OT: 2024 Washington Commanders off-season thread: change we can believe in!

[ynotcaps]

Yeah, as a city with beauty and attractions, DC doesn't hold a candle to Green Bay or Oakland.

 

[Roric]

You just lost your spot on my fantasy team davante

 

[John Price]

Some take-aways from WaPo training camp coverage of today:

1. “That s--- is money!” This was the first time the Commanders’ draft-night vision for Daniels — a dual-threat QB and deep-ball maestro — burst into reality. Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury schemed up vertical shots, and Daniels hit several of them, including a pair to McLaurin.
“I’m telling you: That s--- is money!” McLaurin screamed after hauling in a 40-ish-yard pass.
Later, on fourth and medium, Daniels rolled right, away from pressure, and found Dotson for a toe-tap conversion. Defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. shook his head, grinned and dapped up Daniels.
Dotson was so inspired by the offense that, among other ambitious claims, he called fellow wide receiver Terry McLaurin the “best go-ball player in freakin’ NFL history.”
Maybe hyperbolic, but representative of the excitement.
“With him, anything is possible,” Dotson said of Daniels, adding, “Me and Terry were just talking about it on the sideline. [Daniels is] putting the ball in places where it makes our job so much more easier … where only you can get it and the defender has no play on it. You truly got to cherish stuff like that and be thankful for it because not everyone can do that. He’s a special talent.”
2. The offensive line competition is on. Coach Dan Quinn — in his most definitive comments of camp — said the only two locked-in starters on the line are right guard Sam Cosmi and center Tyler Biadasz, the former Dallas Cowboy signed to a three-year deal this offseason.
He said left guard Nick Allegretti (signed from the Kansas City Chiefs) is “almost there,” though he’s still sharing reps with veteran Michael Deiter. The glaring omission is right tackle Andrew Wylie, who returned to practice Sunday from what he called “tightness.” The team has rotated four players through first-team right and left tackle, roughly equally between veteran Cornelius Lucas, rookie Brandon Coleman and Wylie (when healthy) and then given a few reps to journeyman Trent Scott. It’s likely two of those four will start at the tackle spots in Week 1.
5. Vertical threats. A different wide receiver scrapping for a roster spot pops each practice, and Tuesday was for Brycen Tremayne, a 2023 undrafted free agent who seems like a long shot to make the roster even though he’s nearly always the first player on the field and is the only receiver taller than 6-foot-1 (he’s 6-4, 212 pounds).
The best argument to keep Tremayne and Dyami Brown, who’s taking nearly every snap with the first team but remains on the roster bubble, is that they’re vertical threats who can help Kingsbury and Daniels keep the deep-ball vision alive.

I read that last one as, "If Dyami Brown can't make hay w/ Daniels, he's gone."

Another takeaway not from a football standpoint is that Daniels is fitting in just well from a personality standpoint. He seems like that kind of friendly outgoing teammate. He was chirping at the sidelines and talking with the defense all practice

Some of Arizona State's players threw him under the bus after he left but the guy was working with his receivers willingly, at LSU, from 5 am in the morning until practice.



Footage of Daniels red zone TD to Ertz, afterwards Ertz kicked the ball through the goalposts

Saw it live in the end zone, but wasn't allowed to film it

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

On the surface JD seems to check every box….please let this curse be over….

Ertz is going to have a big year IMO…

 

[John Price]

also love the basketball he carries to practice

 

[Roric]

On the surface JD seems to check every box….please let this curse be over….

Ertz is going to have a big year IMO…

Putting my money on terry. 1500 yards 8 TDs. Finally gets the respect he deserves

 

[robertmac43]

How many wins do people see this team getting this season?

 

[Ridley Simon]

6-7. If things fall apart, then 4-5.

The JD5 has an RG3 type rookie season, then 8-9 possibly.

 

[RandyHolt]

how many games are there now?? 8-9 or 9-8

I am agree on Ertz poised for a big year. WR group is thin. Sinnot will be as much a blocker as receiver for year 1 IMO - protecting the goods.

