It is the JR Sport Brief Show here with you Coast to Coast on the Infiniti Sports Network. And we got contracts that are getting handed out all over the place. Damian Lillard gets a deal, TJ Wadd gets a deal, and And people are getting paid. There is a Washington commander. He's looking to get paid.
Derr McLaurin hasn't gotten his deal yet. Von Miller is obviously in the building.
Now with the Commanders, he got paid. And here's some big expectations for this team heading into this season based on their appearance in the NFC Championship last season. To talk about what we've learned about the Commanders over the past few days and what we can expect moving forward right now is joining us, someone who's covered them for years. You can catch him now on the Last Man Standick podcast. Joining us is Ben Standig.
Ben, how are you, man? Good. Hey, I'm doing great. Thanks for having me. Absolutely.
Well, we we learned, obviously, last night and so early this morning that Von Miller is now a member of this commanders' team. We know that they needed defensive help. Are you surprised that Von Miller is the guy that's gonna try to help plug this hole? Uh no, I mean he was I was certainly talking about it during the OTAs and minicamp that, you know, if they're going to add somebody, it's. They need more like a pure pass rusher, and there's a bunch of the sort of 30-something guys out there, including Von Miller.
And, you know, he's going to be a rotation piece. I don't think anybody's expecting him to come in and play heavy snaps, but he was pretty effective last year in that role with the Bills. And You know, Washington's pass rush is sort of pass rush by committee. They don't have like one sort of obvious guy, and Von Miller is going to fit right into that.
So, you know, he had six sacks last year and, you know, relatively. Limited time.
So, if he can produce like that and get in pressure the quarterback consistently, yeah, I think Washington would be pretty happy. We know that they were driven a lot by the offense last year. The defense wasn't necessarily anything to scream home about. They've also added. Frankie Louvu is to the team.
You got another year Bobby Wagnery here. What is the expectation of this defense moving forward? Yeah, I think that's the big You know, last year, you know, the run defense was. Pretty miserable. And, you know, like I said, it was sort of like pass rush by committee.
It wasn't, you know, you didn't always quite know where it would be coming from. I think the hope is, you know, it's the second year with this coaching staff.
So just having that experience, you know, more time together, that that alone. Should help some things. They've upgraded, I think, in the secondary in particular. They drafted Trey Emmos, cornerback in the second round. He could very well be the starter this year.
But yeah, it's still sort of like an odd combination. This is a team that's only his second year. With this group of Dan Quinn as head coach and Adam Peters as GM, they're still. Building up the roster, and yet, because of the success they had last year, namely because of the offense of the Jaden Daniels, the defense has to be more than just sort of piecing it together a little bit, you know, year after year. They have to get some vets.
So they have a lot of older guys who can come in and play, but they don't have a ton of spectacular guys.
So we'll see how well they do. But I think they've done better against the run. They should do better against the run based on some of their moves than they looked last year. Commanders reporter Ben Standig is here with us on the JR Sport Brief show coast to coast. You talk about coach Dan Quinn.
We know his bread and butter is defense. And I feel like even when he was here in Atlanta, he was well liked. I mean, you've been around him now. What's your impression? Why do people care for him the way that they do?
Yeah, I mean, you know, it's one thing to sort of No, s i it's say that you uh you know, you're You're into your players as more than just the players, as people. He actually doesn't just talk about that. He actually does that. He's very. He's very personable.
He's the guy that I think. is like a connector of of people. I mean, that's really the sort of the uh the underrated part of last year's team was that They were able to get all these pieces together who guys are either sort of spare parts or maybe over the hill or or what have you and bring them together in short order and, you know, be a cohesive group. And Dan Quinn's sort of personality and vibe and like natural enthusiasm is really, I think, a a big driver Um, of that, so he really is you know a guy that just does connect with his players on that personal level, and again, we we hear about that in sports or you know all the time, but. you know, sometimes that can be Um Overstated perhaps.
Or not consistent. With him, it's it's it's a genuine article and and the players respond to that.
Well, you talk about optimism and bringing all the good vibes. How optimistic are you that Terry McLaurin is going to get a decent deal to his liking? and before we get to game one. Yeah, I've been my basic stance has been, you know, these things tend to work themselves out, you know, wake me up before, you know, at the start of training camp and nothing's happened yet. And now we're only a few days away from that.
