HEADLINES

Washington Commanders News & Rumors

Dan Snyder Denies Hiring Firms To Investigate Owners

October 18th, 2022 at 6:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jim Irsay both said the subject of Dan Snyder being removed as Commanders owner deserves merit and indicated there might be 24 votes — the number necessary to approve such a measure — to make that happen, the Commanders released an emphatic statement confirming Snyder has no intentions of selling his franchise.

Hours later, Snyder offered a more contrite response to the rest of the league’s owners. Specifically, Snyder addressed the ESPN report that accused him of hiring private firms to investigate other owners. Accused of using those investigations to gather dirt on select other owners and commissioner Roger Goodell for leverage-acquiring purposes — in case a removal vote becomes a reality — Snyder released a statement (Twitter link) assuring his peers he has ever hired signed off on such investigations.

The multiple statements the Commanders owner approved Tuesday afternoon come as the owners convene in New York for their latest set of meetings. No vote on Snyder is expected to take place this week, with the NFL’s investigation into alleged misconduct and financial improprieties during Snyder’s tenure ongoing.

Snyder, 57, is being investigated by both the NFL and the House Oversight Committee. Those probes surfaced after a 2021 NFL inquiry into workplace misconduct — one that did not produce a written report — led to a $10MM Snyder fine and the embattled owner being removed from his role in day-to-day matters pertaining to franchise. The league’s current investigation will involve a written report.

Multiple reports over the past month have indicated support to remove Snyder from his 23-year ownership post is gaining traction. It remains unclear if a near-future vote on what would be a drastic step will happen, and Jerry Jones is still believed to support Snyder. Given the Cowboys owner’s clout, that certainly matters. But Snyder’s name is circulating at the league meetings. It will be interesting to see if his damage-control effort proves meaningful.

Commanders Name Taylor Heinicke Week 7 Starting QB

October 18th, 2022 at 12:11pm CST by Adam La Rose

Carson Wentz‘s first season in the nation’s capital has been put on pause due to the finger injury he suffered during the team’s Week 6 game. He has since undergone surgery, but is facing a multi-week absence. His immediate replacement was confirmed on Tuesday.

Head coach Ron Rivera named Taylor Heinicke Washington’s starting quarterback for Week 7 against the Packers. That comes as little surprise, given his experience with the team and the total lack thereof regarding the alternative, rookie Sam Howell. “We think he’s on track,” Rivera said of Howell, “but Taylor right now gives us the best opportunity to be successful” (Twitter link via Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post).

Heinicke, 29, is in his third season with Washington. He dressed for only one regular season contest in 2020, but made a name for himself in the playoffs in a one-score loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Buccaneers. That landed him a two-year extension laden with playing-time incentives.

He started all but one regular season contest he appeared in last year, going 7-8 and completing 65% of his passes. His 6.9 yards per attempt average and 20:15 touchdown-to-interception ratio left plenty to be desired, and made Washington a key player in the offseason QB market. They made a sizeable move in trading for Wentz, but it was made clear after the draft that Heinicke would remain his backup.

Howell will dress as the QB2 on Sunday, after being inactive for the first six weeks of the campaign. The 22-year-old burst onto the scene at North Carolina, throwing 38 touchdowns as a freshman in 2019. After a successful sophomore season, his passing numbers took a step back in 2021, though he added 828 yards and 11 scores on the ground. He ultimately fell to the fifth round – joining a number of other passers in April’s underwhelming class on Day 3 – setting him up for what the team hopes will be a strictly developmental season.

In a depth move to in the wake of Wentz’s absence, the Commanders also signed Jake Fromm to the practice squad, per a team announcement. The former Bills draftee started twice for the Giants last year, and recently worked out with the Dolphins amidst their QB injury woes. A decision on whether or not Wentz will be placed on IR, meanwhile, is expected to be made later this week, reports CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson (Twitter link).

