- 9 hours ago
Commanders Reporter Ben Standig from The Last Man Standig Podcast and Substack joins The Kevin Sheehan Show to preview the Commanders’ Week 5 matchup against the New York Giants. They discuss the surprise release of rookie running back Kaytron Allen, the return of Jeremy McNichols, and injury updates on Jayden Daniels, Terry McLaurin, and Stefon Diggs. Standig wraps up with his prediction for the Commanders big division matchup.
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00:00All right Ben's with us as he is every Monday and Friday at 12. He may have to bolt early
00:05because Quinn's going to talk at 1220. I did retweet your tweet yesterday about
00:12the alarm over the waving of a sixth round pick. I thought that that was an interesting reaction
00:20for many. I saw it show up in my timeline but rather than harp on the hysterical reaction
00:27to the cutting of a sixth round pick. Tell us why he was released and what they're going
00:35what they're planning on doing with say McNichols and even Allen back to the practice squad.
00:41Yeah I think the why is still a little bit of a mystery. I mean obviously if you know you
00:46have
00:46but people have seen the injury report this week they may be up against it in terms of you know
00:51needing guys and whether it's assigning somebody to the active roster or what have you they may
00:57need just open spots to deal with everything they have to deal with. They have four you know they
01:01have you know they should be okay at running back so I'm guessing McNichols is activated but we'll see
01:07about that. It is confusing as to why they chose to do this. Now let's not forget that like the
01:16first
01:17two games K-Tron Allen had some carries. He was the guy that they brought in to replace Bill after
01:23Bill fumbled in week one against Eagles late in the fourth quarter so they were showing some
01:28confidence in him then. Then week three no offensive snaps not those touches no snaps so that's kind of
01:34odd and you know when they signed Eckler a week before the Seattle or they agreed to Eckler before
01:39the Seattle game someone told me I don't know I'm not reporting this as fact or anything but you know
01:43they may have made this move then so I don't know if something happened with K-Tron Allen but
01:48whatever the reason I think they're I mean I heard Adam Peters today on The Junkies say that
01:54they would hope they would hope he clears waivers and brings him back. I don't think he's going to
01:58clear waivers from what I'm gathering. I think he's going to get snatched by somebody. I mean it's possible
02:02everything decided the last minute to not do it but I think he's not I think he's going to get
02:07claimed
02:07by somebody and so then the real question is like well is this really the risk you thought you were
02:12taking it? Why would you take this risk? I know again if you have to open up roster spots you
02:16had
02:16to do something. Was that the something to do? You know you got the offensive lineman if a UDFA
02:22in Taneo who maybe he's a good prospect I don't know but it would seem like he'd be more likely
02:26to
02:26clear waivers as a UDFA than a guy who was a six-round pick in Penn State's all-time leading
02:31rusher.
02:32So obviously we'll talk to Dan Quinn. I don't know how much light he'll shed on the situation
02:36and again it this is not in itself is not a fireable offense but it does bring the question
02:43what's the real reasoning what's the logic and there's been a lot of that lately whether we're
02:48talking about on the field stuff or roster stuff so it's definitely curious to say the least.
