Daily Slop – 6 Apr 24 – Biadasz wants Washington’s offensive line to be a “dominant force”

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‘Gritty, grind, finish mentality’: Biadasz lays out vision for new O-line identity

Newly acquired center Tyler Biadasz has some ideas for the standard he and his teammates should hold themselves to in 2024.

“Gritty, grind, finish mentality,” Biadasz said. “Finishing plays, whether it’s five yards down the field or 20 or 30, or whatever the case may be.”

There’s a reason why three of the Commanders’ starting offensive linemen from a year ago are not coming back next season. While there were some areas of improvement from 2022 to 2023, it was clear that it wasn’t enough to salvage a struggling unit that finished in the bottom half of nearly every statistical category.

Enter Biadasz, who comes from a Dallas Cowboys team that has had one of the better offensive lines in the league since 2020. Biadasz is aiming to bring that success with him to Washington, and he wants to be the one to lead the charge.

He wants to run the football well, improving upon the 93.6-yard average Washington had in 2023, and give his new quarterback time to have an effective passing attack.

Improving in both of those categories starts with the offensive line.

“Just being that dominant force but also bringing that leadership upon the group itself too,” Biadasz said. “The o-line is one of the biggest groups [of an offense]. So, just dominance week in and week out.”

ESPN

2024 NFL draft: Latest buzz, rumors, prospect sleepers

Who is the hardest prospect to rank right now?

Miller: Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina. Projecting where Maye will ultimately be selected in the first round — somewhere in the top six picks — is much easier than deciding his grade. He is hovering at No. 9 overall on my board with the potential to slide down a little in the final run up to the draft. I just think the situation he is drafted into will matter so much in determining what kind of success Maye has in the NFL. He started only 26 games in college, and his turnovers (16 interceptions) and missed-throws scare me. I’ve accepted that Maye will be drafted much higher than my ranking for him, but he’s my most difficult evaluation when it comes to balancing his upside with his current ability.

Which team is most likely to trade up for a non-QB in Round 1?

Miller: Washington Commanders. We all believe they will take a quarterback with the No. 2 overall pick, but I also think they’re the team most likely to move up for a non-quarterback. The Commanders currently own pick Nos. 36 and 40 in the second round and are in the market for a left tackle after signing interior linemen Nick Allegretti and Tyler Biadasz in free agency. Per the Jimmy Johnson draft trade chart, packaging the two second-rounders would be good enough to get to pick No. 16 overall and grab a left tackle before the run on the position likely starts around pick No. 20 with the Pittsburgh Steelers on the clock. I think Penn State’s Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Washington’s Troy Fautanu and/or Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton could be available in that range.

What is the most surprising thing you’ve heard about the order in which prospects will come off the board?

Miller: J.J. McCarthy, QB2. If this was one or two people saying it, I’d probably dismiss it as the usual April draft buzz that doesn’t come to fruition. But enough sources around the NFL are whispering that McCarthy could very well be the second quarterback off the board that it has to be considered possible at this point. The Commanders will ultimately decide what works best for their franchise — and owner Josh Harris, general manager Adam Peters, coach Dan Quinn and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury will likely all be involved in that process — but ruling out McCarthy in Washington would be foolish based on leaguewide intel surrounding the quarterbacks. He’s currently my QB4 at No. 22 overall.

Who is your favorite Day 3 sleeper?

Yates: Myles Harden, CB, South Dakota. I like cornerbacks who are disruptors and Harden unequivocally fits that bill. Back in the 2022 season, Harden forced six turnovers over the first four games (three interceptions, three forced fumbles) as a tenacious, confident, springy player who is excellent at the catch point. He has a ton of experience as a four-year player and ran a 4.50-second 40-yard dash at the combine, a good enough speed to fortify my belief that he’ll find an immediate role for a team as a third or fourth cornerback. And Harden — a top-150 prospect for me — has the upside to develop into a larger role in time.

Let’s empty the notebooks with everything else we’re hearing and seeing this week

Miller’s notes:

• Keep an eye on the Philadelphia Eagles as a sneaky offensive tackle team in Round 1, even after Thursday’s extension of Jordan Mailata. General manager Howie Roseman drafts ahead of need better and more aggressively than any other decision-maker in football while also building through the trenches with premium picks. With right tackle Lane Johnson entering his age-34 season and center Jason Kelce retiring this offseason, don’t be shocked if a player like Oklahoma’s Guyton is tabbed as a Week 1 starting right guard and an eventual replacement for Johnson.

Reid’s notes:

• A lot of scouts were interested in the Yale pro day on Wednesday, as offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie has gotten a bit of buzz. He played in only four games last season after suffering a torn quad, but everyone seems to love his prior work over three seasons as a starter. Measuring at 6-5 and 323 pounds with 36⅛-inch arms, Amegadjie couldn’t go through testing but did do positional drills as he works his way back from the injury. Multiple evaluators said he looked good and showcased his standout movement skills, and I’ve heard mostly late-Day 2 grades on him.

Yates’ notes:

• What NFL teams think other NFL teams will do in the draft should not be interpreted as gospel, but when I ask team personnel about intriguing opponents picking in the top 10, two that come up often are the Chicago Bears and New York Jets. Why? The potential of a trade down. Chicago has just four picks right now, fewest in the NFL, while the Jets lack a second-round pick and have a plan now at both offensive tackle spots following an active offseason. Given the number of teams that will be angling hard for OTs early, could either of those teams be incentivized to move down?

