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Ben Standig from The Last Man Standig Podcast joins The Kevin Sheehan Show to give a preview of the upcoming Washington Commanders’ minicamp starting tomorrow and players that could play a big role in the upcoming season
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00:00Benton Standings with us, as he is every Monday.
00:03Minicamp underway tomorrow.
00:05That'll be the last of the teamwork before they reconvene
00:10and then come back at the end of July for training camp.
00:14Ben wrote this morning, creating wide receiver two in the aggregate.
00:18We actually talked a little bit about this on Friday,
00:21but let's just say that they don't add another receiver to the mix.
00:26Just net out how they create wide receiver number two in the aggregate
00:32trying to replace Giambi, as Billy Bean said, in Moneyball.
00:40That's so funny. That was a good movie.
00:42It's one of my favorite movies.
00:44Yeah, I think when you mentioned to me that on Friday, I said,
00:48thank you, Billy Bean.
00:50He's probably right.
00:53Yeah, so look, again, ideally you have one guy that can fill that role
00:57and handle most of everything that you're looking for at a receiver.
01:02But if not, you can't just throw, well, we've got two or three other guys
01:06and we'll be fine.
01:07The key is you've got to have guys who can do different things.
01:11I thought last year, it's not that they let De'Ami Brown leave,
01:16it's that they didn't replace his specific skill set of an outside guy
01:20who can get down the field, and that's an example of where last year
01:23they just didn't have the right pieces.
01:24So when the injuries struck in particular, they were not well-equipped
01:29to deal with it.
01:31The other day, David Blau, though, made a comment discussing the room,
01:35and he said that they assembled the room kind of like the way you do
01:40with a basketball roster where you don't want to have everybody
01:43who does the same thing.
01:45You've got to have guys who can do different things.
01:48And so, you know, again, just to go back to De'Ami Brown, again,
01:52we've seen most of the story.
01:54You know, it's been largely underwhelming except for that really good stretch
01:58in the playoffs in 24, and he was the guy who could get down the field.
02:02And for his career, 29% of his catches have gone for 16 or more yards.
02:08The league average last year was 23%.
02:10So, you know, again, we're not talking about finding a guy who's like
02:15demonstrably better than everybody else.
02:17But, hey, okay, this is something that he does well that they could take
02:20advantage of.
02:21Another guy we haven't talked about a ton collectively, Van Jefferson.
02:25You know, we'll see if he's able to squeeze in the roster.
02:29But what does he bring?
02:30He brings reliability.
02:33He has not, according to a pro football reference,
02:36he has not dropped a pass since the 2023 season.
02:39Again, it's not high volume, but not a huge volume, obviously.
02:46But still, you know, didn't drop anything.
02:49Last year, he had the fourth most target for a player who didn't drop a pass.
02:55And, you know, again, it's one thing to have all the athletic ability in the world,
02:58but if you don't, you know, if you're not consistent on third and eighth,
03:00then that's not going to help the cause even if you can make a great play.
03:03So those are a couple of examples where they have different guys who can do
03:07different things and show if they don't get Ayuk or Diggs,
03:10somebody who would be more of the go-to guy there,
03:13then I think they do have enough pieces to make it work
03:17because they have enough guys who can do different things.
03:21Again, this is all assuming that Jaden Daniels does what Jaden Daniels does.
03:25If he, you know, if we're talking about the backup or Jaden Daniels,
03:28the limited world, it's not the story, but yes.
03:30You know, when they signed Van Jefferson, I talked about him on that next day
03:38because for whatever reason, especially when he was with the Rams
03:41and with Sean and with Jared Goff primarily,
03:48well, he was with Matt Stafford too.
03:50I actually liked Van Jefferson.
03:52He always struck me as a guy that was on teams with some really good receivers,
03:57I guess until last year, and just kind of got, you know,
04:01hidden behind, you know, the really good receivers that, you know,
04:05say the Rams had.
04:06But he's got size, and he – I think I've made this comparison before.
04:10There's a little Keenan Allen in him that he just doesn't drop passes.
04:14He's solid as a route runner.
04:16He's good contested catch-wise.
04:18And, like, there's nobody that's on – in this wide receiver room
04:23that I can't, like, say definitively, yeah, that's a long shot to make the team.
04:29I'm talking about the guys we know and the guys you wrote about specifically.
04:33Now, other than Terry, who would you say is the real separator?
04:39Like, that's the one thing I'm having a difficult time.
04:41Who's the guy – maybe it's Antonio Williams.
04:44But who's the guy that's really going to create this separation, you know,
04:50by the way, like Brandon Iyuk would if he were actually the player he was in 2023?
04:54Did you have somebody that fit that bill among, you know, all of the others?
05:01Yeah, I mean, again, Antonio Williams is, like, the one guy opposite.
