Daily Slop: 7 May 26 – Where is Commanders Jayden Daniels ranked among QBs on rookie deals?

“Whatever DC feels like, it should be that vibe, that energy."

"That’s what I’m watching when you turn on NFL Films."

“It doesn’t feel like you’re all cramped in there. It feels comfortable, kind of like a palace."pic.twitter.com/FmzyxG7ko9

— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) May 6, 2026

**NFL.com**

Ranking the top 15 NFL quarterbacks on rookie contracts in 2026

**Rank 3 – Jayden Daniels – Year 3 · Age 25**

• **2026 cap hit:** $10.3 million The 2025 season felt like a complete wash for Daniels. The 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year couldn’t stay on the field long enough to find a rhythm, with the QB’s knee, hamstring and elbow injuries subverting the Commanders’ hopes of repeating the stunning success they enjoyed a year prior and leaving open a host of questions regarding their outlook entering 2026. I still hold a firm belief that Daniels is one of the most dynamic, thrilling quarterbacks in the NFL when healthy, and that he is fully capable of carrying this offense for as long as he can remain available. That’s why he’s ranked third — and I hope, for Washington’s sake, that this slot looks prescient a year from now. **From Commanders Rountable**: The injury question will be a consistent storyline for Daniels ahead of his third season until he proves exactly that after being limited to just four full games and seven appearances in 2025. Yet the confidence stems from the glimpses as a sophomore NFL quarterback followed by his 2024 season that ended in an NFC Championship game appearance along with a Rookie of the Year selection. In 2024, Daniels amassed over 3,500 passing yards and 25 touchdowns to nine interceptions while completing 69% of his passes, while he added another nearly 900 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground. 2026 also marks a pivotal season for Daniels given he enters year three of his four year rookie deal with the focus set to shift to contract extension talks next offseason as general manager Adam Peters prepares for another major deal after inking veterans Terry McLaurin and Laremy Tunsil in consecutive offseasons.

Jayden Daniels’ extension projection raises the stakes for Commanders in 2026

The former LSU standout will be extension-eligible after the 2026 campaign. If Daniels gets back to anything like his rookie form, the Commanders would be wise to give him a long-term deal at the earliest possible opportunity. But given how quarterback contracts around the league are soaring as the salary cap rises, that won’t be cheap.

Spotrac released its first market projection for Jayden Daniels' extension, and it may be conservative. ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/nvWQZU8hZM

— Riggo's Rag (@RiggosRag) May 7, 2026 According to *Spotrac*, the early market projections for Daniels reflect precisely that. As things stand, the 2024 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year is set to get a three-year, $160.11 million deal. This works out at $53.37 million a year, making him the fifth-highest paid quarterback in the league. And if Daniels takes a leap forward, this figure might be a conservative estimate come push time.

**Commanders Wire**

Commanders labeled ‘pretenders’ for 2026 NFL season

Recently, Bleacher Report examined 12 teams that could be contenders in 2026. They did not include teams at the bottom of the league, such as the Tennessee Titans and Las Vegas Raiders (among others), nor the 2025 playoff teams. Instead, they looked at teams that missed the postseason in 2025 and have aspirations of avoiding that in 2026. At the end of their assessment, they determined if a team was real (buying) or pretending (selling). Here’s what they said about the Commanders:

While the New England Patriots were going from also-ran to the AFC title last year, the Washington Commanders were hurtling in the opposite direction.

After winning 12 games and making the NFC Championship Game in 2024, an injury-ravaged Commanders squad went 5-12 in 2025.

Much of the reason for that collapse was the NFL’s worst defense, and the team went hard at that situation in the offseason.

Rookie linebacker Sonny Styles takes over for Bobby Wagner inside after being drafted seventh overall, and Washington spent big in free agency on the pass rush with the addition of edge-rushers Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson. Safety Nick Cross and cornerback Amik Robertson were signed to bolster a bad pass defense.

Offensively, the team spent a Day 2 pick on wideout Antonio Williams, who the Commanders hope will step up as a complement to Terry McLaurin. But an average offensive line didn’t get much better, and the skill-position talent around quarterback Jayden Daniels isn’t especially imposing.

In an NFC East that is shaping up to be a much harder division in 2026, the Commanders have a better chance of finishing last than first.

