Vikings, Commanders Schedule Michael Penix Meetings; Seahawks In Play For QB?
Not mentioned among the quarterbacks projected to land in the top five, Michael Penix Jr. still profiles as a player who could certainly go off the draft board in Round 1. A number of teams are doing their homework on the recent national championship game starter.
Penix scheduled visits with the Giants, Falcons, Broncos, Raiders and Steelers recently. The Vikings and Commanders can now be added to the Washington alum’s list. Penix worked out for the Vikings recently, according to Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz, who adds the Commanders will also host the southpaw QB on a “30” visit. Penix has begun his run of “30” meetings, stopping through Denver on Tuesday and Las Vegas today.
[RELATED: Assessing Michael Penix Jr’s Draft Stock]
The Commanders should not be expected to entertain taking Penix at No. 2 overall, but Dan Quinn did not commit to the team staying in that slot. The new Washington HC only said the Commanders are likely to leave the draft with a quarterback. Still, it would be fairly surprising to see a team that just hired a new GM and HC — and one with an owner who took over less than a year ago — pass on adding an impact QB prospect without needing to trade up.
The Vikings acquiring the Texans’ No. 27 overall pick has brought consistent rumors about the team trading up. Penix, however, could be available with Minnesota’s first pick (No. 11 overall). The Vikings have never chosen a quarterback in the top 10, but since acquiring that second first-rounder, they have been consistently predicted to break that streak. It would not seem Penix would require such a move, but Minnesota is doing due diligence on a passer with an extensive injury history and a strong finish to his college career.
Transferring from Indiana, Penix dominated at Washington and piloted the Huskies to the CFP title game. Working with top-flight WR Rome Odunze, Penix posted back-to-back 4,600-yard passing seasons. Last year, he closed with 36 TD passes and averaged 8.8 yards per attempt. Two torn ACLs and two shoulder injuries have brought understandable concerns, despite Penix’s strong finish. One GM mentioned to the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora it cleared Penix medically.
While the Penix-Odunze connection proved to be one of the college game’s most dangerous in many years, the QB’s past with Ryan Grubb should also warrant close inspection. The Seahawks, who hired the former Washington OC to call plays, are again being linked to Grubb’s former pupil. Some around the league believe the NFC West team, with Penix having played in Seattle and under Grubb, could in play to land the ex-Pac-12 star at No. 16, La Canfora adds.
Closely tied to Anthony Richardson last year, the Seahawks saw the Colts select the Florida talent one spot before them. Pete Carroll said the Seahawks would have considered drafting Richardson, whom they met with last year, at No. 5. They instead kept Geno Smith as the unquestioned QB1. Thus far in Mike Macdonald‘s first weeks on the job, Smith remains unchallenged for the gig. The 33-year-old QB saw a $12.7MM chunk of his 2024 base salary shift from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee in February, and Macdonald recently named the veteran his starter. But Smith’s three-year, $75MM deal is fairly Seahawks-friendly; the team could escape it easily in 2025. The Grubb-Penix connection should certainly be monitored ahead of the draft. Smith will turn 34 in October.
With J.J. McCarthy looking likely to be drafted closer to the Caleb Williams–Jayden Daniels–Drake Maye tier, Penix joins Bo Nix as the passers who could become mid- or late-first-round selections. Both Pac-12 transfers will require significant pre-draft examination, but one team will roll the dice on the Washington product with plans to become a future starter.
Latest On UNC QB Drake Maye
With Caleb Williams effectively locked in with the first-overall pick and J.J. McCarthy quickly climbing up draft boards, North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye‘s chance of being a top-three pick isn’t as definitive as it once was.
Fortunately, the prospect can rest easy knowing that the Commanders (No. 2) and Patriots (No. 3) had the largest contingents at his pro day. The Commanders also met with Maye privately before his public workout, according to Albert Breer of TheMMQB. Specifically, coach Dan Quinn, general manager Adam Peters, and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury spoke with the prospect.
While there were reports from earlier today that the Patriots may prefer Jayden Daniels over Maye, the organization was still well represented at the prospect’s pro day. The Patriots also met with the quarterback before he threw, and de facto general manager Eliot Wolf got an up-close look at the prospect during his workout, according to Evan Lazar of the team’s website.