05:05We just don't have any data on the NFL level.
05:07But what he was – when he was coming into the draft, you know,
05:11the talk was that his route running is impressive.
05:16You know, he's got good speed, a 4-4-1-40 at the combine.
05:20But he's, like, quicker than fast.
05:22And that, you know, his ability to, you know, stay at a consistent speed on the move,
05:31even when changing directions, I think he is going to be key.
05:33Now, the question is how effective is he going to be on the outside?
05:37Because if this team plays more two tight ends, which I think they will,
05:40you're looking then at two receivers.
05:42And if that other receiver is the other outside, like, is he – can he do that?
05:45In 2024, his splits were roughly 50-50 between outside and the slot.
05:50But for most of his career, Clemson, he was predominantly in the slot.
05:55They think he could play outside.
05:58That's the question.
05:58But I think he's the answer.
06:00Because, again, that's the thing.
06:01Like, all these other guys, you know, Jalen Lane and Luke McCaffrey, you know,
06:05I think there's still a wait and see because they're still young guys.
06:08I mean, Lane's only going into a second year.
06:10But, you know, with the other vets, you know, they're already –
06:13we can see the warts.
06:15It's unlikely that they're going to all of a sudden develop this, you know,
06:18monster game.
06:19But, you know, I think the other component, though,
06:21to your point of who's going to get open is the scheme.
06:24I mean, they really believe that they're going to be able to scheme guys open.
06:30And, you know, if that's the case, then, again,
06:32this is where you don't necessarily have to have some pro bowler
06:35at the other receiver spot.
06:37But, yeah, that's, you know, again, when David Plow's a new guy,
06:40we haven't seen it yet, it's not like we can sit here and say, well,
06:43it's, you know, Kyle Shanahan does X, Y, or Z.
06:46We don't know exactly, but that's their hope.
06:48Okay.
06:49So, like, we've talked about this a lot.
06:54And we, you know, you made the point last week.
06:58There hasn't actually been any real reporting on this,
07:01other than the report that there was an arrest warrant issued for him.
07:06Which, by the way, there's been no follow-up report.
07:08Like, has he actually been arrested yet?
07:12We're talking, of course, about Brandon Ayuk.
07:14And so we really don't know anything,
07:16and we don't know how this will play out.
07:19But, you know, you writing about creating wide receiver two
07:23in the aggregate off of kind of something that Plow said.
07:27Are you nearing believing?
07:30Because I think you think what I think, or have thought,
07:33which is because it hasn't been shot down,
07:37that there's a chance Ayuk's going to be on this roster
07:39before the season begins.
07:41Where are you on that?
07:43The chances they add another receiver,
07:46like Ayuk or Diggs or somebody else,
07:48but those would be the two,
07:50before the season begins or not.
07:52Where are you?
07:53Break it down in terms of your belief.
07:56Percent chance they don't add anybody
07:58versus the percent chance that they do.
08:03Well, putting Ayuk aside,
08:05just because that's such a wacky bit,
08:08you know, I don't know.
08:11I think they would probably,
08:12Ayuk aside, I feel like maybe 30% chance
08:15that they add somebody else.
08:17I mean, maybe that's even high.
08:18I think they like what they have
08:21and at least want to give it a shot.
08:22That's kind of a change for you, don't you think?
08:26Well, maybe it's because I just wrote a story
08:28about how they can recreate in the aggregate.
08:31Maybe I'm buying, you know,
08:32I'm drinking my own Kool-Aid here a little bit.
08:34But, you know, again,
08:35between Williams, McCaffrey, and Lane,
08:37that's three guys they've drafted in recent years.
08:39I mean, Adam Peters is going to want to see these things through.
08:42And, you know, again,
08:44De'Ami can do certain things,
08:46Burks, Van Jefferson.
08:47So I feel like they think they have enough there.
08:50Plus, again, Chinga Konkwu
08:51basically may be essentially the number two receiver.
08:54And if he's living up to the hype then,
08:56or to their belief,
08:57then they may even be more set than that.
09:01The Ayuk thing, though,
09:03like, on the one hand,
09:05because there's been no denial,
09:08nobody knocking it down,
09:09no other team even remotely being mentioned,
09:12the guys putting on a commander's hat and a photo,
09:15Jaden Daniels,
09:16all these things lead you to believe,
09:18okay, I guess it's heading towards him coming here.
09:21But, again, who the hell knows?
09:23I mean, there's been no reporting.
09:25We've yet to see him, again,
09:27this would be the perfect guy to actually post a workout video.
09:30We've seen nothing to actually suggest
09:32that he is going to play football this year.
09:36I mean, we assume it.
09:38And he has said versions of,
09:41you know,
09:41I'll be catching touchdowns somewhere else.
