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Latest On Brian Davis’s Commanders Bid

May 28th, 2023 at 6:23pm CST by Ely Allen

For a moment about a month and a half ago, the snag in the Commanders sale from Dan Snyder to Josh Harris had nothing to do with the source of Harris’s funds or awaiting a vote for ownership approval. Back then the snag in the deal was another bidder as Brian Davis offered up a $7 billion bid.

Davis is a D.C. native and a former star for the Duke Blue Devils basketball team, winning two national championships alongside Christian Laettner in the early-1990s. The two remained close friends and eventually pursued a few sports ventures together. They have businesses in real estate development and founded D.C. United Holdings, a holding company that controls the operating rights to the MLS team D.C. United.

Davis entering in a bid nearly $1 billion over Harris’s may have some wondering why Davis isn’t the presumed future owner of the franchise, but questions were almost immediately raised about Davis’s bid. Primarily, while Davis asserted a $7.1 billion bid, the firm tapped to handle the sale of the Commanders never considered the bid to be legitimate. Davis alleges that the reason for this lies with Bank of America, leading to a current lawsuit between Davis’s company Urban Echo Energy and Bank of America.

According to Mike Florio of NBC Sports, the lawsuits “claims that Bank of America failed to present the $7.1 billion bid to outgoing owner Daniel Snyder and that, if Bank of America had done so, Snyder would have accepted it.” According to Davis’s company’s attorneys, Davis deposited $5.1 billion for the transaction as a proof of funds in two separate transfers. In the court filings, the team included “images of two alleged copies of the bank drafts,” according to A.J. Perez of Front Office Sports. The attorneys allege that “upon information and belief, (Bank of America) never made the Snyders aware of the existence of the bank drafts.”

Pending the first court hearing tomorrow, Bank of America told the appointed judge that the documents they have in their possession raised “considerable concerns about their genuineness,” claiming that the documents look “fictitious,” according to Daniel Wallach of The Athletic. If Bank of America truly had doubts about the legitimacy of Davis’s transfer documents, it stands to reason that they were unwilling to back his bid for the sale.

On the other side of things, with the Harris deal, progress reportedly continues to be made towards an eventual sale and approval by the NFL. According to Nicki Jhabvala and Mark Maske of The Washington Post, until the deal is ratified by the league’s team owners, Harris “cannot have any role in team operations.” Harris’s group is actively working though the approval process with the league, and discussions appear to be productive.

Roger Goodell Expects Commanders Sale Ratification

May 26th, 2023 at 2:47pm CST by Adam La Rose

With the latest round of league meetings having come and gone, the sale of the Commanders remains an ongoing process. The agreement which would see Josh Harris become the team’s majority owner is the subject of review from the league and could see adjustments made in the coming weeks, but optimism is in place regarding the chances of the deal going through.

Commissioner Roger Goodell is striking a similar tone on the subject. His comments regarding the sale point to a ratification vote taking place at some point, though no timetable is in place for that to happen. At least 24 owners would need to approve the deal, something which is not expected to be in doubt if the finances of the Harris purchase can be worked out.

“I think we’ll get it to a place where it will be approved,” Goodell said, via Mark Maske and Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post. “The [finance] committee really just had their first meeting [Monday] on the matter. We really got the documents last week. So we’re hard at work as a staff looking at that, as we do every transaction. There’s a lot of due diligence as well as compliance issues. All of that’s happening and working full speed… And we’ll have a meeting at the appropriate time.”

The desire on the part of other owners to use the sale as a means of ousting Dan Snyder is well known. The latter has become embroiled in a number of scandals and investigations during his 24-year tenure at the helm of the franchise. Those issues have led to indemnification becoming a key talking point in this process, with owners attempting to not only prevent Snyder from receiving legal protection, but also ensure that they are covered against any potential future action by Snyder.

The latter is “eager ” to finalize the sale, per the Post’s report. It adds that the NFL has been in discussions with Snyder’s representatives, and that talks on the issue of indemnification are now “95%” complete. That development is particularly important with respect to the ongoing Mary Jo White investigation into the Commanders. The results of that probe, Goodell has maintained throughout its process, will be made public regardless of if it is finished before or after the sale goes through.

“When she’s concluded the investigation, she’ll let me know,” Goodell said of White. “We have pledged to make sure we tell our ownership. And we’ve pledged to make sure that the findings are made public. So we will do that.”

