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Daily Slop – 29 May 25 – Commanders Log: Season 4, Episode 4 has dropped

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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

Commanders links

Articles

The Athletic (paywall)

Commanders OTA practice features a ‘little bit thicker’ version of Jayden Daniels

“Put on a little muscle, huh? Yeah, for sure,” said center Tyler Biadasz, one of the blockers tasked with protecting the Washington Commanders’ franchise quarterback. “He said what he was going to do, and he did it.”

Let’s be clear: Daniels will never be confused physically with quarterback behemoths like reigning MVP Josh Allen or Cam Newton, even if the 210-pounder’s arms appeared a smidge bulkier Wednesday at the start of organized team activities. The coaching staff did not demand that the Southern California native spend his offseason lifting weights at Los Angeles’ famed Muscle Beach.

Still, fans were abuzz on social media about a potentially swole Daniels. The always even-keeled quarterback smiled when asked about his fitness regimen.

“I was just in the weight room working out,” Daniels said. “You always try to improve in different areas, but I don’t know what to say. I’ll let people talk about it.”

Washington Post (paywall)

Terry McLaurin is absent for start of Commanders’ voluntary OTAs

At the start of organized team activities, the Washington Commanders were missing one of their stars. Wide receiver Terry McLaurin, who participated in on-field work during the first two phases of the offseason program, was not on the field Wednesday for the start of the third phase.

The workouts are voluntary, but McLaurin, 29, has been a regular participant since he arrived in Washington — save for the 2022 offseason, when he had a year left on his rookie contract and declined to participate in offseason meetings or workouts as he sought a new deal. He signed a three-year extension worth close to $70 million about a month before training camp that year.

McLaurin is in the final year of that contract, with a $15.5 million base salary this year that ranks fourth among NFL wide receivers. But his 2025 figure ($19.65 million in salary and bonuses) ranks 14th at his position, and the deal as a whole ranks 16th among wideouts in average annual value.

Cornerback Marshon Lattimore and recently acquired left tackle Laremy Tunsil also were absent from Wednesday’s workout.

Commanders.com

OTA Notebook | Jayden Daniels’ standard remains high

Trey Amos is already turning heads this offseason, as he grabbed an interception off a pass to Michael Gallup and nearly grabbed another one later in a seven-on-seven series. His interception was the result of Gallup and him getting tripped up, but Amos was able to stay upright to make the grab.

Mike Sainristil was lined up at nickel as opposed to the outside, where he often played last season. That was the position Sainristil was supposed to play as a rookie, so perhaps he will return there now that Trey Amos is part of the secondary.

Deebo Samuel is gelling well with his new wide receiver teammates and was routinely at the front of the line for individual drills. He and Daniels didn’t connect much, but it’s clear they are already developing their rapport.

Commanders.com

Croskey-Merritt wants to do ‘everything’ needed to be great

There’s a good chance Jacory Croskey-Merritt would not have been a Day 3 pick had he either played more in 2024 or even entered the NFL Draft after the 2023 season.

Croskey-Merritt, who spent his last college season at Arizona, does not have the same name recognition as first-round pick Ashton Jeanty or Omarion Hampton, but the Alabama native put up respectable numbers in his last full season. He had 1,190 yards on 189 carries at New Mexico and scored 17 touchdowns, which ranked fifth among FBS running backs in 2023.

[Q]uestions about Croskey-Merritt’s eligibility led to him playing just one game for Arizona in 2024.

It was a frustrating moment for Croskey-Merritt, who was pulled from participating in games after putting up 106 yards and a touchdown for Arizona in Week 1. The only thing he could do was practice, and rather than give up on the year, he poured everything into what he could do to help his team win games. He was attentive in meetings and still prepared as if he was going to play, which earned praise from Arizona’s coaching staff.

It also got the Commanders’ attention during their draft process.

“He turned a situation that was unfortunate into a real positive,” said assistant general manager Lance Newmark. “You talk to the people at Arizona and you talk to him when he was here, and they have so much respect for how he stayed engaged the whole way through the season. He was a great teammate; was a great practice player; was in meetings. It was like he knew he wasn’t going to play on Saturday, but you would never know it by the way he acted and prepared.”

Podcasts & videos

Finding the Newest BMFs | Commanders Log: Season 4, Episode 4

NFC East links

Big Blue View

Malik Nabers not practicing for Giants due to toe injury

  • Safety Anthony Johnson has a shoulder injury and was held out of practice. Daboll did not specify the severity.
  • Left tackle Andrew Thomas, recovering from Lisfranc surgery, did not take part in any of the 7 on 7 or 11 on 11 drills.
  • Tight end Theo Johnson, also recovering from Lisfranc surgery, was a full practice participant. Johnson seemed to be moving with no restrictions.
  • Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, who finished the 2024 season on injured reserve with a dislocated elbow, worked in individual drills and seemed fine. Lawrence did not participate in team drills, which were in shorts and t-shirts.
  • Jon Runyan Jr., who dealt with a separated shoulder last season, did individual drills.

NFL league links

Articles

NFL.com

Bears QB Caleb Williams stresses desire to be in Chicago following book details

“This whole storm that happened, it wasn’t something that we wanted to happen at this point,” Williams said. “We’re focused on the present, we’re focused on now. We’re focused on, you know, trying to get this ship moving in the right direction. And I think, so far, that’s what we’ve been doing. But for this to come out, it’s been a distraction, so, coming up here and talking about it and addressing it is important today, and so that’s what we’re here to do.”

In the soon-to-be-released “American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback,” ESPN reporter and author Seth Wickersham details how Williams and his father, Carl Williams, looked into potential ways they could circumvent being drafted by the historically quarterback-challenged Bears at No. 1 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Williams’ rookie campaign was an arduous one in which the Bears went 5-12. He was sacked 68 times (third-most in NFL history) and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and head coach Matt Eberflus were each fired during the season.

Following a 4-2 start, the Bears lost 10 in a row before a season-ending win over the archrival Green Bay Packers.

Discussion topics

From Barstool Sports:

I can’t stress how much I love this idea. There’s been a lot of talk from Darrell Doucette wanting to play in the Olympics. He wants to represent USA because he’s the quarterback of the USA Flag Football Team. I get it. The dude has won, this is his ‘sport’ in the sense of playing flag football vs regular football. But, come on. We know if NFL players want to play in the Olympics, you send the names that everyone knows.

Make them play each other. It’s that simple. It’s the easiest way to end an argument when it comes to sports. You think your team is better, line up, go 7 on 7 or whatever the rules are and see if you can beat the NFL team. Love the idea of playing it on July 4, but I’d say it should be a Sunday night in the summer. Make it feel like Sunday Night Football and trick our brains for a second that it’s not just flag football with the rights to represent America. There’s also nothing better than a winner-takes-all game.

I don’t even think Mahomes would be the pick here for QB1 of the NFL flag football team. He’s awesome, but wouldn’t it be someone like Jayden Daniels or Lamar? Guys who can scramble a whole lot more are made to be flag football QB stars. But either way, you can settle the argument one way or another with this game. Make it happen, it’s the best idea by far I saw from the weekend. Or just send the NFL team like they are going to do anyways. But at least give us something to watch out of it and settle the argument.

All aTwitter