- 1 week ago
It’s been a rough couple of weeks for the Commanders since training camp and preseason started. We’re now less than two weeks away from Washington’s clash with the Eagles in week one. John Keim stopped by The Sports Junkies this morning to break down Washington’s 53-man roster following yesterday’s cuts. What’s your biggest takeaway from the Commanders roster?
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Hey, John, last training camp was kind of dubbed lackluster.
00:04How would you compare this year's overall to last year?
00:09Oh, the first few weeks were much better, much better.
00:14And I'd say really when things changed this year
00:20was after the Miami joint practice in the preseason game
00:24and then guys started having to sit out because of injuries.
00:28Then it just felt like it shifted a little bit.
00:31And so the last couple weeks were not just different.
00:37They weren't as good as the first few weeks, for sure.
00:39Because, again, you have too many guys who are key guys
00:43who were having to sit out for not just a day or two,
00:47but it turns out for a couple weeks.
00:49But, yeah, the first few weeks were much better than last year.
00:52What's been somewhat strange, and everyone's been talking about the offensive line,
00:56is the seemingly sense of not urgency, the lack of urgency regarding
01:02filling in some more replacements here on the offensive line.
01:05They bring in guys, but they've cut them all.
01:09Nobody really, I guess they brought in Humphreys, they kept him.
01:12Nobody really, though, that you think is going to bolster the interior of the line.
01:15My best guess, John, I don't know what your comment on,
01:18is they're banking on the fact that Nick's got this little injury,
01:22but that come the regular season, he's going to be durable,
01:25because in his career, since his second year,
01:28he's played in 16, 17, 17, 17, 17, and 16 games,
01:31and that once they get off and running, assuming that he's healthy enough,
01:35that he'll be basically durable.
01:39That's, yes, and they better hope that he is.
01:43Yeah.
01:43Because, now, I'll say, like, they like Matt Golden,
01:49and so I don't think, you know, now the question for me,
01:53by me, for me, would be like, okay,
01:55but when would he be ready to play in an NFL game if he has to?
01:59Mm-hmm.
01:59And I think I would say, a lot of times, you can go by their moves
02:03and say, like, well, they like him right now.
02:05So, I'll still say, like, let's see what the roster looks like
02:09come next week, because that's really when it matters for game one.
02:14I mean, there's a long time between now
02:16and when that roster speaks up for game one,
02:18so does anything emerge there?
02:21Not, you're not talking some Pro Bowl guy coming in to do anything,
02:25but is there another guy that maybe,
02:29there are some guys on the street still, right,
02:31a couple that, you know, would be intriguing
02:34if you really needed somebody,
02:36if you really felt you needed somebody,
02:38and is there a move today whether signing a guy,
02:42I mean, there aren't a lot of great options available,
02:46so, but yeah, I think if Allegretti,
02:48here's a, like, if Allegretti stays healthy,
02:50then that's fine, but I think the other thing, too,
02:53and I've kind of been saying this,
02:54like, the other area is, like, is guard.
02:57They need depth there.
02:59It's not just center, and that's, that's,
03:02when they lost Tunsell, that really impacted two positions,
03:07because you have to move Coleman out there,
03:09and if Coleman stays at guard, let's say he wins a job,
03:13and I kind of thought it was going to trend that way,
03:15but regardless, you have Coleman or Paul as a backup inside,
03:19and you're set there.
03:20That's also where I think you can see, like,
03:24could they, that's where you need the center guard combo,
03:28you know, so I think that's,
03:30that's another spot that I would,
03:31that I'm still wondering about,
03:33because they kept Tanoa Togiai, undrafted guy,
03:36and strong, can anchor, but also undrafted,
03:40and so now you have two of your top four backups right now
03:44are rookies.
03:46That's, that leads to a lot of mystery.
03:48John, this is undefinable, really,
03:51but I want you to speculate.
03:53Would you say that the team overall,
03:55Dan Quinn, Adam Peters, is optimistic
03:58after this preseason and training camp
04:01heading into the season, troubled, worried?
