Commanders Release DB Bobby McCain
The Commanders’ secondary depth has led to a cost-cutting move. Washington is releasing veteran defensive back Bobby McCain, per a team announcement.
[RELATED: Commanders Cut Wentz]
McCain had one season remaining on his current contract, an $11MM pact he signed last offseason. That deal, in turn, came after a one-year stint in the nation’s capital following his release from the Dolphins. The former fifth-rounder had a six-year stay in Miami, and followed it up with a strong first season with the Commanders
His production in 2021 (including four interceptions and nine pass deflections) earned him the two-year accord the following offseason. McCain continued to see time in a hybrid slot corner/safety role this past year, once again logging a snap share of 93%. He racked up 76 tackles, but was held without an interception for only the second time in his career and first since his rookie season.
This move will see Washington open up $2.3MM in cap space if it is processed as a pre-June 1 cut. If the team designates it as a post-June 1 release, that figure will rise to $4.4MM. Moving on from McCain will clear a path to increased playing time for the team’s other options on the backend, including Darrick Forrest and Percy Butler. The latter two flashed potential this season as compliments to Kamren Curl in a three-safety look. As recent draftees, they carry a far lower financial cost than McCain.
The 29-year-old is now on the market for the second time in the past three years, and will look to catch on with a team which will allow him to maintain a starting role. For the Commanders, this move will add incrementally to their financial flexibility, which has increased dramatically now that the team has moved on from quarterback Carson Wentz.
Commanders Release Carson Wentz
The Commanders have been expected to move on from Carson Wentz since his time as their starting quarterback came to an end. A team announcement on Monday confirmed that he has been released.
Wentz has bounced around the NFL since his Eagles tenure came to a close. The Commanders acquired him from the Colts last offseason in their latest attempt to secure a long-term solution under center. The structure of his contract (which was set to run through 2025, but had no guaranteed money after 2022) made this offseason an important milestone with respect to the one-year experiment with him as a starter. 
The 30-year-old held the No. 1 role to begin the season, one which carried notable expectation given the Commanders’ willingness to part with multiple picks for him and take on his contract in full. His play early in the campaign drew criticism, but was not enough for head coach Ron Rivera to consider benching him. The team was nevertheless obligated to try other options at the position when Wentz suffered a broken thumb.
That paved the way for Taylor Heinicke to regain his starting role, one which he maintained even after Wentz was activated from IR. The QB pecking order did change once again, however, in Week 17 when Wentz got the nod to lead the team in their late-season playoff push. After both passers failed to deliver performances worthy of keeping their role in 2023, rookie Sam Howell was named the starter entering next season.
Once that decision became clear, it was a matter of time before the Commanders cut ties with Wentz. This move will give them roughly $26.2MM in cap savings, a figure which will not (at least to a great extent) be put towards a veteran replacement. Rivera has insisted that competition for Howell will be acquired at some point this offseason, but other priorities exist on the roster. Given the added flexibility from cutting Wentz, the Commanders now sit inside the top 10 in the league in cap space.
That could make it easier to retain defensive tackle Daron Payne, who is likely to receive the franchise tag this year. Increased funds will go a long way in a making a long-term deal possible, or to help in acquiring a less expensive starter along the defensive front. For Wentz, the timing of this release will give him a head start on free agency, as he searches for his best fit to rebuild his value, though that will likely not involve a starting position in 2023.
Latest On Potential Commanders Sale
Previous reports indicated that a resolution would be coming soon in the ongoing sales process concerning the Commanders. Further developments have recently taken place, though they may not point to a sale being as likely as once believed.
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos – who has long been considered the top name to watch amongst bidders for the Washington franchise – has been barred from taking part in the bidding process, as first reported by Josh Kosman of the New York Post. That news comes in spite of Bezos’ stated interest in being a candidate to buy the Commanders, as evidenced by his decision to hire an investment firm just days ago. 
Adding further clarity to the Bezos matter, Ben Standig and Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic report that the mogul’s inability to place a bid “has been a reality for months.” Tense relations between current Commanders owner Dan Snyder and Bezos, who owns the Washington Post, have been frequently mentioned as a potential obstacle to the latter becoming involved in the bidding process. The timing of reports that he has never truly been a candidate to buy the team are certainly noteworthy in light of his earlier actions, and the Post’s continuing mention of him as someone who could still play a part in a potential sale.
