Daily Slop - 14 Sep 23: Jaret Patterson signs with Chargers; Commanders prepare for road trip to Denver

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Commanders.com

Practice notes | Commanders prepare for Sean Payton’s ‘diverse’ offense led by Russell Wilson

The combination of Payton and Wilson is still a work in progress, but there are signs that the marriage of skill set and philosophy could, in fact, work out. While the Broncos did lose their season opener to the Las Vegas Raiders, Wilson looked much better in spurts during the matchup, particularly in the first half, when he completed 17 of 19 passes for 125 yards with two touchdowns.

Head coach Ron Rivera and the Washington Commanders are preparing for a tough challenge in Denver on Sunday.

“He’s moving well,” Rivera said after Wednesday’s practice. “He’s still a good decision maker. He get the ball out quick. He’s got an NFL arm still.”

There’s not much of a sample size for what a Payton offense run by Wilson looks like, but Rivera has experience competing against the player and coach and knows what to expect from both.

During the nine years that Rivera was the Carolina Panthers’ head coach, he had an 8-9 record against Payton’s Saints.

Ten of those games were decided by eight points or fewer.

“Sean’s got a...very good offense,” Rivera said. “It’s very diverse. He utilizes his playmakers very well. The idea is to get the ball to them as quickly as possible.”

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Commanders Wire

Commanders DT Jonathan Allen was dominant in Week 1

Sweat’s sack of Arizona QB Joshua Dobbs essentially clinched the game for the Commanders.

While each of Washington’s three standout defensive linemen recorded two tackles for loss, Allen came away from Week 1 receiving the most praise.

Per Next Gen Stats and ESPN analytics, Allen led all NFL defensive tackles in Week 1 in pass rush win rate. Allen had 20 pass-rush plays, and he won seven of those plays, resulting in a 35% pass-rush win rate. He was double-teamed on 63% of his 20 pass-rush plays. Only two other defensive tackles had more than Allen’s 20 plays, and he still won a higher number of his opportunities.

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Sports Illustrated

Commanders WR Terry McLaurin Praises ‘Unbelievable’ Fans After Week 1 Win

Washington Commanders star receiver Terry McLaurin shared some thoughts on a brand new experience from Week 1 of the 2023 NFL Season.

Speaking at an event held at FedEx Field on Tuesday to help McLaurin celebrate his birthday this year by welcoming families and members of CASA of DC and Big Brothers Big Sisters of the National Capital Area the star receiver said he felt a difference in the air as early as the playing of the National Anthem.

“When that saxophone player was playing his heart out during the National Anthem (Sunday) it was a really cool moment for us all to really witness the togetherness of this fan base,” McLaurin said. “Just to see the reception that we got from the fans was unbelievable...it’s probably the loudest I had heard the stadium since I’ve been here, which was really cool, and it wasn’t all for not because we won the game and we want to try and keep that momentum going.”

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Washington Post (paywall)

Bill that could allow Commanders stadium at RFK will get first hearings

Action in Congress is needed before D.C. can pursue plans to redevelop the site of the aging RFK stadium

The House Natural Resources subcommittee on federal lands plans to hold a hearing on Sept. 19 on the legislation, while the House Oversight Committee — which oversees the District — plans to mark up and debate the legislation next week, according to a spokesman, who noted the exact timing is not yet finalized.

The bill — the RFK Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act — is crucial to Mayor Muriel E. Bowser’s third-term priority to redevelop the RFK site and, if she can woo the Commanders, turn it into a new home for the football team. The bill would extend D.C.’s lease with the federal government at RFK for up to 99 years and expand how the site can be used, allowing for a mixed-use development that could include commercial developments, housing — and/or a stadium.

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Riggo’s Rag

3 pleasant surprises from Commanders win vs. Cardinals in Week 1

Some surprising factors emerged from the Commanders’ win in Week 1.