04:03How would you kind of define them?
04:06I, I think,
04:09I think more optimistic,
04:11just because I think
04:14they know a lot of these guys are coming back,
04:18you know,
04:19so I, I don't,
04:20I mean, listen,
04:21Jaden Daniels is healthy
04:22and has looked really good.
04:24That's where you start,
04:26you know what I mean?
04:27Like, you start there,
04:28and then I think they know,
04:29like, that defense,
04:30you guys were just talking about,
04:31like, that defense should be,
04:33should be much better,
04:34and I know,
04:35every time I say that,
04:36I was like,
04:36I have to preface,
04:37like, I know everybody's heard this before,
04:39so I, I get that.
04:40On paper,
04:41it should be much better,
04:43but that's,
04:44that's one of my concerns
04:45for the opener is,
04:47what does that look like?
04:49Because we already know
04:51Dorrance Armstrong,
04:51one of your top passers,
04:53won't play,
04:54and we don't know about Odafe Owe.
04:57I think Caleb Vaughn should be fine,
04:59but with Owe,
04:59I think there's going to be
05:00some question about that.
05:02Would he be ready?
05:03And so I think,
05:04that's where you start to,
05:06you know,
05:06at least for the opener,
05:07it's like, okay,
05:08you have this,
05:09but what's it going to look like
05:10and when?
05:11That's the other thing,
05:12and you start off
05:13with such a hard schedule
05:15that I think that's where,
05:17if you're a fan,
05:18I'm sure that's where
05:18a lot of the consternation is,
05:20not so much,
05:21you know,
05:21can this team,
05:22whatever,
05:22whatever they can do,
05:24but can,
05:24you know,
05:25will you dig yourself a hole
05:26that you can get out of
05:28if things go up?
05:30But I do think,
05:30I think there's more optimism here,
05:34certainly,
05:35I would say certainly more
05:36than the fan base feels
05:37right now,
05:38but I think you have to
05:39kind of look,
05:41the last two weeks
05:43have not been the best,
05:44period.
05:45But again,
05:46like,
05:46with Jaden Daniels healthy,
05:48I think they obviously
05:49like that,
05:50the receiving core
05:51should be pretty good.
05:54Turned into a strength,
05:55almost.
05:55should be better.
05:56So yeah,
05:56for sure.
05:57That's the funny thing,
05:58is like,
05:58that was going into camp,
05:59that's what everybody
06:00was worried about,
06:01and then that problem
06:02is solved,
06:02and it's like whack-a-mole,
06:04right?
06:05But,
06:05I think there's probably
06:07more,
06:07definitely more optimism,
06:10but to what degree,
06:11that I don't know.
06:12Like,
06:12what,
06:12you know,
06:13I don't think,
06:14like,
06:14I think two years ago,
06:15it caught them by surprise
06:16how well they did.
06:18So,
06:19you know,
06:19we'll see.
06:20John,
06:21who are the starting
06:22outside corners in Philly
06:23with Amos now out
06:25for the first month?
06:26We know that Moreau
06:27looks like he's going to be
06:28a lot to be brought back.
06:30Does he start,
06:31do you start Rasul Douglas?
06:33Because he's a little bit bigger
06:33than,
06:34than obviously,
06:35Meek Robertson
06:36who came over from Detroit.
06:39Well,
06:40a lot of times,
06:40in practice,
06:41it would be Amik and Mikey.
06:43I mean,
06:43they've been here the whole time.
06:46But,
06:47Rasul,
06:48obviously,
06:48he steadily got better.
06:50If he got more comfortable
06:51in the defense,
06:52you could just see him get better.
06:54And he,
06:55you know,
06:55so I don't,
06:56I would say right now,
06:57I believe it would be Mikey
06:58and Amik,
06:59we'll see.
07:01But I could obviously
07:02see them all having,
07:03obviously all three
07:04are going to play.
07:05I think the other thing then too
07:06is like how much,
07:08you know,
07:09we expect to see
07:10a heavy amount of zone too,
07:12right?