On the financial side, concerns have been raised about the Harris deal’s number of partners and its breaching of the NFL’s $1.1 billion debt limit for franchise sales. Detailing the matter further, Forbes’ Mike Ozanian reports that $1 billion of the Harris bid comes in the form of unsecured debt. The matter of whether that amount is considered equity (which is strictly prohibited under NFL rules) as opposed to capital could represent a major hurdle. In addition, more than the maximum 24 limited partners could be counted as being involved in the Harris group if the investors in their respective organizations are taken into account, per Ozanian.

The likeliest outcome of this process seems to remain a ratification vote taking place in the summer, but a number of issues are yet to be resolved. Presuming a sale does indeed go through, however, all parties involved will have achieved a significant shared objective.

NFC East Notes: Eagles, Davis, Giants

May 26th, 2023 at 10:56am CST by Sam Robinson

Once again positioned as a Super Bowl frontrunner, the Eagles did lose both their starting safeties (Marcus Epps, C.J. Gardner-Johnson) and three-down linebackers (T.J. Edwards, Kyzir White) in free agency. The team has retooled at those spots, placing outside additions (Terrell Edmunds, Nicholas Morrow, third-rounder Sydney Brown) and holdovers (Reed Blankenship, Nakobe Dean) in the starter picture. Dean, a former Georgia standout who unexpectedly dropped into the 2022 third round, will be expected to start, Tim McManus of ESPN.com notes, adding Edmunds and Blankenship are the early expected starters at safety. But more help will probably be on the way. The spring additions aside, McManus expects the defending NFC champions to add both at safety and linebacker before the season. The Howie Roseman-era Eagles have a history of late-offseason supplementation on defense, having acquired Gardner-Johnson barely a week before last season and having traded for Ronald Darby in August 2017.

Here is the latest from the NFC East:

  • The Cardinals’ tampering violation involving Jonathan Gannon may have impacted Vic Fangio‘s decision-making this offseason. Fangio likely would have become the Eagles’ defensive coordinator had the Cardinals and Gannon been upfront about the process that led to the two-year Eagles DC leaving for Arizona, Adam Schefter of ESPN said during a recent appearance on 97.5 The Fanatic’s John Kincade Show. Cards GM Monti Ossenfort confessed to inappropriate contact with Gannon after the NFC championship game. The Cardinals officially requested a Gannon HC interview on Super Bowl Sunday, but discussions occurred before that point. The Eagles had previously eyed Fangio, who had served as a consultant for the team last season, as a Gannon replacement. Ex-Fangio lieutenant Sean Desai is now running Philly’s defense, and the team would have needed to pay up to keep Fangio, who is earning upwards of $4MM per year with the Dolphins.
  • Lane Johnson played in all three Eagles playoff games, coming back in limited form after suffering a late-season adductor injury that required offseason surgery. With that operation successful, Johnson alerted fans this week (via Twitter) he is good to go. This injury was not expected to threaten Johnson’s training camp availability, and the Eagles are on track to have their right tackle back — and on a new deal — well in time for the season.
  • Commanders linebacker Jamin Davis will miss offseason time after undergoing a cleanup procedure on his knee, Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post tweets. This procedure occurred earlier this year and should be considered unlikely to threaten the third-year defender’s chances of starting the season on time. A 2021 first-round pick, Davis worked as a full-time starter in Washington last season, making 104 tackles (nine for loss) and tallying three sacks.
  • The Giants are making some changes to their scouting department. D.J. Boisture, a second-generation Giants staffer who had been with the team for a decade, is no longer in place as its West Coast area scout, Neil Stratton of InsidetheLeague.com tweets. Pro scout Steven Price is also out, per the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz, who notes this may be a case of neither’s contract being renewed. Price spent the past three years with the Giants. GM Joe Schoen did not make many changes to Big Blue’s scouting staff last year, but the post-draft period often sees shuffling in these departments. The Giants are also promoting Marcus Cooper — an ex-Bills exec — to a national scout role. Cooper has been with the Giants for five years. Blaise Bell, who has been in the organization since 2019, will also rise to an area scout role.
  • Oshane Ximines‘ deal to stay with the Giants will be worth the league minimum. The fifth-year outside linebacker will be tied to a one-year, $1.1MM deal, per The Athletic’s Dan Duggan, who notes the Giants are guaranteeing the former third-round pick $200K (Twitter link).

