Commanders Release Deshazor Everett
The Commanders have announced the release of four players, three of which were previously reported (Landon Collins, Matt Ioannidis, and Ereck Flowers). The newest addition to the list is safety Deshazor Everett, who also received his walking papers today.
Last month, Everett was charged with involuntary manslaughter as a result of a fatal car accident from December. Olivia Peters – who was Everett’s passenger – was killed. The 30-year-old turned himself into police after their investigation found that he was driving at more than twice the posted speed limit just before the crash. The players also suffered serious injuries, leading to the team placing him on the reserve/non-football injury list.
Everett, who joined Washington as an UDFA in 2015, had spent his entire NFL career in the nation’s capital. He saw time in 89 games (17 starts) for the organization, collecting 170 tackles, 11 passes defended, and two interceptions.
This past season, the 30-year-old finished with 10 tackles in 14 games, which the majority of his playing time coming on special teams.
J.D. McKissic Returning To Washington?
J.D. McKissic is changing course. After agreeing to join the Bills, he is instead re-signing with the Commanders for the same price (Twitter link via ESPN’s Adam Schefter). 
The 28-year-old was reported to be be signing with the Bills earlier this week, on a two-year, $7MM deal. The contract also includes $1MM in incentives. As Schefter notes, the Commanders didn’t need to eclipse that figure – simply match it, as it turns out – to convince him to stay in the nation’s capital.
A former UDFA, McKissic started his career in Seattle, where he registered one start in three years. He then played in Detroit for one campaign, totalling 438 scrimmage yards. He has found much more success in his two seasons in Washington, though.
In 27 games in Landover, McKissic has started 10 of those contests. He’s totalled 133 carries for 577 yards and three touchdowns. In the passing game, he’s added 123 receptions for 986 yards and another four majors. That versatility has made him a valuable piece of Washington’s offense, paired with lead back Antonio Gibson.
Schefter adds that the Commanders initially didn’t offer McKissic a new deal (Twitter link). It was only after the agreement between him and the Bills that the team expressed an interest in retaining him. McKissic’s preference was clearly to stay put, however, and it now appears that he will do just that.
RFA Tender Decisions: 3/14/22
The deadline for teams to extend tender offers to their restricted free agents and exclusive rights free agents looms next week. We’ll keep tabs on the latest here:
RFAs
Tendered:
- Commanders: K Brian Johnson
- Saints: WR/PR Deonte Harris (second-round tender)
- Steelers: DB Marcus Allen
- Vikings: K Greg Joseph
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/14/22
It’s been a busy day around the NFL. We’ve compiled today’s minor moves below:
Denver Broncos
- To be signed: G Ben Braden
Detroit Lions
- Re-signed: LB Shaun Dion Hamilton
Houston Texans
- Re-signed: TE Antony Auclair
- Claimed (from Cowboys): CB Reggie Robinson
- Restructured: LB Kevin Pierre-Louis
Kansas City Chiefs
- Re-signed: FB Michael Burton
Los Angeles Rams
- Re-signed (two years): C/G Coleman Shelton
Tennessee Titans
- Re-signed: TE Geoff Swaim
Washington Commanders
- Re-signed: DB Troy Apke
Commanders To Extend OC Scott Turner
Washington will start a different Week 1 quarterback for a sixth straight season, acquiring Carson Wentz to be the latest. But the team ensured play-calling continuity by agreeing to terms on an extension with Scott Turner.
Turner, who took over as Washington’s offensive coordinator when Ron Rivera arrived in 2020, agreed to a multiyear extension, J.P. Finlay of NBC Sports Washington tweets.
Formerly the Panthers’ quarterbacks coach, who moved up to Carolina’s OC to close out the 2019 season, Turner will aim to maximize Wentz’s talents. Turner, 39, has been in the NFL since 2011 and is on his second run as an OC. The second-generation NFL play-caller has mentored Dwayne Haskins, Ryan Fitzpatrick (briefly) and Taylor Heinicke. Turner will be tasked with rehabilitating Wentz’s career, which has skidded off track after the Eagles and Colts traded him in the past year.