07:12And I don't know,
07:14like that silly pass game
07:15right now,
07:15I think there may be
07:16some issues there.
07:18So,
07:18it's probably for the
07:19pass coverage,
07:20it's not a bad game.
07:22But,
07:22yeah,
07:23that's what I kind of,
07:24that's how it looked like
07:26it was trending
07:27during camp.
07:29So,
07:30you made a good point.
07:30We'll be back.
07:31You made a good point
07:32that they're going to
07:33face some really,
07:34really good receivers
07:35in the first three weeks.
07:36I mean,
07:37four studs.
07:38So,
07:38do you feel like
07:40it's pretty much a lock
07:41they're going to go out
07:41and try and find
07:42another corner
07:42or are they going to
07:43stick with what they got?
07:45No,
07:45I don't know
07:46what corner out there
07:47is like really,
07:48you know,
07:49teams don't cut.
07:51Yeah,
07:51I mean,
07:51you're not going to find
07:52a pro bowler,
07:53but just in terms of that.
07:55No,
07:55no.
07:56No,
07:57because,
07:57no,
07:58I think they're,
07:58I think they're fine
07:59with what they have.
08:00Now,
08:00the problem is
08:01with Trey Amos
08:01obviously missing
08:02the first four weeks.
08:03So,
08:04this is a defense
08:05that does not,
08:07you can get
08:08Antonio Hamilton
08:09on the practice squad
08:10and elevate
08:10if you need him to,
08:11right?
08:11So,
08:12I think you can do
08:12things like that
08:13and if there's somebody
08:15that's better out there,
08:16yeah,
08:16go get him.
08:17I don't,
08:18you know,
08:18who that would be,
08:19I don't know.
08:20But yes,
08:21could you see that?
08:22Sure,
08:23but they have guys here.
08:24But the other thing is,
08:25this is a defense
08:26that when last year,
08:28last couple years
08:28in Minnesota
08:29with Durante Jones
08:30as the pass game coordinator,
08:32they didn't always use
08:34a lot of nickel corner sets.
08:36You know,
08:37so it wasn't as,
08:38like they use
08:40a lot of three safety sets.
08:41They can use
08:42a big nickel
08:43with their linebackers.
08:44So,
08:45they have diversity there
08:46so you don't have
08:47to always have
08:48three corners
08:49on the field
08:50when it's nickel.
08:51So,
08:52I think like that's
08:53one thing to keep in mind.
08:55The other thing too
08:56is,
08:58again,
08:59the zone.
08:59But one,
09:01you know,
09:01it's funny
09:01because when I,
09:02when they signed
09:03Amik Robertson
09:04and I went back
09:05and watched him,
09:06just watched some
09:07of his games
09:07against teams
09:08that they would
09:09play here.
09:10So,
09:10like one game
09:11was against Philly
09:12and he did a really
09:12good job
09:13against Devontae Smith.
09:14One game
09:14was against Dallas
09:15and he shut down
09:16George Pickens.
09:17So,
09:17like those kind
09:18of things help.
09:19However,
09:20like in Dallas
09:21you still have to deal
09:21with CeeDee Lamb.
09:23You know,
09:24then you have
09:24Jackson Smith
09:25and Jigba
09:26in week three.
09:26Like that's not easy.
09:28So,
09:28it's going to be
09:29a challenge.
09:30But,
09:30the other part
09:31of that equation
09:32is that relies
09:34on the pass rush.
09:35So,
09:35with the corners,
09:36like if they're getting
09:37the pass rush
09:38and you're playing
09:39out of zone,
09:40you're going to be okay.
09:41If you're not getting
09:41the pass rush
09:42and you're playing zone,
09:44you're going to get eaten up.
09:46Let's try to be
09:47somewhat optimistic.
09:49let's assume,
09:51deep down I'm not,
09:52even at full strength,
09:53I feel like we're big dogs
09:55in the first three games.
09:56But let's just assume
09:57that we get reasonable health
09:58on our offensive line
09:59and that they're serviceable.
