- 17 hours ago
Dan Quinn and Adam Peters had their introductory press conference yesterday and answered some questions about improving the Commanders roster. Do you think there’s any chance Washington signs Brandon Aiyuk?
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00So training camp is on.
00:01Veterans reported yesterday.
00:03Dan Quinn and Adam Peters had their introductory press conference yesterday.
00:07They spoke to the media, a lot of whom were assembled a couple nights ago.
00:14A lot of the people we saw.
00:15At DC Prime that we were sharing drinks and food with a couple nights ago.
00:20One of the people that was not there was J.P. Finley.
00:23Right.
00:24He was there a couple years ago, but not this past.
00:26Yeah, he's been there many times.
00:27He covers the team.
00:28He's super busy.
00:29He just couldn't make it.
00:30He was there for the introductory press conference,
00:33and here's the question that he posed to Adam Peters yesterday.
00:39Adam, what for you?
00:39Just in a general sense, as you're always looking to improve the team,
00:43when you're evaluating guys to maybe bring in for workouts, whatever,
00:47what role, if any, does kind of a player's social media have in that evaluation process?
00:53That's a good roundabout question.
00:55You are a straight badass right there.
00:57No, I mean, we look at everything, J.P.
00:59I mean, it's a great question, but we do look at everything,
01:03and we want to make sure it's the right player to be in our locker room,
01:07in our bloodstream, in our culture.
01:08And, you know, we often, you know, we look at that stuff.
01:12I mean, it's not always the first thing we look at.
01:14Obviously, you're looking at the tape, and you talk to the teams that the players have been on
01:19and how they were in the locker room, the players that have played with them,
01:22and so on and so forth to make those decisions.
01:25But, you know, that's not usually a huge part of it, usually.
01:31So him ending it with usually is, you know, it's pretty telling.
01:37Yes.
01:37It tells you that, you know, it's a minor part of their evaluation process,
01:41but in Brandon Ayuk's case, they might have given a little more attention.
01:46I don't know who I was talking to on Monday night about that,
01:49but maybe I heard B. Mitch say it, too.
01:52They predicted, and maybe they were just kind of goofing around.
01:54He's just going to show up.
01:55He's just going to show up at camp with all the fans.
01:58I heard Grant Paulson basically saying the same thing
02:00as I was driving around Northern Virginia that night.
02:04Like I said yesterday, a buddy of mine said he saw him in Ashburn at a restaurant
02:10in the parking lot.
02:13Now, I assume it was him because he called his name,
02:16and the guy raised his hand and gave two fingers to him.
02:18Listen, I don't think they –
02:19So I assume he is in Ashburn somewhere.
02:22I don't think he – he's definitely not at 49ers camp.
02:25No.
02:26Well, I think you could – all those people that said that, you know,
02:28they thought that he was around here or he was posting, you know,
02:30he was from around here or wherever, I think they've been vindicated.
02:33I think they – I was wrong.
02:34I think you've been vindicated.
02:35I didn't think there was a chance he would buy a house here,
02:38and apparently he did, and I didn't think he would be here.
02:41Apparently he is.
02:42Does anybody know – does he need to physically go back to San Francisco
02:46to get reinstated, or is that something like –
02:49I don't know.
02:49Does somebody just do it from afar?
02:51No, I think he has to show up at camp.
02:52He actually has to go to their camp.
02:53That's what I've read.
02:54In order for them to release him.
02:55That's what I've read.
02:56He just doesn't appear interested.
02:58So I know, like, Beamage is kind of insinuating that, you know,
03:02just judging by his actions, not by what he's saying.
03:05So, I mean, if you wanted to play, you would do everything in your power
03:08to be eligible to play.
03:11Sure, he would already be released by the Niners.
03:14Some people are thrown out there.
03:16You know, I did that hit with Derek Forrest yesterday for DC News Now.
03:20Did I have that correct case?
03:21I believe that's correct, yeah.
03:23And Derek's a great guy, and he's like, how much of this is just,
03:26hey, Brandon and I, like any other vet, doesn't want to play yet.
03:29And when he's ready, then he'll do whatever – potentially.
03:32Then he'll do whatever it takes to be available.