With Bezos presumably out of the running, two apparent finalists remain. One is Josh Harris, who was named as a prospective buyer after he toured the Commanders’ facility recently. The billionaire has an ownership stake in several pro sports teams, and took part in the bidding process for the Broncos last offseason. The identity of his primary competition as now been revealed.
Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta is “involved in the bidding” on the Commanders, per the Washington Post’s Mark Maske and Nicki Jhabvala. That makes him the previously unidentified bidder who was mentioned as the one other than Harris to make a formal visit to the team’s facility with the bidding process close to its first major deadline. That has come and passed, and Maske and Jhavbala report that Fertitta placed a bid of just over $5.5BB; as a result, they add that the 65-year-old is not considered the frontrunner.
That figure falls in line with Standig and Kaplan’s assertion that Snyder’s asking price has come down from $7BB closer to the $6BB mark. The latter amount would still comfortably exceed the $4.65BB price tag on the Broncos from 2022, which itself shattered the North American sports record for franchise sales. The Athletic report adds that underwhelming bids could entice Snyder to simply remain his ownership stake, but also that activity surrounding a potential sale has “ramped up.”
Much is still to be determined in this situation, but Bezos being left out of the bidding process is a major takeaway from this latest set of updates. How much Harris and Fertitta are willing to pay for the embattled franchise will soon become clearer, though, if the previously reported goal of having a deal in place buy the March owner’s meetings holds true.
NFC Coaching Updates: Commanders, Vikings, Giants
Confirming early rumors from this week that Stanford quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard could be finding his way onto Eric Bieniemy‘s new offensive staff in Washington, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has reported that the Commanders are working toward an agreement to likely make Pritchard the team’s new quarterbacks coach. The quarterbacks coaching position is currently occupied by last year’s position coach, Ken Zampese, but Fowler speculates that Zampese may stay on with the Commanders in a different role.
On the other hand, the team is parting ways with senior offensive assistant Jim Hostler, according to Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post. Hostler has been in Washington for the past three years and has an extensive history as a position coach in the NFL for several franchises, even serving as offensive coordinator for the 49ers back in 2007. Also expected to leave is wide receivers coach Drew Terrell. Terrell was a candidate for the Cardinals offensive coordinator position that was awarded to Drew Petzing, but after missing out, is still a strong candidate in Arizona for the role of pass-game coordinator.
Here are a few other coaching updates from around the NFC:
- The Vikings announced three staff updates today, according to Vikings staff writer Craig Peters. Minnesota hired two defensive staffers with past ties to new defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Mike Siravo was hired as the team’s new inside linebackers coach. Siravo worked as a graduate assistant at Boston College when Flores was there as a linebacker. Since then, Siravo has been a longtime follower of former Panthers head coach Matt Rhule, working with him at Temple, Baylor, and Carolina. He most recently held the position of defensive run game coordinator and linebackers coach for the Panthers. Lance Bennett has been hired as a defensive quality control coach for the Vikings. Bennett previously worked under Flores in Miami as an assistant to the head coach. Lastly, on the offensive side of the ball, Grant Udinski has been promoted to assistant quarterbacks coach. Udinski spent last season in the role of assistant to the head coach/special projects.
- The Giants are expected to make an addition to their coaching staff, according to Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer. Former Panthers assistant head coach on offense Jeff Nixon is expected to be hired in the role of running backs coach in New York. If true, Nixon would be taking the role over from DeAndre Smith, who departed for the same position in Indianapolis today. Nixon likely hopes the Giants will find a way to bring back star running back Saquon Barkley, who is set to hit free agency this offseason.
Commanders Sign LB David Mayo, RB Jonathan Williams To Extensions
The Commanders announced today that they have prevented two players from hitting free agency after signing linebacker David Mayo and running back Jonathan Williams to one-year extensions. Both players will return for their third season in Washington.
Mayo was originally a fifth-round draft pick for the Panthers in 2015 out of Texas State. He played out his rookie contract mainly as a special teamer, earning the first defensive snaps of his career near the end of his sophomore season. He would slowly earn more playing time in Carolina over the next two years but would only play more than half the defensive snaps in a game for the Panthers three times in four years.
After playing out his contract, Mayo signed a two-year deal with the 49ers in 2019 but failed to make it through the 53-man roster cuts to start the season. He would sign with the Giants just prior to the season beginning and, despite the lack of practice time with the team, would quickly emerge as a starting linebacker in New York. In his strongest NFL season to date, Mayo started 13 games, recorded 82 total tackles, five tackles for loss, and two sacks. After signing a three-year extension to stay in New York, Mayo would start the next year on injured reserve and see his role drastically diminished. He was released after the 2020 season and signed with Washington two weeks later.