10:01Okay?
10:01So,
10:01they're not overrun.
10:02And maybe they say
10:03sack Jaden twice
10:04or something.
10:05But,
10:05you know,
10:05overall,
10:06it's operable.
10:08Okay?
10:09With a new coordinator,
10:11I think he's got some toys.
10:13Let's try to be optimistic here.
10:14Who's he going to feature?
10:15Are you going to feature Bill?
10:16Are they going to do
10:16what they say
10:17and feature Terry
10:18ten times?
10:19How does Diggs factor in?
10:21I love,
10:22I mean,
10:22I truly love
10:23what Antonio Williams
10:24can eventually become.
10:25How do you see
10:26the offense playing out
10:27if we can prove
10:29serviceable and operable
10:31on day one?
10:33Well,
10:34and see,
10:34the one thing too,
10:35and like,
10:35with the line,
10:36I think there's a lot
10:37about like,
10:37oh,
10:38protecting Jaden.
10:39To me,
10:39a big concern with them
10:41is the run game.
10:42Right.
10:42And getting that going,
10:43first of all,
10:44because this is a run game
10:46where you're relying,
10:47I mean,
10:47obviously,
10:47combo blocks are a big deal.
10:49And there are,
10:50you know,
10:50they,
10:50you know,
10:51they,
10:51the linemen have talked a lot
10:52about like getting their
10:53three-man combo blocks down.
10:55Like,
10:55they haven't really had
10:56enough time together
10:57to get that.
10:58That's where,
10:59you know,
11:00so the run game to me
11:01could look a little bit
11:02skittish early on
11:04for that reason.
11:05And that,
11:05which then leads to other problems.
11:07But I think it,
11:08to me,
11:08it goes beyond the protection issues.
11:10It's really about getting
11:11that run game going
11:12in an offense
11:13that wants a lot of play action
11:14and not just to establish the run,
11:17but to put yourself
11:18in good situations
11:19where you don't know
11:21if it's going to be a run
11:22or a pass.
11:22And so if the pass
11:23looks like the run,
11:24then you're going to bite on it.
11:25So anyways,
11:28now I've kind of forgot.
11:29Well,
11:30who are they going to feature?
11:31Is that kid going to jump out at us?
11:33Is it going to be Bill?
11:34Is it going to be Terry?
11:35Who's it going to be?
11:37Well,
11:37I think game by game,
11:38but I think as a running back,
11:40I think Crosskey Merritt,
11:41they liked the camp
11:42he was having
11:42before he got hurt.
11:44I think,
11:44so I think I would look for him,
11:46Rashad White,
11:47in the pass game.
11:47I think as receivers,
11:49and we heard Blouse say
11:50he wants to get Terry
11:5010 targets now,
11:51only three receivers
11:52in the NFL last year
11:54got 10 targets a game.
11:55I think the point is
11:56you want to feature him
11:57a little bit more,
11:59but Diggs will be,
12:01should be good.
12:02You know,
12:02I think Chig
12:03in the play action game,
12:04so it just depends on what,
12:06you know,
12:07I don't know that
12:07they're going to go in there.
12:08We're going to feature this guy.
12:09I think in the play action game,
12:11Chig can be explosive.
12:13So,
12:13like,
12:13there are,
12:15there are definite toys
12:17at their disposal
12:18in the pass game
12:19because of it.
12:20Like,
12:20Rashad White
12:21can be a good pass catcher
12:22on the backfield.
12:23The hard part is
12:24we just don't know,
12:26you know,
12:27there's a lot
12:28of unknown
12:30about what they're going to do
12:31early on too,
12:32what their style is going to be.
12:33The preseason told us
12:34very little.
12:35Nothing.
12:36You know,
12:36and even in,
12:36yeah,
12:37and even in practice
12:38you can see stuff.
12:39Like,
12:39there's,
12:40it just looked a lot crisper
12:41in practice
12:43as it should.
12:44But I,
12:45I always go back
12:45to like 2012.
