Which Washington Commanders news stories are hitting the headlines as the dust settles on their heavy Week 13 loss against the Miami Dolphins?
Unrest and frustrations are threatening to boil over as the Washington Commanders stumble towards the end of their 2023 season. This is a team that looks devoid of inspiration or ideas, but there are still four games to get through before Josh Harris' ownership group makes some landmark changes to the staffing infrastructure.
For now, the Commanders are heading off on their bye week with far more questions than answers. While we wait for further developments, the stories accumulating column inches include Sam Howell's intent, Ron Rivera on the team's lack of growth, Jonathan Allen doubling down, and Washington selecting a franchise left tackle in Pro Football Focus' mock draft.
Let's delve into each topic in more detail.
Sam Howell on Terry McLaurin's involvement
Terry McLaurin's tongue-in-cheek statement about doing a lot of cardio after gaining zero receptions from three targets against the Miami Dolphins led to speculation of unhappiness. The wide receiver is having a down year by his usually high standards, which nobody associated with the Washington Commanders envisaged when Eric Bieniemy came on board to run the offense.
When discussing McLaurin's usage, quarterback Sam Howell admitted they have to make him the focal point more often via Ben Standig of The Athletic. But with four games left, the Commanders are running out of time.
"It's definitely not what we want to do coming into the game. I feel like we started to get all of our guys involved in the game today, and we just got to be better. You know [Terry McLaurin] is the best part of our offense and we got to find ways to get him the football; I've got to find ways to get him the football. Obviously, he had a few targets, but three targets are not enough for your best player. So, we just got to find more ways to get him involved."Sam Howell via X/Twitter
It'll be interesting to see what - if any - adjustments are made during the bye week. If McLaurin continues to be a non-factor, he might start looking at his future in Washington a little differently.
Ron Rivera lays down the gauntlet
Talk has long been cheap for Ron Rivera. The head coach is under extreme pressure after another losing season was confirmed with Sunday's loss against the Miami Dolphins, which is a damning indictment on his coaching methods and roster building since joining the Washington Commanders.
There's a sense of finality approaching for Rivera in terms of his future beyond the campaign. But he challenged his players to keep fighting through adversity over their remaining four games after the bye based on comments via John Keim of ESPN.
"It is difficult, it is hard, and it's going to be hard. That's just the way it is. You can only say so much about development and growth; you can only say so much about the process. There's a certain point in time when you get to each year and say, now's the time, let's go. I mean, the process is now, and the time is now. So, let's see what we can do. We've got four [games] left. I expect everybody to be a professional show up and do their job."Ron Rivera via ESPN
Just how much fight remains in this group of players is the big question. It's evident some are no longer putting in maximum effort, so the Commanders will tread water through the rest of their regular season engagements before embarking on one of the most critical offseason periods in franchise history.
Jonathan Allen doubles down on Commanders future
It doesn't take a genius to figure out that Jonathan Allen is far from pleased about another season of abject failure. The Washington Commanders sit at 4-9 heading into their bye week, which is a far cry from the bold claims of potentially securing a playoff berth before the 2023 campaign.
Allen hasn't been shy in voicing his frustrations throughout the season. The veteran defensive tackle is tired of losing and doubled down on his intent not to go through yet another rebuild in Washington based on comments via Sports Illustrated.
"I do want to win. I’m not in the business of going through another rebuild. One thousand percent. I mean, I'd be lying if I said I didn't. I play this game to win, and I would love to win here for sure, but I want to win first and foremost…That's always going to be at the front and center of my mind."Jonathan Allen via Sports Illustrated
The former first-round pick out of Alabama went on to say he'll evaluate his future after the team finishes the season. But Allen didn't rule out the prospect of his representatives going to the Commanders and asking for a trade.
If Allen doesn't want to be part of a rebuilding process - which is exactly what the Commanders will be undertaking this offseason - then the eventual outcome is obvious. Something that would give Washington more draft capital to spend on problem position groups.
Commanders draft Olumuyiwa Fashanu in PFF mock
Don't look now, but the Washington Commanders currently hold the No. 4 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. This puts them within touching distance of a top-level quarterback prospect if the new regime decides Sam Howell hasn't done enough, which is a contentious issue right now considering the dire need to fortify the offensive line.
The Commanders could get to No. 3 at the highest, one suspects. Whether Drake Maye or Caleb Williams will be around at that point remains to be seen, but what good is having a franchise-caliber presence under center if the protection is as woeful as it has been this season?
Washington needs to prioritize their offensive line above all else next spring. Something that was recognized by Trevor Sikkema from Pro Football Focus, who had the Commanders picking stud left tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu in his latest mock draft.
"The Commanders could certainly entertain a quarterback with a top-10 pick, but with Williams and Maye off the board, they grab an ace in the trenches instead. Fashanu has rare movement skills in pass protection for a 6-foot-6, 320-pounder. He has never recorded a single-season pass-blocking grade below 84.0, posting an 88.4 mark in that category this season to pair with a career-best 70.5 run-blocking grade."Trevor Sikkema, PFF
Fashanu is widely regarded as the best blindside protector to emerge from the college ranks in some time. He's been almost flawless throughout his stint at Penn State, taking his game up another notch in 2023 to cement his status as one of the best prospects entering the NFL next year.
This would be a home run hit for the Commanders. One that could finally provide them with a genuine cornerstone left tackle for the first time since trading Trent Williams to the San Francisco 49ers.