Commanders Wire

2024 NFL draft prospect profile: Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy

While fans are surprised about his rise up draft boards, NFL teams always had him ranked highly. McCarthy doesn’t have a huge arm, but he has a good arm. He isn’t the fastest quarterback, but he is athletic enough. He didn’t put up big numbers because Michigan’s offense was run-centric. So, to get a better feel for McCarthy, you need to go back and watch most of his games. In almost every game, McCarthy makes clutch third-down throws that you’ll need to make in every game at the next level. That’s why NFL teams like him. He’s also tough and competitive. The buzz around him is real.

Here’s Lance Zierlein of NFL.com’s scouting report on McCarthy:

Enigmatic quarterback lacking the measurables and splash throws associated with early round quarterbacks but possessing elements that require more study and consideration. McCarthy lacks frame thickness and a plus arm. He’s fairly poised in the pocket but is average as a pocket passer. His ball placement and timing need to improve to help mitigate an average operation time due to a windup release. McCarthy doesn’t seek to play out of structure but is fairly consistent at making positive plays when it happens and ramps up his focus late in games and on third downs. He is confident and seems to have the ability to take slights and digest it as competitive fuel. McCarthy should continue to improve as a passer, but he fails to stand out in many of the areas that tend to be predictive of top-level success in the NFL.

Fit with Commanders

Washington head coach Dan Quinn has mentioned that his team wants to run the ball in 2024. That may…seem odd after hiring Kliff Kingsbury as offensive coordinator, but the Commanders also hired Anthony Lynn to marry the run concepts to the passing game. A good, strong running game will help any young quarterback. McCarthy can step right in and not face the same type of pressure as Sam Howell faced last season. McCarthy’s ceiling may not be as high as Drake Maye, Caleb Williams or Jayden Daniels, but he also possesses the potential to be a long-term starting quarterback, something Washington has lacked for years.

Commanders Wire

Commanders to use top 30 visit on Penn State OL Caedan Wallace

Washington is using its 30 pre-draft visits on several different positions, including offensive tackle. Arizona offensive tackle Jordan Morgan, who is a candidate to be selected in the first round, will visit the Commanders. Washington will host Yale offensive tackle Kiran Amegedjie.

According to Justin Melo of The Draft Network, Penn State offensive tackle Caedan Wallace will visit Washington.

Wallace is a 6-foot-5, 314-pound prospect who started 40 career games at right tackle for Penn State and played in 47 games for the Nittany Lions.

While Wallace could play right tackle in the NFL, some believe he could be better inside at guard.

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PHOTOS | New faces for a new era

Take a look at all the new players that were part of the Washington Commanders’ free agency haul.

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Darren Waller still undecided on whether he’ll play or retire

“I haven’t made a decision yet,” Waller told Forbes.com. “It’s just a matter of respecting the process. There’s so much that goes into the process of going from April through February of an NFL season. The commitment that it requires. I’m a guy who’s evolving, who’s growing, who’s played a lot of football and been through a lot.”

Waller said the decision will ultimately come down to whether he believes he’s ready to go all-in on another season.

“I’m at the point now where I’m like, ‘OK, how much am I willing to give to the process,’” Waller said. “If it’s not 100%, it’s a disservice to the teammates and the organization that I have. I’m still trying to make a decision on that and it’s tough to make one or the other out of emotion.”

Waller is set to make a $10.525 million base salary this season, plus another $1.275 million in per-game roster bonuses, but he might walk away from that and decide he’s done everything he wants to do in the NFL.

Big Blue View

Isaiah Simmons signing: Linebacker returning to the New York Giants

Athletic linebacker will return for second season

The Giants acquired Simmons, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals, for a seventh-round pick prior to the 2023 season. He had 50 tackles, a sack, two quarterback hits and three passes defensed in part time duty for the Giants. Simmons played 377 defensive snaps, or 33%, generally replacing starting inside linebacker Micah McFadden in passing situations.

The question surrounding Simmons’ potential return to the Giants was whether new defensive coordinator Shane Bowen would have a role for Simmons.

Now we know that he apparently does.

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NFC Roster Reset: Conference hierarchy heading into 2024 NFL Draft

Next year can’t come fast enough

Carolina Panthers, Washington Commanders, Arizona Cardinals

These teams all have one thing in common: They have a good chance of being the worst teams in their respective divisions. The overall talent isn’t there, and only the Cardinals have a quarterback they can trust. The bottom line is that somebody has to finish last. These are merely the teams that make the most sense at the moment.

The Commanders need to find a franchise quarterback and they’ll have plenty of options with the second overall pick. In the meantime, they’ve made a flurry of offseason moves to bolster their own roster. The high-profile free-agent signings on offense include running back Austin Ekeler, center Tyler Biadasz and tight end Zach Ertz. The defense added even more noteworthy players, with defensive end Dorance Armstrong, safety Jeremy Chinn and linebackers Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu coming onboard. It’s pretty obvious that new head coach Dan Quinn will be leaning on that revamped defense in his first year on the job, especially with all the offense Philadelphia and Dallas can generate.

Washington Post (paywall)

N.C. State’s DJ Burns Jr. open to NFL interest but says NBA is ‘the plan’

It would seem that some NFL executives are also interested in the burly but nimble big man.

At a listed 6-foot-9 and 275 pounds, could Burns switch sports at the pro level and succeed as an offensive tackle?

Asked Tuesday about the chatter surrounding his pass-protection prospects, Burns did not rule out exploring a career in football, but he noted that trying to make it in the NBA was “the plan.”

If that dream failed to come to fruition, Burns said on the “Dan Patrick Show” of possibly turning to football, “I’d probably explore some other options with basketball first before all of that.” Those options could include playing basketball overseas, Burns indicated, but he wasn’t taking anything off the table. “I’m not a closed-minded person,” he said.