09:45Coming to an end zone near you.
09:48Okay, here you go.
09:48I mean, like,
09:49I haven't talked to anybody in the league,
09:51and maybe they're not investigating it
09:53because they're not interested,
09:54but I haven't talked to anybody in the league
09:55who's like,
09:55yeah, I would take a risk.
09:56I would take that shot.
09:57Everybody's like,
09:58run through the hills.
10:00Like, don't,
10:00what are we talking about here?
10:02So, without knowing exactly where this team is at,
10:06maybe we find out in a few weeks
10:07they were out and we just didn't know it,
10:10but I have no idea what to make of him.
10:12I'm assuming he's coming here
10:13because, again,
10:14just the way the news cycle has gone,
10:16but there really isn't a news cycle,
10:18and that's why I don't know what to make of him.
10:21Who's going to start at left guard?
10:24Chris Paul or Brandon Coleman?
10:28Yeah, it's a great question.
10:30I think this comes down to is Brandon,
10:32what has Brandon Coleman showed them since last year?
10:36You know,
10:36obviously he was benched after week two,
10:39struggling at guard.
10:40It was also the fact that he was,
10:43you know,
10:44not able to always play through some injuries,
10:47and Chris Paul did a totally solid job,
10:49especially in the passing game.
10:53But, you know,
10:54Coleman's athleticism is pretty impressive,
10:58and he would be a better fit stylistically
11:02for what they're trying to do now
11:03with the zone blocking,
11:05getting guys onto the second level
11:07and things like that.
11:08But he's got to do it.
11:09So, I feel like Chris Paul is sort of like the baseline,
11:12but if Coleman steps up,
11:15then I think he,
11:17I would think he could get the job.
11:19But, again,
11:20this is where we got to get to training camp
11:21and see what they look like.
11:22We decide until we see them with pads on
11:24or, you know,
11:25any kind of contact that's, you know,
11:27kind of impossible with the offensive line
11:28to say what's going to happen.
11:30But I think Coleman definitely could take it
11:33if he is, you know,
11:35if he's in good shape,
11:36which I assume he is.
11:38He could play through some nicks,
11:40and, you know,
11:41he shows them that his athleticism
11:43is going to be absolutely worth it at that spot.
11:46Do you see defensively them lining up
11:49in a base 3-4?
11:51Let me start with that
11:52because obviously that was a Brian Flores base defense,
11:55a 3-4 with a true nose tackle,
11:57and apparently they played base
11:59as much as anybody in the league did last year.
12:01Is that the base defense, a 3-4?
12:04And if so,
12:05is Tim Settle the nose tackle?
12:09Yeah, so I think this to me
12:10is a really interesting question
12:12because based on the Minnesota vibe,
12:17you know,
12:18it does feel like 3-4 would be like the base.
12:23I mean, again,
12:24they'll do some 4-3 as well,
12:26but like 3-4 is a base
12:27with three true defensive linemen,
12:30meaning not like away and chase on
12:32at the end with Deron Payne or something.
12:34Like, you know,
12:35essentially three defensive tackle types.
12:37But what's interesting is
12:39if they do that,
12:40then Tim Settle
12:42or whoever else is going to be playing,
12:45Kim Long, whoever,
12:45are they necessarily your best defenders, right?
12:49Because if you play,
12:50if you can do with that
12:50with the three down linemen,
12:52then you cannot have
12:54Owe, Chase on,
12:56Stiles,
12:57Chenault, and Luvu all playing.
13:00That's, you know,
13:01that's too many guys.
13:02One too many guys.
13:02So how do you make that work?
13:05Right.
13:06And that's not even factoring in,
13:08you know,
13:08Dorrance Armstrong
13:09when he gets back
13:10or, you know,
13:11anybody else who might be involved,
13:13Jordan McGee, you know.
13:14So that's where I'm sort of intrigued by
13:17is there a point of,
13:19wait,
13:19the talent level is better over here.
13:21But I think at a minimum,
13:22a 3-4.
13:24And, you know,
13:24I tried,
13:26I spoke to Eric Henderson
13:28the other day,
13:29the defensive line coach,
13:30and kind of said to him,
13:31you know,
13:32how much of a difference is it
13:33between what you're looking for
13:34at nose versus defensive tackle?
13:37And, you know,
13:38does that benefit
13:39or rule out anybody
13:40kind of here?
13:41And he said,
13:42no,
13:42everybody can basically
13:43play the nose to a degree.
13:44It's just a matter of,
13:45you know,
13:47the nose is about absorbing
13:49blocks more than it is
13:50creating pressure.
13:52And, you know,
13:53is Deron Payne,
13:54is that the best way
13:55to use Deron Payne?
13:56I don't think so, right?
