Commanders exec talks in detail about the new stadium

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“I think the one thing that does differentiate our stadium is it really isn’t going to be what people picture as a new stadium today. It’s a bit of a throwback in many ways. There’s going to be a lot of really powerful colonnades, some concrete, but it’s also going to be incredibly accessible, like our monuments. There will be openings in the façade. You’ll be able to walk up to it. You’ll have landscaping all around it.

It won’t have a modern hard edge. It will be very much this integrated facility into the neighborhood and into D.C., and I think that is something very different that hasn’t happened for decades. But that is something that throws back all the way to Roman times when you think about how the Coliseum and other features were built. They were part of the community, and they were part of the mixed use and built environment. And so, bringing it back into RFK and then adding the neighborhood around it is really unique for a stadium being built today.”

Commanders.com

Behind the Build Q&A: Andy VanHorn, Commanders Head of Real Estate

“We certainly are visiting lots of the newer stadiums in the league, from SoFi to Minneapolis to Atlanta. I think inspiration comes in many forms. We’re thinking about how to best handle parking in an urban environment. Atlanta does a great job of that. When it comes to lighting and access from a roof system, Minneapolis and SoFi are best-in-class. Dallas’ concourse, for example, has very convenient access for fans. I think it’s really a blend of all those best factors.

We’re doing an incredible amount of diligence when it comes to questions such as, ‘How do you think about how the fans flow into the stadium?, ‘How do fans experience the stadium around it? How does the stadium work on a non-gameday?’

Most of those stadiums still sit in a sea of parking or in an isolated area. Our stadium will be integral to daily life. We envision the landscape around the stadium being running paths and biking paths, and that being a very close up approach unlike a stadium kind of on an island. We were also looking at Chase Arena over Super Bowl weekend when we were out in San Francisco and how that integrates directly into the neighborhood. It was a really helpful example of how we want to make our retail flow and how we want people to be able to access the grounds and the stadium proper.”

“Of the 180 acres, there’s about 90 acres total of development. The balance is open space primarily and of that 90 we control about 75 acres. The stadium sits on a portion of that, but the balance really is intended to be a vibrant front door and entertainment district with live entertainment and other great anchors such as retailers, movie theaters, a really great food and beverage scene with restaurant and bar options along the main street, among other things.

And then we have the festival plaza. As we think about that, that really tries to bring that mix of hotels, retail, anchor uses and housing in to make sure that there is a vibrant community 365 days a year. The stadium’s really only one leg of the stool. We do need this mix of great hospitality uses, and this mix of great retail uses to really make sure the site works year round, and that residents want to be there, and that there’s great options for jobs and things like conferences. And so, when we think about the mix of uses on the site, we do need to make sure that we are hitting on all cylinders there.

Then we have the riverfront district, which is down near the water — a little bit quieter, a lot more housing. We have a goal of delivering 6,000 units of housing. Thirty percent of those are affordable, and so we do think about that great diversity of housing opportunity for people as well, so that there is a broad range of access for everyone.”

The stadium will only have about 8,000 parking spaces stabilized, and that’s intentional in that we don’t want parking eating up too much of the site. That’ll get us about 25,000 people coming via car if they wish to.

We obviously have Metro directly at our front door, and we’re working with the city right now which has a $2 million study underway with WMATA to figure out if we can improve that number and get Metro capacity up from what is now — about 25,000 people an hour — closer to 30,000 or 35,000. That would give us almost 60,000 of our total guests coming in via Metro and car.

And then we feel like there’s great multimodal options with bus, biking, and then, of course, there are Uber and Lyft options. We think those will kind of complement the balance of how we have people access, but it will be a primarily non-vehicle access stadium, which is pretty amazing.”

The front door on the west, coming from the Metro, is clearly our largest and could handle 10 to 15,000 people.

And then at the north and south entries, where our clubs and our VIP entries will be, we can certainly have a much more curated fan atmosphere and give people a different experience. We are expected to have a live entertainment venue near the north entrance, so ideally, we could do small concerts and other really great gameday and non-gameday activities.

On the east side near the river, we’re thinking of a beer garden approach. Maybe something a little family friendlier, a little lower key, where you can bring people around, give them kind of a quieter spot to come in the backside of the stadium.

So, as we think through the stadium grounds itself, we think we have three or four great opportunities for pregame and postgame activities.

That’s something we felt really deeply in Madrid walking right back into the city and walking down the street, being able to stop at a cafe or a restaurant or a bar on your way back to your hotel.”