03:35But right now, it's just all fun and games because he doesn't want to play.
03:39Possibly.
03:40But, like, if he really wanted to, like, hit the ground running with the
03:43Commanders and start on day one of training camp,
03:46he already would have gotten his release from the 49ers.
03:50You know what I'm saying?
03:51Like, that would have already been taken care of.
03:53Guy like him, though.
03:54Now he's going to have to fly to San Francisco, get it done, fly back here,
03:58if that's the case, waste a few days doing that.
04:01Like, I just – I don't know how serious he is about playing NFL football.
04:05Yeah.
04:05At this point.
04:06Guy like him might think, though, that he's so good and he's a proven vet
04:09that he can just kind of show up, you know, be deluded.
04:12But think he could just kind of show up and just give him a couple weeks,
04:14he'll be good.
04:15Right.
04:16You know what I mean?
04:16Well, that's where if I'm David Blau, I'm going to say, well,
04:19you're good and all, but you're not just going to leapfrog all these guys
04:23just because you showed up 10 days into training camp.
04:27Yeah.
04:27I'm not just going to give him a cut-in-line pass.
04:30I think that, you know, for better or for worse, it's over, right?
04:35The IU situation is over.
04:38So, you know, he can –
04:39Maybe he just loves the Northern Virginia area.
04:40He loves the D.C. area and wants to settle down here.
04:42I don't know.
04:43I can't get inside that dude's brain.
04:46Yeah, nobody can.
04:47I can't figure him out.
04:48Nobody can.
04:49It's a shame.
04:49I honestly do.
04:50I have no hostility towards a guy zero.
04:52I do feel bad for him if he's just lost – kind of had a break from reality
04:57or something and just lost this opportunity to continue to build
05:01generational wealth.
05:02It's really sad.
05:03But I think that ship has sailed.
05:06So, it is what it is.
05:07I think it has to.
05:08It was asked about – do they like the room?
05:10Do you want to play those clips?
05:11Do you want to play them later, Drab?
05:14They're clips where they're asked about the wide receiver room specifically,
05:19and they seem pleased.
05:21Specifically, I guess, receiver, right?
05:23That's been a big topic, of course, in the offseason here.
05:25And you had talked about wanting to surround Jaden with as much talent as possible.
05:29How do you feel you've done that this offseason?
05:31Do you feel you need to add more, and are there still possibilities that exist for that?
05:37Yeah, I think I'd start by saying, you know,
05:39really happy with what we've done in the offseason, throughout the offseason.
05:43Our staff did a great job working together and identifying guys that would help us
05:47both offensively and defensively.
05:49We, specifically wide receiver-wise, I think I've said to you guys before,
05:53really happy with who's in that room, really happy with how the guys progressed
05:57in the offseason and stepped up.
06:00And I think they're going to take another step in this training camp.
06:04But just like with any other room, any other place, if we have ways to get better,
06:08we're always going to look into that and really assess the decision,
06:13if it's the right move for our team or not.
06:15And if we do think it is, then we're not afraid to do that.
06:18So they had, you know, just they constantly, NFL teams constantly bring guys in for workouts
06:23on Mondays or Tuesdays, whatever the designated day is.
06:26And yes, it was interesting.
06:28There were three or four receivers that they went through the motions with.
06:30There were a couple punters.
06:31I guess Tressway's dealing with a peck issue.
06:34You know, I don't think they signed any of the guys.
06:36But just kind of, you know, see who's out there, what's available.
06:38Keep it in mind.
06:39If something happens down the road, they brought in eight or nine guys.
06:42I thought, I think three or four of them were receivers.
06:45And I think maybe three of them might have been punters.
06:48And that one was a quarterback.
06:50And, you know, it's kind of routine.
06:53Bring guys in, see where they're at, and just kind of have them on your board.
06:56Right.
06:56If, you know, you have to break glass and find somebody.
07:01So interesting.
07:01But I do think, I do think they like their room.
07:05And that, you know, could it get better?
07:07Of course.
07:08But I think all those guys can perform and, you know, provided that they can keep Jaden healthy
07:14and upright and the offense is clicking.
