Daily Slop – 28 Apr 25 – Mayor Bowser & Josh Harris will reportedly announce agreement to build new stadium at RFK site today

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

ESPN

Sources: Commanders, D.C. reach deal for new stadium at RFK site

The Washington Commanders are going home. The organization has agreed to a deal with the District of Columbia to build a stadium at the site where they had their greatest success, according to sources familiar with the situation.

Washington struck a deal to play where RFK Stadium — the team’s home from 1961-96 — still stands. An announcement is expected Monday morning.

Terms of the deal have not yet been announced, though multiple outlets reported earlier this month that the cost would exceed $3 billion.

Washington mayor Muriel Bowser’s plan has long included a stadium, housing, parking facility, hotels and retail space on the 174-acre site, and she has indicated she wants to include a recreational facility.

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Washington Post (paywall)

D.C., Commanders plan to announce deal for new stadium at RFK

Details of the deal — which must be approved by the D.C. Council — are expected to be announced by Commanders principal owner Josh Harris and Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) at a news conference Monday morning.

Details of the arrangement — which must be approved by the D.C. Council — are expected to be announced by Commanders principal owner Josh Harris and Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) at a joint news conference Monday morning, according to the person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the negotiations. Bowser’s office and a Commanders spokesperson declined to comment Sunday night.

Harris and his minority partners have long said one of their priorities was to replace Northwest Stadium, the team’s current home in Landover, Maryland, which is now widely considered one of the worst venues in professional sports.

But D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) decried the mayor’s “unilateral approach” of negotiating with the team, in part because the council has to give final approval over any stadium deal, and has opposed the use of taxpayer money for the stadium.

Mendelson’s concerns, echoed by council member Charles Allen (D-Ward 6), foreshadow the coming political battle over whether the council will approve the deal. The city has a long history of fierce debates over the public financing of stadiums, including at Nationals Park and Audi Field in the 2000s and 2010s, and city lawmakers could make significant changes affecting how taxpayer money is used.

In addition, some residents opposed to the stadium launched an effort to try to prohibit the construction of a stadium through a citywide ballot initiative, which could pose a challenge for Bowser and the team should that effort heat up this summer. Those opposed argue that construction of a multibillion-dollar stadium poses an opportunity cost for residents, some of whom want the space used differently, such as for affordable housing.

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Riggo’s Rag

Commanders could get more than they bargained for with Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Croskey-Merritt went completely under the radar through no real fault of his own. The dynamic threat played just one game for the Arizona Wildcats in 2024 before the NCAA prevented any further involvement due to eligibility issues.

Peters spent considerable time learning more about Croskey-Merritt. He was intrigued by this story and wanted to see if the fire still burned after being robbed of his final college campaign. The front-office manager was convinced.

[I]t’s not hard to see a path for the backfield weapon if he uses what happened with the Wildcats as a source of motivation upon taking his chances in the pros.

The Commanders are giving him a chance to remind everyone why he was such a highly touted prospect once upon a time.

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Commanders Wire

Commanders’ assistant GM hints at possible free-agent edge rushers

General manager Adam Peters has been clear that the team will pick the best available player. That’s what good teams do. After the draft assistant GM Lance Newmark spoke with the media and was asked about not drafting an edge rusher.

“Well, I feel like we like what we have in that room, I think we’re always looking to add if we can, if the right opportunity presents itself, I don’t think we would’ve not added it,” Newmark said. “There was never a situation we’re not going to add that. Every time we got to where we were picking these players made the most sense for us. It wasn’t, we weren’t going to address Edge at any point. There was never any conversations of that mindset. It was these players made the most sense for us. And like I said, we like that room and we like what we have there.”

“I think the last couple of weeks we’ve really studied that hard and looked hard at that and had some conversations with some potential adds,” he noted. “So it definitely is something you think about, hey, we might be able to add this player in May or so. You certainly are always watching that board. We watch it every day and we always circle back to guys and see where they’re at.”

Two potential names stand out: Za’Darius Smith and Von Miller. Both are over 30, but remain productive in specified roles. Smith would appear to be a better fit for the Commanders, but they have options.

