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Daily Slop – 28 May 25 – Commanders on field for Phase 3 of OTAs today; minicamp scheduled for June 10-12

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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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Articles

Commanders.com

3 things to watch during Commanders’ OTAs

The Washington Commanders will be on the field May 28 for Phase 3 of their offseason workout program. Here are three things to watch throughout the day.

The Commanders’ secondary went through significant changes this offseason to help improve what was one of the team’s most glaring weak spots. Benjamin St-Juste and Jeremy Chinn have been replaced by Will Harris, Jonathan Jones and draft pick Trey Amos, and while it seems like the group is better in some areas compared to last year, we won’t see just how much better they are for some time.

The work towards progress starts during the offseason, as it will be the first time the new group will be together. Like the offensive line, they will need to build chemistry and learn how to communicate — an important feature of the Commanders’ defense — and play off each other’s strengths. They also need to work out where players will line up; Amos’ presence could mean that Mike Sainristil can return to the slot. Sainristil played on the outside as a rookie, mostly out of necessity, but he was drafted to make plays at nickel.

With so many new pieces, fans can expect the Commanders to try several combinations from now until Week 1 and beyond. As good as it is to have options, it is better to find out which players work the best with one another in certain situations.

Commanders.com

Jaylin Lane wants to ‘dominate’ special teams role

“I’m just here to dominate my role,” Lane said after the May 10 rookie minicamp practice.

There is no clear answer on the full scope of Lane’s role, but special teams are expected to be a big part of it. That was one of his biggest contributions in college, both at MTSU and Virginia Tech, as the former three-star high school recruit recorded a combined 4,381 yards returning punts and kicks.

The Commanders value competition, so Lane is not going to be handed anything. With that said, getting a job on special teams has already been a topic of discussion between him and his coaches.

They have had 18 players return at least one punt over the last 10 seasons, with the most consistent option being Jamison Crowder in two separate stints with the team. The rest of the list includes the likes of Trey Quinn, Greg Stroman and Danny Johnson, all of whom had short careers for the Burgundy & Gold.

Lane still has OTAs, mandatory minicamp and training camp to prove he can earn that role, but he at least has the skill set to do it. He averaged 10.9 yards per punt return and 21.8 yards per kickoff return — the former would have led the Commanders’ roster in 2023 — and led his conference in punt return yardage twice in five years.

Commanders Wire

Commanders’ WR Deebo Samuel has a message for his detractors

In 2021, Deebo Samuel was arguably the NFL’s most dangerous offensive player. The then-third-year wide receiver caught 77 passes for 1,405 yards (18.2 YPC) and six touchdowns. Samuel also rushed for 365 yards and eight touchdowns.

However, since then, Samuel has failed to reach those numbers, with some calling his play disappointing and both he and the 49ers wanting to separate. In March, San Francisco traded Samuel to the Washington Commanders. In Washington, Samuel would reunite with Commanders’ GM Adam Peters, the former 49ers’ assistant GM who played a significant role in the Niners selecting Samuel in the 2019 NFL draft.

Samuel has one season remaining on his contract. The Commanders altered that contract for 2025, making Samuel happy. Samuel, for his part, appears more motivated than ever. Not only does Samuel want to land a second lucrative contract extension, but he also wants to shut down some of the nonsense regarding his play, including his weight and conditioning. The Commanders and Samuel have shared numerous posts on social media showing Samuel looking to be in excellent shape.

The Commanders believe Samuel can thrive in offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s offense. While Samuel was on some successful 49ers teams, he’s never played with a quarterback like Daniels and opposite a receiver such as Terry McLaurin.

Bet against Samuel. But don’t be surprised if he proves his doubters wrong and has a big year for the Commanders in 2025.

Podcasts & videos

Commanders’ Future DEFINED by Development of Jayden Daniels, Ben Sinnott & Johnny Newton

Photos

PHOTOS | Commanders players visit boys and girls club

Check out the top photos of Chris Rodriguez Jr., John Bates and other members of the Washington Commanders’ roster hanging out with kids at the Ox Hill Boys and Girls Club in Chantilly, Virginia.





