You have lost twice to arguably the worse team in the league in the New York Giants. Your defense who has talent, are not playing as a unit and lacking communication on the field. They are underachieving, and it starts with Jack Del Rio. Why he still has a job makes no sense? Ron Rivera has checked out, as he sees the writing on the wall. If you look at his body of work, it has been mediocrity for four years. As a defensive minded coach, your defense is horrible and can’t even stop the worse team and a 3rd string QB. These types of results are not acceptable and something needs to be done. I understand why you don’t fire Rivera today or tomorrow before the Thanksgiving game, but if you get blown out by the Cowboys, it’s time to clean house.

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Dear Commanders Defense,

After that pathetic effort against the Chicago Bears, I need you to start playing like I know you can. There’s too many first round draft picks on this team to not be more competitive. Coach Ron Rivera put up “do your job” signs please soak that in and follow that motto this week against the Atlanta Falcons. I think you will after that embarrassing game vs Chicago. Giving up 30 pts a game is not acceptable for NFL football and I know you can do better. In addition, I need you to get some takeaways this week and give the offense a short field. Going against a mobile quarterback and Desmond Ridder, please stay disciplined and be on the look out when he takes off. If your able to stop Bijan Robinson and Ridder’s legs, you should win this game. Please redeem yourself this week and all will be better in DC.

Sincerely,

Pro Football Mania

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Washington Commanders – The Commanders laid a big egg at home against the Chicago Bears on Thursday. The biggest culprit was their porous defense who has a lot to improve. Fans are calling for the firing of Ron Rivera and Jack Del Rio which may not be a bad idea.

Dallas Cowboys – They are who we thought they were. If you look at the Cowboys first four opponents that we’re all pretty weak. Against a really good 49ers team, they were exposed. Also the 49ers gave other teams an idea on how to control Micah Parsons.

New York Giants – Their stock was already down, but it keeps going further and further down. Their lack of weapons is a reason there in the bottom of the NFL power rankings.

Stock Up

Philadelphia Eagles – Some have questioned the Eagles so far, that they haven’t been playing the same as last year. But here we are and the Eagles are 5-0.

San Francisco 49ers – If you watched the Cowboys game, you’ll know why. They are a complete team from top to bottom and let’s not forget about Brock Purdy, the leader of the team!

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Chase Young suffered a grade 3 ACL injury in 2021 that kept him out of much of the 2022-2023 season. When he returned he wasn’t the same dominant force we were accustomed to seeing. He seemed to still be favoring his leg and lacked the explosiveness we saw during his rookie campaign. It’s understandable as this was a significant knee injury that can take time to heal.

Back in April, the Washington Commanders decided to decline Young’s 5th-year option which raised some eyebrows. You can look at this two ways. The Commanders want to motivate Young and see if he bounces back next season. The other is the ownership factor which has yet to be official. It’s possible the Commanders are waiting for the new ownership group before making any decisions on the future. Head Coach Ron Rivera has stated more than once that the team is in a holding pattern until new ownership takes over. Either way, this decision has caused several different trade rumors to pop up. Could the Commanders make the move?

Potential Trade Candidates for Chase Young

Here’s the thing, it’s very likely the Commanders don’t trade Chase Young but that doesn’t mean teams won’t poke around. If a trade package is significant enough it may tempt Washington to make the move. They also have Montez Sweat who will be due a new contract soon and they may not be able to keep Sweat and Young.

The Chicago Bears, Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs have all been rumored to be interested in Young. Of those teams, the Chiefs make the most sense. They are obviously a contender and lost stud DE Frank Clark this offseason. What could they offer the Commanders in return? An early-round draft pick is likely the answer but it needs to be high enough to get Washington’s interest.

I fully expect the Commanders to hold onto their star despite the trade rumors. According to Albert Breer, this is the likely outcome. Chase Young has turned some heads in OTA’s as it’s looking like he is completely healthy now and ready to prove his doubters wrong.

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There was a time when we didn’t know if Brian Robinson Jr. would be able to play football again. He was a victim of a carjacking attempt in Washington D.C. and was shot multiple times in the leg. In a miraculous turn of events, Robinson was able to return to football and make his NFL debut in week 5. A true testament to his physical and mental strength.

When the Washington Commanders drafted Brian Robinson in the 3rd round of the 2022 NFL Draft it was a bit of a surprise. Antonio Gibson was already on the roster and developing nicely yet the Commanders were looking for a true bruiser/red zone running back. The rookie out of Alabama showed he could handle a full-time role but would need to adjust in the NFL to complement Gibson. In the end, Robinson showed flashes but didn’t produce enough to be a top-tier running back.

