Which Washington Commanders' news stories are hitting the headlines as the team reflects on two days of joint practices with the Baltimore Ravens?
The Washington Commanders get a rare day of rest and reflection after giving a tremendous account of themselves during two physical joint practices with the Baltimore Ravens. It was the best measuring stick imaginable for Ron Rivera's men at this stage and the head coach must have been thrilled with what he witnessed for the most part.
Of course, the news and rumors continue to grow. Among the stories making waves recently include Andre Jones Jr.'s impact, Terry McLaurin's increased trust, Dan Snyder potentially facing further action, and Sam Howell's growing stature.
Let's delve into each topic in more detail.
Commanders OLB Andre Jones' impact
Being a seventh-round draft selection isn't easy. You get the contract, but each player starts pretty low down the pecking order compared to others in pursuit of carving out a successful career for themselves.
Andre Jones Jr. came in on the bubble given the strength of edge rushers across the Washington Commanders. However, the Lousiana product is making a big splash throughout camp and was signaled out for special praise by head coach Ron Rivera via the team's website following their second joint practice with the Baltimore Ravens.
"Wow, he's a dynamic young man. His talent and his abilities did flash, he's a guy we have to pay attention to."Ron Rivera via Commanders.com
This is a huge positive for Jones, who looks to have a roster spot sown up. Just how much action he'll see as a rookie remains to be seen, but getting his foot in the door was the biggest objective this summer.
In that sense, it looks like a mission accomplished.
Commanders WR Terry McLaurin's improved trust
Terry McLaurin's status within the Washington Commanders is undisputed. This is the vocal leader and one of the most respected figures within the locker room, which is thanks in no small part to the way he conducts himself and possessing a rare ability to make the best out of bad on-field situations consistently.
There is real hope McLaurin's finally found a consistent quarterback under center at long last. Sam Howell seems to have more about him than others who've held responsibility under center since the wideout was drafted, which is bringing about improved trust between the two based on his comments via Sports Illustrated.
"We're still in the middle of camp, and we still got some preseason to go, but I feel like we're building a little bit of that trust where you get some one-on-one opportunity, he's gonna trust me to come down and make that play and, as myself, I just wanna continue to give him that trust. You know, when you're going against a great corner like Marlon Humphrey, and you're backside one-on-one, you gotta win those reps so he can have that confidence in you."Terry McLaurin via Sports Illustrated
The Commanders need Howell and McLaurin to hit it off from start to finish next season. If they can continue to build cohesion and other primary pass-catchers also make a lasting contribution, it's hard to envisage a scenario where the signal-caller doesn't capitalize on what appears to be a significant opportunity.
Former Commanders owner Dan Snyder in trouble
Life without Dan Snyder has been prosperous, full of hope, and completely galvanized a fanbase that had been brought to its knees under the former owner. The Washington Commanders are now in much better hands led by Josh Harris, who boasts grand plans and supreme conviction in his bid to get the organization back to its previous standing.
If Snyder thought that taking a $60 million fine from the NFL relating to the Mary Jo White report before riding off into the sunset would have been the end of everything, he might be sorely mistaken. Rep. Jamie Raskin recently wrote a letter to Rep. James Comer via The Washington Times declaring the need to refer the billionaire to the Department of Justice for potentially lying under oath and also obstructing their 14-month investigation case against the Commanders.
"Making false statements to Congress and obstructing Congressional investigations are serious crimes. This Committee cannot conduct effective oversight if witnesses misrepresent and obscure the truth. I therefore urge you to hold Mr. Snyder accountable by referring him to the Department of Justice for investigation and, if warranted, prosecution, for lying under oath and obstructing this Committee’s investigation."Rep. Jamie Raskin via Washington Times
Whether anything comes from this as Snyder lives it up on his lavish yacht is debatable. According to A.J. Perez of Front Office Sports, the DOJ isn't going to press the matter despite some pretty significant evidence staring them in the face.
If this proves accurate, Snyder's slippery, slimy image lives to fight another day.
Commanders QB Sam Howell's growing stature
There's growing confidence in everything surrounding Sam Howell. The Washington Commanders quarterback came into the offseason as an unpolished gamble at football's most pivotal position, but the signs now point to the former fifth-round pick perhaps becoming the answer to Ron Rivera's prayers under center.
Howell is growing in self-belief and stature. That's obvious from where he's at now following two outstanding days of practice against the Baltimore Ravens compared to how the signal-caller came into offseason workouts.
While it seems like a foregone conclusion, Rivera wasn't ready to officially name Howell as QB 1 after Wednesday's session. However, the head coach did acknowledge via CBS Sports how consistent he's becoming with an increased level of comfort in the huddle and as a quiet leader by example within the locker room.
"Well, again, I said I gotta sit down with both [offensive coordinator] Eric [Bieniemy] and [QBs coach] Tavita [Pritchard] and really evaluate it and make sure he's doing the things that we need him to do. And yesterday he had a really good day. We're really pleased with it after having to watch the tape, and we'll see how it is after we get a chance to watch this tape together. We're traveling today, so we'll sit down tomorrow and go through it and talk about Sam and really just evaluate that."Ron River via CBS Sports
This was the diplomatic answer, but Howell has outperformed Jacoby Brissett this summer and deserves the keys to the kingdom. How long he'll reign is entirely up to him.