07:16They made a point of saying what a great offseason Jaden's had.
07:20But all about how he quickly picked up the offense.
07:24They love, you know, the work he did on the field here in town.
07:28But also, you know, just bringing the guys together and getting some work in out in L.A.
07:32on their own.
07:34They worked out a lot out there, I think.
07:36Seems like it.
07:37So, I don't know.
07:39Are you buying Peters when he says we're really happy with the room at the wide receivers?
07:46I think he hedged it, too, by saying we're going to look to improve it if we can.
07:50Yeah, yeah, yeah.
07:51Like any position, though.
07:52Yeah.
07:52But, yeah, I think.
07:54I'm sure any GM would say that.
07:55I think they actually had a pretty good offseason, actually.
07:59I actually think they did.
08:01They did.
08:01And I don't know.
08:04We'll have to see how it all plays out.
08:07But I'm excited to see how the new offense hits.
08:10He did mention how part of his ass specifically about, you know,
08:14how do you get Jaden, David Aldridge ass.
08:17How do you specifically get Jaden to that next level?
08:20You know, be the best version of himself.
08:22I'm paraphrasing.
08:24And they talked about how, you know, improving the defense is a big part of that.
08:29We talked about that, right?
08:30One way you can make the offense better is make the defense better
08:33so that Jaden doesn't have to put on his cape every game in the fourth quarter.
08:37Yeah, so you don't feel pressure to score 30 every single time you take the field.
08:41You know, with a two-minute drill, just trying to salvage every game, you know,
08:44some game-winning drives, some freaking Hail Mary or whatever, you know, whatever it is.
08:49So, I do think that they had a pretty good offseason.
08:52I wonder if the focus will shift.
08:54You know, the focus was on Brandon Ayuk for weeks, and it's dying down.
08:59I wonder if the focus now will shift to Stephon Diggs more.
09:03I don't know, man.
09:05I think it depends on how guys perform in camp.
09:07If they like what they see from the rookie Antonio Williams and from Van Jefferson,
09:11then they might just think that they're good heading into the season.
09:14You know, when Kahn did his projection, and of course, John's just giving his best guess.
09:19I mean, he's been there longer than anybody, but he's giving his best guess that they keep six on their
09:2253.
09:23Of course, you know, like they talked about yesterday, they really consider it their 70
09:27because it's just, you know, rotating guys off and on the practice squad throughout the season.
09:32But if they keep six, in John's mind, barring injury, that left Van Jefferson on the outside looking in.
09:41Listen, if they bring in Diggs, then who's going to be on the outside looking in?
09:47I mean, it could be De'Ami Brown.
09:49I can't see a scenario.
09:51I can't see a scenario where De'Ami Brown would be on the practice squad.
09:54I really would be surprised by that.
09:55I don't think so either.
09:56I mean, Diggs is better than De'Ami Brown.
09:57Not suggested they not.
09:59That's not even close.
10:00Maybe they keep seven.
10:00But they like what Brown brings.
10:02Maybe they keep seven and don't keep four tight ends.
10:05I just think it's going to be weird.
10:07I don't know.
10:07I actually, I don't know.
10:09I know that they like what De'Ami brings to the offense.
10:14Like he can actually stretch the field.
10:16I like his connection with Jaden.
10:17Does he have more than that in his arsenal?
10:20Like is he worth keeping around if all he can do is just run straight downfield basically
10:25and catch long, long passes?
10:27I'm sure he's been working on that.
10:29I'm sure he has.
10:29But that's kind of his reputation at this point.
10:34Well, every team needs one of those guys.
10:36If you're asking me to choose between Stephon Diggs and an end-of-the-roster guy like De'Ami Brown
10:42or Van Jefferson.
10:44So you would, no question, you wouldn't hesitate.
10:46You'd just worry about the ramifications later.
10:48If you could sign Diggs the way you look at it.
10:53It doesn't really matter who you're thinking about cutting.
10:55Because I'm not worried about the fifth and sixth wide receiver.
10:58I'm worried about the number two spot.
11:00And if you sign Stephon Diggs.
11:01I think De'Ami might be your number three, maybe, or number four.
11:04He could be higher than that.
