Daily Slop – 30 Jun 24 – One-on-one with Special Teams Coordinator Larry Izzo

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Latest On Commanders’ CB Situation

Forbes had a record-breaking college career in terms of pick-sixes, but his ball skills were balanced against concerns related to his frame. The Mississippi State product was listed at 173 pounds during his rookie year, although to little surprise ESPN’s John Keim notes he has added weight this offseason. After finding himself a healthy scratch at times in 2023, Forbes could be in line for increased usage in Year 2.

The 23-year-old took first-team reps during spring practices, Keim notes. He rotated in a starting perimeter role with free agent addition Michael Davis, a veteran of 107 games and 74 starts with the Chargers. Forbes, by contrast, was limited to six starts and a 50% defensive snap share last season. He totaled one interception and 11 pass deflections, but coverage was an issue with three touchdowns and a 103 passer rating allowed as the nearest defender.

The Commanders overhauled their coaching staff this offseason, and the arrival of Dan Quinn has provided Forbes with a clean slate ahead of an important second season in the nation’s capital. Carrying over his spring performances into training camp – when padded practices take place – will of course be important for Forbes as he looks to earn a starting role opposite Benjamin St-Juste on the perimeter. Keim adds that Sainristil, meanwhile, will be used in the slot as he transitions to the pro game.

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Philly Voice

10 reasons the Commanders will be a dumpster fire this season

Washington had a decent offseason

The Commanders actually had a logical offseason (IMO)

For full disclosure, I actually kinda get what the Commanders did this offseason. They entered free agency with the most cap space in the NFL, and after signing nearly 20 outside players, they still have over $37 million in cap space, per OverTheCap, the second-most in the NFL.

In free agency, they didn’t add many players who appear to be in their long-term plans. I would count LB Frankie Luvu, C Tyler Biadasz, OL Nick Allegretti, and DE Dorance Armstrong among the long-term players. The majority of their other signings were veterans on one-year deals, many of whom are way over the hill, an approach that some rightfully questioned. Still, by adding a lot of vets, they improved their roster to a level where the rookie quarterback wouldn’t be surrounded by utter garbage, and they were also going to be able to add plenty of good, young prospects at other positions in the draft with their robust draft capital.

They improved their team both in the short-term and long-term, surrounding Jayden Daniels with veterans who know what they’re doing (even if in decline), while also maintaining the flexibility to spend again in free agency next offseason. I see a logical plan that I haven’t been used to seeing from this organization.

Well shit, that’s not fun.

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Riggo’s Rag

Commanders will be monitoring Jonathan Allen’s performance levels closely in 2024

Adam Rank of NFL.com…highlighted how much the formidable defensive tackle has at stake. He’ll either cement his long-term status or potentially become a trade piece for Peters in pursuit of acquiring more draft capital in 2025. There doesn’t seem to be much in between.

“The Commanders allowed the most points per game (30.5), total yards per game (388.9) and passing yards per game (262.2) in the NFL in 2023. So [Dan] Quinn and coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. have a lot of work to do with a defense that lost Chase Young and Montez Sweat at the trade deadline last year. Yes, the Commanders added up front, signing Dorance Armstrong, Dante Fowler Jr. and Clelin Ferrell and drafting Jer’Zhan Newton in Round 2. But the 29-year-old [Jonathan] Allen is the only player on the roster who had at least five sacks for the team in 2023. He’s either going to be the anchor of the defensive line — or he’s going to be another trade piece for a team still in rebuilding mode. The two-time Pro Bowler, who’s racked up 22 sacks over the past three seasons, could fetch some intriguing draft capital.”

– Adam Rank, NFL.com

Allen is one of the legitimate alphas within the Commanders’ locker room. He became disengaged and unmotivated during Ron Rivera’s final season at the helm. That’s not the case anymore, so the potential for a bounce-back year is high.

