Which Washington Commanders' news stories are hitting the headlines with two days left until their first training camp practice this summer?
Football is almost back as the Washington Commanders gear up for their opening training camp practice on July 27. This is the first of 12 sessions that will be open to the public, with Ron Rivera's men also making the trip to Maryland for joint practices with the Baltimore Ravens before their 2023 season opener against the Arizona Cardinals.
Before then, among the stories causing conversation recently include Sam Howell's tendancies, Josh Harris' sleepless nights, the Commanders bringing in another kicker for camp competition, and Andrew Norwell finally getting his marching orders.
Let's delve into each topic in more detail.
Commanders release Andrew Norwell
With training camp on the immediate horizon, the Washington Commanders made an expected move byreleasing Andrew Nowell. This is something that was widely anticipated once the interior offensive lineman passed medicals, which frees up just over $4 million in salary-cap space to spend elsewhere.
Norwell linked up with Ron Rivera once again in 2022 free agency after a successful stint together with the Carolina Panthers, but he failed to provide the consistency needed. The former All-Pro gave up four sacks and conceded five penalties from 1,129 snaps during his one and only campaign in Washington, but the experienced figure should find work elsewhere providing there are no further complications on the health front.
As for the Commanders, they are moving forward with a revamped guard tandem of Saahdiq Charles and Sam Cosmi. Whether this improves matters remains to be seen.
Commanders have a kicking competition
As it turned out, Andrew Norwell's roster spot wasn't free for long.
Just a few short hours after the Washington Commanders announced his departure, they confirmed the signing of kicker Michael Badgley following his own shock release from the Detroit Lions last Thursday. This was greeted with positivity from the fanbase, who didn't want to see Joey Slye get complacent with a free run to a roster spot in 2023.
Badgley has been something of a journeyman after spending his first three seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers. His career field goal percentage stands at 81.7, which is slightly lower than Slye's at 82.9 percent.
Whether this results in Badgley earning his place on the team remains to be seen. But it adds another fascinating dynamic to camp and should spark some added urgency to Slye's production with someone breathing down his neck.
Slye is a close associate of Ron Rivera's from their time together at the Carolina Panthers. He might be built like a linebacker, but accuracy was a major issue on occasion last season and unless things improve, the former Virginia Tech star might find himself looking for alternative employment.
Rivera has preached the importance of increased competition across the Commanders ahead of such a critical campaign. Considering his own job status is hanging in the balance, the respected figurehead would be wise to keep sentiment out of his decision-making process.
Commanders QB Sam Howell's tendencies
Sam Howell is all set for his second training camp as an NFL professional. This one bares even more significance considering he descends on Ashburn as the Washington Commanders starting quarterback.
Nothing has been confirmed one way or another for Week 1 by head coach Ron Rivera. He'll give Howell the first shot at winning the job, but the presence of veteran free-agent signing Jacoby Brissett provides the Commanders with a dependable distributor if the former fifth-round selection cannot meet expectations.
It's a small sample size to go off where Howell is concerned with only one NFL start. But that didn't stop Pro Football Focus' QB Annual from throwing out some tendencies that were not in keeping with the way Eric Bieniemy's offense ran with the Kansas City Chiefs. Something that was explained in greater detail by David Harrison from Sports Illustrated.
"[Sam] Howell targeted wide aligned receivers on 47 percent of his passes followed by 41 percent to the slot and 12 percent to players in or coming out of the backfield. None of his targeted throws were intended for inline tight ends. Looking at Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ route map from last season we see an offense led by now Washington assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy that ran routes mostly in the middle and left sides of the offensive formation. Again, it’s hard to draw too many concrete conclusions from the data provided, but it’s interesting to note and observe to see if Howell’s affinity for the right side persists with a coach that came from nearly the polar opposite in terms of offensive scheme last season."David Harrison, Sports Illustrated
This might be something and nothing at the same time. Even if there are some tendencies that don't necessarily mesh between Howell and Bieniemy initially, training camp represents the perfect time to iron out whatever creases could emerge when the real action arrives.
Commanders owner Josh Harris' sleepless nights
Even though there was an incredible sense of optimism throughout the Josh Harris ownership group's introductory press conference and pep rally, the magnitude of such a monumental moment wasn't lost on the majority partner. This is something he's worked hard to achieve and knows exactly what it means after such a turbulent 24 years under Dan Snyder.
The Washington Commanders aren't going to become a superpower overnight. There's a big mess to clean up and a lot of hard work ahead - something that's already giving Harris sleepless nights based on his initial comments via The Spun.
"Look, I’m a middle-class kid from Chevy Chase; this is an exciting day for me. But honestly, it’s not about me. It’s about the city and the fans. So I’ll just tell you that I feel an awesome sense of responsibility to deliver. And so as much as this is exciting, I’m having some sleepless nights because I’m thinking already about how I can deliver. I know there’s a lot of hard work coming."Josh Harris via The Spun
Fans should approach the first few months of this new ownership with realism. Harris and his wealthy team of investors will take their time to assess almost everything associated with the franchise before taking drastic stapes - with their immediate focus centering on improving the experience at FedEx Field and immersing the Commanders within the community once again.
What comes after that is dependent on how the team performs, discussions with influential figures within the organization, and how receptive government officials are to a potential new stadium at various locations in the area.
Harris grew up a fan and is no doubt eager to begin restoring the successful foundations in Washington. But remaining methodical amid the excitement represents the best course of action.