Random Commanders Thoughts

[burgold]

No to Carr. Yes to Bezos.

My position has simplified. I don't want us to draft a QB in round one or two this year. I don't want to trade for a QB. I don't want us to rent a high priced QB mercenary. What I want to do is hand the keys to Sam Howell. Yes, I know that's insane, however, insanity is what we need. Playing it safe might bump us up to a winning record and it might fail as spectacularly as the Wilson signing. For me, it's a decent time to throw the dice. Here's why:

If Howell balls out and the Commanders score we have our franchise QB. If Howell craters we get a low enough draft pick to nab one of the coveted draft QBs in 24. If Snyder sells the team before spring, but too late for the new owner to make a decision on Rivera then we do not saddle our new coach with a QB they don't want. So, the best scenario is go with Howell and hope he is the man, but play it out regardless. No Alex Smith or Wentz... maybe not even a Heinicke. Just some standard near vet minimum journeyman QB backup in case Howell gets hurt. But no matter how the season works out, give Howell a chance to go through his growing pains on the field and prove his quality.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

Exactly burgold. I’m with you on that plan. I too think it will take some time for a new owner. And even if he gets the sale fast, there is no assurance he will have time to move on a new staff for it to matter. I just think as fans, we are hoping for too much trying to get everything changed in one year. A wise man on this board always reminds us that you can’t rebuild a team in one offseason. You can’t fill all the holes with one draft. It takes time and the same is true for the ownership and front office. It’s going to take time. As much as we are mad at Rivera, expect he will be here next year as they transition.

 

[Chris]

Many positives with that scenario.

It’s quite a lot (too much imo) for a brand new owner to put in place in a short amount of time. Both free agency and the draft will be here before we know it. Getting those things done right along with the necessary people to do so (pro personnel group, college personnel group, GM, coaching staff) is an unrealistic expectation. I sincerely hope that new ownership takes a long view approach and doesn’t try to rush into it. Let him find his parking spot first.

In short, do what’s needed to intelligently build a wining organization into the foreseeable future. I, for one, will wait.

 

[Primus Porcus]

I actually don't hate the plan Burgold.

I will say that this current roster is as talented as we've seen in a long time, and spending a year of that talent is the hardest thing to cope with. It would mean you either go into 2023 with the intention of contending, or you start taking a hard look at the roster and seeing what you actually believe will be here beyond 2024. You start to look at the roster and see who's more valuable on the team, and who's more valueable being flipped for a draft pick.

 

[Chris]

My end of season grades for Rivera catch-phrases-

‘Be where your feet are’: F (their feet are last in the NFCE)
‘Focus on what’s important not what’s interesting’: C-
‘Wide catch radius’: D- (low and high catch radius needed)

 

[burgold]

Makes me think of our coachisms-

What we do works
He fought his guts out
Stay medium
I really mean it

There are probably others.

 

[Chris]

‘Looking for a spark’ will go down in infamy. 🤣

 

[Boone]

My end of season grades for Rivera catch-phrases-

‘Be where your feet are’: F (their feet are last in the NFCE)
‘Focus on what’s important not what’s interesting’: C-
‘Wide catch radius’: D- (low and high catch radius needed)

Note to self. Playoff elimination possibility is both IMPORTANT and interesting

 

[Chris]

Frank Herzog will not be at Sonny’s number retirement ceremony because he wasn’t invited.

There is clearly no one in the organization that has any institutional knowledge. I am offering my services, free of charge, to any new ownership group. My DM’s are open.

 

[Boone]

Makes me think of our coachisms-

What we do works
He fought his guts out
Stay medium
I really mean it

There are probably others.

You forgot the timeless …

‘Not very good’

 

[Om]

Nuclear Lip Boogie!

This is my first nomination for official marker (gif, meme, etc.) of the Dan Snyder Era.

 

[Chris]

Has anyone ever gone from ‘not ready‘ to ‘ready’ faster than Sam Howell?

 

[Neophyte]

What the actual fuck? Sorry about the language (okay, probably not so sorry) but I don't understand how this team can continue to get things so utterly and completely wrong. I honestly don't think they could get things any more wrong if they sat down to figure out how to plan it wrong.