Brian Robinson finished the season with 108.2 FP (Half PPR). He had 3 total touchdowns on the season, 2 rushing and 1 receiving. On top of that, he had 205 rushing attempts which was good for #19 amongst running backs. Keep in mind, that is with missing 4 games along with sharing the load with Gibson. The Commanders looked to give him the majority of the workload but he didn’t produce as much as we liked. Let’s now dive deeper into his 2022 season and forecast his value.

2022

As you can expect it was an emotional day when Brian Robinson made his debut in week 5. Robinson was eased into the game plan and rightfully so, he just had surgery on his leg and was getting used to the pro game. The following week against the Chicago Bears, Robinson scored his first NFL touchdown. We also saw his volume go up as he finished with 60 yards on 17 carries.

In week 12 against the Atlanta Falcons, Robinson had his best output of the season. He rushed for 105 yards on 18 carries including his first receiving touchdown. It was exactly what owners were looking for as Robinson finished in the top 5 with 19.5 fantasy points. One thing is for certain, Robinson did not lack touches, especially in the red zone. He just didn’t hit paydirt as much as we would’ve liked.

In the chart below were his projected vs actual fantasy points in Half PPR for 2022. As you can see, he exceeded his projections 5 times but the projections were mostly in the single digits.

2023

As we look ahead to the upcoming season and start to project Brian Robinson’s value there are some key factors to consider. Washington fired offensive coordinator Scott Turner and brought in Eric Bieniemy. This has me excited for the Commanders offense as a whole but we don’t know yet how all the pieces will fit. Head Coach Ron Rivera has had an old-school mentality and prefers to control the clock with the run game. If Bieniemy has his way, we will see exotic packages and a more up tempo offense. It will be fascinating to watch how this plays out.

Brian Robinson’s Dynasty Value

Where do I rank Brian Robinson’s dynasty value right now? He is currently RB29 in my recently updated dynasty football rankings. This is +6 in terms of the FantasyPros ECR. It’s also right around his current position on KeepTradeCut which is RB35. There is a lot of hype surrounding Antonio Gibson in the new-look Washington offense. Although Gibson has the better upside, I still have him below Robinson. You can expect more rushing touchdowns in year 2 for Robinson and at this current value, he is a BUY for me.

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Revisiting the previous season, a total of five coaches got the axe. Kliff Kingsbury, Lovie Smith, Matt Rhule, Frank Reich and Nathaniel Hackett are all out. Of the five that were let go, only Frank Reich landed another NFL Head Coaching position as he signed on with the Carolina Panthers. You can expect around the same number to be fired next year if not more. NFL teams are hiring and firing coaches more quickly now (see Hackett).

With that said we picked five coaches that are currently on the hot seat for the upcoming season. Keep an eye on these coaches as it will be important for all of them to start fast when the season starts.

Robert Saleh – New York Jets

Robert Saleh very well could’ve been fired following the 2022-2023 season. The Jets spiraled out of the NFL playoff picture losing their last 6 games. Despite having a stellar NFL Draft, they lacked a true offensive identity and finished near the bottom in total points (296).

In steps Aaron Rodgers to try and revitalize the Jets franchise. Rodgers brought with him some old friends in Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb. He also has Nathaniel Hackett running the offense as the two former Packers team up again. The expectations are now sky-high and if the Jets start off the season slow it may be Saleh that pays the price.

Kevin Stefanski – Cleveland Browns

Kevin Stefanski had a dream debut season for Cleveland. The Browns finished that season with an 11-5 record and made the playoffs. In their Wild Card matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the offense was unstoppable and they put up a whopping 48 points. It seemed as if Stefanski and Baker Mayfield were the perfect match. Since then things haven’t gone as planned. Mayfield is no longer with the Browns and Deshaun Watson was brought in on a massive contract.

Cleveland is now predicted to finish last in the AFC North next season. Stefanski will need a strong season from Watson and the offense as a whole to keep his job.

Mike McCarthy – Dallas Cowboys

If this were any other team in the NFL Mike McCarthy would be safe. The Cowboys finished last season with a 12-5 record and a playoff win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Yet there is a sense of urgency that Dallas needs to produce better postseason results.

They since have let go of their promising offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. McCarthy has taken over the play-calling duties and with that is more added pressure. If the Cowboys don’t make the playoffs or fail to advance in the postseason, Jerry Jones may lose his patience.

Matt LaFleur – Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers have officially entered the Jordan Love era. Whether it’s fair or not, Matt LaFleur’s future depends on how well Love progresses. Aaron Rodgers leaving could be a blessing in disguise for the Packers franchise. It could also end up being the start of a stretch where Green Bay is no longer relevant and they are back in the quarterback market next year. Regardless, the microscope will be on LaFleur as he enters the upcoming season.

