Daily Slop - 6 Aug 23: Links to stories about the Washington Commanders and the NFL in general

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ESPN

‘He’s growing’: Checking in on Sam Howell’s progress at Commanders camp

One rep, Howell can throw a well-placed ball to Terry McLaurin, away from an oncoming safety and beyond the corner’s reach. But another time, he can force a pass in traffic that gets deflected or intercepted.

“Sam’s still learning everything in this offense, just like the rest of us,” Washington tight end Logan Thomas said. “He’s made his fair share of mistakes, just like the rest of us.”

The next two weeks will tell a lot about Howell’s growth — as well as for the entire offense. The Commanders will open the preseason on Friday at Cleveland and then will conduct a two-day joint practice with Baltimore on Aug. 15-16.

“When you start narrowing the scope of what he’s doing, that’s where you’ve got to see the growth,” Rivera said. “The preseason games will be really good for him.”

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Washington Post

As the Commanders finally dare to dream, here comes Sam Howell

In early August, we can watch Sam Howell at practice in Ashburn, see him hit Terry McLaurin on a short comeback route in the front corner of the end zone, watch McLaurin pop up after the touchdown catch and bellow, “Good ball, man, good ball!” and think, “Maybe this will work.”

We are guessing, and this is a gamble.

“There’s a lot of work left to be done,” Howell said on the day the Washington Commanders opened training camp. “I know, still, everything is ahead of me and I’ve still got to go out there and earn it and prove it each and every day.”

This is August. There will be no pronouncements here. The Commanders have a new quarterback, and if that isn’t one of American sports’ constants, well, Shohei Ohtani is just another ballplayer and Stephen Curry can’t shoot.

Aside from new owner Josh Harris, Howell is the central storyline of Commanders training camp.

Dream for a second here. What if it’s Howell? No one — not Coach Ron Rivera, not new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, not any of the fans who have packed the stands in Ashburn during camp — can say with any degree of certainty that he will be. But if he is, so much falls into place.

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Sports Illustrated

Commanders Excited About Secondary: ‘I Love the Group That We Have’

Washington Commanders cornerback Benjamin St-Juste believes that the team’s secondary could be strong in 2023.

For his part, third-year cornerback Benjamin St-Juste is excited about the camaraderie that’s forming among a secondary with an increasing amount of talent.

“I love the group that we have,” St-Juste said. “It’s been very fun. That’s one thing that we can highlight. It’s been fun. I think our chemistry is really good. Everybody feeds off each other’s energy. Everybody’s learning very fast. I’m moving well, [CB] [Emmanuel] Forbes is moving well [CB] [Jartavius Martin] Quan, all those guys. I think we all care for each other so that’s what makes our group tight.”

Kendall Fuller, 28, is the elder statesman among players expected to be at the forefront of Washington’s secondary.

“Each day we’re trying to go out there and get better,” Fuller said. “Ultimately, just go out there and make plays, touch the ball. Coach Rivera’s been preaching about just doing the little things right. That’s something we’ve been focusing on each and every play. Just doing the little details, right. Getting your keys right and fundamentals right. It’s been fun, man. Everybody been going out there and making plays and just going out there competing.”

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Sports Illustrated

Commanders Sign Cardinals Ex CB Jace Whittaker - NFL Tracker

The Washington Commanders and the rest of the NFL are making moves as they work their way through a season of ups and downs and news and views ...

Whittaker, 28, went undrafted in 2020 and has appeared in 12 games for the Cardinals in the past three seasons.

AUG 3 DAVID BADA INJURY

The season may be over before it begins for Washington Commanders defensive tackle David Bada.

Coach Ron Rivera said that Bada tore his triceps in practice Wednesday.

It remains to be seen how long Bada will be out, but given his place on the deep defensive tackle depth chart, it may cost him a spot on the 53-man roster and his season.

Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Bada has been placed on Injured Reserve.

JULY 31 COMMANDERS SIGN DERRICK GORE

The Washington Commanders are adding some depth in the early part of training camp.