Commanders QB Carson Wentz Facing Extended Absence

October 17th, 2022 at 8:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

8:59pm: The seventh-year quarterback underwent successful surgery Monday, and ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes (via Twitter) he is expected to require roughly four weeks to recover. The Commanders have not yet determined if they will place Wentz on IR. Such a move would sideline Wentz for a minimum of four games.

2:32pm: Carson Wentz suffered a fractured finger in his throwing hand on Thursday, and he is facing a lengthy absence as a result. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports (via Twitter) that the Commanders quarterback has a recovery timeline of four to six weeks, meaning an IR placement is in consideration.

Wentz initially expressed an intention of playing though the injury, but that will not be possible along this return schedule. Being placed on IR would force him to miss at least four weeks, and Rapoport adds that surgery is also a possibility at this point (video link).

The 29-year-old was limited to just 99 passing yards during Washington’s win over the Bears, one which saw the team’s offensive struggles continue. On the season, Wentz has totaled 1,489 yards while completing 62% of his passes, along with 10 touchdowns and six interceptions. His performance in Week 3 led to questions about a potential benching, but head coach Ron Rivera was quick to shoot those down.

Rivera then made further headlines by naming “quarterback” as the reason the 2-4 Commanders lag behind the rest of the NFC East. Walking back those remarks, he defended his role in the team’s decision to trade for Wentz during this offseason’s volatile QB market. The Commanders took on the remainder of his contract in full as part of the swap, one which is due to pay him over $53MM in non-guaranteed money after this season.

Also of note in this situation is the conditional nature of one of the picks Washington sent Indianapolis as part of the trade. The team’s 2023 third-rounder will convert to a second-rounder if Wentz plays in 70% or more of the Commanders’ snaps this season – something which would be put in serious jeopardy if he misses an extended period. Assuming he misses at least the next two contests, this news also means that Wentz will not be available for Washington’s trip to Indianapolis in Week 8.

In the absence of the former No. 2 overall pick, Washington will turn to veteran backup Taylor Heinicke – who has a history of extended play both in the regular and post-season with the team. Their next option on the depth chart is fifth-round rookie Sam Howell.

Commanders Owner Dan Snyder Cleared To Resume Duties?

October 16th, 2022 at 5:42pm CST by Adam La Rose

While the latest controversy over Dan Snyder continues to dominate the headlines, another important development concerning the embattled Commanders owner has taken place. The team’s legal representatives stated that Snyder is “no longer under any NFL restriction” with respect to his involvement in its day-to-day operations, per Mark Maske and Nicki Jhavbala of the Washington Post. 

[RELATED: Snyder’s Removal Unlikely To Be Discussed At Owner’s Meeting]

“Dan Snyder agreed with the NFL that he would step away from day-to-day operations … for a limited period, and he is no longer under any NFL restriction related to his involvement with the team,” a statement from the Holland & Knight firm reads in part. That references last July, when the NFL levied a $10MM fine against the then-Washington Football Team; in addition to that punishment, Snyder handed over operational duties to his wife Tanya.

As Maske and Jhavbala note, however, the NFL has not changed its stance on the matter – that Dan Snyder would not be suspended, but that he would nevertheless remain barred from team activities for an undetermined period. Nothing was expected to change in that regard until the conclusion of the ongoing investigation into Washington’s workplace culture (one which has since been joined by a probe into alleged financial impropriety), though Snyder’s representatives have previously maintained that his absence was always voluntary.

In any event, the 57-year-old will not attend this week’s owners meeting in New York. While he will not officially be on the agenda, Snyder is sure to be the subject of informal conversations, writes CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. Support is suspected to be dwindling in the wake of an ESPN report from earlier this week claiming that Snyder has dug up ‘dirt’ on fellow owners to protect against a vote forcing him to sell the team. As is the case with all other accusations, Snyder’s representatives have denied that.

For at least the immediate future, Snyder’s status within the Commanders organization appears to remain the same as it has for the past several months. With plenty of scrutiny hanging over his head, though, any move to increase his presence would add further to the attention being paid to his potentially tenuous position.