**Verdict: Pretender (Sell)**

**Last Man Standig** (paywall)

Throwback Thursday: The Commanders’ locker room has spoken on Laremy Tunsil

Washington’s general manager might consider walking into the locker room with a simple question: *If you could only vote one Commanders teammate to the Pro Bowl, who gets your ballot?* Based on those findings, left tackle [Laremy Tunsil] might get all the money. In a season filled with uneven results and limited national recognition, players inside the building were far less conflicted. Tunsil received 11.5 votes in my end-of-season survey — nearly triple the next closest teammate The final tally:

• Laremy Tunsil — 11.5
• Bobby Wagner — 4
• Tress Way — 3
• Jeremy Reaves — 2.5
• Chris Paul — 2 Others receiving votes: Percy Butler, Jacory Croskey-Merritt/Chris Rodriguez, Zach Ertz, Jaylin Lane, Terry McLaurin Quarterback Jayden Daniels’s vote went for his blindside protector. His backup, Marcus Mariota, didn’t wait for the full question before blurting. “LT, without a doubt,” Mariota said quickly. “Yes, that is without a doubt in my mind. I thought he was deserving of it. Special type of player. Locked that left side down. I was surprised he didn’t get in, honestly.” Terry McLaurin’s analysis began with the silence. “You don’t hear an O-lineman’s name a lot. That’s a good thing,” the wide receiver said. “He was as consistent as he could be. I was kind of shocked he didn’t at least become like a second alternate or something for the Pro Bowl.” That theme — consistency — surfaced repeatedly. Right guard Sam Cosmi called him “probably the best left tackle in the NFL” and said Tunsil has “literally mastered this technique.” Interior offensive lineman Nick Allegretti went even deeper into the mechanics. “I don’t think there’s a better left tackle or offensive lineman in the league this year,” Allegretti said. “He takes the set that he wants to take every single play. He reacts appropriately. He doesn’t overreact. As a football nerd, awesome to watch.”

**Commander Roundtable**

Keep an eye on UDFA kicker Drew Stevens

Stevens was initially among the batch of undrafted rookies to be invited to rookie minicamp before inking as an undrafted free agent after also reportedly drawing interest from the Philadelphia Eagles. Stevens ended his four year career as a Hawkeye as the all-time scoring leader in program history where he made 76 of his 95 career attempts. Yet the bulk of Stevens’ work came inside the 40 yard line where he made all but three of his 47 career attempts while making just 66.7% of his 48 attempts from beyond. Whether he actually proves to be true competition is another story, yet the Iowa product now arrives with a chance to compete against Jake Moody, who made all but one of his 11 field goal attempts after signing with the Commanders in 2025 where he first joined the practice squad. Moody was then promoted to the active roster in mid November where he became a largely stabilizing force for a unit that needed it.

**Commanders.com**

2026 schedule preview | AFC South

*The opinions expressed in this article do not reflect those of the team.* The Commanders will play all four teams in the NFC West and AFC South, including two home matchups against the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks, who have a first-round bye in this year’s playoffs. The Commanders will host the Houston Texans, another playoff team, for the first time since the 2018 season in just the seventh matchup between the two squads in franchise history. Today. we’re going to focus on the AFC South as we preview some of the key teams on Washington’s schedule. The division is considered one of the weaker groups in the league, but teams like the Texans and Titans put in work over the offseason to make their rosters more competitive. **Tennessee Titans** There’s new leadership once again in the Titans’ locker room, and the duo of Robert Saleh and Brian Daboll got right to work at shaping the roster in their image. Robinson is mostly a slot receiver but will likely be a versatile weapon for Cam Ward, who Daboll has been high on since last year’s draft. Most of the work in free agency went toward fixing the defense, particularly with Franklin-Myers and Martin, who can bring some disruption to Tennessee’s front. Taylor was one of the top cornerbacks on the market, and he’s expected to help shore up a secondary that struggled mightily at allowing explosive plays. The Titans pulled off one of the most surprising moves in the draft in taking Tate with the No. 4 overall pick. Tate isn’t considered as talented as other Ohio State prospects who have come before him, but he did have the cleanest evaluation in the class and did average over 17 yards per catch. **Indianapolis Colts** It was important for the Colts to retain the duo of Jones and Pierce, which generated much of the team’s offensive production. Jones has his flaws, but a change of scenery seemed to do him some good, as he was on pace to shatter his career highs in passing yards and touchdowns before his Achilles injury. Pierce only has one 1,000-yard season in his career, but he’s led the league in yards per reception over the last two seasons. It will be interesting to see whether Pierce can maintain that level of production with more targets as a No. 1 wide receiver expected to come for him in 2026. **Houston Texans** The Texans want to be a physical team and protect C.J. Stroud as much as possible. It’s unclear whether that plan will be successful, but there is at least a clear direction on the team the Texans want to be and will likely be one of the top competitive teams in a weak division. **Jacksonville Jaguars** The Jaguars let Travis Etienne walk in free agency and signed Rodriguez as at least a partial replacement. Rodriguez had flashes during his time in Washington and had a knack for picking up tough yards in third-and-short situations. There’s a bit of a projection coming from the Jaguars’ front office, but it’s possible Rodriguez is ready for a larger role. [T]he Jaguars [also] lost Dyami Brown [who returned] to the Commanders.