13:57You want him to be
13:58as much as he can be
13:59a guy that's causing havoc,
14:03not a guy that's,
14:04you know,
14:04letting the other people
14:05cause havoc.
14:06So settle DJ Davidson,
14:07who they added from the Giants
14:09as a low-key free agent.
14:11Like those two guys
14:12have more nose tackle history
14:14than the others.
14:15But again,
14:15that's why it's interesting
14:16because it feels like
14:17on the surface
14:18they would be better off
14:19going to 4-3,
14:20get their better guys
14:21on the field.
14:22But that's my view.
14:23I don't know
14:23that they think that way.
14:25Yeah, that is,
14:26that's going to be
14:27really interesting to watch
14:28because you do want,
14:29if you have a true
14:30zero technique nose tackle,
14:32you want him
14:33to take on two guys.
14:35You want the center
14:37and a guard
14:37needing to block
14:39that player.
14:40We'll see whether
14:41or not that happens
14:42because Deron has
14:43drawn some doubles
14:44over the course
14:45of his career.
14:47Not at that position though.
14:49I want to go back
14:49to offense for a moment
14:50because you've seen,
14:52you were out there
14:53for the OTA days
14:54that you could watch
14:55and you'll be out there
14:56the next couple of days.
14:57I've had this sense
14:59going back to last summer
15:01and even heading
15:02into this offseason
15:05that there's a belief
15:07that Kager,
15:08number 89,
15:09the big tight end,
15:10actually has a shot
15:12to make the team.
15:14Did you see
15:15any evidence of that?
15:18You like yourself
15:19some Lawrence Kager.
15:20Well,
15:21I'm just sharing with you
15:23what I believe
15:23they think about him
15:25because I've heard
15:26his name mentioned
15:27unsolicited a few times.
15:30Yeah,
15:31no,
15:31Dan Quinn,
15:31I was either
15:32at the owner's meeting
15:33or at the combine
15:34I think the owner's meeting
15:35brought him up
15:36by name.
15:38I think
15:39the question for me
15:40is are they keeping
15:41four tight ends
15:42because I've already
15:43sort of just looked ahead
15:44to the 53 to some degree
15:46and there's going to be
15:47a lot more guys
15:49who are going to get
15:51cut that would
15:52raise an eyebrow
15:53in other years
15:54and this year
15:55it's just going to be like
15:55there's not enough room
15:56in the end.
15:57So I think one question
15:58is are they keeping
15:58four tight ends?
15:59They have in the last
16:00couple of years,
16:01Colson Yankoff
16:01being the fourth,
16:03but they've got three
16:04at the top
16:05with Akanku,
16:06Bates,
16:06and Sennett
16:07and they may think
16:08hey,
16:08we got to keep
16:09an extra defensive lineman
16:11or another cornerback
16:13or what have you.
16:13So we'll see.
16:14I still like Yankoff
16:16and I still would
16:17peg him as the fourth guy
16:19but you know
16:20and Kager's a little bit older.
16:21It's not like he's
16:22like a 23-year-old
16:23still around.
16:24He's a bit older.
16:25So you know,
16:27again,
16:28Quinn mentioned him
16:29so you got to
16:29keep that in mind
16:30and when you look
16:31at the guy
16:32you think oh wow
16:34how is this guy
16:34not in the Pro Bowl?
16:35I mean huge.
16:36You know he's got all the
16:37looks like he has
16:38all the tools
16:38but it obviously
16:39hasn't developed.
16:40So sure,
16:40I don't think
16:41it's impossible.
16:42It's not like Yankoff
16:43is a made man
16:44but you know
16:45he's been on the roster
16:45the last two years
16:46excellent athlete
16:49and you know
16:51I wonder
16:52if they
16:52if tight end
16:53becomes a position
16:54where they get
16:55where they decide
16:56we're going to put
16:56somebody on the
16:57practice squad
16:57and not keep a fourth.
16:59So we'll see about that.
17:00All right.
17:02Minicamp starts tomorrow.
17:04Ben will be with us
17:06hopefully before Friday
17:07maybe on Wednesday
17:08we'll see what his
17:09schedule is like
17:11but this will be
17:11the last opportunity
17:13for interviews,
17:15players
17:15and then they all
17:17they all get their
17:19true downtime
17:20before training camp
17:21begins end of July.
17:23So we'll talk some
17:24draft at some point
17:26next week
17:27in terms of the NBA draft
17:28because you've written
17:29about it on Ben's
17:30sub stack again
17:31you know Ben covers
17:32this team
17:33and that's 98%
17:34of his sub stack
17:35but he's covered
17:36basketball in this town
17:37as well
17:37and that's why
17:38I'm telling you
17:40it's worth the
17:41you know few bucks
17:41a month to subscribe
17:44you can get a link
17:45to it at Ben Standing.
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