Washington did not rank inside the top 20 in points or yards during Turner’s first two seasons, but the team did not exactly have much at quarterback during that time. This led to the Commanders sending the Colts two Day 2 picks and a 2022 second-round swap for Wentz. How Wentz performs may well determine Rivera and Turner’s fates come 2023.
Commanders Extend OC Scott Turner
Scott Turner is staying put. This week, the Commanders agreed to a multi-year contract extension with their offensive coordinator, according to J.P. Finlay of NBC Sports Washington (on Twitter).
[RELATED: Commanders Trade For Wentz]
The new deal will keep him in place through 2024 as he guides an offense led by Carson Wentz. Turner has history with Commanders coach Ron Rivera, dating back to the Panthers where he served as a quality control coach (2011, 2012) and quarterbacks coach (2018, 2019).
They work well together, though they’ve yet to see real results in D.C. Washington has ranked just 28th in total yards over the last two years with Turner at the helm. The acquisition of Wentz, they hope, will change that. The Commanders have churned through a number of quarterbacks since 2020, but Wentz and his ninth-ranked QBR should help to steady things.
Before dealing for Wentz, the Commanders reportedly offered three first-round picks for Russell Wilson. Ultimately, they were topped by the Broncos, but Wentz should still provide Turner with a significant upgrade under center.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/10/22
The deadline for teams to extend tender offers to their restricted free agents and exclusive rights free agents looms next week. We’ll keep tabs on the latest here:
RFAs
Non-tendered:
- Commandeers: QB Kyle Allen
- Cowboys: LB Francis Bernard, OL Mitch Hyatt
- Raiders: FB Alec Ingold
- Rams: LB Troy Reeder
- Ravens: CB Khalil Dorsey
Commanders To Cut Landon Collins
The Commanders are set to release Landon Collins (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The two sides tried to come to terms on a pay cut, but the safety preferred to try his luck on the open market.
The old regime gave Collins a six-year, $84MM deal in 2019. That pact made him the first safety in league history to crack the $14MM/year mark. Now, midway through the megadeal, the Commanders are going to bid farewell to the 28-year-old. Releasing Collins will save $6.6MM against roughly $10MM in dead money for 2022.
By all accounts, the Commanders would have been happy to keep Collins — just not at his $16.1MM cap figure. To his credit, Collins was mostly healthy in 2021, appearing in 13 games as a linebacker/safety. Plenty of teams will have interest in the veteran, though he won’t match his previous deal. This year’s safety market — headlined by the likes of Marcus Williams, Tyrann Mathieu, and Jessie Bates III – offers more bang for the buck elsewhere.
Collins finished 2021 with 81 tackles, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and three sacks across 13 games. Now, he’ll look to reassert himself elsewhere when free agency opens on March 16.
Latest On Colts, Commanders’ Carson Wentz Trade
To say the Colts soured on Carson Wentz probably undersells this situation. While Indianapolis landed a reasonable return for its latest one-and-done starter, the team did not play this process coyly.
The Colts’ decision-makers publicly did not commit to Wentz, after Jim Irsay called a meeting in the wake of the team’s end-of-season collapse. The Colts were drifting away from Wentz before those two losses, per The Athletic’s Zak Keefer, who adds in an expansive piece the former No. 2 overall pick’s leadership qualities — or lack thereof — bothered the team to the point it could not count on its recent hired gun.
Well aware of the Colts’ course change, Wentz attempted to meet with Irsay in the past month. Irsay declined that meeting, Keefer reports, effectively ending the Wentz era before the team’s Wednesday trade with Washington. The Wentz deal leaves the Colts as a clear have-not at quarterback, but the team steadfastly abandoned ship after one season. Whomever Indianapolis starts in Week 1 of next season will be the sixth different passer to open a Colts season in the past six years.
The Colts did get the Commanders to pay up, relatively speaking. Washington initially offered fourth- and sixth-round picks for Wentz, Keefer notes. Indianapolis moved the terms to two thirds — the 2023 third can move to a second based on playing time, similar to the first-rounder exchanged in 2021’s Colts-Eagles swap — and a swap of second-round picks. The Colts now hold the No. 42 pick in the 2022 draft, climbing up five spots. Indy does not have a first-rounder in this draft, having traded it to Philly for Wentz.