RAS Creator goes deep on Commanders rookies via Twitter

While my site is still being fixed, I thought I'd have a little fun and do a full, athletic profile ONLY evaluation of team draft classes. I may do all of them, I may do only some, this is mostly for fun. It may line up with how they play, it may not, LMK!

1st up, #Commanderspic.twitter.com/aDnzwymq6o

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) May 3, 2026 Note: Some scores may differ slightly from what you've seen previously, we discovered a bug after the draft impacting height for some Combine participants. This had a minor effect on scores, but it's a noticeable difference for those who've followed along this season.

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) May 3, 2026 Sonny Styyles presents an easy athletic profile in that it has no holes. One of the biggest, fastest, and most explosive linebacker prospects in history, with very good agility to boot, this is the kind of thing you dream of. Luke Kuechly, Brian Urlacher level of athletic talent. pic.twitter.com/HU37OcIok3

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) May 3, 2026 Antonio Williams tested in below average size for a WR, but is not meaningfully 'small'. He put up very good speed and explosiveness scores with good agility. Athletically a bit like Doug Baldwin of the Seahawks, or pro bowl returner Andre Roberts. pic.twitter.com/YMUSSldm33

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) May 3, 2026 Joshua Josephs is light for an edge rusher, but has very good length. Good speed and explosiveness are proper starting traits, though we don't get agility testing. If agility is a concern, it was a concern for Brian Orakpo as well, but he was similarly fast and explosive. pic.twitter.com/2n49oL2nO2

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) May 3, 2026 We've got no testing for Kaytron Allen, so there's nothing to evaluate on that front. pic.twitter.com/Jl1WbJnS7a

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) May 3, 2026 Matt Gulbin was returning from a knee injury which likely impacted his testing. With that in mind, this obviously wouldn't be a good athletic profile to work with. Size is fine, length is a little concerning though less so at OC, explosion is okay, not great, agilities are awful. pic.twitter.com/jUuWn9nwuk

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) May 3, 2026 Athan Kaliakmanis' athletic profile doesn't look great at first glance, but it's actually not bad at all. Sure, he's got average size, smaller than ideal hands, and no speed to speak of, but his agility testing was very good and his cone drill was fantastic. Plenty to work with. pic.twitter.com/u9K2gvN0jj

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) May 3, 2026 And now on to some UDFA. I may not have all of them, please let me know if I'm missing anyone or if someone switched since I last updated the list.

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) May 3, 2026 Tanoa Togiai put up impressive numbers across the board with no area of athletic weakness. He put up great size, split, and broad testing, all big plusses, and while you'd prefer a better shuttle it's still a good amount above average along with a very good cone. Good signs. pic.twitter.com/KCuOs8U0NF

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) May 3, 2026 Quentin Moore doesn't give us a very good athletic profile for a dynamic receiving TE, with great top speed but very poor acceleration, likely related to poor explosion which shows in the testing. Agility is good, though, and he has good length. Something like a midfield guy. pic.twitter.com/jrslVsrNgL

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) May 3, 2026 Jeffrey M'ba has great size and length for an interior rusher, but poor agility and okay at best explosiveness. He's too light to be a pure nose out of the gate, but his frame would work if he can retain that level of explosiveness after putting on some weight. pic.twitter.com/GHiVXLPaTi

