Daily Slop – 23 Mar 24: A collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch

A collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders, the NFC East and the NFL in general

Commanders links

Articles

Commanders.com

Commanders’ special teamers thrilled to learn from Larry Izzo

Jeremy Reaves had a wide smile on his face as he entered the Washington Commanders’ facility to re-sign with the team he’s called home since 2018. Larry Izzo, the team’s new special teams coordinator, was one of the first people to greet him.

It wasn’t the first time Izzo and Reaves had spoken over the past week. Izzo, hired by the Commanders in February, spoke to Reaves as he was doing his physical training exercises, wanting to explain what he expects Reaves to do in his system.

“He said, ‘Look, man, I don’t want you to change anything about you. That’s all I’m asking of you. Your play speaks for itself. You just run out there, and you go be Reavo,’” Reaves said.

It didn’t take long for Izzo to start coaching his new players. While Washington’s offense and defense, both in justifiable need of improvement, have gotten most of the attention, its special teams unit also needed an upgrade as well. In addition to bringing back Reaves, Washington also signed long snapper Tyler Ott and kicker Brandon McManus, both of whom have worked with Izzo in the past.

The prospect of working with a special teams legend gave them even more reason to come to Washington.

Commanders.com

Five things to know about Brandon McManus

2. He briefly spent time with Larry Izzo before joining the Broncos.

McManus, an undrafted free agent in the 2013 NFL draft, bounced around the league a bit before finding a permanent home in Denver. He originally signed with the Colts before being released before the season began. Four months later, he signed a reserve/futures contract with the Giants, where current Commanders special teams coordinator Larry Izzo was part of the staff as an assistant.

They didn’t spend much time together, but it was enough for McManus to grasp how impressive Izzo was as a coach.

“He understands the game a lot,” McManus said. “He understands what the players are going through, obviously getting players to buy in.”

Izzo is so adept at that because he’s been in their situation, as he made a career out of being on special teams. But as someone who played in the NFL for 14 years, he’s also developed a keen understanding of how to succeed as a professional.

It’s been about a decade since McManus spent the 2014 preseason with Izzo, and McManus is excited to rekindle that relationship.

“I think we’ll be [some] of the best educated players on the field as well…with the pregame studying and understanding the rules and stipulations of the game,” McManus said. “So, I’m looking forward to getting back in the same room and on the field with Larry.”

Bullock’s Film Room (subscription)

Friday Q&A

I wouldn’t read too much into any individual performance from Forbes last year. Most of his games weren’t great and I think the circumstances really played a huge factor. He was drafted as a zone corner, they played him in man a bunch. He also was frequently put up against the opposing teams top receivers (AJ Brown, Justin Jefferson etc). So not only was he put in situations that didn’t suit his game, he was playing against some very good receivers while being put in those situations. They also had a huge issue with coaching last year with Del Rio and the DBs coach that probably shouldn’t be anywhere near the NFL.

I’m not sure Quinn will have focused specifically on that final game of the season that Forbes played against the Cowboys, when just about everyone on Washington’s team was just ready for the season to be over. There are definitely some technical things to work on, I don’t think Ron Rivera was lying when he said Forbes needed to improve his technique, but I think Rivera didn’t provide the position coach to help Forbes make the most of his talent. With the number of guys in the room now that have experience coaching DBs (Quinn, Whitt, Simmons, Donatell), Forbes should be in a much better position this offseason. If he doesn’t put it together this year, then we can be concerned.

Podcasts & videos

Locked on Commanders: Washington Commanders Linebackers Frankie Luvu, and Bobby Wagner Join Jamin Davis | NFL Draft

Photos

Brandon McManus finds a new home

Check out the top photos of Brandon McManus at the previous stops in his career. (Photos via The Associated Press)

NFC East links

Bleeding Green Nation

Howie Roseman’s atypical Howie Roseman offseason

Unseasonal Howie season

The first week of free agency was both a typical one and an atypical one for Roseman. In isolation the moves he has made have mostly fit the Roseman template: investing in pass rush, investing in offensive line, investing in quarterback, low financial obligations and/or short term contracts to low priority positions, a player for pick trade, signing former high picks to one year contracts, adding veteran depth behind established veterans… standard Eagles moves.

But taken as a whole, the Eagles offseason looks similar to the type of disjointed one that we see every year from teams that are under pressure from above to get results now. Predictably they rarely work out.

Prior to free agency the Eagles tried to soften the blow of trading/cutting Haason Reddick or Josh Sweat by letting it be known that they were unhappy with their edge rushers play against the run. Fair enough, but then they went out and signed Bryce Huff, who offers little against the run.

In the Nick Sirianni era the Eagles have not signed a player who spent most of his career as a special teamer. In the Doug Pederson era when the team did it was usually an undersized linebacker on a one year contract. The signing of Zack Baun is almost a total reversal for the Sirianni era. Baun, a LB on a one year fully guaranteed deal, has double the career special teams snaps as defensive snaps played. The only divergence from the Pederson era is that he isn’t undersized.

The Kenny Pickett trade is QB Factory hubris at its finest. Picket is the same age as Jalen Hurts (actually a few months older), and has gone backwards in his development. As a rookie he showed flashes of being an NFL QB, but regressed in his second season. Former Steelers OC Matt Canada did Pickett no favors, but Russell Wilson threw more TDs in 15 games of the Nathaniel Hackett/Jerry Roseberg season in 2022 than Pickett has in 24 starts in his career. Making matters worse, Pickett was dealt after just two seasons because the Steelers had enough of him off the field. When Mason Rudolph kept the starting job after Pickett returned from injury last season Pickett reacted poorly, then doubled down on the pouting when told he wouldn’t get the first reps in OTA over Wilson. This is the guy you’re trading for?

Then there is Saquon Barkley, a perfect illustration of the paradox of the Eagles offseason.

Roseman never spent significant resources at the running back position because the top of the market was overvalued. But free agent running back contracts are no longer the bad business they used to be. Barkley’s contract has him as the 18th highest RB cap hit in 2024, then 5% of the cap in 2025, which is a WR2 level percentage. Barkley got the same amount of guaranteed money as Darnell Mooney.

After the first week of the offseason, there is no excuse (other than Jalen Hurts getting hurt—which is a reason, not an excuse) to not win the division. The Cowboys are treading water at best, losing several starters or contributors and signing just one player so far. The WASTEAM Football Commanders added a high volume of nothing special players and will start a rookie QB. The Giants, well, they exist.

The Eagles are committed to this core of players for 2025, the only players with the flexibility of contract restructuring are Barkley and AJ Brown, and Brown is the only one they can move on from that would give them significant cap savings. If the Eagles fail again this season, what happens next?

NFL league links

Articles

Pro Football Talk

Report: Chiefs finalizing deal to trade L’Jarius Sneed to Titans

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Chiefs are finalizing a deal to trade Sneed to the Titans.

In exchange for Sneed, Kansas City is expected to receive a 2025 third-round pick from Tennessee. The Chiefs and Titans will also swap picks in the seventh round.

Additionally, Sneed will sign a new contract with Tennessee that is expected to make him one of the highest-paid corners in league history.

Tweets