- 11 hours ago
As the available wide receiver options on the free agency market narrow, the Washington Commanders must do their due diligence find their next WR2! Ben Standig joins The Kevin Sheehan Show to go over the remaining options for the Commanders to upgrade their wide receiver room and who's the best one.
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00:00We're talking to Ben Standing.
00:01Let's just talk receiver here for a moment.
00:04Juwan Jennings, man, that's a disappointing free agency for him.
00:09One year, $13 million in Minnesota,
00:12but I thought he would get a multi-year deal before free agency began.
00:18You believe that there was probably some interest from Washington,
00:23but not enough to get to whatever number he was asking for.
00:29Well, first, it's an $8 million base with upside to $13 million,
00:33so it's even less than what he would have thought.
00:37And I think from what I had heard,
00:38he was looking north of $15 million annually in free agency before the draft,
00:45and obviously that didn't happen.
00:46So he goes to Minnesota for a lot less.
00:48I mean, from the Washington perspective, they at least checked in.
00:53The fact that it just never seemed to get any momentum,
00:57there was never really any rumors about it.
01:00You know, at the point that we were getting towards, you know,
01:03the draft and all the Brandon Ayuk stuff keeps being discussed,
01:06I was like, okay, what is going on here?
01:07So I did try to look into it a bit more.
01:09Like, you know, again, you can tell me, I know you've talked about it,
01:12we've talked about it in all of them.
01:13You can tell me whatever you want about Brandon Ayuk,
01:15but the one thing I know is he didn't play last year.
01:18Juwan, I think, did, had nine touchdowns.
01:21He's, you know, maybe not exactly what they need in terms of, like,
01:25doesn't have, like, a certain speed that I like, but good size, whatever.
01:28He played last year at Adam Peters, knows him.
01:30That didn't work, or they didn't show that.
01:32So that's why I'm sort of just been, like, puzzled as to why is it this guy,
01:38with all the question marks that we have about Ayuk,
01:40what here's a Brandon, Juwan Jennings, who's sitting right there,
01:44Adam Peters knows him, and that didn't seem to move the needle for him.
01:48And, you know, so be it.
01:50It is what it is.
01:50Well, the players are completely different.
01:52I mean, I know Ayuk hasn't played since 2023,
01:55but they're completely different players.
01:58Ayuk is a stretch-the-field, home-run, big pass-catching threat.
02:05Juwan Jennings is the best blocking wide receiver in the NFL,
02:08who's also, I think, a little bit underrated, you know,
02:11underneath, over the middle, as a tough guy and as a good hands catcher.
02:17Yeah, no, no, they're definitely very different,
02:19but this is the beggars-choosers type of part of the offseason, right?
02:22I mean, there's only so many guys left.
02:25It's not like there's, like, okay, you go to the grocery store,
02:27you can sift through all the different kinds of cereals.
02:31Here, it's like you got three boxes.
02:33Which one do you want?
02:34And they're sticking, it seems like, with the one that I wouldn't necessarily
02:37want on my table, but they're willing to go it.
02:39And, again, you know, even with Stephon Diggs, like, am I interested in Stephon Diggs?
02:44Not really.
02:45Obviously, there's been a lot going on with him off the field.
02:48I know his recent matter got cleaned up in the court system,
02:51and, you know, he was conorated, and the case turned out, and all that.
02:54But, you know, there's been other things.
02:57But here's what I do know.
02:58Every year he plays a full season, he goes over 1,000 yards,
03:01including last year with the team that went to the Super Bowl.
03:03That guy plays, even if he's not the deep threat that Ayuki is,
03:06I know he's playing, that to me seems like a pretty good tiebreaker.
03:11So, you know, again, it is what it is in terms of why they clearly seem to be
03:17focused on one guy rather than just getting a receiver.
03:20And we'll ultimately find out if that's the way it goes and what happens.
03:23But, yeah, I mean, to me, the guys who actually play,
03:27that seems like a pretty good trait above everything else.
03:31Yeah, from Poem C on X,
03:35my guy Kevin Sheehan is willing to die on this Brandon Ayukil,
03:38and I can't tell to what degree he's leveraging radio agitation,
03:42but the commitment is impressive.
03:45Dovetails nicely with the Terry slander, too.
03:49Call segments for days.
03:52Yeah, there's no Terry slander.
03:54That's an exaggeration.
03:56I like Terry a lot.
03:58Just don't think that he is elite.
04:00That's all.
04:01It's really not that hard.
04:04It's not that I'm willing to die on this Brandon Ayukil.
04:07I'm just saying that if they're sitting there waiting for him
04:10and they end up signing him,
04:12I have to assume,
04:14tell me if you think I'm incorrect,
04:16I have to assume that they know
04:18that he is physically healthy,
04:22mentally stable,
04:23and is ready to prove everybody wrong
04:26and ready to sign a one-year prove-it deal.
04:30And under those circumstances,
04:33sign me up 100%.
04:35They're going to know more than we're going to know about the individual.