Kamren Curl was lights out as expected, making tackles all over the field. The gifted safety is looking for a bumper new contract in the not-too-distant future, which those in power would be wise to sort soon considering the price is only going up with every outstanding display.

One could see what he meant to Washington’s defense and Curl was sorely missed in some games last season. Percy Butler and rookie Emmanuel Forbes nearly had their first interceptions for the team - both players were in the correct position but could not haul in their respective chances.

In the second half of the game, Washington’s defense turned it up by pressuring Arizona Cardinals quarterback Joshua Dobbs. In the fourth quarter, they forced a fumble that led the offense to score.

This was an exciting game - very intense - but the Commanders walked away with the win at home and with electric cheers from fans. Considering how dominant the defensive line might be throughout the season, Washington’s dynamic young secondary could reap some significant rewards as the campaign progresses.

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DC Sports King

Ex-Commanders RB Jaret Patterson signs with Chargers practice squad

Former Washington Commanders running back Jaret Patterson has a new NFL home. The Los Angeles Chargers signed Patterson to their practice squad on Wednesday.

Uncertainty lies in Chargers star running back Austin Ekeler, who is nursing an ankle injury. Therefore, the Chargers got proactive in bringing in Patterson.

The 5-foot-8 Patterson gained fame in college playing at the University of Buffalo. As a junior, he tied a Football Bowl-Subdivision record with eight rushing touchdowns in a Nov. 28, 2020 game against Kent State. He also rushed for 409 yards in that game just short of the FBS record of 427 yards held by another former Commanders running back Samaje Perine.

Patterson made the Commanders’ roster as a rookie. He rushed for 266 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie. In his second year, Patterson spent most of the season on the practice squad but appeared in three games.

This year, Jaret Patterson had an impressive showing throughout training camp and preseason. However, Washington waived him during final cuts. The team did not bring Patterson back on the practice squad.

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DC Sports King

RG3 unhappy with radio personality for sharing viral ‘pitch’ clip

Robert Griffin III was unhappy with one of Washington’s radio personalities. Griffin claimed Grant Paulsen of 106.7 the Fan was “chasing clout” for sharing a clip of the former QB talking about the New York Jets quarterback situation in the aftermath of Aaron Rodgers’ season-ending injury.

Griffin appeared on ESPN’s GetUp. He mentioned how some players such as Carson Wentz, Cam Newton, Colin Kaepernick, and himself are not in the NFL because they cannot play football but because they are “distractions.”

Griffin claimed an NFL GM told him, “I know you can still play. You look like you can still play. But if we bring you in, it’s going to be a distraction for our starting quarterback.”

The edit Paulsen shared pinpointed the immediate reaction of ESPN analysts Dominique Foxworth and Dan Graziano.

The edit didn’t show the conclusion of Griffin’s take, where he mentioned no one available is a better option than the Jets’ current quarterback Zach Wilson.

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Locked on Commanders: Washington Commanders Chase Young Update & Initial Practice Report | Sam Howell | Week 1 Tendencies

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Commanders.com

PHOTOS | Commanders practice, 09/13

The Washington Commanders went through their first practice of the week to prepare for their Week 2 matchup against the Denver Broncos. (Photos by Kourtney Carroll/Washington Commanders)

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Pro Football Focus

Grading all 31 first-round picks after Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season

Pick No. 9: Philadelphia Eagles: DI Jalen Carter

Overall Rookie Grade: 92.1 (Rank: 1/11)

Principal Opponent: Sidy Sow/Atonio Mafi

Week 1 Snaps: 40

Simply put, it is borderline unfair that Carter fell to Philadelphia in the draft. He was the best player on the field against New England, and his 92.1 overall grade ranked second among all defensive tackles on Sunday. Carter racked up eight pressures, including one sack, repeatedly forcing Mac Jones to get rid of the football early. He is already a nightmare for opposing offensive lines.