“It’s been awesome,” Maye said of his meeting with the Patriots (via Lazar). “Try to get to know them. Trying to get to know what they’re about, and their championship mindset to get back to the glory days.”
Interestingly, Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com writes that the Broncos were also among the most represented teams at Maye’s audition. The Broncos currently sit with the No. 12 pick, and even if Maye does fall out of the top-three, it’s unlikely he drops all the way out of the top-10. In other words, the Broncos would surely have to move up in the first round if they want the UNC product.
As Adam Caplan of ProFootballNetwork.com passes along, NFL evaluators have lauded Maye for his size, arm strength, and aggressiveness. However, the prospect received criticism for hastily leaving the pocket and trying to make “hero throws,” a pair of attributes that could surely be curbed with experience.
Commanders Sign LB Mykal Walker
Dan Quinn clearly views scheme familiarity as a priority during his first offseason as Commanders HC. Players from his past in Dallas and Seattle have surfaced in Washington. Now, a former Quinn Atlanta charge is coming to town.
Mykal Walker signed with the Commanders on Tuesday. Quinn and the former Falcons linebacker starter were not together long, as the team fired Quinn early in the 2020 season. But he was still calling the shots when Walker was drafted in the 2020 fourth round. This will continue a busy stretch of transactions for Walker, who is now on team No. 5 over the past eight months.
Spending time with the Bears, Raiders and Steelers following his summer Atlanta exit, Walker will join some recent Quinn charges in Washington. The Commanders have signed Bobby Wagner, Dorance Armstrong, Dante Fowler and Noah Igbinoghene on defense. They also added former Cowboys center Tyler Biadasz.
Walker will presumably be aiming to find some stability in Washington. Since mid-August, three teams have cut the Quinn-era Falcons draftee. Transitioning to then-DC Ryan Nielsen‘s scheme, the Falcons waived Walker during training camp. The Bears submitted a claim but did not make room on their 53-man roster for him on cutdown day. That led Walker to the Raiders’ practice squad, but the AFC West team released him a month later. It took multiple Steelers injuries to provide another opportunity for Walker, though he did finally see action again in Pittsburgh.
Kwon Alexander and ex-Washington starter Cole Holcomb suffered season-ending injuries. This led the team to give Walker five starts during the season’s second half. Walker, 26, played in eight games with Pittsburgh and started in the team’s wild-card game in Buffalo. Walker added his fourth career interception last season. He posted two INTs and added 107 tackles (four for loss) during a 2022 season that featured 12 Falcons starts. Pro Football Focus graded Walker 55th among off-ball linebackers in 2022 and slotted him outside the top 75 at the position during his half-season run in 2023.
While Wagner will be expected to start, Walker profiles as more of a flier at this point. The Commanders still roster former first-round pick Jamin Davis, and their will pair Wagner with hybrid ‘backer Frankie Luvu. Quinn will, however, give Walker a chance to fill in behind the regulars, it would appear.
Commanders Sign RB Jeremy McNichols
The Commanders are continuing to add to their running backs room. The team announced that they’ve signed running back Jeremy McNichols.
The 2017 fifth-round pick will now be joining his 10th NFL team. The running back got his longest look in Tennessee in 2020 and 2021, getting into 30 total games. He served as Derrick Henry‘s primary backup/third-down back during his first season with the Titans, finishing with 259 yards from scrimmage.
When Henry missed half of the 2021 campaign, McNichols still only served as a change-of-pace back, although he did garner a career-high 69 touches for 396 yards. The 28-year-old spent the 2023 season bouncing between the 49ers’ active roster and practice squad.
Austin Ekeler is now atop the depth chart in Washington, and the Commanders are still rostering Brian Robinson, who is coming off a season where he topped 1,100 yards from scrimmage and scored nine touchdowns. McNichols will likely compete for the RB3 spot with 2023 sixth-round pick Chris Rodriguez, who got 53 touches as a rookie playing behind Robinson and Antonio Gibson.
Commanders Sign QB Jeff Driskel
Jeff Driskel will soon have a chance to play a ninth NFL season. An eighth team will give the veteran quarterback an opportunity.
