Daily Slop – 3 May 25 – Film breakdown on Commanders’ 6th round pick, LB Kain Medrano

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)

What Kain Medrano brings to the Washington Commanders

He arrived at UCLA as a wide receiver before converting to defense. At 6-foot-3, 222 pounds, Medrano looks more like a big safety than a traditional linebacker, but that body type does very much fit the profile of safety/linebacker hybrids that Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr. love. It’s almost the same frame as Jeremy Chinn, who the Commanders signed in 2024 but let walk in free agency this year.

While Medrano is listed as a linebacker, that frame comparison to Chinn should tell you more about what his role will likely be in Washington. As a linebacker, he’s undersized, but as a safety/big nickel/dime linebacker hybrid, his body type fits exactly what the Commanders are looking for. To go along with his frame, Medrano is an outstanding athlete. He ran a 4.46 40-yard dash, fastest of any linebacker at the combine and would have ranked seventh fastest among safeties. He also had great explosive and agility testing numbers, showing he’s a very well-rounded athlete.

What that means for the Commanders is that they have a very fluid athlete with plenty of upside in a role they like to use plenty within their system. In his press conference after being drafted, Medrano explained he has experience playing as a Will (weak side) linebacker and as a big nickel. I think it’s that big nickel role that intrigues me most about him. His huge upside is his coverage ability. Because of his fluidity for a guy of his size, Medrano is capable of covering a variety of different players in a variety of different schemes.

Medrano shows good instincts in zone coverage, feeling routes working behind him and sinking underneath them to squeeze throwing windows shut. But he’s also capable of playing man coverage too.

Medrano’s athletic ability means he can be a flexible coverage piece for the Commanders defense. He can make up a lot of ground in a short period of time, enabling the defense to show some disguised looks and still trust him to get to his coverage assignment.

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Commanders.com

5 things to know about Jacory Croskey-Merritt

He was named Offensive MVP in the East-West Shrine Bowl

It had been a while since Croskey-Merritt had competed in any semblance of an actual game when he was invited to the East-West Shrine Bowl. Despite that time off, he handled himself well in the all-star game by rushing for 97 yards and two touchdowns.

For his performance, Croskey-Merritt was named the Offensive MVP.

“It’s a blessing just to be up here,” Croskey-Merritt said after the game.

It was proof to the NFL, and Croskey-Merritt himself, that he still has much to offer to another team. Newmark even mentioned that performing well in the all-star circuit helped his cause, and the Commanders are excited about what he could offer to their team.

Whatever those plans are, Croskey-Merritt is eager to get things started.

“I would add a variety of talent, whatever they need me at, whether it’s special teams or running back,” Croskey-Merritt said. “I’m just ready to make this team better.”

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The Athletic (paywall)

Execs unfiltered thoughts on NFL Draft for every NFC team

Commanders’ draft picks

Execs did not see any surefire top left tackles in the draft, which is one reason the Commanders acquired Laremy Tunsil from Houston. Doubling up with another tackle in the first round — Josh Conerly Jr. of Oregon at No. 29 — sought to solidify the line.

“This is following the blueprint of how to fix an offensive line,” an exec said. “Throw all of your resources at the problem. I’m shocked they didn’t take another one, frankly.”

GM Adam Peters was with San Francisco when the 49ers acquired left tackle Trent Williams.

“There is no development when you do that,” another exec said. “‘We have the young quarterback (Jayden Daniels). Let’s solidify the left side. Then they draft a guy in Conerly who has a ton of upside, can play guard if need be, can slide into that battle at right tackle. He is a high-end athlete, he is young in this class. All that stuff is really, really positive for them.”

The Tunsil trade also returned a fourth-round pick, which the Commanders used for receiver Jaylin Lane. Houston used Washington’s third-round pick for another receiver, Jaylin Noel. The Texans also have Washington’s second- and fourth-round picks next year.

“I saw Lane more as a gadget/slot, but he will probably be their starting kick returner and punt returner,” another exec said, “which gives them some explosive-play value.”

NFL Draft 2025’s best undrafted free agent fits: One player to watch on each roster

Washington Commanders: Fentrell Cypress II, CB, Florida State

A relatively disciplined corner with good length, Cypress (6-0, 182) ran a 4.43 40 with a 38-inch vertical and 10-3 broad jump at his pro day, after a six-year career (four at Virginia, two at Florida State). He worked opposite Azareye’h Thomas last season, tying with him for the team lead in forced incompletions (6).