11:05And, you know, like we're getting into semantics as far as where guys are slotted.
11:08But I know that Stephon Diggs shows up and is signed, that he's immediately the number two,
11:14if not the borderline number one wide receiver in this offense.
11:17What if it slows down your development of Antonio Williams, too?
11:22You don't care.
11:24Postpone it for another year.
11:25I can live with that, and I also think Williams might benefit by having, you know,
11:30some of the targets go the other guy's way.
11:32Because he's going to draw a lot of single coverage if both Diggs and McLaurin are out on the field.
11:38Okay.
11:38That's kind of the way I would look at that.
11:40All right.
11:40I don't know.
11:41Maybe they just don't want to spend the money, and they feel like Antonio Williams is a guy
11:45that they can plug right in, and he can be an effective piece of the offense.
11:49How much money do they have left?
11:51I thought it was in the, well, I don't know about it.
11:53I don't know exactly what it is.
11:54I thought they spent a lot of it.
11:57I thought they had in the 40s, but maybe that was before they signed all the draft picks.
12:02The commanders currently are third in the league in available cap space, 44 million.
12:06The Niners have 71 million, and the Titans have 52.
12:10The commanders are third.
12:12So they could sign the Diggs, and it's not going to hamper them financially.
12:18Let's see what happens.
12:20But remember, Kime also predicted that Iyuk would play for the commanders this year.
12:27Yeah, before all the hell broke loose.
12:28Yeah.
12:29All of the beat guys had the same vibe, that when Iyuk became available, they were going
12:35to pick him up.
12:36And maybe ultimately they will.
12:39But I think the chances of it are.
12:41I think that's just projection.
12:42I don't think that if somebody, if a beat guy tries to link somebody to the team, that
12:50it's necessarily fait accompli that the team's going to sign them.
12:53Well, it didn't happen.
12:54But I think...
12:55I just think sometimes beat guys try to connect the dots.
13:00Okay, that's possible.
13:01They are all singing the same tune.
13:02I'm not saying that Peters told them that.
13:07What I've learned from this regime is that it's one of the most tight-lipped regimes in
13:12the NFL.
13:13That's true.
13:14And that I don't think stuff gets leaked like it used to back in the day.
13:18That's fair.
13:18When Ron was here and when other coaches were here.
13:21I don't think...
13:22And when other GMs are here.
13:23I don't think it's the same type of...
13:25Matt, you might be right.
13:27They might have all just been taking a leap and connecting dots.
13:30But Standig, Nicky, John, all these guys.
13:35They don't really...
13:36This group doesn't go on a limb.
13:38They don't really go on limbs.
13:39They really don't.
13:40Yeah, but we have to look at the language.
13:42When Standig says, I could see them going after Iyuk, it's not...
13:48It's not...
13:48Oh, this team is going to draw up a contract and get Iyuk in here at the first...
13:53Well, I think it was a little stronger than I could see.
13:55I think the language before all hell broke loose was...
13:58The expectation is that when Iyuk becomes available, that they will be very interested.
14:05All I need is the 49ers to release him.
14:07Then Eric Bickle will owe me $5.
14:09I'm happy.
14:10I'll pay you now.
14:11I'll Venmo you now.
14:13I'll Venmo you now.
14:14The language of the bet was, when Iyuk's a free agent, the commanders will sign him.
14:19Right, right, right.
14:19It was before the meltdown that just kept getting worse and worse and worse.
14:23And look, if Iyuk...
14:24Well, I'll be fair.
14:25I bought into the...
14:27I knew he was crazy.
14:28Because...
14:28Well, I didn't know he was crazy.
14:29I mean, the team kicked...
14:30They kicked him off the team.
14:31And...
14:32I didn't know he was crazy.
14:33If Iyuk could follow all the rules so that he wasn't posted on this nonsense on social
14:37and he went to camp and he was waiting to be released, different story.
14:40But if he's not even in California, I mean, he's got no...
14:44I mean, it is bizarre that...
14:45He's got no chance.
14:46It's bizarre that he's buying a house here without being signed to the team yet.
14:51Like, that's weird, irrational behavior.
14:54Yeah.
14:54Like, I...