 

[Neophyte]

Has anyone ever gone from ‘not ready‘ to ‘ready’ faster than Sam Howell?

There was this one girl in high school...

 

[Primus Porcus]

What the actual fuck? Sorry about the language (okay, probably not so sorry) but I don't understand how this team can continue to get things so utterly and completely wrong. I honestly don't think they could get things any more wrong if they sat down to figure out how to plan it wrong.

At this point i'd be more shocked if they did something 'right'

 

[Boone]

There was this one girl in high school...

Band camp?

 

[Boone]

What the actual fuck? Sorry about the language (okay, probably not so sorry) but I don't understand how this team can continue to get things so utterly and completely wrong. I honestly don't think they could get things any more wrong if they sat down to figure out how to plan it wrong.

I hear Sam Huff got an invite though.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

Wasn’t there a beef between Snyder and Herzog? My mind says there was, but maybe that’s just urban legend. This may be intentional if that were true. I don’t expect anyone in the organization to be thorough in anything, but it wouldn’t surprise me if there wasn’t some pettiness in the organization involved in this.

 

[Canadian Hog]

Burgold,

I am 1000 percent in complete agreement with your approach. The main reason being that it puts emphasis and priority on finding a QB from within. If Howell tanks, you at the very least are positioning yourself to make a play and be in the running for a QB prospect in the '24 draft that is highly regarded as being a very strong one for signal-callers. Om LOVES Patrick Mahomes - can you imagine Caleb Williams in Washington?! 🥰🥰

I was 11 when Washington won the Super Bowl in '91. It is to this day one of my most cherished memories. However, 30 plus years of swirling the drain afterwards and spinning in circles trying to find a QB fix isn't fun either. Was that one championship worth all the pain that came afterwards? Sometimes I wonder. Finding a QB from within is easily the most efficient way of ensuring sustained success and being a perennial playoff contender. The Packers, Steelers, Patriots and Chiefs of the world don't win the Super Bowl every year, but it must be pretty cool as a fan of those franchises knowing that you can go into the season with a chance of winning and who knows, with a little luck, maybe hanging up a championship banner. I think having experienced the other end of the spectrum for fandom, I would take the option of sustained success any day of the week - even if the team often falls short in the playoffs kind of like a Green Bay for instance.

For the love of all that is holy though, do what it takes to fix the QB spot permanently, and in the meantime, build and/or maintain strength along the lines. With no obvious QB fixes in the offseason, it might be the perfect time to do the unsexy thing and invest 2 or 3 picks along your offensive line. We as a fanbase should know the value of this better than any fan group in the NFL. Hell, we just had a ceremony to honour the position.

 

[Om]

Burgold,

I am 1000 percent in complete agreement with your approach. The main reason being that it puts emphasis and priority on finding a QB from within. If Howell tanks, you at the very least are positioning yourself to make a play and be in the running for a QB prospect in the '24 draft that is highly regarded as being a very strong one for signal-callers. Om LOVES Patrick Mahomes - can you imagine Caleb Williams in Washington?! 🥰🥰 ...

Not to sidetrack, but on Mahomes ... what I love his that I see him as the new model for the "elite" and/or "franchise" QB. Brady was that for the last generation--the classic pocket passer. Today pass rushers and schemed rush packages are too good--to thrive, your QB had better be able to make all the throws from the pocket, but also move and make plays with both arm and legs.

Mahomes plays the game like a point guard. He sees the field, feels pressure in the pocket and reacts productively--be it taking off for a first down or extending the play long enough to let his receivers shake free. And when he does throw he's accurate, creative in terms of release point, has both arm strength and touch. Add to that he takes his craft seriously off the field, appears to be popular in the the locker room and a legit leader at the same time. Only complaint is he really needs to wash that practice jersey.

So since we know that guy exists ... it's the lens I will be looking at Howell through this Sunday.

*

Back on topic ... I do appreciate the idea of going into this offseason with Howell as the projected starter, but I'm not ready to sign off on it just yet. It makes sense on a lot of levels, but I'm also thinking there's a whole lot of long days and developement between now and the draft for things to change, or evolve ... enough so that I'm not ready to close any doors just yet.