During his time in Washington, Mayo has returned to a role mostly on special teams but gets quite a few opportunities on the field with the defense. In his two seasons with the team, he has gotten starting opportunities for a few games to end each season.
Williams is another player that’s bounced around quite a bit before landing with the Commanders. Another fifth-round selection, Williams started his career with the Bills in 2016 backing up LeSean McCoy and Mike Gillislee. Following his rookie season, Williams was cut just prior to the 2017 season, which he would end up spending on the practice squads of Denver and New Orleans. Williams would spend parts of the next three seasons with the Saints, Colts, and Lions, struggling to find any consistent playing time.
Williams’s roster spot in Washington has been tenuous over the years as he’s spent time on the practice squad and been released a couple of times. His best year came when he was with the Colts, but during his two years in Washington, Williams has carried the ball 54 times for 231 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Mayo should have an opportunity to start in his return to the Commanders next season. Williams’s role on the team is a bit less clear. The team is set to return Brian Robinson, Antonio Gibson, and J.D. McKissic to the running backs room, all of whom sit ahead of Williams on the depth chart when healthy. If Jaret Patterson also avoids free agency and returns to Washington, that would likely put Williams at fifth on the depth chart. Injuries last year provided Williams with his opportunities to play, and he may serve as an insurance option in 2023.
Jeff Bezos Hires Investment Firm Ahead Of Potential Commanders Bid
The saga of what remains a hypothetical Commanders sale has taken another noteworthy turn. Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos‘ name has once again come up in the discussion of the ongoing sales process.
Bezos has hired investment firm Allen & Company to “evaluate a possible bid” for the Commanders, as detailed by Mark Maske, Nicki Jhabvala and Liz Clarke of the Washington Post. That firm, based in New York, is the one which was involved in the two most recent NFL franchise sales (the Panthers in 2018 and the Broncos in 2022). Bezos hiring them represents a firm commitment to at least explore the possibility of buying the Washington team, something which he had previously only been speculatively connected to.
Bezos was first mentioned as a likely bidder in November, something which immediately made him a name to watch in any sales process. His edge over other bidders in terms of overall spending power has led to the belief that he would be the favorite in the event embattled owner Dan Snyder went ahead with a sale of the team. The situation could become similar to that in Denver last offseason, when the Rob Walton-led group was seen as the one to beat long before their historic bid was accepted and ratified.
On the other hand, tension between Snyder and Bezos (who owns the Post, the outlet most vocal in critiquing the former amidst his various investigations and scandals) was thought to be a reason why Bezos might not be a legitimate bidder. That sentiment grew when the world’s reported fourth-richest man did not take part in the first formal process related to a potential sale.
More recently, a small number of prospective buyers toured the Commanders’ facility. The one which has been identified to date is Josh Harris, who has an ownership stake in a number of pro sports franchises and was a bidder for the Broncos last year. Bezos was not reported to be among the two finalists remaining in terms of serious contenders for the first formal bidding process, which is expected to take place soon. A relatively late arrival would not come as much of a surprise, given the ability Bezos would have to match or exceed Harris’ or any other potential bidders’ best offers (currently believed to be in the $6BB range).
More developments on this front are expected soon, from a more firm commitment from Snyder one way or another with respect to selling the franchise, to a frontrunner emerging to succeed him. This latest step by Bezos puts him squarely on the radar in terms of potential buyers.
NFC Coaching Updates: Bieniemy, Rams, Panthers
The Commanders have their new play caller in former Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, and they are wasting no time in allowing the new assistant head coach and offensive coordinator to explore some options for his new staff. Stanford quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard and Chiefs running backs coach Greg Lewis both visited Washington today for potential roles on Bieniemy’s new offensive coaching staff, according to Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post.
Pritchard has been a longtime Cardinal staffer since finishing his college playing career as a quarterback at Stanford. The year after his final season as a player, Pritchard joined the coaching staff as a graduate assistant. He slowly worked his way up the staff from GA to defensive assistant to running backs coach to quarterbacks and wide receivers coach to offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He had spent the past five years in that last role after the departure of Mike Bloomgren to become head coach at Rice. Pritchard was retained by new head coach Troy Taylor following David Shaw‘s resignation but, reportedly, will only serve as quarterbacks coach, no longer holding the title of offensive coordinator.