The Commanders signed Driskel on Monday, putting him on track to compete for one of the team’s reserve jobs. Driskel joins Marcus Mariota and Jake Fromm as Washington QBs presently, though a rookie passer is almost definitely going to join this trio — most likely at No. 2 overall. Driskel will turn 31 later this month. It is a one-year deal, per the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala.
[RELATED: Commanders Trade Sam Howell To Seahawks]
Although Driskel is 1-10 as a starter since coming into the league as a 2016 sixth-round pick, he has continued to find work as either a backup or third-string option. The 49ers draftee has bounced to the Bengals, Lions, Broncos, Texans, Cardinals and Browns. He split last season between Arizona and Cleveland, starting the Browns’ Week 18 game despite joining the team just before New Year’s Day.
Driskel’s Cardinals stay did not overlap with Kliff Kingsbury‘s; the Cards added the former Florida and Louisiana Tech passer just before the 2023 draft. Arizona shook up its QB room just before last season, cutting Colt McCoy and David Blough and adding Joshua Dobbs via trade. But Driskel remained part of the equation, residing on the Cardinals’ practice squad — behind Dobbs, Clayton Tune and later Kyler Murray — for most of last season.
The QB-needy Browns poached Driskel off the Cards’ P-squad in late December. Resting Joe Flacco for the playoffs, Cleveland gave Driskel the Week 18 start. He completed a 13-for-26 outing with two touchdown passes and two interceptions. For his career, Driskel is a 58.6% passer (6.1 yards per attempt) who has thrown 16 TD passes and 10 INTs. Most of his starts came in place of an injured Andy Dalton back in 2018; he went 1-4 for the Bengals down the stretch that year.
Washington’s decision at No. 2 overall represents the lead plotline in this year’s draft, with the Bears all but certain to draft Caleb Williams. The Commanders have been connected to Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy with the second pick. Dan Quinn effectively confirmed Washington would leave this draft with a quarterback, though the new HC did not specify where that passer would be drafted. That said, it would be quite surprising if the rebuilding team did not select a passer at 2. Driskel will likely have a chance to compete for the third-string job, with Mariota receiving $5.39MM guaranteed on a one-year, $6MM deal.
Commanders G Nick Allegretti Eyeing Starting Role
Nick Allegretti spent the first five seasons of his career in Kansas City, but a new deal with the defending champions would have consigned him to backup duties. The veteran guard instead departed in free agency, signing a three-year, $16MM deal with the Commanders. 
Allegretti played 74 regular season games during his tenure with the Chiefs, one which included four Super Bowl appearances and three titles. He logged only 13 starts, however, and the presence of Joe Thuney and Trey Smith meant 2024 would have been a repeat of backup and spot-start duties. The 27-year-old will now look to carve out a first-team role in Washington.
“I have a ton of respect for the guys in Kansas City,” Allegretti said (via the Commanders’ website). “I enjoyed my role there, but I think I had gotten to the point in my career where I wanted to come and be a starter in Week 1. That’s my goal coming to Washington.”
After Thuney suffered an injury in the divisional round of the 2023 playoffs, Allegretti took over as a starter for the AFC title game and Super Bowl. The former seventh-rounder also started each of Kansas City’s three postseason contests in 2020, and he will aim to parlay that big-game experience into full-time duties with his new team. Allegretti’s overall PFF grades have ranged between 52.4 and 70.4 in his career, with strong showings in pass protection being a common theme in his evaluations.
The latter factor will be a key one for the Commanders, after quarterback Sam Howell led the league in sacks taken last season. Changes along the O-line have been a priority for Washington’s new regime (led by general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn), and only right guard Sam Cosmi and right tackle Andrew Wylie remain in place as 2023 carryovers projected to start this year.
Given the terms of his contract (which includes $9MM guaranteed), Allegretti will certainly be expected to hold down a starting position with the Commanders. If he can replicate his Chiefs performances in Washington, he could go a long way toward helping his new team take a much-needed step forward along the O-line.
Seahawks Beat Out Three Teams For Sam Howell Trade
Before Sam Howell was dealt to the Seahawks, the quarterback attracted interest from a handful of other suitors. As ESPN’s Brady Henderson writes, at least three other teams negotiated a Howell trade with the Commanders.