Carson Wentz Suffered Fractured Finger

October 15th, 2022 at 9:09am CST by Ben Levine

Carson Wentz was spotted nursing his throwing hand during Thursday’s win over the Bears, and it sounds like the Commanders QB suffered a legitimate injury. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter), Wentz suffered a fractured finger in his throwing hand. Specifically, Wentz fractured his ring finger, tweets Rapoport.

The quarterback will travel to Los Angeles to visit a hand specialist and “determine the next step.” While Wentz’s status moving forward is currently up in the air, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo tweets that the player is hopeful he’ll be able to play through the injury.

Wentz was in the news prior to the game. When asked why his NFC East foes were having more success this season, Ron Rivera answered “quarterback,” a response that later required an apology from the Commanders head coach. Wentz didn’t do much to quiet the critics on Thursday night. While he played through a biceps tendon strain (and, apparently, a fractured finger), he completed a season-low 54.55 percent of his passes for only 99 yards.

The 29-year-old had a strong start to the season, tossing seven touchdowns across his first two games. Since then, he has three TDs vs. three interceptions, with the Commanders going 1-3 over that stretch. An ESPN report from earlier this week stated that owner Dan Snyder was the one who pushed to trade for Wentz, which only added to the narrative that Rivera wasn’t supportive of his starting quarterback. However, the head coach was quick to fire back on that report following TNF.

“Everybody keeps saying I didn’t want anything to do with Carson, well, bulls—,” Rivera said (via ESPN’s John Keim). “I’m the f—ing guy that pulled out the sheets of paper, looked at the analytics, watched the tape when we were at Indianapolis, OK? And that’s what pisses me off, ’cause the young man doesn’t deserve to have that all the time.”

If Wentz was forced to miss time, Taylor Heinicke would likely get the call at quarterback. The 29-year-old got 15 starts for Washington in 2021, helping guide the team to a 7-8 record. The Commanders are also rostering fifth-round rookie Sam Howell.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/13/22

October 13th, 2022 at 5:42pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor NFL transactions:

New England Patriots

Washington Commanders

Harris was a sixth-round pick by the Patriots in this year’s draft, but he landed on the practice squad after getting cut prior to the regular season. With Damien Harris sidelined, Harris will join fellow rookie Pierre Strong behind starter Rhamondre Stevenson.

Owners Not Expected To Address Dan Snyder’s Ownership Status At Meetings

October 13th, 2022 at 4:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the NFL and House Oversight Committee’s separate investigations into Dan Snyder and his franchise’s workplace conduct persist, the subject of the longtime Washington owner’s potential ouster continues to come up.

A “growing consensus” exists in some ownership circles that removing Snyder from his post would be the best course of action for the NFL, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports. This consensus has certainly formed among NFL followers and many fans of Snyder’s franchise, but the embattled leader’s fellow owners are the only figures who count here. Twenty-four votes are necessary for this monumental step to take place.

This follows a Washington Post report that indicated some owners are warming to the idea of forcing Snyder to sell his franchise, but reaching the 24-vote threshold is another matter entirely. But that historic prospect has moved closer to the NFL radar than it was a year ago, Florio adds. And, as this once-unthinkable scenario gains steam, Snyder is going on the offensive.

Many owners would like to see Snyder out, according to ESPN.com’s Don Van Natta Jr., Seth Wickersham and Tisha Thompson, but the 57-year-old Commanders owner is believed to have hired firms to investigate other owners and Roger Goodell for the purposes of gathering dirt — in the event a vote becomes a genuine possibility.

Snyder has authorized investigations of “at least six” owners, per ESPN.com, including Jerry Jones, who has been a longtime defender of his fellow NFC East owner. Furthermore, Snyder has reached out to Jones for support in recent weeks — in an effort to prevent the owners from removing him — only the Cowboys owner has distanced himself from his peer. Snyder has “lost Jerry,” an executive told ESPN.com, and this explosive report indicates the Dallas owner has said he is not sure he can protect Snyder any longer. Investigations of this sort are not new for Snyder, who was believed to have conducted shadow investigations on former employees.