04:39And if they do it,
04:40then I'm going to assume,
04:41tell me if you think that they would do it without knowing this,
04:46that he's checked the boxes,
04:48the health boxes,
04:50both mentally and physically.
04:54That's the only justification for why this is a conversation still.
04:58If they don't have,
04:59I mean,
04:59look,
05:00this is a tricky spot for them,
05:01right?
05:01They can't technically talk.
05:03They can't talk to him.
05:04I mean,
05:04obviously,
05:05I get it.
05:05He and Jade might text all the time.
05:07That's different.
05:08They can't talk to him directly.
05:10And they,
05:11you know,
05:11there's only so much homework they can do because he's on another team.
05:15Simultaneously,
05:15if they haven't done every bit of due diligence possible,
05:18and they've waited all this time,
05:20and they've let other opportunities go by,
05:23that is awful.
05:24They write that that would be terrible planning if they'd let go.
05:28We're going to totally.
05:28Well,
05:28they did try for Pearson Dobbs.
05:33Right.
05:34Sure.
05:34But I mean,
05:35I don't even know that they wouldn't have gone.
05:37If they wouldn't have gone with IU still,
05:39it's based on how it's going.
05:41But yeah,
05:41I mean,
05:41but that,
05:42but that's,
05:42yeah,
05:43they did try for those guys,
05:44but they weren't the only receivers out there.
05:46They're just the ones,
05:47they were the biggest names and they took a shot.
05:49Didn't work.
05:49So be it.
05:50I have no issues with that.
05:52Yeah.
05:52You would like to think that they have a really,
05:54really,
05:54really,
05:55really good idea.
05:55But,
05:55but I guess here's the thing about it is,
05:57which again,
05:58makes this weird.
05:58One,
05:59if they've been able to do whatever due diligence they have,
06:02they're not the only people in the league who could do this.
06:04And yet,
06:05seemingly no other team is linked with IU on,
06:07any level.
06:08So what does that tell you?
06:10Like,
06:10it's not like they're the only team that could tell you that they all
06:13believe that there's only one place he wants to play.
06:18Okay.
06:18So you're,
06:19so again,
06:20if somebody is willing to say,
06:21we want Brandon.
06:22I use,
06:22we'll even give you more money than we're watching.
06:25It's going to give you.
06:27He still would be like,
06:29no.
06:30Yeah.
06:31Look,
06:32I mean,
06:32he threw away 30 to $40 million.
06:34So the judgment,
06:36you know,
06:37on,
06:37uh,
06:38managing finances isn't,
06:40isn't the best,
06:41uh,
06:41not,
06:41not the best track record,
06:42by the way,
06:43on Stefan digs,
06:44I'm on the record of,
06:45you know,
06:46he,
06:47like you said,
06:47is available.
06:48He played last year.
06:49He played well last year.
06:52I'm actually on some level,
06:54somewhat surprised that new England isn't bringing him back,
06:56but there is this short shelf life to the Stefan digs experience.
07:01Uh,
07:01you know,
07:02uh,
07:03historically,
07:03but I'd be fine.
07:05Uh,
07:05that would be,
07:06I,
07:07Stefan digs is never,
07:08he's been the number one on every team he's been on.
07:12And his best number two was Adam feeling like he'd be the number two with Terry at this point in
07:20his career.
07:20And I think it would be a major ad if you got what he provided last year at,
07:26at a bare minimum.
07:30Yeah.
07:31By the way,
07:31I think the list of the tryout players or maybe the rookie list just came out,
07:35but I can't look at it while we're talking.
07:37Uh,
07:38got a month to look at Twitter.
07:39Maybe it's there.
07:40He could tell you if anything's interesting.
07:41Um,
07:42but,
07:42uh,
07:43yeah,
07:43look,
07:44the,
07:44the big thing again,
07:45the fact that he is available despite having another productive season,
07:48you know,
07:48I think said,
07:49and again,
07:49there was the questions of,
07:51of his,
07:51uh,
07:52of accusations that were,
07:54uh,
07:55yeah.
07:56Against him.
07:56And people had a way through that.
07:57Okay.
07:58So I get where that may have factored in.
07:59Um,
08:00you know,
08:00look,
08:00New England moved on big time.
08:02They got Dobbs and I guess they're getting AJ Brown.
08:03So they are definitely,
08:05uh,
08:05decided,
08:06you know,
08:06despite whatever the trade AJ Brown trade is going to be,
08:08that they would rather go that route than bring Diggs back just for money.
08:12That's,
08:12that says something,
08:14uh,
08:14as well.
08:15And presumably Diggs,
08:16whatever money he's going to get,
08:17probably going to be less than Dobbs got.
08:18So they really said,
08:20so we want to move on in a variety of ways.
08:23And,
08:23you know,
08:23again,
08:25like you said,
08:25this isn't the,
08:26he's had a short,
08:27uh,
08:28we're not sure,
08:28but you know,
08:29he,
08:29he,
08:29he wears out as welcome seemingly wherever he goes under normal circumstances.