Pick No. 16: Washington Commanders: CB Emmanuel Forbes

Overall Rookie Grade: 67.2 (Rank: 3/11)

Principal Opponent: [the article says “Terry McLaurin” - clearly a typo]

Week 1 Snaps: 40

Forbes acclimated well in his Washington debut, racking up four tackles, two stops and a pass breakup. His one mistake was a busted coverage that went for a 31-yard gain, but he gave up only one other catch for eight yards. Forbes played a mostly sound game, and his development will be fun to watch against better competition.

Pick No. 24: New York Giants: CB Deonte Banks

Overall Rookie Grade: 67.0 (Rank: 5/11)

Principal Opponent: Brandin Cooks

Week 1 Snaps: 25

Banks was the Giants’ highest-graded cornerback Sunday. He didn’t allow a catch on two targets and recovered nicely to force Brandin Cooks out of bounds after Cooks had a step on him down the field. Banks was used in press coverage on more than 70% of his snaps and generally was in an excellent position against Dallas’ receivers. It wasn’t a flashy debut by any means, but Banks’ athletic talent jumped off the tape.

Pick No. 26: Dallas Cowboys: DI Mazi Smith

Overall Rookie Grade: 69.7 (Rank: 5/11)

Principal Opponent: Ben Bredeson

Week 1 Snaps: 17

Smith bounced back nicely after a rough preseason, tallying a pressure and a run stop on his 17 snaps. He showed flashes of his quickness and power, bull-rushing Mark Glowinski onto his back in one instance. Smith will see the field more as he improves on his consistency, but contributing to an effort where his team allowed just 63 yards on 21 designed carries is a good start.

Pick No. 30: Philadelphia Eagles: EDGE Nolan Smith

Overall Rookie Grade: 66.3 (Rank: N/A)

Principal Opponent: Trent Brown

Week 1 Snaps: 7

Smith played a light role in Week 1. He didn’t create any pressure but did turn the corner against Trent Brown once for a pass-rush win. He’ll have to make the most of lean opportunities along a deep Philadelphia defensive front.

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The Athletic

Who can help the Jets at quarterback? 19 options to join Zach Wilson

After scouring other teams’ rosters and free agency lists, here are 19 options, including a few retired quarterbacks. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports the Jets have started to reach out to veteran free-agent quarterbacks, per league sources.

In free agency

Carson Wentz: Once upon a time, in 2017, Wentz was the front-runner to win MVP for the Eagles. Then he tore his ACL and was never quite the same, though he’s still been a solid quarterback at times. In 2018-19, he averaged 3,556 yards and 24 touchdowns per season, which are numbers that would rank as some of the best seasons in Jets history. Even in a miserable 2021 season with the Colts, his numbers were solid: 3,563 yards, 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

The flip side: He was awful for the Commanders last year (11 touchdowns and nine interceptions in eight games) and has been run out of town by three teams that invested significant draft capital in him. He’s prone to turnovers and isn’t considered a great leader — but few know Wentz as well as Jets general manager Joe Douglas, who was there when the Eagles made him the No. 2 pick in 2016.

In ta trade

Mitchell Trubisky: Kenny Pickett is entrenched as the Steelers starter and that won’t be changing anytime soon. Trubisky, 29, averaged 2,805 yards, 19 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and 65.3 percent completions in 2018-20 with the Bears, adding six rushing touchdowns. He was worse last year in Pittsburgh: 1,252 yards, four touchdowns, five interceptions in seven games.

Jacoby Brissett: Washington is committed to Sam Howell, and Brissett played well filling in for a suspended Deshaun Watson with the Browns last year: 2,608 yards, 12 touchdowns and six interceptions in 11 starts.

Gardner Minshew: The Colts are all-in on Anthony Richardson and still have Sam Ehlinger as a backup. Minshew hasn’t been a full-time starter since 2020, when he threw for 2,259 yards, 16 touchdowns and five interceptions in nine games for the Jaguars.

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