14:55By the way, buying a house about Driver 4-iron from Jadens.
15:01Yeah.
15:01Right.
15:02He's buying in the same...
15:03Kind of strange.
15:04Listen, if he ends up signing, you can send me 10 back.
15:06But I am...
15:07I'm paying you.
15:08I don't see it.
15:09I think that I was...
15:11Well, I don't know.
15:11I think I might have been right at the time, but it ended up being wrong.
15:14There you go.
15:15Paid you five bucks.
15:16Adam Schefter was on McAfee's show on Monday and said...
15:19They were talking about Iyuk and Stephon Diggs.
15:22And Schefter said that now, since everything's gone downhill with Iyuk, he says the chances
15:27of Diggs landing in Washington are considerably better.
15:30Mm-hmm.
15:33He said...
15:34He also said...
15:35Albert Breer also said, from Sports Illustrated, said that Diggs is very interested in Washington.
15:39Right.
15:40I don't know.
15:40It just seems like those dots could be more connected.
15:43Well, the chatter is building for Diggs.
15:46That's what it means.
15:47Well, that's my whole point.
15:48And maybe...
15:49And maybe...
15:49And Matt, maybe that's who they really were targeting even before Iyuk.
15:53But that's...
15:53We had no idea.
15:54That's my whole...
15:55That's my whole point, is that Adam Schefter isn't coming out and reporting that the team
16:00has interest in Diggs.
16:02That's...
16:02And then Breer is saying someone from Diggs...
16:04Yeah, he's saying it's his opinion.
16:05Obviously, Diggs has interest in this team, because he's a free agent.
16:08Hasn't been signed by anybody.
16:09Yeah.
16:10Plus, he's from here.
16:10Yeah.
16:11It makes sense.
16:11But just because it makes sense doesn't necessarily mean it's a report.
16:18You know what I mean?
16:18Of course.
16:19It's not reported that he's guaranteed.
16:21It was just the intuition, at least in my interpretation.
16:25It was the logic.
16:25As someone that pays attention to all of it...
16:28It was just the connections.
16:28They were all kind of going with the same story, and I just don't think these guys take
16:33leaps.
16:34They don't...
16:35They're not in the business of guessing.
16:37So, they could just have been all happened to be connecting dots.
16:41It's possible, for sure.
16:43But I felt like they had a real good sense, for some reason.
16:47And we have no idea who Schefter talks to.
16:50Well, I can't speak to those guys.
16:51I'm just saying, we have no idea.
16:52Yeah.
16:53I have no idea what Schefter's getting his stuff.
16:54I assume he's getting them from a source.
16:56Or maybe from Diggs' agent.
16:57Yeah, but Schefter leaves the back door open in case it doesn't happen.
17:01Of course.
17:02That's all...
17:02That's...
17:03Listen, I don't give a crap what Adam Schefter says.
17:05It's the same thing we do.
17:06Adam Schefter means nothing to me.
17:08Adam Schefter, I would take our guys, all our people, over the national guys.
17:12But I'm just...
17:12Always.
17:12What I'm saying is, you see the sentence where it's Schefter, Diggs, commanders, and then
17:18nobody's reading the fine print about what he's saying.
17:21That's basically my problem with it.
17:24Not me.
17:25I see Diggs interested in the commanders.
17:27The Ravens.
17:28I think other teams will be interested in him.
17:30I have no idea where Stephon Diggs is.
17:31I'm sure he's going to go with the highest bidder.
17:33I have no idea.
17:35Yeah.
17:36No idea.
17:36And I do think it gets a little crowded, and they're not necessarily just going to
17:41cut guys that they have three or four years invested in just because you've got a veteran
17:47who's got a better resume.
17:49Diggs definitely got a better resume than everybody.
17:51Probably everybody on the roster.
17:53Maybe even Terry.
17:54Even over Terry.
17:55100% he does.
17:55That doesn't mean they're just going to sign him.
17:57No.
17:58No.
17:58Not necessarily.
17:59I'm just going to make sense for him.
18:00He should be under consideration.
18:01I think he is.
18:02I mean, you hear that last part that Adam Peters said that he's always looking to upgrade
18:05the roster.