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) May 3, 2026 Fred Davis' testing shows good enough explosiveness and agility, but very poor speed. Either of those good sets of traits can offset another, so there's a decent shot he can overcome that lack of speed if it's a problem on tape. If he can't that's an uphill battle in any camp. pic.twitter.com/GJImdNAR50

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) May 3, 2026 Malik Spencer put up decnet size and good speed, so starts off strong. His explosiveness testing was okay, though you'd rather those two scores flipped. The poor agility testing is likely to be the most concerning trait here since that tends to show up for change of direction. pic.twitter.com/MUkYff7lUa

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) May 3, 2026 Chris Hilton has okay size for a WR and good speed. Explsoveness is neither a strength nor a weakness, but at his size those poor agility drills are likely to show up when facing NFL cornerbacks. Some things to work with, but some concerns. pic.twitter.com/GZ69HsueAG

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) May 3, 2026 Robert Henry is on the small and lean side, but has decent speed and agility paired with great explosiveness. If he were, a lot, bigger this would be a great power back profile. At size, could be a good inside zone type of profile if he can hold up. pic.twitter.com/3CQcVCJ3Q5

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) May 3, 2026 Jaden Bradley has a good size and speed combination paired with good explosiveness and decent agility. Overall, it's a good athletic profile for pretty much any role, though as that bigger outside receiver probably fits better than like a big slot where you'd want quickness. pic.twitter.com/3DZoQJmHFM

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) May 3, 2026 And I think that's it for now! Let me know if I missed anyone or if there's someone else you want me to review, I'll try to get to it.

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) May 3, 2026

**Podcasts & videos**

Diving into the depth chart: All Ears with JP Finlay | NBC4 Washington

On video talking about the potential impact of Sonny Styles, from green dot to coverage and pass rushing. A few minutes on The Commanders’ rookie minicamp. @espnrichmond

— John Keim (@john\_keim) May 7, 2026

Episode 1,320 – Guest: @VigManOnCampus of @SportsInfo\_SIS on the Washington Commanders per his methodology being 2nd in the NFL in most value lost to injury in 2025. Also, Jayden Daniels accounted for the 2nd-most value lost to injury among all NFL players.

— Al Galdi (@AlGaldi) May 7, 2026

#Commanders Film Room: Edge Prospect Joshua Josephs w/@MarkBullockNFL

NFL LIVE | “Commanders’ defense looks dangerous at NFC East with Sonny Styles” – Louis Riddick

**NFC East links**

**Bleeding Green Nation**

Eagles front office changes include hiring another former Jets general manager

Mike Maccagnan’s name sticks out here since he served as the New York Jets’ general manager from 2015-2019 before he was ultimately replaced by Joe Douglas, **who returned to Philly last year**. Funny that they’re now both on the Eagles. Maccagnan is a Hightstown, New Jersey native (shout out Mercer County) whose front office career began as a scouting intern with the Washington football team back in 1990. The Jets were 24-40 during his four-year tenure as GM, though it’s not like they’ve gotten any better since his departure. Prior to joining the Jets, Maccagnan built a reputation as a respected executive for his contributions to the Houston Texans from 2000-2014. Howie Roseman is no stranger to adding former high-ranking front office members to his staff; he previously hired former Jacksonville Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell, for example, and the Eagles currently employ former Denver Broncos vice president of player personnel Matt Russell in addition to the aforementioned Douglas. With the Eagles losing multiple key front office members this offseason, adding Maccagnan to help offset those loses seems sensible. Speaking of Joe Douglas, his title change gives him the same title he had in Philly from 2016-2019 … with “Senior” attached to the front of it.

Eagles reportedly promote Adam Berry to assistant general manager

The team is promoting vice president of football operations and strategy Adam Berry to the assistant GM position, according to reporting from NFL insider Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport. Adam, the twin brother of former Eagles executive and current Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry, originally joined the Birds in 2023 after working at Goldman Sachs for 14 years. His promotion to assistant GM with just a few years of NFL experience under his belt represents a very fast rise in the front office. The Eagles clearly value him in high regard. On that note, Berry’s new title allows the Eagles to block other teams from interviewing him for lateral positions. He can only be poached if a team is hiring him to be their new general manager.