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The Athletic (pawall)

Our favorite 2025 NFL Draft picks

Washington Commanders: Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon

Pick: Round 1, No. 29

Anyone looking to upgrade their home for a future sale knows that renovating the kitchen provides the greatest return on investment. The same goes for the offensive line. You can have the best skill players, but those talents won’t shine bright without quality blockers. The Commanders overhauled the line in the past two years and went next-level with the trade for Laremy Tunsil and selecting Conerly in Round 1. We can’t say Washington has one of the league’s best tackle tandems quite yet, but the potential is there. Jayden Daniels can’t wait. — Ben Standig

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Podcasts & videos

Commanders No. 29 Pick Josh Conerly Jr. | Command Center

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Commanders’ Draft Class REVIEW Including STEALS, Contenders to Start, and Undrafted Free Agents

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NFC East links

ESPN

Cowboys followed their draft board, but they still have holes

While the Cowboys helped Dak Prescott with the line and maybe at running back, what about wide receiver?

Work remains.

The Cowboys entered the draft looking for a WR2 to pair with CeeDee Lamb. Had Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan dropped to them at No. 12 in the first round, he would have been their pick, not Alabama’s Booker, according to multiple sources.

Many assumed the Cowboys would look for a running back in the second or third round. Instead, they took a pass rusher (Ezeiruaku) and corner (Revel). By the time they picked No. 149 in the fifth round on Day 3, 13 running backs were gone, but they still got Texas’ Jaydon Blue, whom vice president of player personnel Will McClay called an explosive playmaker. In the seventh round they added Clemson’s Phil Mafah, who ran for 1,115 yards last season.

While the Cowboys followed their process in the draft, now it’s incumbent on the front office to address the remaining holes in free agency — especially if personnel is a process that runs, as executive vice president Stephen Jones says, 24/7, 365 days a year.

The top free agent receivers currently available include former Cowboy Amari Cooper, Keenan Allen and Nelson Agholor, among others.

The Cowboys have plenty of salary cap room. According to NFLPA figures, it’s roughly $37 million. Even if you take out the money needed for draft picks, practice squad, in-season call-ups and additions, injury settlements and a cushion in case of emergencies, they can add whomever they like.

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Bleeding Green Nation

Eagles GM Howie Roseman mum on Dallas Goedert after draft: He is ‘part of the team as we speak’

Philadelphia did nothing in the 2025 NFL Draft to potentially replace Dallas Goedert, nor did general manager Howie Roseman give a firm answer regarding the tight end’s future following the event.

“Dallas is part of the team as we speak,” Roseman said when asked if the TE-free draft class changes anything, per team transcript. “Obviously, as we go forward, we’re going to continue to address things on this team and right now nothing further.”

Goedert’s future has been called into question due to his $11.7 million cap hit in 2025, coupled with zero guaranteed money remaining on his contract. Now 30 years old, Goedert has played a full slate of games only once in his seven-year career — and that was as a rookie. He managed a career-low 10 regular-season appearances last season due to injury, which led to a career-low two touchdown catches. Goedert’s 496 receiving yards and 42 catches also both marked lows outside of his inaugural campaign in Philly.

Roseman’s non-answer on Goedert’s future likely speaks volumes to some. There’s still plenty of offseason left to figure out if it’s simply the GM keeping things in house or a sign of a split to come.

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Discussion topics

ESPN

Son of Falcons coordinator Ulbrich admits to Sanders prank

As Sanders continued to wait for his name to be called on Day 2 of the draft Friday, a video surfaced on social media of the former Colorado quarterback receiving a call from someone impersonating New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis.

The caller told Sanders: “We’re going to take you with our next pick, man, but you’re going to have to wait a little bit longer, man. Sorry about that.”

A confused Sanders asked the crowd gathered for his draft party, “What does that mean?”

Jax Ulbrich wrote in his post that what he did was “completely inexcusable, embarrassing, and shameful.” He said Sanders accepted his call earlier.

The Falcons said in their statement that Jeff Ulbrich was not aware of the data breach, or the prank call, until after the fact. The team said it would review its protocols to ensure something like this doesn’t happen again.

New Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren also received a prank call before he was selected in the first round by Indianapolis, a league source told ESPN’s Stephen Holder. Buffalo Bills sixth-round pick Chase Lundt, an offensive tackle, said in his introductory news conference that he received “four or five” prank calls during the draft.

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Front Office Sports

Mel Kiper Jr.’s Shedeur Sanders Fixation Hurt ESPN Draft Coverage

Kiper called NFL teams “clueless” and said the fall of Sanders was “disgusting,” focusing on the QB throughout three days of coverage.