As of now, the owners are not planning to formally discuss the Snyder matter. The next round of owners’ meetings — set for next week in New York — does not have a Snyder item on the docket, Rob Maaddi of the Associated Press reports (on Twitter). While that obviously does not stop owners from addressing the Snyder situation privately, they are not preparing any votes yet. Part of the reason no vote is imminent: removing one owner opens the door to a future in which this drastic step could be taken against another, Armando Salguero of Outkick notes.

Counting Snyder scandals is difficult at this point. The one that produced the current circumstances came in 2021, when an NFL investigation into Washington’s workplace culture led to Snyder being fined $10MM and ceding day-to-day control of his franchise to his wife Tanya. Despite last year’s development being aimed at leading Snyder away from the team — a de facto suspension — Snyder denied he was suspended and has been around the team at points during his ensuing controversies.

The NFL changed course on a plan to have that investigation produce a written report, leading to the Oversight Committee’s probe and the biggest set of problems to hit Snyder during his ownership tenure. Snyder recently attempted to again shift blame to former team president Bruce Allen, via an attorney letter to Committee chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney, according to the Washington Post’s Liz Clarke, Mark Maske and Nicki Jhabvala. The Committee deemed Snyder’s previous attempts to paint Allen as the architect of a toxic workplace culture, partially by citing Allen’s emails that ended up leading to Jon Gruden‘s Raiders exit, as scapegoating.

The Commanders denied the accuracy of ESPN’s report, one that also invited questions about team president Jason Wright‘s true authority to go about repairing the team’s culture. The Commanders’ statement (via The Athletic’s Ben Standig, on Twitter) called the report a “two-year misinformation campaign to coerce the sale of the team.” Snyder will not accept being forced to sell, according to the report. The Snyder situation may look a bit different after recent NBA developments. After a lengthy investigation into Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury owner Robert Sarver led to his suspension; Sarver has begun the process of selling his teams.

Washington, which made five Super Bowl appearances during a 20-year span from 1972-1991, has seen its status within the NFL nosedive under Snyder. The team has three 10-win seasons since Snyder’s 1999 purchase and has yet to secure back-to-back playoff berths during this period.

Commanders Open To Seller Trades?

October 13th, 2022 at 1:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Commanders enter Thursday night’s Bears matchup at 1-4, which is well off the pace in an improved NFC East. They are already looking to unload William Jackson, with the cornerback seeking to be dealt. Washington might not stop at Jackson.

Falling to 1-5 could make the Commanders open for business ahead of the trade deadline. Some around the league expect the Commanders to attempt to trade other veterans before the Nov. 1 deadline, Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports tweets.

This would be an interesting effort. Ron Rivera (15-23 with Washington) is not exactly on a room-temperature seat in his third season as head coach. Unloading parts would seemingly weaken the Commanders’ roster during a time when Rivera is attempting to justify a fourth season. With Rivera also having considerable power in the building, this would not appear to be a case in which a GM pulls the trigger on a trade aimed around a potential future with a new coach.

The Broncos did this last year, stripping Vic Fangio‘s defense of Von Miller, and hired a new HC months later. Rivera’s status would be more interesting if Washington made a similar move. Both GM Martin Mayhew and exec Marty Hurney report to Rivera. The Commanders making seller-type trades this year opens the door to Rivera being given a chance at a fourth season.

Veterans are present throughout the Commanders’ starting lineup, and multiple rookie-contract players who would appeal more to teams are in place as well. Daron Payne came up in trade rumors this offseason, with early extension buzz not leading to anything. Teams inquired about Payne then, but the Commanders rebuffed that interest. The Commanders have Payne in a contract year, on a fifth-year option, and have already paid Jonathan Allen. They also selected defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis in this year’s second round.