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Commanders Wire

Joe Jacoby named one of the 20 best players not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame

With it being Hall of Fame weekend in the NFL, CBS Sports named the 20 best players currently not enshrined in Canton.

Jacoby was ranked No. 15:

A key member of the “Hogs,” Jacoby helped Washington win each of its three Super Bowl titles. A Pro Bowler each season from 1983-86, Jacoby’s blocking helped John Riggins rush for a then Super Bowl record in Washington’s win over Miami in Super Bowl XVII. A member of the NFL’s All-1980s Team, Jacoby helped protect Super Bowl MVPs Doug Williams and Mark Rypien in Super Bowls XXII and XXVI.

It’s beyond time for Jacoby.

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DC Sports King

Emmanuel Forbes downplays groin tweak: ‘It’s nothing’

Washington Commanders rookie cornerback Emmanuel Forbes has been better than advertised throughout off-season team activities and training camp. Therefore, the Commanders faithful took a collective deep breath when news broke Forbes limped off the practice field Friday.

Forbes contested a pass from quarterback Sam Howell to wide receiver Terry McLaurin down the right sideline. However, he limped to the sideline after the play. Eventually, the training staff wrapped an ice pack around his left quad.

After practice, Forbes reassured some media that he was fine.

“I’m feeling good. I’m all right,” Forbes explained, per Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post.

He didn’t elaborate on the injury saying, “It was nothing.”

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Commanders Wire

Albert Haynesworth trashes former Washington players, defends Dan Snyder

If Haynesworth’s comments about Snyder weren’t enough to enrage Washington fans, it was his comments about three former standout players: Cornerback DeAngelo Hall, running back Clinton Portis and tight end Chris Cooley.

He called all three former players “a joke” and said that they represented what “that team represented back then,” which was “trash.” He reiterated the trash statement again before the interview ended.

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Podcasts & Videos

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Locked on Commanders: Washington Commanders Training Camp Phidarian Mathis Against Nick Gates and Sam Cosmi | Sam Howell

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NFL league links

Articles

NFL.com

Hall of Fame Enshrinement: 2023 class takes its place in Canton

The Pro Football Hall of Fame opened its doors to nine more legends of the game on Saturday in Canton, Ohio, welcoming seven fearsome defenders, a Cleveland hero and one of the foremost innovators of air-it-out offenses.

The group of greats were enshrined to conclude another historic week attended by fans, media and fellow Hall of Famers in their honor.

Here are highlights from the class of 2023’s speeches and enshrinements

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ESPN

Predicting 10 NFL starting quarterback battles: Who is QB1?

Washington Commanders

Candidates: Jacoby Brissett, Sam Howell

Howell was a fifth-round pick by the Commanders in 2022 and played just one game in his rookie season, but the team feels good enough about him that it’s proceeding with him as the likely starter for 2023. Brissett, the veteran who started 11 games for the Browns last year and will be playing for his fourth different team in the past four seasons, was brought in to be a reliable backup and an experienced option who could start if Howell can’t handle things.

Both are learning a new offense under coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who came in from Kansas City. Coach Ron Rivera has said Howell would get the first shot at earning the starter’s role, but that he would have to earn it. Reports on his progress through the offseason have been encouraging.

“I had Howell as my favorite quarterback in that [2022] draft, so I’m not surprised he’s getting a shot,” one AFC front office executive told me.

Week 1 starter prediction: The Commanders open with Howell, but I could see this being an unsettled situation that switches back and forth throughout the year. And I could definitely see Washington being in the QB hunt again next offseason.

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Barstool Sports

Update: Ex NFL LB Blake Martinez Has Reportedly Been Banned From Reselling Pokemon Cards After Allegedly Scamming Collectors

Big yikes. Everyone on the Internet who was giving him his flowers should be ashamed! In all seriousness, it’s not only crazy that there’s this much money to be made in trading cards, but this much fraud too. How do you even scam collectors? Was he selling fake cards? Leaving an NFL job to go sell some fake Jiggly Puffs is a crazier twist than you’d find in an M. Night Shyamalan movie.

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