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Washington Commanders offseason program dates

Voluntary workouts – First day: April 22

Rookie minicamp: May 9-10

OTA offseason workouts: May 28, May 30, June 3-4, June 6

Mandatory minicamp: June 10-12

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Podcasts & videos

Brian Mitchell Talks RFK Stadium + Commanders 2025 NFL Draft Class | Command Center

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Photos

PHOTOS | OTAs Week 1

Check out the top photos from the first week of OTAs.

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NFC East links

NFL.com

Giants GM Joe Schoen: Jaxson Dart sitting behind veteran QBs will be ‘beneficial’ during rookie season

In 2018, Schoen was an assistant general manager in Buffalo and Daboll the offensive coordinator when the Bills selected Josh Allen with the No. 7 overall pick. In an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio, Schoen likened the New York Giants’ situation with 2025 first-round pick Jaxson Dart to his experience in Buffalo.

“We’ve been through this, we went through it with Josh Allen,” the Big Blue GM said. “We had a little bit different quarterback room at the time, but he was going to sit his rookie year and then halftime of the opening game we’re getting smoked by Baltimore, so we put him in and the rest was history. So that plan didn’t go as well, but we didn’t have a Russell Wilson or Jameis Winston in the room. So again, Jaxson’s going to come in, he’s got to learn the offense, there’s a lot to learn, these NFL offenses are hard to grasp and pick up and then be able to go out and execute, so the ability for him to learn and sit behind two consummate pros already will be beneficial for him.”

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Big Blue View

New York Giants had the best 2025 NFL Draft — survey

Voters impressed by what the Giants accomplished

The New York Giants had, by far, the best 2025 NFL Draft class, according to voters in this week’s SB Nation ‘NFL Reacts’ national survey.

Thirty-one percent of the voters in our poll said the Giants, with a class that included edge defender Abdul Carter, quarterback Jaxson Dart, defensive tackle Darius Alexander and running back Cam Skattebo ranked the Giants No. 1.

GM Joe Schoen was under pressure to improve the talent on a team that went 3-14 in 2024, and to find a potential quarterback of the future. He accomplished both.

SB Nation voters also believe that Schoen brought the best player in the draft to New York. Carter, with 40% of the voted edged Travis Hunter (38%) when voters were asked which of the top five players selected would be the biggest star.

Of the next five quarterbacks selected after Cam Ward went No. 1 overall to the Tennessee Titans, SB Nation voters also expect Dart to have the best rookie season.

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Pro Football Talk

Report: Phil Simms was “outvoted by his family” on letting Abdul Carter wear No. 11

Simms told Gary Myers on Friday night that he was “outvoted by his family” on the question of whether his retired jersey should be unretired.

During a Friday appearance on FanDuel TV, Simms said he personally would have no problem with Carter wearing No. 11.

Retirement of a number is the highest honor any team can bestow on a former player. Allowing the jersey to be unretired undermines that distinction.

And so, while the former player might be willing to be magnanimous (or unwilling to come off as selfish), his family can become an important voice in making the final decision.

As former Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor told Carter when declining to allow his No. 56 to be worn, Carter needs to make his own way with his own number. Really, if Carter has a truly special career, what happens when he retires? Would No. 11 then co-retired for Simms and Carter?

Carter’s goal should now be to find a number that currently means nothing to the Giants. And then to make it mean everything.

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NFL league links

Articles

ESPN

What are rookie minicamps in the NFL? How they work and more

Consider: 257 players were drafted last weekend and more than 300 will sign as undrafted free agents. The next pool is the non-roster tryouts, so now you’re into the 600s. Not even Mel Kiper Jr.’s big board goes that deep.

Wait, there’s more: Each team is allowed to invite up to five veterans to try out, many of them forgotten players trying to make a comeback.

Most of a rookie camp is about acclimation though.

The routine varies from team to team, but the rookies generally meet the equipment staff and get fitted for practice attire. The draft picks, who have more job security than the others, are measured for helmets, shoulder pads, pants and cleats. Some teams, such as the Los Angeles Chargers, use a scanner and 3D technology to measure exact foot size.

Players are often introduced to different departments, from strength and conditioning to player development to football operations. The New York Jets have their rookies meet with a player engagement rep who offers tips on local real estate — i.e., where to rent during the season.

Basically, there’s a lot of people to meet and many places to see inside the facility. Some head coaches believe the purpose of the minicamp is to familiarize the rookies with life as a professional football player and to experience the rhythm of a typical workday in the NFL. Onboarding, they call it.

Most of the time is spent in the classroom, with coaches teaching from a scaled-down playbook that includes basic formations, coverages and route concepts. The actual practices are less strenuous than they were years ago. In 2015, Jacksonville Jaguars first-round pick Dante Fowler tore an ACL in minicamp, which still resonates with some coaches. The fear of injury is real.

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