Ron Rivera – Washington Commanders

It’s already been an unusual offseason for Head Coach Ron Rivera. The Washington Commanders are finally getting rid of their hated owner Dan Snyder. This alone has caused a new level of optimism around the franchise. They also brought in Eric Bieniemy as Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator. With that, there is a bit of strange dynamic while they wait for future owner Josh Harris to take over.

Will Rivera be safe until next year? No one really knows but don’t discount the Bieniemy effect. Early reports from Commanders OTA’s are saying Rivera has delegated many duties to Bieniemy. It’s plausible that Bieniemy has been tabbed the Head Coach in waiting. This situation is worth keeping an eye on as we get into training camp.

Looking for more NFL news and featured articles? Check out our NFL section.

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Full Time Play-Caller

Although Bieniemy was the OC for the Chiefs it is widely known that he didn’t call the plays. Head Coach Andy Reid took care of those duties during gameday. Even with that, Bieniemy was a big part of the offensive gameplan and play designs. Now that he is joining the Commanders he will be able to take full control of the offense including calling the plays. Some are saying this is one of the reasons why Bieniemy hasn’t yet become a head coach but I am not buying it. There have been plenty of offensive minds over the years that have become head coaches without calling plays.

Commanders Offensive Potential

The Commanders haven’t exactly been an offensive juggernaut during Ron Rivera‘s tenure. There were times when the offense disappeared during games and it was one of the reasons former OC Scott Turner was fired. When you look at the skilled positions for Washington you can see the potential. They have three outstanding wide receivers, two versatile running backs and a solid tight end group. The missing piece has been the quarterback. Rivera recently stated that Sam Howell will be in heavy consideration for QB1 next year and rightfully so. You could see his potential when he started the final game of the year against the Cowboys. He has a massive arm and the mobility to extend plays. You would have to think Bieniemy is intrigued by Howell and it’s one of the reasons he chose Washington.

Potential Future Head Coach?

It’s no secret that the Washington Commanders are up for sale and looking for new owners. The fanbase is patiently waiting for the day to become a reality and they will finally be rid of Dan Snyder. In the meantime now Denver Head Coach Sean Payton admitted that potential owners reached out to him to see if he was interested in the Commanders. It’s not that far fetched to see new ownership in place and they might be interested in making Bieniemy the head coach. Furthermore, there have been rumors that Ron Rivera may retire soon and there could be an agreement to elevate Bieniemy when he does. Either way I expect Bieniemy to have a huge impact in Washington and Commanders fans should be excited with this hire.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Washington Commanders found a new spirit with the arrival of Carson Wentz. Ron Rivera will still really have to get creative with Wentz in order to return to the playoffs in 2022. With that said, I’m going to simply outline the three biggest obstacles for the Commanders next season.

Pass defense

The Commanders ranked 29th in passing YPG allowed last season, so it’s clear their 2021 pass defense was far from a recipe for success. The CB William Jackson was one of the most disappointing players on the roster last season, as highlighted by Commanders Wire. The Commanders will also anticipate Chase Young elevating into an elite pass rusher (and Montez Sweat returning to dominance after missing seven games), which should benefit their ability against opposing QBs. It may also make sense for the Commanders to be the second NFC East team to sign a FA CB like Joe Haden or Janoris Jenkins.

The WR talent

It’s obvious that Wentz will love throwing to Terry McLaurin more than Michael Pittman Jr, but Wentz will need to also be in sync with a talented WR2 in his offense. Curtis Samuel fell off a cliff last season and Jahan Dotson is a rookie, so it’s unclear which WR will help Scary Terry demolish opposing defenses. Hopefully, Dotson can hit the ground running and the Commanders find a superb way to get Samuel the pigskin in space.

Dallas Cowboys

Unfortunately, the Dallas Cowboys swept the Commanders last season. In particular, the Commanders allowed an embarrassing 56 points from the Boys last season. I’m sure that Rivera has the Cowboys contest circled on his calendar and the WAS defense strives to tee off on Prescott. The Commanders and Boys battle in Week 4 and Week 18 in the 2022-2023 season.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Washington gold, also known as Terry McLaurin, has been a quality wideout over the past two seasons. Here is a closer look at how productive Scary Terry has been for Ron Rivera over the past couple of years:

2020 (15 games): 134 targets, 87 receptions, 1,118 yards

2021 (17 games): 130 targets, 77 receptions, 1,053 yards

Terry has been a B NFL player and an A Washington player in his career. I believe the best is yet to come for the 26-year-old WR. Most importantly, I honestly expect Carson Wentz to bring the Commanders back to the post-season. As we stand here today, I feel like the Commanders, Saints, and Cardinals will be the three wild-card squads in next year’s NFC playoff gauntlet.