Commanders’ Armani Rogers Tears Achilles

May 24th, 2023 at 10:20am CST by Sam Robinson

Second-year Commanders tight end Armani Rogers suffered a non-contact injury during the team’s OTA session Tuesday, and an MRI revealed a serious setback.

Rogers sustained an Achilles tear, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The UDFA pass catcher is expected to undergo surgery next week. Although players have recovered from offseason Achilles tears in time for late-season returns — Cam Akers, Michael Crabtree, Terrell Suggs, to name three — this development obviously threatens to sideline Rogers until the 2024 campaign and deals a major blow to a young player’s chances of carving out a role.

Washington used Rogers on 158 offensive snaps last season; he made three starts. The son of ex-NFL linebacker Sam Rogers, Armani joined the Commanders after five college seasons (at UNLV and Ohio). He stood to vie for a spot as one of Logan Thomas‘ backups. Rogers caught five passes for 64 yards last season.

The Commanders have Thomas signed through 2024 and carry third-year tight end John Bates and 2022 fifth-round pick Cole Turner. Bates logged 510 offensive snaps last year, while Turner played 245 as a rookie.

Commanders Release LB Nate Gerry

May 23rd, 2023 at 7:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

Joining the likes of Cedric Ogbuehi and Germain Ifedi, Nate Gerry signed a free agent deal in March only to be released in May. The Commanders cut ties with the veteran linebacker Tuesday.

The Gerry release will open a roster spot for recent XFL linebacker Ferrod Gardner. Playing for the D.C. Defenders in the XFL’s third go-round, Gardner saw action in 10 games. The Commanders are giving Gardner another chance, after the 2022 UDFA spent a few months with the team over the past year. The Commanders recently signed XFL O-lineman Jaryd Jones-Smith as well.

Gerry, 28, initially signed with the Commanders last summer. The former Eagles starter played a reserve role in Washington but was not a gameday roster regular. Failing to make the team out of training camp, Gerry rejoined the Commanders on a practice squad deal. He ended up playing in just four games with the team, regularly making the Saturday-afternoon climb from the P-squad to Washington’s active roster. When active, Gerry played exclusively on special teams for the Commanders.

Nevertheless, Washington brought the Nebraska alum back on a league-minimum deal in March. Gerry has 22 career starts on his resume. A converted safety, he was part of Philadelphia’s 2017 Super Bowl-winning team as a backup and special-teamer. After the Eagles cut costs at linebacker, moving on from Mychal Kendricks and Jordan Hicks, Gerry ascended to a starting position. He started 12 games for Philly’s 2019 division-winning team, totaling 78 tackles, 2.5 sacks and two interceptions. With the Eagles parting ways with Nigel Bradham in 2020, Gerry started all seven games he played. He spent part of the 2021 season on the 49ers’ practice squad.

The Commanders made some changes at linebacker this offseason, letting Cole Holcomb walk in free agency and signing ex-Seahawk Cody Barton. Two years remain on former first-rounder Jamin Davis‘ contract, and the team re-signed David Mayo in February.

Colts’ Jim Irsay, Cowboys’ Jerry Jones Address Commanders Sale

May 23rd, 2023 at 9:58am CST by Adam La Rose

One of the key topics of conversation during the first day of the current league meetings was the sale of the Commanders. Despite the fact that a deal is in place for Josh Harris to replace Dan Snyder as owner, ratification from the league may not come for some time.

Harris and Snyder entered into a signed, exclusive agreement earlier this month. As a result of that deal, the franchise is on track to sell for a record-breaking $6.05 billion, though issues have arisen given the structure of the agreement. Specifically, the Harris group’s ability to stay under the league’s $1.1 billion debt limit to finance the purchase is a hurdle which has yet to be cleared.

As a result, no timeline is currently in place for the league’s finance committee to produce a recommended course of action, and, subsequently, for owners to vote on the sale. At least 24 owners would need to approve the deal, something which has long been considered a formality due in large part to the widespread desire to have Snyder’s tenure at the helm of the Commanders come to a conclusive end. Whether or not this process will be completed before the fall remains an open question, though.

When speaking on that point, Colts owner Jim Irsay said, via The Athletic’s Ben Standig, “we’d like to see it get done. But, we’re not there yet” (subscription required). Irsay added that “probably several more weeks of discussions” will be necessary to finalize the transfer of ownership to Harris, who has a controlling stake in the Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Devils and English Premier League club Crystal Palace.