Montez Sweat‘s fifth-year option season looms in 2023, and while the fourth-year defensive end resides as the team’s top pass rusher, Chase Young — current injury trouble notwithstanding — still stands to profile as the preferred longer-term asset. This would make Sweat extension talks interesting. Young becomes extension-eligible in 2023 but can also be controlled through 2024 via the fifth-year option. Both Payne and Sweat arrived before Rivera took over. Still, these are talented players; losing either would hurt Jack Del Rio‘s defense.

Should lower-profile vets be viewed as movable pieces instead, the team has the likes of Bobby McCain, contract-year linebacker Cole Holcomb and guard Andrew Norwell. Left tackle Charles Leno is a stopgap, at 31, but the team did recently give the ninth-year blocker a three-year, $37MM extension.

Carson Wentz Battling Biceps Injury

October 13th, 2022 at 11:03am CST by Sam Robinson

Although Carson Wentz scrutiny has intensified over the past two seasons, he has not missed time due to injury in that span. But the Commanders quarterback will be playing hurt for the time being. Wentz is battling a right biceps tendon strain, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com, who adds this issue injected some doubt into the seventh-year quarterback’s availability against the Bears on Thursday night. Wentz will play and hope he can improve during Washington’s upcoming mini-bye.

Commanders Discussing CB William Jackson In Trades

October 13th, 2022 at 10:28am CST by Sam Robinson

The Commanders benched high-priced cornerback William Jackson in Week 5, and the sides could be moving toward a separation soon.

Jackson would prefer a fresh start elsewhere, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo, and the Commanders have begun discussing the veteran defender in trades. Jackson is attached to a three-year, $40.5MM deal, but teams have expressed interest ahead of the Nov. 1 deadline.

Several teams have shown interest, per NFL.com, despite Jackson having not lived up to the contract he signed last year. The former Bengals first-round pick is signed through 2023. A team acquiring Jackson would be on the hook for $3.8MM in 2022 base salary. Jackson’s contract calls for a $9.25MM base in 2023; that figure is nonguaranteed.

Jackson, 29, said a back injury affected his play in Week 5, when Washington benched him for Benjamin St-Juste, though Ron Rivera did not cite that issue when addressing why the seventh-year cover man was yanked. Jackson (15 Week 5 snaps) had played nearly every defensive snap for the Commanders in Weeks 1, 2 and 4 but was inactive in Week 3. The injury issue stands to limit Jackson’s trade value, but if he is no longer in the Commanders’ plans, the team appears prepared to cut its losses and aim for a late-round asset.

The Bengals faced a potential franchise tag decision in 2021, with Jackson and Carl Lawson‘s contracts up, but they decided to cuff neither defender. Lawson ended up with the Jets, while Rivera and Washington DC Jack Del Rio viewed him as a fit in Washington. Jackson is eyeing a move to a defense that plays more man-to-man looks, per NFL.com. In a limited sample size, Jackson is allowing a 70.8 completion percentage as the closest defender in coverage this season — a mark well north of his previous work in Cincinnati and Washington.

Despite the presences of Jackson and Kendall Fuller, the Commanders ranked 29th against the pass last year. They are 19th so far in 2022, though Chase Young‘s absence has undoubtedly affected this defense. If Washington cannot find a trade taker this year, Jackson could end up a 2023 cut. Even then, it would cost the Commanders $9MM in dead money to jettison Jackson. Though, a post-June 1 cut distinction — like the one the team used to separate from Landon Collins‘ $14MM-per-year deal this year — would reduce that figure.

Jackson, who missed his entire rookie season due to injury, has 64 career starts on his resume. The ex-Houston Cougar has five career interceptions and 51 pass breakups. Pro Football Focus grades him as a top-20 cornerback during his final Cincinnati season (2020) but slotted him outside the top 75 at the position last season.

Load More Posts