Commanders line of defense faces steep climb in 2025 – Darius Hayes, Sports activities Illustrated
A former Washington power might now be a weak spot for the Commanders.
The Washington Commanders enter 2025 after a powerful one-season turnaround underneath head coach Dan Quinn.
Nonetheless, one place group is underneath intense criticism. Professional Soccer Focus ranks the Commanders’ line of defense thirty first within the league, highlighting vital points for a unit that was as soon as the muse of the workforce’s id.
In its newest positional rankings, PFF described the outlook for Washington going ahead on protection.
“Washington’s already shaky line of defense could possibly be even worse in 2025. The unit misplaced edge defender Dante Fowler Jr., who led the workforce in sacks, and launched veteran inside defender Jonathan Allen this offseason”, stated PFF.
“Of the sting defenders and inside defenders nonetheless on the workforce, Dorrance Armstrong owns the very best PFF total grade from 2024 (65.3) however ranked solely 56th amongst edge defenders.”
This low rating comes after a big overhaul. Veteran Jonathan Allen, a longtime chief on and off the sector, was launched earlier this offseason, and pass-rushing specialist Dante Fowler Jr., who led the workforce in sacks final yr, was not retained. The departures depart a large void in each manufacturing and management.
Now, the stress falls on gamers like Dorrance Armstrong, who reunites with head coach Dan Quinn from their days in Dallas. Armstrong posted a stable 65.3 total PFF grade final season, the very best amongst returning linemen in Washington. Nonetheless, that ranked solely 56th amongst edge rushers league-wide, an indicator of simply how skinny the unit’s top-end expertise is.
Whereas Armstrong brings familiarity with Quinn’s scheme, the remainder of the line of defense stays a query mark. The workforce will want younger gamers and rotational veterans to step up in a giant manner if it hopes to generate constant stress or decelerate opposing run video games.
ESPN Predicts ‘Nuclear’ Giants Protection To Rank Amongst NFL’s Elite – Nathan Karseno, AthlonSports.com
New York might produce a stellar defensive unit in 2025.
Normal supervisor Joe Schoen has dedicated ample assets into the protection in an try to tug the New York Giants out of the NFC East basement and again to relevancy.
Whereas these efforts haven’t yielded a division title since their final Tremendous Bowl win in 2011, many imagine this offseason’s strikes have has been as productive as any lately in making up some floor with their rivals.
They continue to be an extended shot to win the division, however the Giants’ protection may see some main enhancements this season after one other productive offseason addressing that aspect of the ball.
ESPN’s Mina Kimes has predicted the Giants’ protection to rank within the prime 10 throughout the league this season, thanks largely to their depth up entrance.
“I selected this workforce completely primarily based on the concept the line of defense can simply fully take over video games and destroy the lives of quarterbacks,” Kimes stated, because the G-men have been the ultimate workforce she named on this projection.
The headliner of New York’s offseason on protection was the group going again to its outdated methods and loading up on move rushers. Becoming a member of Dexter Lawrence, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns is the No. 3 total choose on this yr’s NFL Draft, Abdul Carter.
“It’s a nightmare,” Kimes stated concerning the ferocious line of defense.
She additionally mentions, nevertheless, that different free company strikes must be useful as effectively.
“Additionally they added some gamers within the again finish that I believe may stabilize issues with Javon Holland at security, [cornerback] Paulson Adebo, [Dru] Phillips is absolutely good. I actually like the mixture of Javon Holland and Tyler Nubin collectively, as a result of I believe you possibly can have Nuban enjoying nearer to the field the place he’s higher, personally,” Kimes stated.
TE Dallas Goedert Addresses Resolution To Stay With Eagles – Adam La Rose, Professional Soccer Rumors
The Eagles saved a key piece of their offense.
Dallas Goedert was a commerce candidate for a lot of the spring, and his future remained unsure previous the draft. With no settlement being made to ship him to a brand new workforce, although, the veteran tight finish wound up remaining with the Eagles on a restructured deal.
Initially scheduled to earn $14.25MM in 2025, Goedert will as an alternative accumulate $10MM in base pay with one other $1MM accessible by means of incentives. He stays a pending free agent, which means a Philadelphia departure may nonetheless be in retailer subsequent spring. Goedert’s desire was to remain in place for 2025, nevertheless, one thing he just lately spoke about.
“Yeah, so once I bought drafted a yr after [the Eagles] received the Tremendous Bowl, I used to be capable of expertise the enjoyable elements of a Tremendous Bowl the yr after successful the Tremendous Bowl,” the 30-year-old stated throughout an look on ESPN’s NFL Stay (by way of NFL.com). “After we received and the chance to run it again once more to see the banner drop, it simply wouldn’t have felt — it could have felt I used to be lacking on quite a bit not being there to see all that stuff.
“I bought a whole lot of love for the town of Philadelphia… So, I figured for me it was greatest to work out a deal, so I may keep there and be with the folks I discover which can be essential and attempt to win one other one.”
2024 noticed Goedert restricted to only 10 common season video games and 496 receiving yards (the second-lowest complete of his profession). The eighth-year veteran will nonetheless be counted on to function as a full-time beginning member of the Eagles’ lauded talent place group. Goedert, together with operating again Saquon Barkley and wideouts A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, will return in 2025 as a part of the workforce’s Tremendous Bowl protection.