There’s going to be an incredible amount of community input, and dozens, if not hundreds of meetings, over the next few years to have conversations around what does this community want to look like and feel like as it surrounds the stadium.

As for fans, we are definitely looking back to RFK and what people really loved, not just with the architecture, but fan experience elements like the . We believe we can replicate that experience in an intentional way and give the fans an area of bouncing seats, which would be delivering that incredible impact when that fan wall at the old RFK got moving, literally.”

Commanders Roundtable

Where Commanders Head Coach Dan Quinn Landed in Latest Ranking

NBC Sports re-ranked the best head coaches around the NFL with ten new hires now in place to complete the coaching carousel, and Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn did not fare too well.

Quinn ranked 20th in the NFL, which translated to third among the NFC East head coaches with Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer who slotted in at 21st overall.

It’s a head scratching ranking for Quinn, who remains one year removed from an NFC Championship Game appearance. Given his plus-.500 all-time head coaching record through eight seasons at 60-59, it’s a questionable ranking. Add in the fact that Quinn was one of two head coaches across the NFL to earn an A+ in the NFLPA annual survey, it’s a debatable claim.

In fact, Quinn’s ranking translated to the third-lowest among any returning head coach with Jets head coach Aaron Glenn, who finished 3-14 in his first season, ranked at the bottom.

It’s also a stark difference from ESPN’s prior offseason ranking after Quinn slotted as the eighth-best hire since 2021.

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Post-Signing 1-on-1: RB Jeremy McNichols | Free Agency Friday x Next Man Up | Washington Commanders

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Big Blue View

Washington Commanders building momentum with aggressive offseason

The Washington Commanders are making it clear, they’re not waiting around anymore.

After years of inconsistency, Washington has taken a major step forward this offseason, aggressively reshaping its roster in an effort to compete in a wide-open NFC East.

General Manager Adam Peters has been active, bringing in a wave of talent on both sides of the ball. The most notable addition is edge rusher Odafe Oweh, who signed a massive deal to immediately boost the pass rush. Pair that with the additions of players like Chig Okonkwo on offense and multiple defensive reinforcements, and this roster suddenly looks much deeper.

Washington also made sure to keep key pieces in place, re-signing quarterback Marcus Mariota and extending left tackle Laremy Tunsil. While Mariota may not be the long-term answer under center, his presence provides stability at least for now.

But make no mistake, this team is still a work in progress.

Even after all the additions, the Commanders still have clear needs heading into the draft. Wide receiver remains a top priority, as the offense lacks a true game-breaking playmaker on the outside. Running back and cornerback depth are also areas that need attention.

Defensively, the upgrades have been significant. Washington has added versatility and physicality, giving them the ability to adapt to multiple schemes. That flexibility could be key as the team continues to define its identity under a new-look coaching approach.

What stands out most about this offseason is the sense of urgency.

Washington isn’t just adding bodies they’re targeting impact players. The goal is clear: close the gap in the division and become a legitimate contender sooner rather than later.

ESPN

Cowboys’ Markquese Bell facing felony, misdemeanor drug charges

Dallas Cowboys safety Markquese Bell has been arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance and marijuana, according to Collin County jail records.

The arrest was made Friday by Prosper (Texas) police. The possession of a controlled substance is a felony, while the marijuana possession is Class B misdemeanor.

The arresting officer smelled marijuana after Bell was pulled over on Friday night. A search of his vehicle uncovered less than 2 ounces of marijuana and a THC electronic cigarette before he was arrested and charged, according to police.

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ESPN

Panel rules against NFLPA, says not enough proof of collusion

A three-person appeals panel on Friday upheld an arbitrator’s decision that there wasn’t sufficient evidence of collusion by teams when negotiating the contracts of Kyler Murray, Lamar Jackson and Russell Wilson in 2022, according to a copy of the ruling obtained by multiple outlets.

While the panel found that teams “were being invited to participate in collusion” by the NFL and called the effort “improper,” it ruled that there wasn’t enough evidence to prove teams took part in the collusion.

The panel upheld the January 2025 decision by arbitrator Christopher Droney.

From The Athletic:

Tretter, in his memo, told his team, “It’s important to note that the panel reaffirmed the arbitrator’s finding that the NFL had encouraged and invited clubs to take steps to reduce salary guarantees and bonuses during a March team owners’ meeting. The panel also found that the clubs heard and understood the plain meaning of the message they received from the NFL regarding guaranteed salaries.”