Washington had offered three first-round picks for Russell Wilson, per Grant Paulsen of 106.7 The Fan (on Twitter). The Commanders offered at least that, per the Washington Post’s Mark Maske and Nicki Jhabvala, but the Seahawks traded Wilson to the Broncos. Washington let it be known it was seeking a veteran quarterback, and while Deshaun Watson was also on the team’s radar, it pulled the trigger on the Wentz trade. Indeed, Wilson refused to waive his no-trade clause for the Commanders, Charles Robinson of Yahoo.com tweets. By all accounts, Wilson had zeroed in on Denver this offseason.
As for Wentz’s Colts fit, Keefer adds the franchise’s issues with the sixth-year veteran began before Week 1 of last year. A lack of leadership and a resistance to hard coaching — a complaint mentioned in the fallout from Wentz’s Eagles run — invited early Colts doubt about Wentz. Irsay had also expressed frustration about Wentz’s refusal to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Wentz landed on the reserve/COVID list before the season and ahead of Week 17. Although Wentz finished the season with a 27-7 touchdown pass-to-interception ratio, he topped 200 passing yards just twice in his final eight games and ended the season with a career-low 4.3 QBR against the Jaguars.
Seahawks Interested In Deshaun Watson
Although Deshaun Watson‘s 2022 availability is very much in doubt, another team is set to enter the mix for the embattled Texans quarterback. A day after trading Russell Wilson, the Seahawks are interested in acquiring Watson, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com reports.
The Seahawks obtained two first-round picks, two seconds and a fifth for Wilson, whom the Broncos landed to finally fill their quarterback void. The Broncos were not believed to be interested in Watson after his sexual assault and sexual misconduct allegations surfaced last year, but other teams remain in the mix. After the Dolphins bowed out, the Panthers and Eagles have been connected to the Pro Bowl talent. And the Seahawks now have some additional resources to pursue a new starter. The Texans have not reduced their asking price, eyeing three first-round picks and more assets.
[RELATED: Dolphins GM Shuts Door On Watson Pursuit]
Watson, 26, is set to appear before a grand jury Friday, which will also feature developments in the quarterback’s civil cases. An indictment would mean Watson’s football career will again slide to the back burner. A stay on the commissioner’s exempt list would likely follow, opening the door to the prospect of multiple lost seasons for the one-time Houston centerpiece player. Even without an indictment, it is hard to imagine the passer avoiding a lengthy suspension in 2022.
Watson’s off-field issues have not stopped teams from entering the fray. With Wilson and Aaron Rodgers off the trade market, he is by far the biggest name available. The Panthers have been connected to Watson for over a year, and the quarterback-needy team discussed a deal with the Texans before the 2021 trade deadline. The Eagles also looked into Watson extensively last year. Watson did not waive his no-trade clause for anyone but the Dolphins, however. Now that they are out of the picture, he will need to reconsider other options. The Seahawks being a new suitor adds intrigue to this complex situation. The Commanders were also interested in Watson, per Wilson, but they have since traded for Carson Wentz.
Seattle used the same starting quarterback for all but three games over the past 10 years. Wilson made nine Pro Bowls and took the team to two Super Bowls and eight playoff brackets. Only one season elapsed between the Matt Hasselbeck and Wilson eras, making the current circumstances rather unusual for one of the 21st century’s most successful franchises. From this angle, it makes sense the Seahawks would pursue Watson. The Broncos included Drew Lock in the Wilson trade, but the Seahawks will surely aim higher. It appears they are willing to gauge Watson’s interest.
Watson was connected to Minnesota and Tampa Bay as destinations, though not much has emerged on those fronts in recent weeks. Seattle joins those teams in having impact wide receivers and having made recent postseason appearances, and the team plays in a division that houses Matthew Stafford, Kyler Murray and a 49ers team that just ventured to the NFC title game. With just Lock in the picture for now, the Seahawks are well off the pace.