And we heard McLaurin speak the other day. I was there when he when he talked and it was really candid about his frustration with the team. It seems to me that There's an obvious sort of Middle ground, which is like sort of roughly 30 million dollars a year. That's where like Brandon Ayuk and Amon Ross and Brown, Tyreek Hill are at. If his side is looking at what DK Metcalf got around 33 million, I don't know that the team is going to go there based on whatever it is.
They look at Terry McLaurin as a guy who's really good, but maybe not like elite elite, and that's elite, elite kind of money, regardless of what you think of DK Metcalf versus McLaurin. On the other hand, if the team is offering somewhere around where T. Higgins got a little over $28 million to be the Bengals number two, I feel like that's going to be a tougher pill to swallow if you're McLaurin's side because of the success he's had. Even when they've had lousy quarterbacks in Washington most of the time before last year.
So it's a little bit of a tricky balance, but you think that logically cooler heads will prevail, they get this done. At some point here, but you know, clearly they've got some work to do based on the way McLaurin talked the other day. Commanders reporter Ben Standig is here with us. You talk about what Terry McLaurin brings to this team. This year, Jaden Daniels is going to have another weapon to play around with in D Ball Samuel.
We can all look at the fat, overweight jokes, but we do know he brings a different dynamic to this team. How do you think he'll fit in? I mean, stylistically, he should be a very good fit with what. Um, offensive coordinator Cliff Kingsbury is looking to do. You know, Debo is known as a guy.
He's not like a classic, you know, rap running receiver, but he's the guy you get the ball on his hands and watch him get those yards after the catch, quick throws. That's a lot of what was working for this team. last year but you know he's obviously Debo Samuel is, you know, not coming off a particularly good year. His style of play, where it's his really sort of physical. Nature is not going to necessarily age well.
So there is this wonder of: hey, was last year a tough year, not just because of whatever the 49ers were going through, but because this Debo may have lost a step. I think it's something to wonder. You know, he looked fine to me this summer, but summer practices are far different than the season.
So there's a lot to prove. But if he is, in fact, you know, Able to provide a similar style that he did in previous years. And that's going to be a big boost for Washington again, not as like a rat runner, but as a guy who just put the ball in his hands and let him get after it. They didn't have a ton of playmakers on offense, and this would be one for sure if, you know, again, if he's really got enough use left to be a pretty productive guy.
Well, the guy who's going to be throwing him the ball or handing him the ball is is Jaden Daniels had arguably the best rookie season by a quarterback that we've ever seen, was one step away from going to the Super Bowl. Where is there room for growth in his game? He's already looked upon after his rookie season as being one of the best quarterbacks, period. Yeah, no, it's um You know, I'm not somebody who is like. prone to just overt gushing, especially after just like One year.
You know, let's see what happens in year two. There's got to be things to work on. Know because everybody, you know, whether you're Tom Brady or you know, a newbie in the league, you know, there's always things to work on. And yet, with Jaden Daniels, honestly, there really isn't like one obvious issue he had last year. Everything was pretty smooth, he was comfortable in the pocket, his accuracy was on point.
He was. Rather good at, you know, knowing when to break the huddle or break the pocket, sorry, and and and escape the defenders. He could, you know, he could run and, you know. Was highly effective, especially late in the year for Washington.
So, you know, sure, there are subtle things, you know, a little better with the footwork and, you know, understanding of how defenses are, you know, setting them up at times. But yeah, like you said, it was arguably the best rookie season ever for a quarterback or maybe even any player in the league. And The fact that he is like this hard worker, a guy who is not prone to outside distractions. It really does feel like this is a guy who should be able to build on what was already a pretty incredible season. And I think it's a reason why.
He is Feel like he may be that quarterback who's on the verge, if he keeps this going, of breaking down that door of the elite tier in this league. And, you know, Maybe he's already there. I think we need a little more time to see it, but it's pretty close based on what we've seen. And I think he's got a real shot to be one of the best three or four quarterbacks in the league by this season. We talked about a lot of the adjustments and additions that this team has made, Ben.
