2024 Roster Updates

[Voice_of_Reason]

This just makes me hungry.

 

[burgold]

 

[Kel Varnsen]

I didn’t even know that Milne was still around.

Also, I guess they are going to try the kicker that Jacksonville didn’t want route again. I hope they did a background check this time.

 

[Boone]

He kicked some for Arizona when Kingsbury was there. 88% FG made so far, longest 53 yds but don’t know what his leg strength is … missed some PATs… still probably an upgrade

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

Oh no oh no oh no!!!!! We released Dax Milne!!!

This makes me extremely sad. Not because he was all that good at football. Receiving or returning. But because he started dating Zach Wilson’s ex-girlfriend which prompted a Twitter bomb response from the Jets equipment manager. Zach and Dax were buds in college.

This was my favorite story for the commanders when it happened because it wasn’t Dan related and was super funny.

I have no idea if the happy couple is still together. And I’m not going to bother looking it up. But that relationship and the Fox reality show accompaniments provided me much humor.

Good luck to Dax. May you continue to troll Zach Wilson for all eternity.

 

[SilentThreat]

did not expect to be signing another DT, especially after we heard Newton was back so quickly.

Makes you wonder about Phil Mathis? Ridgeway?

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

did not expect to be signing another DT, especially after we heard Newton was back so quickly.

Makes you wonder about Phil Mathis? Ridgeway?

Al Galdi LOVES to play the sound bite of when Peters was asked about the Commander's roster in his intro presser.

There was like a 17 second pause. Then he said something like "there are some pieces."

Translation: This roster is crap minus a few exceptions and I'm going to nuke it.

Nuking is happening.

Now, let's play "name the 6" from 2020 - 2023:

None from 2020 because they're all gone.

2021:
Lock - Samuel Cosmi
Lock - Benjamin St. Juste
Very Likely: John Bates
Not a lock, but probably will: Darrick Forrest.

2022:
Lock: Jahan Dotson
Lock: Brian Robinson, Jr.


2023:
Lock: Emanual Forbes
Lock: Quan Martin
Not a lock but you need a 3rd RB so why not?: Chris Rodriguez

That's my list and I'm sticking to it.

EDIT to add, I tweeted at Nicki to see if I was right. Don't know if she'll reply, but if she does, I'll let you know

 

[Boone]

Forbes and Dotson are only locks because of the draft position they were taken in. If those guys were 3rd rounders they are already gone. They are giving them one final chance to prove their talent level given where they were taken. I think it’s 50-50 either of them are on the roster a year from now. Rodriguez is even shakier - not a lock to make the 53 imho.

 

[burgold]

If last year was so bad that we are giving all the players a mulligan, does that mean that Forbes, Quan, etc. are red shirt freshmen or rookies

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

Forbes and Dotson are only locks because of the draft position they were taken in. If those guys were 3rd rounders they are already gone. They are giving them one final chance to prove their talent level given where they were taken. I think it’s 50-50 either of them are on the roster a year from now. Rodriguez is even shakier - not a lock to make the 53 imho.

Eh, Forbes will be on the team for 2 more years because of his fully guaranteed contract, is my guess.

I actually think Dotson is a good WR. I think last year, EB broke him. Keim keeps saying Dotson is the best route runner of any of the WRs, said it last year, said it again throughout camp.

I think EB's inability to figure out how to scheme up plays to players, and force the QB to read out every play, worked entirely against Dotson. He got limited opportunities in a poorly designed and called offense, and then started to press, which leads to drops.

I'm typically wrong about these types of things, but he's my prediction for breakout player of the year. If the offense is what I think it's going to be, which is a whole lot of short, quick passes, tons of movement, misdirection, and then deep shots, I think there's a good chance both Terry and Dotson go over 1000 yards.

I'm not one of the folks who think the offense is going to be run heavy. I think it's going to be balanced with an emphasis more on the short pass than the run.

We'll see. I'm generally more wrong than right in my predictions. Chuckle. But that's what I think right now and that bodes well for Dotson.

 

[Boone]

I wasn’t a fan of Bienemy, but I think that’s giving Dotson far too much of a pass. Dotson had a decent first season - but I also think folks overstate it. And last season he played poorly. Bienemy may have had something to do with it, and Howell as well. But the bottom line for WRs is to get open and catch the ball. McLaurin didn’t seem mortally wounded by the OC last season - but maybe that’s an unfair comparison. For whatever reason Dotson has been a disappointment given where he was (over) drafted.

All that being said I hope he is that guy and we start to see it this season.

 

[burgold]

One of the big differences between Dotson's rookie campaign and his second year was his hands. I seem to remember Jahan catching everything he could get his hands on in his rookie season. Last year, he was Mr. 50/50 on a good day. I'm not sure how we reconcile that. Was Dotson unfocused last year, trying to hard, were the balls just more inaccurately thrown? But it seems to me that a player with good hands doesn't suddenly become a guy who can't catch yet that's what we saw.

So, I think if Dotson got over his catching yips and has gotten his focus or whatever he lost back, we'll see something closer to his rookie season than his sophomore one.

 

[Boone]

Yeah, you’re right on that Burgold…. It’s odd… I do think Daniels is a far more accurate passer than Howell was so that gives me hope.

 

[Chris]

Yeah, Bieniemy did Dotson no good but EB didn’t drop easy catches for him.

 

[SilentThreat]

First 'unofficial' depth chart just dropped. It means very little.... but it's still noteable.

Commanders release first 2024 unofficial depth chart

 

[Boone]

Zacheuss in the slot WR spot. I mentioned he had made some great grabs in Training Camp. Wonder how long before McCaffery jumps him?

 

[burgold]

When I think about recent Super Bowl dynasties, the thing that stands out to me is that none of them have a great wide receiver corp. I mean for a post card the Patriots had Randy and for a snapshot the Chiefs had Hill, but for the most part their receiving corps were best describe as average to maybe even a little below average. It's a strange thought to build on when the NFL has become such a passing league, but the teams with the best receiving corps rarely seem to win the ring. You can argue San Francisco has at least gotten to the championship game but the other top three or top five units?

Do we overvalue wide receivers? I think we might. I think there's a reason why, as good as Aiyuk might be that Peters is reluctant to pull the trigger on a top wide receiver in their prime.

 

[Bulldog]

Badgely is a better kicker than Patterson.

I think we are still going to have an opening day starter that is not on the camp roster.

 

[Boone]

 

[SilentThreat]

I feel like we worked him out previously