Commanders News: Sam Howell, Quan Martin, Dyami Brown and Chase Young
By Dean Jones
Which Washington Commanders' news stories are hitting the headlines as the clock ticks towards the franchise sale approval in eight days' time?
There are now eight days left before NFL owners will meet to formally push through the Washington Commanders sale to Josh Harris' ambitious group of wealthy investors. Whether some corners have been cut to remove Dan Snyder is irrelevant - all that matters is this storied organization getting the chance to move forward positively after so much misery.
Until then, among the stories generating buzz recently include Sam Howell's boom or bust potential, Quan Martin's versatility, picking Dyami Brown over Amon-Ra St. Brown, and the Seattle Seahawks urged to make their play for defensive end Chase Young.
Let's delve into each topic in more detail.
Commanders DB Quan Martin's versatility praised
Position versatility is something head coach Ron Rivera values highly. This is normally evident with his choices across the offensive line, but selecting Quan Martin at No. 47 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft brings this mindset over to the Washington Commanders' defense, too.
Martin is a unique football player. His size, athleticism, and ferocious physicality enable him to occupy multiple positions with relative comfort - whether that be slot cornerback, safety, or even a coverage linebacker if the situation dictates. Something that Illinois defensive coordinator Aaron Henry stated via the team's website comes with endless possibilities.
"I've never had a player like him ever. There's not much that he can't do. I've been doing this for 12 years. I have never had a defensive back as versatile as him. On certain personnel grouping, he went to free [safety] and certain personnel groupings, he went to nickel. When you have a guy that's so versatile on the field, teams don't know what subgroup you're in. He can go from covering a slot receiver to a tight end. You got a guy like that on the football field, man, it opens up your playbook."
- Aaron Henry via Commanders.com
The Commanders invested their first two draft picks in their secondary. If Martin and ballhawk cornerback Emmanuel Forbes hit the ground running, it's hard to envisage any scenario other than Washington's defense becoming the NFL's best in 2023.