Lewis is a former NFL wide receiver who has been coaching football since 2012. Following the conclusion of his eight-year career as a player, Lewis coached wide receivers at a couple of different universities before getting his first NFL opportunity as an offensive assistant with the Saints in 2015. The next year saw Lewis get his first NFL position coaching job over wide receivers with the Eagles. In 2017, Lewis joined the Chiefs’ staff in the same position, moving to running backs coach in 2021. He is reportedly highly regarded in league circles and has interest from several suitors this offseason, according to Josina Anderson of CBS Sports. Lewis’s extended tenure under Bieniemy bodes well for the 43-year-old coach to find a top role in Washington.
Here are a couple other coaching updates from around the NFC:
- The Rams have a new special teams coordinator after hiring the former Panthers coach of the same position, Chase Blackburn, according to Rams staff writer Stu Jackson. Blackburn began his coaching career in the city where he ended his tenure as a player as the assistant special teams coach for the Panthers. After two years, Blackburn was promoted to special teams coordinator in Carolina, where he remained until being fired by former head coach Matt Rhule following the 2021 season. He will return to his role as a coordinator after spending the 2022 season as the Titans assistant special teams coach.
- New Panthers head coach Frank Reich is bringing along a lesser known assistant with him to Carolina, according to Joe Person of The Athletic. Reich told the media yesterday that he has hired George Li as his game management coach. Li served a similar role under Reich in Indianapolis with the title of senior football strategy analyst and game management coach.
Commanders Likely To Use Franchise Tag On DT Daron Payne
The Commanders prioritized a Terry McLaurin deal over Daron Payne‘s last year, but after the latter put together a strong contract slate, it does not look like he will be allowed to hit free agency.
Washington has two weeks to use its franchise tag, but the team is very likely to apply it to Payne. The Commanders are “99.9% likely” to cuff Payne with the tag, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes. The defensive tackle tag is one of the most expensive; this transaction would cost Washington $18.94MM. Only the quarterback, linebacker and defensive end tags are costlier.
Given the team’s talks with Payne ahead of the tag window opening, the sixth-year defensive tackle not being permitted to test the market appeared the likely outcome. Applying the tag would give the Commanders until July 15 to extend Payne. Absent an extension by that date (or Payne sitting out the season, an extreme measure that Washington D-lineman Sean Gilbert once pulled), the former first-round pick must play the 2023 season on the tag. Once Payne signs the franchise tender, that $18.94MM is locked in.
Ron Rivera confirmed Payne was a priority. After the season Payne put together, that certainly tracks. Payne, 25, broke through to lead the Commanders in sacks, totaling 11.5 — 3.5 more than anyone else on the team — and compiling 18 quarterback hits and 20 tackles for loss. Payne also recorded a safety last season; his sack total more than doubled any of his previous four seasons’ numbers. This gave the Alabama alum a bouncy springboard into free agency. If the Commanders do not follow through with a tag, Payne would be one of the best players available.
Washington already took care of Jonathan Allen, giving its 2017 first-round pick a four-year, $72MM extension back in 2021. Rostering two defensive tackles in that price range would stand out. Only two other teams — the Bengals and Colts — have two D-tackles earning north of $10MM per year on long-term deals. Then again, one of the Commanders’ rivals will face a similar decision soon. The Giants have Dexter Lawrence going into a contract year, set to command a deal north of Leonard Williams‘. The ex-Jet draftee’s $21MM-per-year pact is tied for second behind Aaron Donald‘s outlier $31.7MM-AAV extension. Lawrence’s camp will surely be monitoring how the Commanders handle Payne.
Cap space will need to be cleared in order for the Commanders to tag Payne; they currently hold just more than $8MM. The team can clear $26.2MM by releasing Carson Wentz. Considering the team’s Sam Howell starter push, that seems a near-certainty to occur soon. Washington is also not planning to devote many additional funds to its QB spot. The team does, however, have Montez Sweat and Chase Young eligible for extensions. Sweat will likely come first, given Young’s injury history and the fifth-year option allowing Washington to control the former Defensive Rookie of the Year through 2024. Sweat’s fifth-year option will cost $11.5MM this year.
Even with a rookie-QB pact on the payroll, it will be interesting to see how far the Commanders will go to fortify their longstanding D-line quartet. The team also used a second-round pick on D-tackle Phidarian Mathis last year. After Mathis’ Week 1 injury, however, Payne set himself up for a big payday.