**Blogging the Boys**

3 veteran free agents who fill a Cowboys’ need

**LB Bobby Wagner** By drafting Jaishawn Barham and trading for Dee Winters, the Cowboys have upgraded the LB position, but they shouldn’t stop there. Although he turns 36 in June, Bobby Wagner is still performing like a Top 10 player at his position in the league. By signing him the Cowboys would not only solidify the LB position, but also give them a veteran who has seen it all to wear the green dot and be a mentor to Dallas’ young LBs. In what shapes up to be a very young defensive unit, Wagner’s addition in Dallas could prove to be invaluable for this year. **OLB Von Miller** Von Miller is another veteran free agent the Cowboys should consider signing to their roster. Like Wagner, he may have lost a step, but is still capable of playing at a high level and could improve Dallas’ pass rush this year. The 37-year-old generated 36 total pressures in 2025 according to PFF, and had nine QB sacks last season in Washington, which would have led the Cowboys last year. A Texas native and local Dallas resident, Miller might be open to the idea of playing in Dallas and could help the development of their young pass rusher.

**Pro Football Talk**

Caleb Downs makes quick change from No. 18 to No. 13

Cowboys safety Caleb Downs has the top-selling jersey of all rookies. For those who were expecting a jersey displaying No. 18 to eventually show up, they’ll be in for a surprise. Downs has already shifted to No. 13, via Tommy Yarrish of the Cowboys’ official website. At rookie minicamp, Downs wore No. 18. He’ll wear the new number for OTAs. But buyers beware. Yarrish notes that the current number is “subject to change and still could be different between now and the beginning of the regular season.” Downs wore No. 2 at Ohio State. That number currently has been issued to cornerback Cobie Durant, who signed a one-year contract with the team in March. It’s possible Downs will work out a deal with Durant — or that the Cowboys will exercise their prerogative to reclaim the number. If Downs is going to change from No. 13 to No. 2, here’s hoping it happens soon. If Durant doesn’t return in 2027, Downs could make the change from No. 13 to No. 2, rendering obsolete any and all jerseys purchased in 2026.

Josh Downs ready to show Caleb Downs he’s the ‘little brother’ when Colts face Cowboys

Ahead of the draft, Indianapolis Colts receiver Josh Downs knew it was a possibility the Dallas Cowboys could draft his brother, Caleb, setting up a head-to-head matchup in 2026. Then it happened. “I remember before he got drafted — not to talk about the Cowboys’ scheme or nothing — but he told me if he goes to the Cowboys, he’s playing nickel,” Josh said on Wednesday. “So, that’s like head-to-head all game. I was like, that’s interesting. So when he got drafted, I was like, ‘You know we play y’all this year?’ He got all hype.” The Downs brothers faced off once in high school, when Josh’s North Gwinnett (Georgia) High School blew out Caleb’s Mill Creek, per the Indy Star. Josh beat his younger brother for a touchdown. He’d like a repeat when the Colts host the Cowboys at some point in 2026. “It’s all fun and games, but you know I’ve got to still let him know he’s the little brother in this situation,” Josh said.

Colts WR Josh Downs on facing his brother, Cowboys rookie Caleb Downs, this season:

“He told me if he goes to the Cowboys, he’s playing nickel. So that’s like head-to-head all game… I gotta let him know he’s the little brother in this situation.”

(🎥 @Colts) pic.twitter.com/epAZJ5rCav

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) May 6, 2026

**Big Blue View**

NY Giants UDFAs: Can Ben Mann replace Casey Kreiter as long snapper?

**[Note from BiB**: I just *love* a good long snapper debate] At first blush it seems like the height of offseason news slumps to talk about whether an undrafted free agent long snapper can be a factor for the New York Giants. That said… Could **Ben Mann**, an undrafted long snapper from Boston College be a factor for the Giants in 2025?

**NFL league links**

Articles

**Front Office Sports**

NFL Nears Referee Deal to Avoid Another ‘Fail Mary’ Disaster

The league is nearing a formal agreement with the NFL Referees Association, according to industry sources and multiple reports, that would avoid a work stoppage. The pact, if completed, would end months of rancor between the two sides. The union has a ratification vote scheduled for Thursday evening, more than three weeks before the May 31 expiration of the current pact. [T]he league has also been eager to achieve…gains, including elevating standards used to measure referee performance and increasing the length of the probationary period for new officials. If a new labor deal is ratified, it would negate a provisional rule approved at the NFL’s recent annual meeting in Arizona. There, team owners approved a measure in which the league’s officiating department in New York could consult in real time with replacement officials and use replay to correct clear and obvious calls missed by those alternates. That additional rule was designed to act as something of a safety net should replacement officials be needed.