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Podcasts & videos

Exclusive 1-on-1 Interview with Special Teams Coordinator Larry Izzo | Command Center

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SB Nation

5 NFL coaches who deserve to be on the hot seat before the 2024 season even starts

There’s a lot of football to be played until Black Monday, but a handful of coaches have toasty seats before training camp even starts.

Mike McCarthy

I think I speak for most NFL fans when I say that we were shocked when Mike McCarthy wasn’t fired after the Dallas Cowboys’ most recent playoff defeat. He’s back for 2024, coming off the loss of another key coordinator in Dan Quinn and a thoroughly disappointing offseason marred by a failure to take action on quarterback Dak Prescott’s contract. To put it simply, the Cowboys have been suspiciously lax in addressing veteran departures and the multiple holes on the roster.

While I think the draft class has the potential to be good, it’s a tough assignment for any rookie offensive lineman to come in and play right away. Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe could be thrust into the spotlight immediately to plug holes, and I’m not sure that will produce great results — at least, not right away. The receiving corps is incredibly thin after CeeDee Lamb, and the lack of urgency to address running back led to an uninspiring reunion with late-career Ezekiel Elliott.

I’m not sure any of these things are explicitly McCarthy’s fault, but we all know who will get the blame if Dallas regresses in 2024.

Brian Daboll

It’s pretty unusual to see a coach coming off an AP Coach of Year award just two seasons prior entering the season on the hot seat, but the New York Giants are an unusual team. Brian Daboll worked magic in New York to get the team to a 9-7-1 record, playoff berth, and upset victory over the Vikings in 2022, but things completely fell apart in 2023. The Giants were among the league’s worst offenses and were near the bottom defensively as well, with Daniel Jones performing poorly coming off his extension before spending the majority of the season on IR.

New York is in a difficult spot heading into 2024, as the team chose to pass on a quarterback upgrade for another huge need, a wide receiver upgrade. That might have been the best choice for the team, but it probably wasn’t the best choice for Daboll’s job security. I still believe Daboll is a good coach and wouldn’t be shocked if he bounces back this season, but he’ll have to pull out some more of that 2022 magic to overtake the Eagles or Cowboys in the playoff race.

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Philly Voice

10 reasons the Eagles will be a dumpster fire this season

What could go wrong for the Eagles this season? Jimmy Kempski has some thoughts…

5) Pressure from the edge plummeted in 2023, and might get worse in 2024

In 2022, the Eagles had three edge rushers — Haason Reddick, Josh Sweat, and Brandon Graham — who were all coming off of double-digit sack seasons, combining for 38 sacks. They were a major reason the Eagles made a run to the Super Bowl that season. In 2023, that trio of edge rushers combined for 20.5 sacks. Each of those three guys made news this offseason:

• Reddick got traded to the Jets after the Eagles signed Bryce Huff away from the Jets in free agency.

• Sweat got shopped in the trade market before taking a pay cut.

• Graham announced that he will be playing his final season in 2024.

Huff is a situational pass rusher — and a clear downgrade from Reddick — who has struggled against the run. He’s probably the Eagles’ top pass rusher now. He’s certainly paid that way. Sweat is coming off a down season, got shopped, and then skipped OTAs. Graham is 36.

The Eagles also have 2023 first-round pick Nolan Smith, who couldn’t get on the field last season even with Reddick and Sweat gassed down the stretch, and developmental rookie Jalyx Hunt, who might be something of a redshirt guy in 2024.

It’s just not that compelling of a group, at least compared with previous seasons.

6) The linebackers, as always

In recent years, Eagles fans have had to suffer through linebackers like Duke Riley, Eric Wilson, Zach Brown, Nate Gerry, and plenty of others.

In 2023, their overmatched linebacker was Nicholas Morrow

In the Eagles’ final five games, PFF had Morrow down for 24 receptions allowed on 33 targets for 352 yards and 4 TDs. They also had him down for 4 missed tackles. There were plenty of games that the Eagles got absolutely wrecked in the middle of the field, notably against the Cowboys and 49ers.

And you know what? They deserved it.

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All a’Twitter

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