Adding to the optimism that this deal will cross the finish line, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said, “I would anticipate it being done. These are outstandingly qualified owners” (video link via Jori Epstein of Yahoo Sports). Jones added that he does not foresee the agreement’s structure – which includes support from numerous investors, including NBA legend Magic Johnson – as being enough of an issue to prevent an ultimate approval.

“To have a new ownership group in there before the season opener, that would be a goal,” Irsay said. “It’s not an impossibility. There would be a special meeting after July 4 for something like that to happen. I know that the commissioner will continue to look and see what our schedule is going to be. But there’s work to be done.”

As the sale of the Broncos last offseason showed, a gap in time can exist between a winning bid emerging and final ratification taking place. Plenty of time remains for that to happen in this case, and the league will likely work with increased urgency to allow for Harris to be installed as owner in time for the regular season as the summer moves along.

“There are different layers of league policy that exist beyond just that acquisition and that sort of thing,” Irsay added. “So it’s just trying to make sure deals comply with that… In the end, we’re hopeful that we can work towards getting a deal done.”

Latest On Colts Investigation Into Commanders’ Andrew Luck Inquiry

May 22nd, 2023 at 9:58am CST by Adam La Rose

Earlier this month, the prospect of tampering charges being levied against the Commanders for their potential interest in Andrew Luck in the 2022 offseason was raised. Now, however, no further action appears set to take place.

Washington reportedly showed interest in the former Colts quarterback last offseason as part of their attempt to land a veteran passer, an effort which ultimately yielded a trade for Carson Wentz. With Luck still under contract to Indianapolis, though, they would need to be made aware of any conversations interested teams had in bringing the former No. 1 pick out of retirement.

The Colts began an investigation into the specifics of conversations Washington had regarding Luck, though it was reported almost immediately thereafter that no one from the Commanders made any direct contact with him. Despite a very public response from Colts owner Jim Irsay on the situation, it was thus expected that little (if anything) would come of the matter with respect to league discipline.

Indeed, Mark Maske and Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post report that a lack of hard evidence tying the Commanders to Luck means this situation is likely to “fade away.” That represents a stark contrast to recent history on the tampering front; the Dolphins were docked a first- and third-round pick among other punishments last year for inappropriate negotiations with Tom Brady and Sean Payton, while the Cardinals and Eagles worked out a swap of draft picks to resolve the process by which Jonathan Gannon became Arizona’s head coach.

Despite the fact that the league “does not appear” to have investigated the Luck situation, per the Post, ESPN’s Stephen Holder notes that the Colts are now satisfied with the matter. Holder confirms that the Commanders “never spoke to Luck or anyone in his immediate circle,” meaning no violation of the league’s anti-tampering policy occurred.

With Luck still fully expected to remain retired, as he has been since 2019, this situation coming to a close without further incident will allow both teams to move forward in their chosen directions under center. With Wentz having been released, the Commanders have committed to 2022 fifth-rounder Sam Howell as their starter, while the Colts believe they have their long-term answer at the position in the form of Anthony Richardson, selected fourth overall in this year’s draft.

Commanders Rumors: Gibson, Rivera, Quon

May 20th, 2023 at 5:43pm CST by Ely Allen

The Commanders running backs room has some exciting depth with a fully healthy Brian Robinson entering his sophomore season and sixth-round pick out of Kentucky Christopher Rodriguez coming in as the new rookie in the position room. While Robinson and Rodriguez elicit some excitement in the nation’s capital, head coach Ron Rivera is still excited about what fourth-year back Antonio Gibson brings to the room.

Gibson seems to often be forgotten despite a string of strong performances to open his career. As a rookie, Gibson shouldered the lead-back duties en route to 1,042 scrimmage yards (795 rushing, 247 receiving) and 11 rushing touchdowns. In his sophomore season, he showed improvement with 1,331 scrimmage yards (1,037 rushing, 294 receiving) and 10 total touchdowns (seven rushing, three receiving). Last season, Gibson gracefully took a back seat, allowing Robinson to come into the lead-back role after recovering from his gunshot wound.

Gibson started the first five contests of the season until Robinson was ready to take the reins. Even after allowing Robinson to start taking more and more carries, Gibson stayed ready, rushing for double-digit carries when asked and continuing to perform as the team’s best receiving back. He was, in fact, one of the league’s best receiving backs, finishing below only 49ers star Christian McCaffrey in receiving rating for running backs, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Not only that, but Gibson even took on additional duties, returning kicks for the team from Week 6 on.