 

[ynotcaps]

how many games are there now?? 8-9 or 9-8

I am agree on Ertz poised for a big year. WR group is thin. Sinnot will be as much a blocker as receiver for year 1 IMO - protecting the goods.

Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised of John Bates easily beats his career high for snaps played this year.
#HonoraryOL

 

[RandyHolt]

Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised of John Bates easily beats his career high for snaps played this year.
#HonoraryOL

I have been floating the unthinkable idea of cutting to the chase and ditching the 3rd TE Bates types. Instead, roll with an extra OL if he is just going to be blocker for 99% of his snaps.

Pick the best hands from our #9 or 10 OL depth, and stick him in an 80's uniform. #OfficialOL

I know it'll never happen but remember this when we see Bates have stone hands. Or get ragdolled by an edge. Once or twice a year, run PAP in short yardage and pass to that fake TE. Maybe show it in preseason so teams game plan for it all year (and never pass to him).

 

[Roric]

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Saw this. Will happily eat the crowiest crow to ever crow with extra hot sauce if JD turns out to be a stud and DM shits the bed.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

lol DM….woof.

 

[RandyHolt]

Remember back in February into March... consensus was that Maye was #2 rated? As spring progressed the tide turned and suddenly JD5 was the near universally ranked #2 overall.

 

[VaCaps Fan]

Heath Shuler vs. Gus Froette 2.0?

 

[Cush]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1819141440175591579

 

[ynotcaps]

Saw this. Will happily eat the crowiest crow to ever crow with extra hot sauce if JD turns out to be a stud and DM shits the bed.

A fairly big piece of this is related to one of the arguments we were having pre-draft. A big part of Maye's challenge is that he played 2 years of CFB as a starter. So he's got a much steeper learning curve than any of the other guys drafted this year, but especially JD, Nix and Penix.

Some posters were holding JDs 5 years as a starter against him. But ALL FIVE of the other guys not only had more experience -- and all against better competition -- but they also had the experience of learning new systems because they were all transfers at some point in their careers.

So now Maye is struggling with learning a new system -- which he could have prepared himself for by staying in CFB and transferring to a better program. (USC's HC has a bit of a rep of developing QBs, and rumor has it, they have a need for a new starter...) And he's going to end up learning from the bench, which is definitely the right way to handle him, but it also means that when he does get the reins, he's going to be a 2-year college starter from a second-tier FB school who may well be at least a year out from the last time he started even there.

And from a team standpoint, of the teams that grabbed a QB in the first round, NE is going to be the last to know if they got their guy or not because their guy is going take the longest to be ready to roll out and take the test. If JD bombs (he won't, but if he does), we'll know within 2 years, we'll still suck b/c we still haven't fixed our QB sitch, and we'll be primed to take another crack, whether it be draft or FA.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1819141440175591579

If there's a problem, sure doesn't sound like Sam H is next man up.

 

[John Price]

Maye was always a project and less ready to play now than Daniels.

If the Pats are patient enough Maye may work out fine but he wasn't ready to go right away

 

[ynotcaps]

Maye was always a project and less ready to play now than Daniels.

If the Pats are patient enough Maye may work out fine but he wasn't ready to go right away

Totally. But my point is, they won't really know if he's the guy until probably the 3rd or even 4th year of his 5-year contract. That's cutting it awfully close.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1819192327778468188

 

[Neil Racki]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1819192327778468188

Geez thats a bit of cringe imo .. but also those players have baby faces

f*** me, Im getting old

 

[usiel]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1819192327778468188

That just seems weird to do that.

 

[Cush]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1819474998345846792

https://x.com/i/web/status/1819492990177681680

 

[usiel]

So something just jumped out at me. Why is DQ wearing a long sleave shirt on a day like today in the DC area. Then I did a google image search for DQ and I could not find a single picture where he didn't have long sleaves. My guess maybe tattoos. Like full on super maga!