"This is a really big deal for the NFL..

If the NFL Referees Association is scheduling a vote you gotta believe that their members are gonna ratify this deal" ~ @RapSheet#PMSLivepic.twitter.com/0KUyJM5VbE

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 6, 2026

**NFL.com**

Free-agent QB Russell Wilson weighing contract offer from Jets, opportunity as TV analyst

The veteran quarterback told the New York Post on Wednesday that he received an offer from Gang Green following a recent visit. Wilson is also debating on playing this season or joining a television broadcast team. “It was great,” Wilson said of the visit with the Jets. “They offered me, and I’m trying to figure out what the next best thing is for me to do. I still know I can play ball at a high level, but also I have an opportunity to do TV (analysis), so we’ll see what happens.” The 37-year-old would be entering his 15th season. Wilson spent 2025 with the New York Giants, starting three games and appearing in six others, putting up 831 yards and three touchdowns on 119 pass attempts, all career lows. Wilson started the first three games of the season before being replaced by rookie Jaxson Dart and was then leapfrogged on the depth chart by Jameis Winston. Wilson joining the Jets would make an interesting dichotomy. He’d be backing up starter Geno Smith, who played behind Wilson for three seasons in Seattle. Asked about backing up Smith, Wilson noted that “Geno is a great friend,” but declined to comment further.

**Pro Football Talk**

Shilo Sanders tries to avoid $11 million debt from 2015 incident

[Former Tampa Bay practice squad player] Shilo has a pending bankruptcy case, arising from $11 million in debt. The debt traces to an incident from 2015, when a then-15-year-old Shilo Sanders allegedly assaulted and severely injured a security guard at his school. The security guard sued Shilo and his parents. (His father is Colorado coach Deion sanders.) Shilo’s parents eventually were dropped from the lawsuit, but a default judgment of $11.89 million was entered against Shilo Sanders in 2022, after Shilo failed to show up for the trial of the case. Shilo Sanders filed for bankruptcy protection in an effort to have the debt discharged. A trial is set for later this year on the question of whether the debt can be discharged. If it was a “willful and malicious injury,” it can’t be discharged. Shilo Sanders has claimed he acted in self-defense.

From August 2025: Shilo Sanders waived by the Buccaneers after punching Buffalo player

Shilo Sanders was waived by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, less than 24 hours after he was ejected from a preseason game for throwing a punch, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on Sunday. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team hasn’t announced its cuts. Sanders, the son of Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders, was battling for a roster spot after going undrafted out of Colorado, where he played for his father. He was also penalized for pass interference earlier in Tampa Bay’s 23-19 loss to Buffalo on Saturday night. “You can’t throw punches in this league. It’s inexcusable. They’re gonna get you every time,” Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said. “You gotta grow from that.” [Sanders remained a free agent for the rest of the year. He was not signed to any team’s active roster or practice squad during the 2025 regular season.]

**Discussion topics**

**ESPN**

Biggest roster holes for all 32 NFL teams following the draft

**Dallas Cowboys** **Edge rusher** The Cowboys have a surprisingly solid two-deep across their depth chart. Edge rusher is a position that isn’t a hole, per se, but definitely has questions. Rashan Gary, acquired from Green Bay, didn’t have a sack in the final 10 games of last season. Donovan Ezeiruaku is coming off hip surgery and has been limited in the offseason. Sam Williams had just one sack in 2025. James Houston had 5.5 sacks but couldn’t play against the run. Marist Liufau is moving to the edge but hasn’t played the position before. And first-rounder Malachi Lawrence is a promising rookie, but he’s still a rookie. **New York Giants** **Center** Now that the Giants have signed Shelby Harris and DJ Reader to fill holes along the defensive front, they don’t have any glaring holes in the starting lineup. However, they do have weaknesses, and one of them is John Michael Schmitz Jr., who has never quite lived up to his second-round draft potential in the center of the offensive line. Last year, Schmitz ranked 23rd among starting centers with a 94.1% pass block win rate and 27th with a 65.1% run block win rate. The Giants brought in veteran Lucas Patrick to back up Schmitz, but Patrick played in only six games for the Bengals last season, partly due to a calf injury, and will be 33 years old this season. **Philadelphia Eagles** **Strong safety** Andrew Mukuba had an excellent rookie season at one safety position, but the Eagles have questions at the other with Reed Blankenship gone. The starter penciled in is Marcus Epps, who started four games last season after returning to the Eagles following two seasons with Las Vegas. If Epps were hurt, the Eagles might have to use a converted cornerback such as Michael Carter II or Jonathan Jones, or perhaps J.T. Gray. Gray is a former All-Pro special teams gunner, but he didn’t play a defensive snap in the 2025 regular season. **Washington Commanders** **Wide receiver** There is a collection of players behind Terry McLaurin waiting for someone to break out. Is Treylon Burks ready to be a starter after three seasons of struggling in Tennessee followed by a few notable catches in 2025 for Washington? Can Luke McCaffrey expand past the 11 catches for 203 yards and three touchdowns that he had in his second season? Or is rookie third-rounder Antonio Williams ready for the big time? The Commanders also have Jaylin Lane, who had 16 receptions for 225 yards as a rookie last season, and veteran Dyami Brown, who had 227 yards in Jacksonville in 2025.

