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.
What a mess. They’ve invested so much money and draft capital into that defense with a defensive minded coach and a multiple time head coach as defensive coordinator, and the defense still isn’t good.
What exactly is the argument for keeping Rivera and Del Rio on?
Coaching and FO personnel are not the issues. As long as the owner is the owner, this franchise is irrelevant when it comes to being yearly league competitive.
I won’t argue that Snyder dooms them to a certain level of dysfunction, but that still doesn’t change the fact that Rivera was brought in to be the football grownup in the room, he handpicked all the major football decisionmakers, and the team is not only bad, but a real in both team building vision and on-field execution. Snyder will be that team’s biggest problem until he’s gone, but that doesn’t mean Rivera has earned a continued grip on his job.
There is none. And as much as I hate Snyder, this isn’t on him, unless you think stepping aside and letting Rivera run operations was a bad move. It might turn out to be, clearly looking that way, but it’s not the normal Snyder sabotage. Hope this doesn’t make him think he should go back to being hands on because of it, if he’s even ever allowed to. Either way, they should never have fired Shannahan.
Ooof and Aaron: appreciate your views, but ownership takes blame. Brilliant move by Dan to have the “GM” and “exec” report to the coach. Cynical me. Gives the owner direct access to meddle/influence in the decision making without having to fool around with the FO folks. Genius. I feel for Riverboat Ron.
Fair point, but coaching is definitely an issue, and in my opinion, the biggest. I don’t think for a second that Rivera isn’t calling the shots even if it’s stupid to let the GM answer to the coach. That happens in a lot of cases when the coach is lured to the team. They ask for final say on personnel. Problem is Rivera is proving to be no Andy Reid/Bellicheck
I feel like this speaks to the chicken and egg effect of a bad owner. Regardless of how much is Rivera’s job performance and how much is Snyder meddling, what great candidate is going to take the Washington job under Snyder?
This is on Rivera and the OC. The D kept the Bears out of the EZ 3 times inside the 5. The D played exceptionally bad. What do you expect with a clown for a DC?
The only bright spot in that game was Chicago’s helmets. They should let the guys take the black ones home autograph them and sell them. Maybe they could all go to Vegas and sell them to Chunley. Honestly though loved the orange helmets not sure why I sat and watched that hot mess though.
Trading non-productive players or contract-year players to contenders would be a great idea. This season is lost for the Redskins.
This is an article about nothing. It’s based on a tweet from a NY Giants reporter and a theory of “If they fall to 1-5” and “some around the league” then “attempt to trade veterans” …. It would then turn into “an interesting effort”. Zero facts or sources.
Ralph Vacchiano reports on the entire NFC East (not just the Giants) for Fox Sports. He’s well aware that the Commanders are bottom of Fox’s favorite NFL division.
Payne, Gibson, and WJ IIi should all be gone at the least.
The best strategy for Riverboat Ron would be to ask the Washington Nationals what they would do…then do the exact opposite.
Scary Terry like bruh get me outta here too
Rivera is a nothing coach. He was brought in to calm the waters but he is not the long term solution.
Washington needs to acknowledge that they are years away from contending and start looking to a future that is still 3 years away – thus anyone 2+ years from a big contract needs to be immediately traded for as many picks as possible.
Meanwhile Wentz eating his lunch alone. What problems no problems here we all on the same page gotta get better next week…..