NFC East links

Bleeding Green Nation

The LeSean McCoy trade is just as bad 10 years later

Chip Kelly tried to be the smartest guy in the room and fell flat on his face.

This one is relatively cut and dried, as the Buffalo Bills got the better end of the deal in this particular trade. LeSean McCoy remained a very effective running back for another 3-4 years, continuing to provide top-level production for Buffalo over the length of his contract. Sure, he was expensive for a running back, but his play matched his price and he was a key cog in a run-heavy offense that absolutely depended on him.

The Eagles got almost nothing out of Kiko Alonso on the field, although they did manage to flip him along with some other assets in a big trade-up for Carson Wentz. That’s a good way to maximize value on a player who didn’t do much for you, but it’s not enough to move the needle significantly.

Looking back at this trade, it still strikes me as incredibly odd as an outside observer. Chip Kelly was obviously a very controversial coach in Philadelphia, and this move absolutely soured fan sentiment towards him. Again, another bizarre move. It also made little sense from an on-field or salary cap perspective, as the Eagles promptly turned around and signed another running back.DeMarco Murray was a massive downgrade from McCoy and spent just one year with the Eagles before being traded away to the Titans.

This one was just a big self-inflicted wound for Philadelphia, and I’m sure it’s even more frustrating for fans to remember. Meanwhile, Buffalo got a major contributor for the better part of four seasons in exchange for a promising young linebacker who ultimately didn’t return the same value for the Eagles. Buffalo comes out well ahead in this trade.

Blogging the Boys

The Jalen Ramsey to the Cowboys rumor seems to have zero momentum

Before Memorial Day weekend, NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler was on SportsCenter Friday night and gave an update on where things stand with Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey. The former All-Pro corner has been the center of potential trade conversations this offseason as Miami may look to hit the reset button on its roster.

It is not unusual for the media or agents to tie the Cowboys to a high-profile player. This can give the player more momentum as they look to move to a new situation and try to widen their pool of options.

One of the biggest factors in Ramsey’s not being a viable option for Dallas right now is that the Cowboys have invested resources into the corner position this offseason, whether through trades, re-signings, or the NFL Draft. When the Ramsey rumor started to circulate on Twitter, a few respected media members who cover the team beat shut down the idea almost immediately.

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Articles

NFL.com

New Bills pass rusher Joey Bosa likely out until training camp after injuring calf

Bosa suffered a calf injury during a Bills team workout last week and is anticipated to be out until training camp, Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott said on Tuesday at the opening of organized team activities.

“He’ll be out for more than likely the foreseeable springtime at least and then we’ll get into training camp,” McDermott told reporters. “He should be able to go by training camp. Understand it just happened late last week, so we’re still in kind of the exploratory phase of what that’s going to mean.”

In 2024 with the Los Angeles Chargers, he participated in 14 tilts but rarely looked like his former self. He generated five sacks, a career-low in which he participated in at least six games.

After his release from the Chargers, Bosa inked a one-year, $12.61 million contract in Buffalo, with $12 million guaranteed. Before June, he’s already dealing with another injury issue.

Pro Football Talk

Terry Bradshaw calls Steelers potentially signing Aaron Rodgers “a joke”

It’s safe to say Terry Bradshaw won’t be offering to allow Aaron Rodgers to wear No. 12 with the Steelers. It’s even safer to say Rodgers wouldn’t accept.

Bradshaw was blunt, as he often is, regarding the Steelers’ decision to wait indefinitely on Rodgers.

“That’s a joke,” Bradshaw said on 103.7 The Buzz in Little Rock, Arkansas (via CBSSports.com). “That is just to me is a joke. What are you gonna do? Bring him in for one year? Are you kidding me? . . . . That guy needs to stay in California. Go somewhere and chew on bark and whisper to the gods out there.”

Bradshaw believes the Steelers should have given 2022 first-rounder Kenny Pickett more of a chance.

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