Commanders Notes: Snyder-Jones Relationship, Prospective Bidders, Potential Sale Timeline
The matter of a potential Commanders sale has been a talking point for months now, as the view other NFL owners take of Dan Snyder has worsened. That trend has stretched to even affect his Cowboys counterpart, Jerry Jones.
A bombshell report from October indicated that Snyder had dug up dirt on his fellow owners, as a means of providing leverage against a vote forcing him to sell his team. In the wake of that report – which the 58-year-old has denied – it was said that Jones still counted himself amongst Snyder’s supporters. That appears to still be the case, but relations between the two have changed.
“I would say we’ve had to be more formal in our conversations,” Jones said, via USA Today’s Jarrett Bell. “We’re not as cavalier as we might have been. Follow me? Don’t know who’s listening. Who’s what? So, we’ve had to be more formal.”
Jones added that Snyder is “not the most beloved guy around,” and that he wouldn’t be worth “taking a sword” for. That marks a notable stance potentially in favor of a sale, something which would likely go a long way amongst other owners, given Jones’ sway in that particular group and his reputation for supporting Snyder more than most.
Here are some other notes related to the Commanders and their hypothetical sales process:
- Josh Harris, owner of the Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Devils and English Premier League club Crystal Palace, toured the Commanders’ facility earlier this month, per Ben Standig and Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic (subscription required). He did the same last summer as as prospective buyer of the Broncos, so this action signals his interested in becoming owner of the next NFL team to (potentially) go on the market. Around that same time, another, unnamed candidate toured the facility as well, according to the Washington Post’s Mark Maske, Nicki Jhabvala and Liz Clarke. This past Friday, another potential buyer did the same, Jhabvla tweets.
- It was reported in December that an initial bidding process took place, one which notably did not include Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. Providing clarity on that front, Standig and Kaplan note that that December process actually consisted of “non-binding indications of interest,” which do not require formal bids taking place. That is the next step, though, and is expected to take place soon. Once it happens, however, there may be a distinct lack of competition amongst prospective buyers. Lydia Moynihan of the New York Post reports that only two serious contenders remain in the running (including Harris, and not Bezos); they have each showed a willingness to reach the $6BB mark in a sales price, though liquidity would be an issue on Harris’ and the unnamed other bidder’s part at that value. One of Moynihan’s sources predicts Bezos will be courted late in the process given his significant advantage in terms of total wealth.
- Speculation has persisted in terms of when a final decision will be made with respect to a sale being green-lighted, and then finalized. On that point, Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer notes that a deal will ideally be in place by the time the NFL’s owners’ meetings take place in late March (video link). That would allow the other owners to vote on and ratify a sale, as they did in the case of the Broncos last offseason, and presumably bring an end to the saga hanging over the Commanders.
Commanders’ Eric Bieniemy Hire Will Not Impact Sam Howell’s Status As QB1
The Commanders made a big splash when they landed Eric Bieniemy as their offensive coordinator several days ago. However, that hire will not change the club’s approach to its quarterback position, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports.
Back in January, we heard that Washington was telling potential OC candidates that 2022 fifth-rounder Sam Howell is expected to be the team’s QB1 when training camp begins. Although head coach Ron Rivera subsequently left the door open to a veteran addition, it was clear that such a player would be more of a backup type and would likely not be one of the high-profile passers on the free agent and trade markets.
Now, even with Bieniemy on board, Howell remains in the driver’s seat to open the 2023 campaign as the Commanders’ QB1, and that suits the newly-minted OC just fine. Bieniemy, like Washington’s other offensive coordinator targets, is high on Howell and much of the rest of the offensive roster, which includes strong skill position depth in running backs Brian Robinson and Antonio Gibson and wide receivers Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, and Curtis Samuel. Because of generally substandard quarterback play, the club posted below-average marks in total offense and points per game in 2022 despite leading the league in time of possession. If Howell develops as the Commanders apparently believe he will, and if the team can bolster its O-line, it would be fair to expect a much more productive offense in 2023.
With Washington about to start a rookie-contract signal-caller and on the verge of cutting bait on Carson Wentz‘s contract — which will come with no dead money ramifications — it will be much easier to address the offensive line and other needs. Bieniemy could therefore be well-positioned to improve his head coaching stock, which has dropped in recent years despite the continued success of the Chiefs, his former employer.
Howell started just one game for the Commanders in his rookie season, a Week 18 win over the Cowboys. In that contest, he completed 11 of his 19 pass attempts for 169 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He also added another 35 yards and a touchdown on five carries.