**aBit o’Twitter**

we're done gatekeeping pic.twitter.com/ALCsZn25sO

— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) May 7, 2026 **Check that…** The #️⃣s are in… pic.twitter.com/TYkK8Qwwh4

— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) May 7, 2026 As noted in this story, these jersey numbers are subject to change once roster cuts are made after training camp. So at least some of this could change in a few months. But for now, this is what we have

— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWC) May 7, 2026 Average NFL roster age entering the 2026 season (sorted from youngest to oldest) pic.twitter.com/h74Tm35Dnu

— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) May 6, 2026 **Note:***Ahead of the 2025 season, the Washington Commanders had the oldest roster in the NFL with an average age of **28.1 years** (or 28 years, 7 months, 4 days). This was the first time since tracking began in 2012 that a team’s average age exceeded 28, marking the oldest team in over a decade* Got a linebacker blitzing from the slot who's 1.) holding his water to time up that snap cadence and 2.) having the foot speed and closing ability to pressure/tackle the QB.

— Jamual (@LetMualTellit) May 7, 2026 "Commander on Commander Crime"

While discussing 6th-round RB Kaytron Allen, @MarkBullockNFL pulled PSU vs. OSU clips.

Allen showed short-yardage prowess vs. future teammate Sonny Styles & Cowboy Caleb Downs.

He thrives falling forward for tough yards. pic.twitter.com/LnvmjwIJk8

— George Carmi (@Gcarmi21) May 7, 2026 Scot McCloughan said Dan Snyder told him he couldn't draft WR Stefon Diggs and Jay Gruden wanted zero part of him. Diggs was the highest-rated player on McCloughan's board when he drafted Jamison Crowder in the 4th round.@kevinsheehanDC

— COMMANDERS FOOTBALL (@HogsHaven) May 15, 2025 The same fans that say a 30 year old Terry McLaurin is “old and declining” wanna sign a 32 year old Stefon Diggs.😂😂😂

— Disco (@discoque92) May 7, 2026 WR Stefon Diggs on Instagram:

“This is not an opinion-based sport, so here are the numbers. I played 52% of the snaps and finished with 85 catches for 1,045 yards coming off an ACL.

Where we going? 🫢🫱🏾”

IG: stefondiggs #RaiseHailpic.twitter.com/2b2GiakjpM

— On The Fence Podcast (@theotfpodcast) May 7, 2026 "Stefon Diggs and his lawyer maintained his innocence from the beginning..

They firmly believed that the truth would come out and he was found not guilty in court..

He's still very productive and he showed that last year with the Patriots" ~ @RapSheet#PMSLivepic.twitter.com/4W7A7bmqRo

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 6, 2026 Talking w @MikeGarafolo about Brandon Aiyuk's future: "He’s certainly got the chance to be in Washington if he can get out of there in short order. I dont know what the 49ers are waiting for.”

— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) May 6, 2026 Fair points to be sure. McCaffrey angst is strong and… a touch musguided. I hit on this "What about Luke" angle this week on the:

🎙

and

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— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) May 6, 2026 Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini rented a boat together for an excursion on the water in Tennessee in June 2021, just two months before the NFL insider gave birth to her first child.@mikejbabcock explains… pic.twitter.com/tW2gfpjtBC

— TMZ Sports (@TMZ\_Sports) May 6, 2026