[RELATED: Commanders To Trade QB Sam Howell To Seahawks]
One of those squads is believed to be the Rams, who have already pivoted away from Carson Wentz as Matthew Stafford‘s primary backup. When the Rams lost out on the Howell sweepstakes to their division rival, they ended up pivoting to veteran Jimmy Garoppolo, who will miss the first two games of the season after being suspended for PEDs. There was some recent chatter that the Rams could be a suitor for Jets bust Zach Wilson, and it seems pretty clear that the front office was looking to reset the QB depth chart with a veteran backup and a reclamation project.
Ultimately, the Seahawks won out, sending a third- and fifth-round pick to Washington for Howell, a fourth-round pick, and a sixth-round pick. Seattle has made it very clear that Geno Smith still sits atop the depth chart, although general manager John Schneider recently admitted that his newest acquisition could “absolutely” be a full-time starter (via Henderson).
Howell was sacked a league-high 65 times last season. As Henderson notes, part of that blame has been placed on Howell, who has been criticized for holding the ball too long. However, the Seahawks are convinced the QB was “hesitant while playing behind a struggling O-line,” and he could excel with better personnel.
With that in mind, the Seahawks still have work to do on their own offensive line, with both guard spots currently open. Henderson points to free agents Laken Tomlinson and Cody Whitehair as two potential targets for the organization.
Commanders To Sign WR Olamide Zaccheaus
Following a one-year stop in Philadelphia, Olamide Zaccheaus will be sticking in the NFC East. The veteran wide receiver has agreed to a contract with the Commanders, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
The former undrafted free agent made a name for himself in Atlanta, where he spent the first four seasons of his career. Zaccheaus earned a larger role each season during his time with the Falcons, culminating in a 2022 campaign where he hauled in 40 receptions for 533 yards and three touchdowns. The wideout spent two of his four seasons with the Falcons playing under current Commanders head coach Dan Quinn.
He caught on with the Eagles last offseason and proceeded to get into every game for his new squad. Zaccheaus mostly served as the third receiver behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, but that still only resulted in 10 catches.
In Washington, Zaccheaus could settle into that familiar WR3 role behind Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson. Swiff Army Knife weapon Curtis Samuel won’t be part of Kliff Kingsbury‘s first offense in Washington, so there are some WR snaps to go around. The team gave Dyami Brown a look last year, and the 2021 third-round pick should compete for reps behind the top-two wideouts. The team also re-signed veteran Jamison Crowder, so there’s a bit of competition for Zaccheaus to overcome.
Commanders GM: Team Not Interested In Trading DT Jonathan Allen
Jonathan Allen has expressed hesitancy about being part of another Washington rebuild. The standout defensive tackle may not have a choice.
Although the Commanders have a new head coach and football ops boss in place, the Dan Quinn–Adam Peters regime appears prepared to go into the season with Allen in place at his defensive tackle post. Peters said this week (via Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano) the team is not interested in a trade. Only Tress Way has been with the franchise longer than Allen, who is going into his eighth season.
The Commanders have Allen on what has become a team-friendly deal. Since Allen agreed to his four-year, $72MM extension in 2021, the D-tackle market has seen multiple waves adjust its contract hierarchy. Although no one approached Aaron Donald‘s $31.7MM-per-year deal while he was still active, Daron Payne‘s $22.5MM-per-year contract started the formation of a second tier on that market. The subsequent deals for Dexter Lawrence, Jeffery Simmons and Quinnen Williams preceded this year’s monster contracts handed to Chris Jones, Christian Wilkins and Justin Madubuike.
The activity on this market over the past three offseasons has dropped Allen to 12th at the position in terms of AAV. With the 2017 first-round pick signed through 2025, it can be expected he will be asked to play another season on this deal — if, in fact, he remains a Commander going into the season.
Teams asked about Allen before last year’s deadline, but Ron Rivera and Co. did not move either of their D-tackle pieces; they instead traded both their defensive ends. Rivera and other staffers did not want to give up Montez Sweat, but ownership is widely believed to have played a role in the team moving on from both its top DEs last fall.
It would be interesting to see if Josh Harris would step in on the Allen front, but considering he just hired Peters to run football ops, another such intervention would surprise. Allen is coming off a 5.5-sack season, though he totaled more QB hits (19) compared to his 7.5-sack 2022. Allen, 29, has registered 22 sacks over the past three seasons, helping a D-line compensate for Chase Young‘s injury trouble.