02:54Yeah I mean waving a sixth rounder is not a reason for heads to roll that's a reaction I was
03:04getting
03:04and I think you were getting on X. Being curious as to why they released him is fine it's possible
03:11that he's nowhere near as good as what they have and that's going to be a an emphasis in the
03:17off
03:18anyway to try to find a true lead back when we get to next offseason and they were okay with
03:25the
03:25risk of losing him. McNichols is valuable to them on special teams I'm glad he's back I'm glad he'll
03:33be there and by the way with Jalen Lane out I'm assuming that if he is back this week he's
03:38back
03:39on kickoff returns is that a fair assumption? I would think he would be a very likely candidate you
03:46would think Luke McCaffrey goes back there but yeah McNichols and he also has like a different
03:50body type you know gives you that you know aggressive running back body which in this day
03:54and age on kickoffs might almost be more valuable at some point than some of the lighter faster guys
03:59but um yeah no I mean you know I wrote about this earlier in the week when they put McNichols
04:07when they said McNichols window is open I'm like okay so that means at some point here in the next
04:10you
04:10know week or two he's going to get activated and then you've got five running backs how is this going
04:15to play out you don't fit four running backs is a lot for some teams right how is it going
04:20to play
04:20out so they were sitting I mean again they didn't even have to do McNichols they just could have sat
04:25there and waited they weren't under pressure just to open the window so they clearly decided
04:28they wanted to do this I think the other thing that's interesting Kevin is that let's assume
04:32Allen is gone that means two rookie running backs are off this team including the practice squad
04:37and you know when we talk all summer about that they were getting younger faster and that they did
04:42certainly broadly especially like in the front seven and things like that but you know this
04:46would be the opposite of that to go with essentially Eckler and McNichols over either Robert Henry or
04:52who has claimed off signed off the practice squad by Seattle or Allen again this isn't making or breaking
04:58the roster number five comes back to play as well that's that's what's going to matter the most but
05:02you know just sort of is it a sign of hey we really are feeling up against it we need
05:06to
05:06get as many guys in here that we feel comfortable with using immediately um you know or or what and
05:12like the other thing is like in the running back room Bill is a unique in that room in that
05:18he's got
05:18that big play ability you know get off the field whatever but the other three guys Rashad Wyatt
05:24Austin Eckler Jeremy McNichols I mean they all are sort of the same type of back and none of them
05:29are
05:29like playmaking types they're solid pass catchers that can make yards nothing they're not good
05:34but they're kind of the same so they also and at least he's been a playmaker well but I'm just
05:40saying he's 30 something years old here coming off the Achilles I'm not I'm not assuming Eckler
05:44is 24 even let alone I mean he looked fine the other day but you know we got to see
05:48over time
05:49but also fine if you're going to go with Eckler that's fine then why do you need McNichols like
05:53that's all I'm saying like it just feels like they they've they've doubled downed on the same type
05:57of guy and maybe that's what they want maybe they want a guy who they can they can trust in
06:01the
06:01passing game can give you some run and they're cool with losing some of the bigger playability
06:05if it means less bill but I'm just saying it's it's not even that they brought in guys to do
06:09unique things they now have like three guys who are kind of similar in terms of what they're going
06:13to bring in the playbook yeah I mean I would I mean Rashad White is has been a first down
06:19back he
06:19wasn't exclusively kind of a third down back um at at various times he was a first down back in
06:26Tampa and and Eckler's been that too I mean whether it was with the Chargers I mean you
06:31don't think they're getting 15 you don't think either of them getting 15 touches a game right
06:34I mean yes they have been but I'm saying they're not going to be no but maybe that's the point
06:40is
06:40that a two-headed Eckler White you can use essentially on any down and you can combine
06:47them for 20 you know touches in the game and that's better than a a bill um you know
06:54Catron Allen White you know mix sure no that like I said that part I get and McNichols has been
07:00good
07:00here I mean there's no argument that you mentioned the kicker I'm just saying the ought to have all
07:03three of those guys is something and then to lose two workies in the process of that is something
07:09else again I this is you know we talked about this uh the other day or at least I did
07:15somewhere like
07:15you know we because any player that is here they get more scrutinized or more praise than we would
07:23do for other players because of the other players are not here so every one of these guys it's not
07:26the Robert or Catron Allen is the next John Riggins Joe Washington combination for all you old heads
07:32it's just to say huh okay they went for old versus young all right we'll see what happens
07:38yeah I mean Rashad White's not old Eckler's older that's the one you're you're referring to yeah and
07:44and McNichols basically but yes yeah I know McNichols I think more so as a special teamer who