Mel Kiper Jr… seemed more upset about the fall of Shedeur Sanders into the fifth round than the Colorado quarterback himself.

Unfortunately, he hijacked ESPN’s draft coverage this year by ranting and raving about Sanders. He talked over other hosts and analysts, and seemed personally insulted that teams were not listening to his advice. [I]t felt like Kiper wouldn’t let anybody else breathe.

For three days, he frequently obsessed over why nobody was picking Sanders, his fifth overall prospect. He ripped NFL teams as “clueless” and warned about “fake news” surrounding the Sanders family.

At one point, Kiper said he was “disgusted” that no franchise had selected Sanders. “I don’t understand what the heck’s going on with this. Fifth player on my board, never happened before in 47 years where a player that high has dropped this far into the fourth round at quarterback.”

Kiper also overshadowed Cam Ward’s selection as the No. 1 overall pick by making Round 1 discussion mostly about who else but Sanders.

NFL Draft analysts…shouldn’t make themselves the story. It felt over the top.

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The Athletic (paywall)

Did Shedeur Sanders and the NFL Draft finally break ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.? Roundtable

Dan Shanoff: I was fascinated by Mel Kiper Jr. going off the rails, caught between his status as the most prolific and prominent draft analyst of all time and the reality that his assessment of Sanders was comprehensively rejected by the entire league, over and over and over.

What is fascinating is that unlike Stephen A. Smith or Pat McAfee (or even Dick Vitale or Lee Corso), who always seem in on the bit, Kiper has built his career in part on having little-to-no capacity to be in on the bit, especially during the draft when we are all “on the clock.”

No, this was Kiper having sincerely felt outbursts — plural — on live TV, and it started in the final minutes leading up to the No. 1 overall pick, when a discussion of near-guaranteed top pick Cam Ward turned into Kiper stanning for Shedeur, even though no one in the extended NFL Draft universe had him slotted there. The caping continued, through the Saints’ first pick, the Steelers’ first pick, then when the other QBs were taken in the second and third rounds.

Kiper finally seemed to break when the Browns selected Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel near the end of the third round on Friday night: “Disgusting!”

When Sanders was finally drafted, Kiper jumped in with an enthusiasm and rapid-fire cadence like he was given a shot of adrenaline — it was a monologue he had been waiting to make for an endless 42 hours and 18 minutes. It felt less like a victory lap than a catharsis.

The entire subsequent 20-minute discussion about Shedeur by the ESPN crew was fascinating — especially when Rece Davis and Louis Reddick thoughtfully started talking about what Sanders needed to take from this experience, and Mel let 48 hours of personal and professional frustration explode, culminating in this banger:

“The NFL has been CLUELESS evaluating quarterbacks!”

Andrew Marchand: The draft is a TV show, and Kiper was the star. With ESPN, ABC, NFL Network, McAfee and a million outlets covering the draft, the two biggest topics at its conclusion were — Sanders dropping and Kiper going nuts about it.

For ESPN, it is “Mission Accomplished.”

Kiper takes his analysis seriously, and he should. Just like his view on George, he believes it on Sanders. It is important to try to get it all right. Time will tell if he did or not on Sanders, though there are always more circumstances than just the player for a quarterback’s success.

For people on TV, it is an attention business. Kiper was the star of the weekend. Maybe he will even end up being correct on Sanders.

But, honestly, for his role, he already got an “A,” because he was the biggest character on the show.

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Barstool Sports

Mel Kiper Jr. is [Not] On The Hot Seat

[H]ow the hell can people have such serious opinions on Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN’s token NFL Draft guy?

It’s not complicated. Mel Kiper was mad about being wrong. Him crashing out on TV was funny. It was good for ratings. I’m sure ESPN is probably thrilled with his performance. The amount of people who professed that like they have some exceptional understanding of the complex world of sports media. Holy shit. You would think people had a legitimate financial stake in Mel Kiper Jr.’s public perception.

How is it worth my energy right now to get mad about people using their energy on something that I think is really really really really dumb. It’s not worth my time. Idk why this is the thing that’s bothering me. But fuck… It’s Mel Kiper Jr. guys. There are no consequences to him being wrong and mad about the NFL Draft. Mel Kiper is going to be fine. It’s literally just meant to be entertainment. I don’t get people.

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All aTwitter

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