking team from launching kicks into the opposite end zone.

Rich McKay, the chief executive officer of the Atlanta Falcons and the co-chairman of the competition committee, said the designers of the kickoff rules estimate the return rate will jump to 60 to 70 percent if the proposed change to the touchback spot is enacted.

The committee also considered proposing to move the spot of the kickoff farther from the opposite goal line, to make it more difficult for kickers to put the ball into the end zone. But it did not propose that.

The league has said it expects to put its electronic system to measure first downs into regular season use during the 2025 season. That does not require a ratification vote by the owners. The system would still involve the on-field officials manually spotting the ball following a play, after which the electronic system would be used to determine whether a first down was achieved.

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Athlon Sports

The Pittsburgh Steelers will officially have a new quarterback operating under center next season as Russell Wilson has signed with the New York Giants

For the Steelers, there is a clear understanding of the implications of this move as it now puts them in the driver’s seat in the Aaron Rodgers sweepstakes with the Giants now out of the picture.

Rodgers would essentially walk into a position as the unquestioned starter in Pittsburgh with Rudolph and Skylar Thompson as the only other quarterbacks on the roster. Fields departed the Steelers to sign with the New York Jets after free agency started.

On the Giants end, this may also shakeup the top of the draft with New York no longer set to pursue either Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward. However, according to Schefter, the team will not rule out the pursuit of a quarterback later in the draft.

Nothing is official on Pittsburgh’s end with Rodgers at this time, but it is looking more likely that if he returns to the field next season, it will be with the Black and Gold.

Is Aaron Rodgers Worth the Trouble for Any NFL Team Anymore?

Wherever Rodgers does sign, that team will be dealing with Rodgers’ well-known off-field baggage, as well as the fact that they’ll have a quarterback who would prefer to run his own internal system than anything your hot-shot offensive coordinator may have in mind. Going back to his days in Green Bay with head coach and offensive shot-caller Matt LaFleur, Rodgers tends to balk at pre-snap motion, condensed formations, and other aids that a lot of quarterbacks find useful. Rodgers wants to take the snap and decide what to do from there. Hypothetically, he’s earned that right — he’s more than smart enough to take apart any defense with his mind in a very short time, and when he’s physically aligned, he has always had the chops to make things happen.

But now, at age 41 (he’ll turn 42 on December 2), does Rodgers still have the physical skills to make it worth the trouble? Because there’s no question that if you’re handing your offense to Aaron Rodgers, that’s what you’re doing. This isn’t a collaboration, it’s a star turn for Rodgers, and you’re there to keep the hot drinks hot and the cool drinks cool.

Based on his 2024 performance with the Jets, let’s dive into the tape and see what Rodgers has left in the tank.

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