12:46You would see them run
12:47plays in practice,
12:48but you didn't see
12:49the whole thing put together
12:51until the first game
12:52against New Orleans
12:53and Robert went out there
12:54and tore him up.
12:55You know,
12:55and it's like,
12:56oh,
12:56wow,
12:56that's different
12:57from what we saw
12:58in practice.
12:59So,
12:59like,
12:59that's the part
13:00that I don't know too.
13:02But,
13:02you know,
13:02I think,
13:03I don't,
13:03you know,
13:04what you see in practice too,
13:05like,
13:05it didn't seem like
13:06there was always like
13:07one guy they're featuring.
13:08That's what early on
13:10kind of I took note
13:11is that it was,
13:12it was a,
13:13you know,
13:13it was here,
13:14here,
13:14here,
13:14and here.
13:15And Jaden was getting
13:15through his progressions
13:17at a good pace.
13:18And so,
13:19it was multiple guys
13:21were,
13:22you were seeing things.
13:23It wasn't just always like
13:24this guy was getting
13:26the bulk of the pass game.
13:27John,
13:28people were trying
13:28to make it be,
13:29I just write it off
13:30as just a lost cause,
13:32but they were trying
13:32to really nail Jaden
13:34on,
13:34you know,
13:35the statistical numbers
13:36that were down,
13:37admittedly,
13:37no question about it,
13:38but that it was maybe
13:41indicative of some fatal
13:42flaw in his game,
13:43you know,
13:43against the pressure
13:44or,
13:45you know,
13:45his completion percentage
13:46down.
13:46And I just reject
13:47that out of hand
13:48because it was such
13:49a lost season.
13:50I don't know,
13:50what's your take?
13:52Yeah,
13:53I think it's too small
13:54a sample size,
13:55and small sample size
13:57and then you have
13:59to say,
13:59okay,
13:59well,
14:00you know,
14:00this year he's thrown
14:01to these guys,
14:02this year he's thrown
14:03to those guys.
14:04Like,
14:04there was a little bit
14:05of a difference
14:05and so I just think
14:07it's a small sample size.
14:09I don't think
14:10the offense ever looked,
14:11you know,
14:12like it certainly never
14:13looked like it did
14:14the year before
14:15and I would say too,
14:16like even in camp
14:17last year,
14:18it wasn't like
14:19Jaden looked bad,
14:20it just didn't look,
14:21nothing really looked
14:22the same in part
14:23because of who
14:24was missing
14:25throughout practice,
14:26right,
14:27but it just,
14:28you know,
14:28wasn't there this year
14:29it just looked different
14:30and so that's why
14:32like that stuff
14:33like not,
14:34doesn't necessarily
14:36move the needle
14:37for me
14:37because I just think
14:38it's too small
14:38a sample size
14:39and he has looked
14:41good this summer
14:42and the one thing
14:43that has jumped out
14:44to them too
14:45with him
14:45is the comfort level
14:47he has in this offense
14:48and I wrote something
14:49on like,
14:50you know,
14:51they use that GoPro,
14:52right,
14:52and I wrote something
14:53the other day
14:53for this
14:54about just like
14:55what they picked up
14:56on the audio
14:57from him
14:58that really like,
14:59oh,
14:59he's locked in
15:00and there was one play
15:01in practice
15:02where,
15:02you know,
15:03he's singing,
15:03he gets to play
15:04in the huddle,
15:04calls a play,
15:05gets blind,
15:06he's singing along
15:07to the,
15:08whatever's playing
15:09over the loudspeaker
15:10and then gets a snap,
15:11drops back
15:12and hits McCaffrey
15:13for a touchdown
15:13so,
15:14like,
15:14you hear that
15:15and it's like,
15:16this is a guy
15:16that has a really,
15:17is really relaxed
15:18and comfortable
15:19in this offense
15:20already
15:21and so,
15:21like,
15:22that's what
15:22jumps out
15:23to them
15:24and if you're
15:25feeling like that
15:26then you should,
15:26then you have to feel
15:28like you have the answers
15:29and know the answers
15:30to the test
15:30when you're getting
15:31up to the line
15:31but,
15:32yeah,
15:32that's,
15:33to me,
15:33it's just too small
15:34sample size
15:34last year
15:35to really make,
15:37make some of those
15:39declarations.