08:33I wouldn't be advocating that Washington should get him,
08:36but if you're going to,
08:37again,
08:37go down the brand that I use ground,
08:38well then,
08:39okay,
08:39wait a minute.
08:39If we're going to,
08:40I don't want to say lower principles,
08:42because that may be unfair.
08:43I don't know.
08:43Brandon.
08:44I use,
08:44they do.
08:45He may be the best teammate possible.
08:47So I don't want to go down that route,
08:48but clearly there are questions.
08:50He hasn't played since 2024.
08:51And if you're willing to go down,
08:53uh,
08:53you know,
08:54somewhat of a questionable path,
08:55why would you not at least take a longer look at the guy who's been highly productive?
09:00You know,
09:00it's like when,
09:01when Tio was,
09:02you know,
09:04you know,
09:04the number one enemy,
09:05you know,
09:06enemy in the league,
09:07the guy was also the best receiver.
09:08So people like put up with whatever he was doing because he went out there and produced.
09:12I'm not saying digs is that,
09:14but at least we've seen him produce.
09:15I,
09:16the other guy,
09:17it feels like it's a wing and a prayer and they,
09:20we just don't know anything.
09:21And that's why I think it's just,
09:24look,
09:24I can see this.
09:25If Brandon,
09:26I use shows up,
09:26he does come to Washington and he says the right things.
09:30And whether it's practice or preseason or whatever,
09:32it looks the right way.
09:33I can see a lot of us in the media going,
09:35boy,
09:35you know what?
09:36Why?
09:36I really liked his brain that exciting.
09:37The difference it's not going to be backtracking or pivoting.
09:41It's going to be,
09:42we have information.
09:43Now we have none to this point.
09:44And all these things we have is not good.
09:48That's why I think there's no sense.
09:51But,
09:51but here's the thing.
09:52I want to just go back to,
09:53to sort of my overall thoughts on this.
09:56The player was,
09:59was great in 2023 and ascending.
10:02So immediately I'm interested in,
10:04in adding that kind of a talent to my team.
10:08So then I go to the next step.
10:09We don't know anything about him since.
10:11And what we do know about him,
10:13as you just said,
10:13is primarily not good,
10:15but I have to rely on Adam Peters,
10:19Dan Quinn,
10:19front office,
10:20Jaden Daniels,
10:21that if they actually did sign him at any point,
10:25that they've done all of the due diligence.
10:28They've checked off all the boxes on all of the things that we've heard or
10:33assumed weren't good.
10:35And therefore there's a chance you're going to get that player from 2023,
10:39because if there's a chance,
10:41you're going to get that player from 2023 without any disruptions and with no
10:46downside in terms of the ability to move on contractually,
10:51then I,
10:52I'd be excited about that possibility.
10:55And I would assume that since they did it,
10:56they think that that's a possibility as well.
11:00Cause he was a great player in 2023 and descending.
11:06Yeah.
11:06I assume that they think that,
11:08but as you just said,
11:092023,
11:11I mean,
11:11I know a long time ago,
11:1324 a little bit,
11:14but like,
11:14right.
11:14That,
11:15that,
11:15that's forever ago.
11:17You know?
11:18So,
11:18I mean,
11:19that was before Jaden Daniels was in the league.
11:21So that,
11:22that's,
11:23that's the question.
11:24And again,
11:25I think the other part of this is if he was just a standard free agent,
11:30he was just hanging out on the,
11:32you know,
11:32waiting for his,
11:32for the call.
11:33He's ready to go.
11:35He's been around.
11:36This guy has been basically,
11:37it feels like a reckless.
11:38Like nobody seems to have talked to him again.
11:40I'm not,
11:41I don't mean a,
11:42a friend texting.
11:43I mean,
11:44like people in the league,
11:45anybody I've talked to,
11:46you see other reporting,
11:47Adam Schefter reported this as much that people do not seem to be able to get a
11:51hold of the guy.
11:51Yeah.
11:52Even if you're telling me that Washington is where he only wants to go,
11:55that's still weird.
11:56So I don't,
11:57that's what I'm saying.
11:58I don't,
11:58they,
11:58they know way more than we do,
12:00but based on what we know,
12:01I can't,
12:02it's hard for me to just sit here blindly and go,
12:03yeah,
12:04it makes,
12:04it makes perfect sense.
12:06All right.
12:06I gotta go.
12:07Thanks for doing this.
12:09Uh,
12:10always,
12:10man,
12:11I will,
12:11I'll bring full report on Monday for you.
12:13Of all the great things that happened.
12:14We'll be able to talk about who the wizards are going to draft on Monday as well.
12:19thank you.
12:19Come on.
12:21At Ben standing on X.
12:22We'll be able to talk about who the wizards are going to draft on Monday as well.
12:22We'll be able to talk about who the wizards are going to draft on Monday as well.
12:23We'll be able to talk about who the wizards are going to draft on Monday as well.
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