07:50knows they've used him in different spots and he's actually performed I let me just say this
07:54there are very few places in which there would have been you know any sort of outcry or reaction
08:01to a sixth rounder being waived or a running back being plucked off of their practice squad and I
08:09understand the sensitivity right now and at one and three there's a lot of finger pointing and
08:14there's a lot of hoping I'm sensing hoping that it goes wrong so that Peters and Quinn aren't here
08:19next year that wouldn't be the reason you'd move on from Peters six rounders typically within two years
08:27are on another roster or out of the league um and practice squad running backs yeah I liked Robert
08:33Henry in a preseason game but yeah I mean you want youth that's going to develop into really good
08:41a really good player on the field and not just youth for youth's sake as you know in his case
08:47it's more
08:47just the team that took them that's Seattle who I used to my agent survey and John Schneider the
08:52Seattle GM who's like the only GM in NFL history to win Super Bowls with two complete rosters he's the
08:56one that chose them you're like oh wait what right well you know what then for all the people that
09:03said
09:03nobody wanted to touch our practice squad players for two years now John Schneider wants to touch a
09:08practice squad player they must have gotten a decent one finally um they just the coaching staff didn't
09:14know enough to hold on to them uh it's like you can't have it both ways it's like nobody nobody
09:20wants
09:21our players have you seen when they get released they're on the practice squad now somebody wants
09:25them and that's a problem too um all right uh let's get to the other key players like players who
09:31actually can make a difference in the game on Sunday against the Giants what is the deal with
09:37Terry and McLaurin in particular is there a possibility that both of them are out uh so we
09:44just left the open part of practice which is really just stretching for the most part and at least Terry
09:49McLaurin was out there so what that means in terms of how much he's actually going to do today we'll
09:54find
09:54out in a little bit but at least he's out there so at least you think a positive sign he
09:58was you know
09:59had the helmet on and everything so that seems positive we did not see Stefan Diggs just based
10:04on the appearances that does not seem positive since he hasn't practiced so maybe that went a
10:09little longer shot to play but again we'll find out here in in a little bit and you know you're
10:15going to ask me in a bit like what's my prediction I think if one of these guys is playing
10:19I could still
10:19feel okay about the home team if they're both out you know even with Jaden back now all of a
10:25sudden
10:25you know the the offensive weapons looks a lot shakier especially the tight end room hasn't done
10:30a lot so you know hopefully McLaurin can go I mean I think you know I think it's fair to
10:35say he wants
10:36to go wanting and doing or not the same thing or whether he should so I don't think it's a
10:41matter
10:41of like he's questioning any of it it's just I you know I guess whatever the medical reasons are
10:45basically last week I was told when they kept them out was they don't want this hamstring injury to
10:49turn into a multi-week problem obviously if you were to sit out it would be a multi-week situation
10:53but you know that's that's the question so you know I don't even want to speculate this time
10:58whether he's going to play uh or not but at least he was out there so at least in theory
11:03that was a
11:03positive sign also just know uh Sam Cosme was out there today and Nick Allegretti was back out there
11:08as well uh again in the open part of stretching so that's at least positive on those fronts well
11:14positive on the first front um for a lot of people they didn't want to hear that Allegretti was
11:19healthy what about Nick Cross is he back this week or not so he was listed as practicing at full
11:29on Wednesday yesterday though it declined to limited and I've been told even when the week
11:34started that you know he may be more limited than whatever kind of is out there and that maybe the
11:39full was even maybe a little bit closer to limited so we'll see how this goes uh I heard Adam
11:44Peters
11:44again today just reiterate that um he's getting like a medical clearance thing it's not sort of a
11:50up to Dan Quinn that kind of kind of deal so if they clear him then I guess he would
11:55play
11:55yeah obviously it's still somewhat vague as to what exactly he is dealing with and that makes it hard to
12:00even speculate on our end uh so we'll see I mean the fact that you know typically a downgrade if
12:06that's
12:06what it was during the course of the week doesn't seem like a good deal but it's only Thursday and
12:12uh
12:12we'll we'll we'll see again where he's at today but I don't I wouldn't take Wednesday's full as being
12:18a lock that he's playing and then just to be clear Ethan Kallik-Manus is the backup and there will
12:24be no
12:25you know third quarterback on the 53 man game day roster correct um you know again uh
12:32so we didn't say so why why create the open spot for Katron Allen why move that again there could
12:38be a
12:39lot of different reasons if the receivers are out maybe you want to bring up signed Van Jefferson now
12:42that Jalen Lane got hurt or maybe Allie Cahill who has no more elevations free elevations maybe you
12:47just say scoreless has put him on the 53 but um Sam Hartman you're about to get to yeah I'm
