The Washington Commanders aggressively attacked the fringe group of free agents with a diverse group of rookies.
The Washington Commanders added two former Dallas Cowboys players and at least one Super Bowl candidate to their defensive group this offseason. By signing three new defensive ends and an outside linebacker (more on him in a moment), the commanders are completely revamping their edge defense strategy, which we haven’t seen in recent years. This could be a welcome change from what we have seen in the past.
And it all started with Washington hiring former Cowboys defensive coaches Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr. to lead the organization’s new approach to winning football.
scheme and style
From the beginning, Coach Quinn emphasized style of play over strategy. It doesn’t really matter whether commanders use 3-4, 4-3, or other off-the-shelf defense systems made popular in video games like EA Sports’ Madden series, but rather that How you use it is important. How to do that starts with a leadership mentality but must move to a player mentality, creating a strong competitive spirit lacking self-esteem and the need for the unit to succeed rather than the individual.
De Dorrance Armstrong
Turn on Armstrong’s tape and you’ll see exactly that. He’s not immune to praising his own good play, but he’s also someone who prioritizes the success of his team over his own. In Week 12 against Washington, Dallas’ defensive ends were asked to step into coverage in the middle of the field, where the linebackers would normally be. To their advantage, the managers had set a script that required 11 yards for a first down.
You would think that with only four blockers and two defenders about five yards downfield, Washington would be able to pick up a significant gain and first down. Armstrong lunged at two of his blockers, forcing one of them into the path of running back Antonio Gibson, giving his teammates a chance to corral the ball carrier before it reached the uprights. Such moves are not included in the box’s statistics, but they have a significant impact on the outcome of the game. de clerin ferrel
Unlike Armstrong, Ferrell is a first-round pick with Super Bowl experience. While Ferrell lacks the fluidity and ability to rush in with speed compared to Armstrong, he makes up for it with his ability to set an edge and force his teammates to make plays or make plays himself. . Ferrell doesn’t get away from blockers as often as he would like, but there are several instances in the film where he can compete with blockers and make plays in the run game, and even have times where he uses them. A blocker who interferes with the play itself. He shouldn’t expect high sack numbers from him, but if the quarterback gives him time and has the ability to force straight-arm tackles into the pocket, Ferrell will get the job done. De Dante Fowler Jr. Fowler Jr. is the typical mediator in this equation. Not as fast or quick as Armstrong and not as powerful as Ferrell, but right in the middle of both. You’re more likely to see Fowler try and convert speed to power than a spin move or hit a quick outside rush win, but he’s got enough bend in him to get around tackles and force opposing quarterback to step into the waiting arms of defensive tackles like Daron Payne.
He also shows an impressive sense of spatial awareness when twisting or collapsing down the line, often times hugging the corner he’s turning so tightly you’re left amazed he didn’t trip or run into someone in the process. GAINING AN EDGE
All three of these new additions are different in ways but similar in the fact they’ll rarely stop pursuing a play until it’s over. Whether it’s Ferrell running down the line of scrimmage to force quarterback Sam Howell out of bounds for a sack, Armstrong giving up his body so other teammates can make a play, or Fowler using matrix-like abilty to avoid a pulling tight end before burying Lions running back David Montgomery in the backfield, each man shares that common trait and uses it to different degrees. The key for Whit Jr. as the Commander’s defensive coordinator will be to utilize all of that in the best way possible. Wildcards like Mychal Walker are also on the roster (the only outside linebacker listed as of this writing), and the coordinator works well with Payne and fellow defensive tackle Jonathan Orr. Have several different skill sets to work at the edge.
And he may acquire even more talent through the NFL Draft later this month. Add to all this the young prospects of KJ Henry and Andre Jones Jr. in 2023, and the healthy return of veteran Efe Obada. There may not be any big names in Washington these days, but there’s a lot of talent and a lot of effort that big names don’t necessarily bring.