Gibson should continue in a third-down/passing-down role and should continue to contribute strongly off the bench. The coaches are still excited about what he can do, and Gibson should be motivated to continue making the most of his opportunities with free agency looming on the horizon of the season.

Here are a few more rumors coming out of Washington, D.C.:

  • Lost in all the recent conversations of a potential ownership change in Washington is its impact on other team leaders. Rivera has experienced a change of regimes before in Carolina, when the franchise changed hands from Jerry Richardson to David Tepper. Rivera told Matthew Paras of The Washington Times that, while Richardson was a bit more hands-off, Tepper required “constant feedback and attention to things.” Tepper’s need for involvement was not something for which Rivera had been prepared, but now, having had that experience, Rivera feels he knows what it will take to “mesh” with the team’s future ownership. “I’ve got to be very specific and very clear cut with what our vision is going forward,” Rivera told Paras. “And it has to mesh…When that opportunity comes, when I sit down (with new ownership) and go through the explanation, I’m going to be very concise.”
  • The Commanders made an addition to their training staff this month, rehiring assistant athletic trainer Doug Quon to his previous role, according to Nicki Jhabvala and Mark Maske of The Washington Post. Quon was placed on administrative leave a bit over 18 months ago during an investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration into head athletic trainer Ryan Vermillion. Quon was placed on leave shortly after Vermillion, but Quon was never charged and was never officially tied to the activities that got Vermillion suspended from working with any NFL team indefinitely. After being approved by both the NFL and the NFL Players Association, Quon officially rejoined the Commanders at rookie minicamps earlier this month.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/19/23

May 19th, 2023 at 7:00pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s mid- to late- draft pick signings from around the NFL:

Washington Commanders

Stromberg was brought in with the intention that he would compete for the starting center job with returning starter Chase Roullier and former Giant Nick Gates. The oft-injured Rouiller was released two weeks ago. Gates has spent most of his time in the NFL at the center position but has experience at both guard spots and right tackle, as well.

While Stromberg has a decent opportunity to earn a starting spot, Daniels will be competing with Cornelius Lucas for one of the top backup spots behind starting tackles Andrew Wylie and Charles Leno.

No NFL Vote Imminent On Josh Harris’ Commanders Purchase

May 19th, 2023 at 9:53am CST by Sam Robinson

The prospect of next week’s owners meetings being the venue for a ratification vote on Josh Harris‘ Commanders purchase looked like a long-shot proposition. The NFL has since confirmed no vote will take place at the May 22-23 set of spring meetings in Minneapolis, according to the Associated Press.

Harris’ $6.05 billion exclusive sale agreement with Dan Snyder remains under standard review, and the deal’s complications will almost definitely drag this process out well into the summer. While Harris (and an expansive number of investors) are prepared to put up a record-shattering price for the Commanders, speedbumps have emerged.

Last year’s Broncos sale — a sweepstakes that featured Harris’ group finishing second — brought a two-month gap between Rob Walton‘s then-record-setting bid ($4.65 billion) to his August 9 ratification. As expected, the Walmart heir’s group encountered no turbulence. The league vetted Harris — who owns the Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Devils and Premier League club Crystal Palace — during the run-up to Walton’s Broncos acquisition, but issues with the structure of his Commanders bid have caused concern among other owners, ESPN.com’s John Keim adds.

The sale must go through the NFL finance committee and then receive 24 votes from the other owners to be ratified. The number of partners in Harris’ group (north of 12) will lengthen the vetting timetable, especially with some of the investors based outside the country. Magic Johnson, billionaire Mitchell Rales and David Blitzer, who is part of Harris’ Devils and 76ers ownership groups, are among the investors.

Matters pertaining to the NFL’s debt limit, with league rules stipulating buyers of teams being able to borrow up to $1.1 billion secured against the franchise, also serve as barriers en route to Harris’ purchase. The finance committee considers the Harris deal well above the debt limit, per Mark Maske and Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post. No red tape regarding financial construction would have likely emerged had Amazon founder Jeff Bezos submitted a bid, but the longtime Snyder nemesis did not do so. Bezos bowing out immediately preceded Harris moving into pole position.

These hurdles have led to rumors that this Harris bid would not be approved were it not for owners’ desire to see Snyder’s scandal-ridden ownership tenure end. That said, Harris’ group contends, per Keim, the NFL has not voiced concerns about the sale agreement to this point. That chapter may be in store, but for now, the league continues its examination stage regarding Snyder’s exit.

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