12:54saying
12:54like okay maybe they decide finally as we've you know discussed like this is the time to to do this
12:59I believe there's been conversations about this and I know Dan Quinn said as much uh but you know
13:05again I we all hope that Jane Daniels plays and is plays the whole game but you know what did
13:13he
13:13what did he come out three of the last four games or something like that and Kallik-Manus was you
13:17know getting hit you know I know all quarterbacks get hit but he's gonna work he's gonna probably
13:21take some worse hits initially than others so he had to tough spot but again the reality is
13:26and this is I think a potentially a big indictment here of this whole Hartman situation is how much
13:31difference is it between Hartman and um going with the emergency not to say that he's worse he's not
13:37better than the emergency it's just to say do they think they can win if he's in the game based
13:41on
13:41their actions the last couple years or last year I think the answer is no because they would have
13:45played him last year at the end of the year instead of going with a couple vets and they haven't
13:49even
13:49had him up yet this year when the injuries have struck quarterback so I I guess we think it's a
13:55possibility that he could be up that he could sign the 53 but yeah I mean based on the history
14:00here
14:00it's probably not let me just make sure everybody understands the reason that Sam Hartman wasn't a
14:06third quarterback last week or the week before the two games Jaden wasn't available for is you have to
14:13be to be the 46th eligible emergency third quarterback and this rule was implemented after the 49ers in the
14:22NFC championship game against the Eagles a few years ago ended up with Christian McCaffrey playing
14:27quarterback in the second half after you know Purdy and I think it was Josh Johnson actually after
14:34both of them uh got hurt um but they have to be on the 53 man roster to be that
14:4046th third emergency
14:42quarterback and then if you enter the game neither one of the first two can come back and play so
14:48Sam
14:49Hartman wasn't on the 53 man roster he's been on the practice squad so for him to be a third
14:54emergency
14:55quarterback he would have to be brought up to the 53 man roster I believe I have that right
15:00yes you you do and I will also note that the somebody who was with the 49ers at the time
15:06of
15:06that situation was Adam Peters so you would think if a guy right if anybody is going to be like
15:11okay
15:11we will we don't want that risk let's get this guy out here but you know obviously that hasn't happened
15:16and you know I as it is easy to just say well if you get down to the third string
15:22it's over anyway
15:23no just your odds go lower it's not over but your odds go lower and that's why you need to
15:28have as
15:28much help around them as you can but so that's the question do they actually think it's kind of over
15:33if Hartman has to come in versus no we think we like him it's just you know we've got to
15:37be on our
15:37p's and q's across the board if he is yeah all right quickly uh because I know you got to
15:42run
15:42how do they beat the Giants and then what's your prediction yeah I mean you know we we talked earlier
15:48in the year about they weren't getting turnovers well now they have they have three against
15:51Seattle I got two last week and they're playing a quarterback in James Winston who is known to
15:55give the ball up and he's also known to make some big plays looked like it was more of the
15:59traditional James Winston show last week with three touchdowns and two picks
16:03the pass rush you know the front seven has been pretty solid for the most part yeah the defense has
16:08gotten worn down the last couple games but this is a perfect opportunity for this Durante
16:12Jones defense to do what it's designed to do pressure the quarterback forcing to get the ball out
16:17quick and take advantage of it by making perfect creating turnovers and if they can do that this
16:22is how they beat the Giants I know they get more turnovers is the classic answer but in this case
16:27I think it's applicable to Washington's design and who the specific quarterback is um on uh on the
16:34other end then of course look obviously Jane Daniels if he looks like he did you know in that start
16:39of
16:39that Dallas game well I Washington's got a really good shot then to win you know he obviously was a
16:45a difference maker as we expect and then unfortunately the injury happened so if you know
16:49some version of that Jane Daniels is there and the defense can do what we just said then I do
16:54think
16:55that they can win I also think they're going to have to have probably McCorn or Giggs at least one
16:59of them out there to to give the Giants enough to worry about them the Giants have a pretty good
17:03defense they've got good personnel uh you know obviously the Malik neighbors part you know last week
17:08with the Colts they didn't have a deep threat to burn Washington as we saw in the previous weeks
17:12well Malik neighbors is certainly that guy so you know you gotta you gotta keep him in check to a
17:17to a degree but like I said if they can force turnovers out of Winston I think they can win
17:21this
17:21game uh and you're predicting a win I'll assume at the moment that at least Harry's so yes I'll
17:29predict like a uh 23-20 win uh but uh you know as you often say I may tweet out
17:35later and change that
17:36if uh if the smell test goes another way after the game um all right absolutely absolutely
17:42appreciate it Ben standing everybody