Tretter added, “While we are disappointed by the ruling, this outcome does not erase the clear and important findings in regards to the NFL’s collusive behavior.”

Pro Football Talk

Collusion appeal ruling says Ravens offered Lamar Jackson two fully-guaranteed contracts

The initial ruling in the collusion grievance filed by the NFL Players Association on behalf of Lamar Jackson, Russell Wilson, and Kyler Murray shed new light on the negotiations between Jackson and the Ravens that preceded his five-year deal in 2023. The appeal ruling adds a key fresh detail, too.

In two different portions of page 14 of the decision, the three-person panel writes that the Ravens twice offered three-year, fully-guaranteed contracts to Jackson.

Jackson declined both of them.

The ruling mentions none of the other key terms, like annual compensation. It’s also not mentioned whether the three-year contracts included a no-tag clause, which would have set the stage for unrestricted free agency in March 2026.

Although the Deshaun Watson contract that apparently sparked Jackson’s desire to have a fully-guaranteed contract of his own covered five years, a three-year fully-guaranteed deal gets the player all of his money along with a shorter path to another deal or free agency.

Jackson eventually signed a five-year deal with two years and part of a third fully guaranteed at signing. The rest of the third year became fully guaranteed early in the second year, and a large chunk of the fourth year ($29 million of $52 million) became fully guaranteed early in the fourth year. The fifth year has no guarantees.

But fully guaranteed is fully guaranteed. The fact that the Ravens offered Jackson a pair of three-year fully-guaranteed contracts (which is what Kirk Cousins got from the Vikings in 2018) defied the NFL’s effort as of March 2022 to persuade the teams to collude in not providing fully-guaranteed deals.

This year, plenty of the contracts signed in unrestricted free agency cover only three years. That’s better for players than having non-guaranteed back-end years, because once the full guarantees end the contracts become one-way arrangements — if the player is underperforming, the contract gets ripped up by the team; if the player is overperforming, the player is at the mercy of the team in an effort to get a raise.

NFL Draft

ESPN

2026 NFL draft risers: Seven prospects climbing boards

Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon

Scouts Inc. ranking: No. 20

How far he climbed boards: There are a few players in every draft with an extensive enough body of work to make league evaluators comfortable. Then there are the players who shake things up a bit at the Senior Bowl or the combine, forcing evaluators to take another look. Thieneman fits into the latter bucket and has likely moved from a mid-to-late Day 2 pick into the first round as part of a sturdy safety class.

Turning point: Thieneman has an extensive résumé as a three-year starter (two at Purdue, one at Oregon), with 302 tackles and eight interceptions in his career. That’s a significant sample size. But then he uncorked a 4.37-second 40-yard dash and a 41-inch vertical at the combine at 6-foot, 201 pounds. That makes folks circle back.

Why he rose: Along with the statistical production, Thieneman displays excellent instincts. The best example of that came in the win over Penn State last season, as his interception of Drew Allar in double overtime sealed a Ducks win. Thieneman fits the NFL game with his frame, reach and plus-level athleticism.

What they’re saying: “I just felt like his eyes are in the right spot and he doesn’t lose that eye contact. Guy understands what routes can be run out of what the offense is in and what he can eliminate. And he can move.” — AFC area scout

Barika Kpeenu, RB, North Dakota State

Scouts Inc. ranking: Unranked

How far he climbed boards: Kpeenu exploded as a senior, with 1,005 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns last season, to emerge as a potential priority free agent. But some in the league say he has the potential to squeeze into the draft late on Day 3.

Turning point: The Bison are known for producing offensive linemen who give running backs a tidy yards-before-contact cushion, but Kpeenu averaged 5.3 yards per carry over his career. That type of production always gets a look from scouts, and evaluators like his consistency and willingness to pass protect. He also had seven games last season with at least two rushing touchdowns.

Why he rose: While his 4.68-second 40 at North Dakota State’s pro day will cause some to pause, Kpeenu gained 10 or more yards on 17% of his runs this past season. He had two 100-yard rushing games last season in which he carried the ball fewer than 15 times (14 carries for 116 yards against Illinois State and 10 for 107 against St. Thomas). Teams also liked what they saw and heard from him at the American Bowl.

What they’re saying: “I’d take a flyer, he’s strong, finishes runs, tough and will commit in pass protection.” — NFC running backs coach

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