And you think about the offensive line, the defensive line, the addition, as we just mentioned, of Von Miller to the team. Ultimately, Terry McLaurin, I think they'll get a deal done. When you take a look at the fan base, Last year, I don't want to say it was an anomaly, but it certainly was a fast-forward button. On what the team could be, what is the realistic expectation from fans? Are fans going, hey, Super Bowl a bust for the Commanders?
Are they just like, what's the likelihood of us winning twelve games again? What are the expectations of this squad? Yeah, I mean based on Twelve wins, NFC Championship game appearance. You would think under any circumstance. Super Bowl is the next step.
And certainly, there's going to be pockets of the fan base or others who have that vibe. I'm sure the people in the organization or in the locker room have that as well. But I think realistically, I think most of us are like, wow, that was insane. What happened last year? You know, it was the best, most wins, and deepest run in the playoffs since 1991, the last time they won a Super Bowl.
And yet they did it with You know, again, Jaden Daniels. spectacular, but so much of the rest of the team is still a work in progress. And again, I think if we're all being realistic, like they they won Um Five games in a row late in the year on the literal last play from scrimmage, whether it was them making a kick, a play, or the defense doing something to win five in a row in those kinds of circumstances is you know fairly nuts. It's just not going to happen on a regular basis. They also last year, just based on the way the schedule worked, they had a The easier schedule.
And the opponents, there was a stretch there, like for like most of the season, where they were not playing any quarterback that any of us would consider to be a real dangerous kind of a player. That's different this year. The out-of-division schedule has them going up against the NFC North and the AFC West. Those divisions combined for six playoff teams a year ago.
So, you know, it's going to be a lot more complicated. I think if they can get 10 wins, they could still be a better team with a worse record, if that makes sense, because of just all the circumstances.
So I think people are realistic. But at the same point with Jaden Daniels, hope is in the air and that's something that has not been here for years.
Well, we see that people are looking for a lot of hope. They're putting on the old jerseys. And what's the deal been with the stadium? They're moving back into the city, huh?
Well, that's the hope. That's what the team, that's what the team wants. I think it eventually gets done. The DC City Council still needs to vote on it, and the question is. Um The team wants this vote done.
If this month was when the DC council is going to finalize their budget. For the year going forward, if the stadium is included and it's passed, then the team hopes they can open this thing by 2030 and get moving. If it's not, if they don't get this. budget approved this month.
Now there's potentially going to be a delay, and if there's a delay, I guess there's a small chance. Where Washington, where the team decides, you know, we'll just stay where we are in Maryland. They own the property. I doubt that's what's going to happen. I imagine it gets done, but you know, you never know with politics.
And, you know, in DC, it's always more complicated because you get the federal government involvement as well, because the site is on federal land and yada, yada, yada. If you get the federal government involved, Including all the way up to the president, and you know, we'll see. But I think it gets done, but it's. Yeah, there's some tension in the air right now, but I think that gets done. It sounds like everything else in DC.
Well, I'll tell you this, Ben. At least these conversations are being had about new stadiums, electrifying quarterback. There's a whole lot of optimism now that you got Josh Harris in and uh Dan Snyder, I guess, is uh somewhere angry on a boat.
So that's good for the fans. Oh, absolutely. I mean, it's if you told anybody, I mean, nobody imagined this was going to happen. Anything close like this would happen a year ago to be in this position where, right, if the worst case scenario is like sort of, you know. That it's this type of option.
We'll focus on football and not, you know, off the field. Uh You know, negative headlines, everybody's going to take it. It's a total 180, and hopefully they can build on that. And again, with Jaden Daniels, regardless of what else has happened, I think there's so much optimism there that people are pretty excited again in ways that have not been around here and forever.
Well, that and that's that's certainly a good thing.
Well, Ben, thank you so much for the time. Please tell everybody where they can follow you and all your work with the commanders. Yeah, you mentioned uh my podcast, uh Last Man Standing and uh You can follow me on TwitterX at BenStandig. And I'll have a few more things going on as we get closer to the season. But yeah, that's kind of it for right now.
Amazing.
Well, thank you so much, Ben. We'll catch you down online, okay? Yeah, I appreciate it. Thanks so much.