15:39I like your bullishness
15:41in this ESPN.com
15:43preseason power rankings
15:45where they have
15:45the Commanders 20
15:46and they're asking
15:48the beat writers
15:49for a milestone
15:49to watch
15:50and the one you put,
15:52I'm guessing you put this out
15:53or maybe they put it out
15:54and you wrote a blurb on it,
15:56quarterback Jaden Daniels
15:57setting a franchise record
15:58with single season
15:59touchdown passes,
16:01you're basically saying
16:01if he stays healthy
16:03and the offensive line
16:04without Tunsil
16:05can protect him,
16:06he can top
16:06Sonny Jurgis' number
16:08of 31.
16:09That seems reasonable
16:10if he has a great year,
16:12if he has a very good year,
16:13right?
16:13Yeah,
16:13I think,
16:14I think like,
16:14well,
16:15there's a couple of things.
16:15One,
16:16I really struggled
16:17to find a milestone.
16:19Like a lot,
16:20they sent this assignment out
16:22and a lot of teams
16:22like they're giving
16:23these NFL milestones
16:24like there's nothing here.
16:26Right.
16:26I'm like,
16:27so I'm like,
16:28now I got to find my own
16:29and there were some things
16:30where Terry can move up
16:31to here or this here
16:32but I think like,
16:34it's,
16:35it's,
16:35I kind of went that one
16:37because first of all,
16:38it's,
16:38it's amazing
16:39that it's been,
16:40the Benody's top 31 here.
16:42Yeah.
16:43And I think if anybody can do it
16:44and you look at this year,
16:46like,
16:46yeah,
16:47I could see that.
16:48He had 25 as a rookie,
16:49you know?
16:50So I,
16:51if they,
16:52if he stays healthy,
16:52I think with what they have,
16:55I could,
16:55I could see that.
16:57So,
16:57but that's just,
16:57that's one,
16:58certainly one to watch
16:59and,
17:00but you know,
17:00it's not,
17:01it's certainly,
17:02certainly not,
17:03you know,
17:04unfathomable either.
17:06All right,
17:06John,
17:07good stuff.
17:07I had to find one.
17:09That's all right.
17:10It's doable.
17:11I think it's doable.
17:12Yeah,
17:12I think it is.
17:13I definitely think it is.
17:14Yeah.
17:15All right,
17:15John,
17:15appreciate the time as always.
17:16Talk to you soon.
17:17Thank you,
17:17bud.
17:18I mean,
17:18appreciate it.
17:19He throws over 31,
17:20winning that bet against you
17:21because I think at 33
17:23or 34 total touchdowns,
17:26that'd be sweet.
17:27He throws for 31 or 32.
17:29He just has to rush for two.
17:30That would be a bomb year.
17:31That's a,
17:31that's a dub.
17:33Hmm.
17:33Well,
17:33and he would definitely rush
17:34for more than two.
17:35I would think.
17:36If he stays up right
17:37for 17 games,
17:39I would think that would be
17:39very much a possibility.
17:41It should be implied.
17:42It would be a possibility.
17:43Yeah.
17:44John says organization
17:45remains optimistic.
17:46So that's a good sign.
17:48I do think that they have
17:49some toys.
17:50So if the,
17:51if the offensive line
17:51is serviceable,
17:52I could see them going out
17:54there and scoring some points.
17:55Certainly.
17:56On paper,
17:57the roster is much better
17:58than it was last year.
17:59I think so.
18:00So we will see how it proceeds.
18:02We'll get to the junkies blitz
18:03coming up at 745.
18:06Aaron Donald finally made
18:07his decision on whether
18:08he's going to play this season,
18:09but coming up next,
18:11what are men now skipping
18:12before dates?
18:13next episode.
18:13Let's...
18:13Let's...
Comments