18:06Mm-hmm.
18:06Right.
18:06Stephon Diggs would upgrade his roster.
18:08Right.
18:08I just don't know why none of the local guys didn't put it together.
18:13That what?
18:14John Lynch and Adam Peters are very close friends.
18:17John Lynch kicked Ayuk off the team.
18:19Right.
18:19Why would Adam Peters sign a guy that his best friend says is a nut job?
18:23Yeah.
18:23It doesn't seem right.
18:23It never made sense from the very beginning for me.
18:25That's why I made the bet with you before all the social media stuff.
18:28His best friend or close friend kicked him off the team.
18:31Mm-hmm.
18:32I mean, who cares if he's friends with Jaden Daniels?
18:34Well, I don't know.
18:35He kicked him off the team.
18:36He kicked him off the team because he stopped showing up.
18:38No, it's just weird.
18:39I mean, Brandon Ayuk stopped showing up.
18:41So you can interpret that however you want.
18:43I mean, eventually, you've got to kick a guy off the team.
18:44He's got to show up.
18:45Mm-hmm.
18:45So, I mean, it wasn't Brandon Ayuk knocking on the door.
18:48Let me in.
18:48Let me in.
18:49Let me in.
18:49No, no, no.
18:50John Lynch kicked me off.
18:51That's not what happened.
18:53Brandon Ayuk, they had a falling out, and Ayuk stopped showing up.
18:56So you could pick who's to blame.
18:58Think of it like a job interview.
18:59John Lynch would never give Ayuk a – be his reference.
19:02No.
19:03Well, at this point, it went bad.
19:05At this point, it went bad.
19:06But you think that AP would only go with that?
19:09You don't think AP could look at it?
19:11So he also knows Ayuk.
19:12Lynch could be his best friend.
19:14Listen, I don't agree with my best friend on everything.
19:16Well, in the clip, he says we called around to other teams.
19:19Yeah, yeah.
19:19I mean, listen.
19:20I think that this Ayuk ship has sailed.
19:23But I don't think it had sailed before all of the public meltdown.
19:27So Drabby's claiming he had the knowledge.
19:30I didn't.
19:32I didn't have that.
19:33Maybe you did.
19:34I didn't.
19:37Oh, my gosh.
19:39I'm just – I'm looking forward to a day where we don't have to mention Brandon Ayuk's name.
19:44I see, Dan.
19:45I don't even care.
19:45I have no – it's a topic.
19:47It's killing four hours for me.
19:49I could care less.
19:50Yeah, that's exactly what it is.
19:51I could care less.
19:53I mean, it's on the outline pretty much four out of five days.
19:56I don't hate the guy.
19:58I don't have animosity towards the guy.
19:59In fact, I feel –
20:00Now I think Diggs should be on the outline four out of five days.
20:03I feel pity for him, to be honest with you.
20:05It is what it is.
20:06It's sad.
20:07You know, let's say he bought this house.
20:09It actually goes through.
20:11What's he going to do with it in six months?
20:13Probably sell it.
20:14I mean, you know, are you going to take a bath?
20:15It is terrible.
20:16Who knows what Brandon Ayuk's next move is?
20:18Well, from what I told is he can't even live in it now because it's not ready.
20:21Because the original builders went bankrupt.
20:23Yeah.
20:24It's not livable.
20:25Yeah, well, I thought it was –
20:26So he's not living in the house he bought.
20:28Right.
20:28Yeah, well, I thought it was –
20:29Because it's not ready yet.
20:30I thought they were building it.
20:31Yeah.
20:31Well, they were building, and the builders went bankrupt, so it was just sitting there on the market.
20:35The builders went bankrupt, and my guess is that eventually Brandon Ayuk is going to go bankrupt at some point.
20:42If he's buying $10 million houses, and then he's punting away $30 million in guaranteed money
20:47because he doesn't want to go work out at the Niners facility, that's a guy who's on a bullet train
20:53to not having a lot of money in five or ten years.
20:56Doesn't sound good.
20:57Doesn't sound great.
20:58Yeah.
20:58Also not great, the Tony Romo body cam video that we saw yesterday.
21:03We will get into that next here on The Fan.