The entire Colts fan base may still want to virtually sacrifice Wentz for his Week 18 meltdown, but he did throw 27 passing touchdowns in his first season as a Colt. It’s impressive that he was a potent red-zone machine, while his best WR was Michael Pittman Jr. (88 targets, 1,082 yards, and 6 touchdowns in 2021) and the Colts second-leading WR in 2021 was Zach Pascal. I believe Wentz can definitely throw 32-38 touchdowns in Washington’s offensive attack in 2022. I expect Rivera and the Commanders to bring the 29-year-old back after this season, as well. In retrospect, they may have made a wise decision to trade for Wentz (meanwhile, the Panthers are arguably in QB hell).

Wentz will certainly be an upgrade over Taylor Heinicke, as Heinicke threw 20 passing touchdowns, 15 ints, and 3,419 passing attempts last season. If Heinicke can go toe to toe for 3/4 quarters against Brady in the playoffs, Wentz should feel confident that he can work magic with the talented Washington team in his new chapter. It should be noted that the Commanders don’t need him to be Joe Theisman.

The Washington fan base should feel delighted to hear that Ian Rapport stated on Wednesday morning that the Commanders want to keep him for the foreseeable future. I expect Wentz to lean on McLaurin’s ability deep down the field and in short routes for many years to come. I expect McLaurin to have career numbers in targets, receptions, and yards in 2022.

Scary Terry is currently the 16th best WR in dynasty PPR via Fantasy Pros at this point in time. I believe it’s time to buy McLaurin, as he should be looked at as a Top 12 WR in my opinion. Samuel can be a nice/improved chess piece in the “Percey Harvin role”, but I don’t expect him (9 targets in 5 games last season) to be a heavily involved WR2. It’s honestly the Wentz and Terry show moving forward.

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By: Jake Rajala

The NFL stands for “not for long” and it isn’t easy for any NFL profile to remain a consistent force in the professional football league over a long duration of time. In particular, there are countless NFL head coaches that meet the grim reaper and get fired at the end of each NFL season. With that said, I’m going to outline many coaching faces that are standing on hot coals entering the 2022 NFL season.

• Matt Rhule

The Carolina Panthers axed Joe Brady after they started 5-7 last season and it’s clear they expect progress from their quarterback and offense in 2022. I’m really not convinced that the Panthers and Matt Rhule have improved their QB situation (contrary to Sam Darnold’s self-reflection on Barstool) this offseason. I don’t believe that Sam Darnold or any of the 2022 rookie signal-callers will prevent Rhule from facing the music (such as “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga).

The Panthers were also gifted bad news when Tom Brady unretired and New Orleans re-signed the 5-2 starting QB in New Orleans, Jameis Winston. Rhule’s team will defintely have four difficult match-ups in the NFC South next season

• Kevin Stefanski

The Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski clearly has high expectations for the second season in a row. Stefanski led the most disappointing team in 2021 and he will face a dire reality if the Browns fail to make the playoffs with an improved 2022 roster. The Deshaun Watson featured Browns might even receive familiar faces in Jadeveon Clowney and OBJ. It’s safe to say that the 2020 coach of the year won’t be “paid to lose games” and he will likely meet the chopping block if his team finishes with 7 or fewer wins for the second season in a row.

• Ron Rivera

The Washington Commanders were desperate for an attractive QB mate at the dance this offseason. Unfortunately, the Commanders weren’t able to acquire Patrick Mahomes or any other elite QB. Ron Rivera is really relying on Carson Wentz to have a career revival and become a modest starting QB. Wentz will most likely not follow in Aaron Rodgers’s old path by ascending from an underperforming QB to an MVP-caliber QB, but he can save his head coach’s future by helping his team make the playoffs for the “second time in three seasons”.

• Jon Harbaugh

The GOAT Tom Brady almost passed the torch to Lamar Jackson, but the NFL world still knows LJ is a special athlete. The Ravens HC-QB combination needs to find a way to return to the AFC playoff gauntlet in the gutsy AFC North. The Super Bowl XLVII magic is wearing off John Harbaugh and he needs to prove his vision with a Lamar Jackson-led squad. The Steelers legendary head coach Mike Tomlin found a way to dig deep and bring the Steelers to the post-season last season and now it’s time for Harbaugh to keep a chip on his shoulder and discover at least a playoff berth next season.

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