Washington would seem to still have an opening opposite ex-Quinn Dallas disciple Dorance Armstrong at defensive end, though fellow ex-Quinn Cowboys charge Dante Fowler and Clelin Ferrell could conceivably compete for the other starting job. But Allen staying keeps D-tackle as a team strength. Former second-round pick Phidarian Mathis joins Allen and Payne inside. A big offer could change the Commanders’ mind here, as this regime is inheriting the Rivera-era extension, and Allen could be a name to watch at the deadline come November. For now, however, the oldest of the team’s three ex-Alabama DTs is staying put.
Latest On Commanders’ QB Plans; J.J. McCarthy In Play At No. 2 Overall?
Dan Quinn effectively confirmed the long-held expectation the Commanders will be likely to draft a quarterback this year. While the new Washington HC did not indicate that move would necessarily come at No. 2 overall, that should be expected.
Which passer the NFC East team will take may be this year’s most intriguing first-round development. With the Bears almost definitely set to draft Caleb Williams first overall, a Jayden Daniels-or-Drake Maye question persists for the Commanders. But the J.J. McCarthy rise may have reached the point where Washington’s No. 2 draft slot pertains to the recent national championship-winning passer.
A number of executives at this week’s league meetings view McCarthy as the most likely Commanders choice at No. 2, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero offers (video link). This would certainly be a considerable jump from where McCarthy was viewed as Michigan’s unbeaten season wound down, but the 21-year-old prospect has continued to climb during the pre-draft process.
McCarthy impressed at his pro day, with Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline noting the number of NFL execs topped the scout count at the Ann Arbor event. The Chargers trading out of No. 5 to a team aiming to leapfrog the Giants for McCarthy should be considered in play, per Pauline. The Commanders making this sort of move would obviously make this scenario moot, though it would be a different move compared to how the 49ers played it when Adam Peters last offered input into a quarterback decision near the top of the draft.
The 2021 draft featured Trevor Lawrence locked in at No. 1 for months in advance, and the Jets’ Zach Wilson intentions became clear weeks ahead of the event. The 49ers, who had traded two future first-rounders to move up to No. 3, went with Trey Lance. This came after reports linked Mac Jones to San Francisco. Viewed as a lower-ceiling prospect compared to Lance at the time, Jones did not profile as a player worthy of the No. 3 pick. This is believed to have impacted the 49ers’ thinking, as Kyle Shanahan may or may not have been overruled regarding Jones at 3.
Neither of those passers panned out with his original team, but the 49ers giving up on Lance after two years (four starts) proved eye-opening. The miss did not deter the Commanders from naming Peters their president of football ops, however, and he faces a similar decision in his first draft running Washington’s front office.
McCarthy has already met with the Giants and Broncos, but those teams would not have a route toward outflanking the Commanders for the fast-rising ex-Wolverine. Jim Harbaugh did not ask his final Michigan QB to do too much, and he totaled just 2,991 passing yards in 15 games last season. But the 6-foot-2 passer showed accuracy improvement from the 2022 season, vaulting to a 72.3% completion rate; his TD-INT ratios in two starter seasons: 22-5, 22-4.
Daniel Jeremiah’s most recent NFL.com mock draft has Maye going to Washington at No. 2 (with the Vikings coming up to No. 4 for McCarthy), while Mel Kiper Jr.’s ESPN.com big board sends Daniels to the nation’s capital. We are still weeks away from the draft, with prospect visit season beginning.
On that note, SI.com’s Albert Breer indicates Daniels is believed to hold pole position for the Commanders, citing the fit with OC Kliff Kingsbury as part of the reason behind this placement. The 2023 Heisman winner joined McCarthy in upping his draft stock considerably in his final college season, dominating in his second year at LSU. The Raiders have been the team most closely connected to Daniels, due to Antonio Pierce‘s past with the QB when the two were at Arizona State. Las Vegas sitting at No. 13 obviously presents a steep trade path to Daniels.
But the Commanders would have first dibs on Daniels, Maye or McCarthy; as of now, FanDuel odds give Daniels a slight edge on Maye. McCarthy’s rise should certainly be monitored, however, and it has become clear a team eyeing the Michigan-developed passer will probably need to move into or near the top five to draft him.