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The Athletic (paywall) I have known Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright for a dozen years now, which is hard to believe.<\/p>\n For much of that time, Wagner and Wright were linebackers for the Seattle Seahawks during the franchise\u2019s golden years, while I was a young reporter for The Seattle Times and The Athletic.<\/p>\n [T]hey are entertaining as a pair, equal parts complimenting each other and bickering in the way lots of friendships will recognize. Second, I wanted to hear how they navigated the intersection of their personal and professional relationships \u2014 how they held each other accountable in the workplace while remaining close away from it.<\/p>\n Today, Wright is an assistant for the San Francisco 49ers in the early days of his coaching career. Wagner is about to enter his 14th season and is the leader of the Washington Commanders.<\/p>\n [KJ] Wright: (Laughs). Bobby [Wagner] had an injured hamstring. I had a concussion that game so I didn\u2019t play. I was sitting there looking at this dude, and he\u2019s limping and hitching on the field before the game. He asked me how he looked. I said, \u201cUh uh. No, dog, you ain\u2019t right.\u201d He walks away from me. Alright, whatever. Fast forward, the game happens and Todd Gurley runs a little route, and Bobby is still limping and hitching. Gurley scores a touchdown.<\/p>\n I walked up to Bobby, and I don\u2019t know what I said, but I believe Bobby interpreted it as, \u201cYou\u2019re costing the team. You\u2019re costing us right now.\u201d Maybe I came off that way. He comes out of the game, and I go into the locker room during the game and follow him. He said something along the lines of: \u201cBro, get out of my face.\u201d<\/p>\n I didn\u2019t talk to him the Monday after the game, but I think Bobby called me that Tuesday and said: \u201cBro, I appreciate that. Thank you for being honest.\u201d<\/p>\n NFL.com FORMER TEAM: WASHINGTON COMMANDERS<\/p>\n Fowler was a tremendous value last season, racking up a team-high 10.5 sacks for Dan Quinn\u2019s defense while playing on a one-year deal for less than $5 million. Fowler was due for a raise and received one<\/a> from the Cowboys this offseason, while Washington is hoping Dorance Armstrong can step up in his second year with the team after signing a three-year, $33 million deal last offseason. If Armstrong can produce like Fowler did, the change won\u2019t matter much, but Armstrong has never cracked double-digit sacks in his seven-year career.<\/p>\n Riggo\u2019s Rag The former Alabama star is on the chopping block, make no mistake about that. There\u2019s little chance Robinson won\u2019t be on the 53-man roster<\/a>, but his future beyond the current campaign will be murky unless his performance levels become more consistent.<\/p>\n Robinson stated the 2024 season superbly. He looked well on course for his first 1,000-yard rushing campaign before tailing off down the stretch and into the playoffs. The offensive line\u2019s regression didn\u2019t help, but the explosiveness and purpose that saw him catch fire early deserted the player when the Commanders needed it most.<\/p>\n The Commanders are keeping faith with Robinson. They believe there is more to come, and the added urgency is there for all to see in pursuit of another financial commitment from the franchise.<\/p>\n Some believe Robinson has been unfairly criticized<\/a>. Sections of the Commanders\u2019 fan base wanted Peters to use his first-round pick on a running back. Those pleas fell on deaf ears, but this doesn\u2019t detract from the significant challenge awaiting the fourth-year pro when competitive action commences.<\/p>\n Austin Ekeler will be a useful pass-catching outlet. Jeremy McNichols could feature if he secures his roster spot. Croskey-Merritt hasn\u2019t come to make up the numbers<\/a> despite his lowly draft status. He wants to silence his doubters and become a potential focal point to build around long-term.<\/p>\n Pro Football Focus 5. NFC EAST: EAGLES<\/a>, COMMANDERS<\/a>, COWBOYS<\/a>, GIANTS<\/a><\/p>\n Cumulative over\/under win total: 34<\/p>\n The NFC East sent both representatives to the NFC championship game last January, but those two teams \u2014 the Eagles and Commanders \u2014 are carrying most of the weight for the division as a whole.<\/p>\n Philadelphia lost key talent in free agency, but reloaded effectively enough to remain one of the favorites to return to the Super Bowl in 2025. Washington<\/a>, meanwhile, struck gold with Jayden Daniels<\/a>, who earned PFF\u2019s Rookie of the Year honors. The offense looks promising, but the defense must improve after ranking 29th in team grade (60.0), including a 54.2 run-defense grade and just 258 total pressures (21st). Upgrades in the front seven are a step in the right direction.<\/p>\n The Cowboys were derailed by injuries at quarterback last season, and while the arrival of Brian Schottenheimer as head coach brings some uncertainty, they still have the talent to be competitive \u2014 especially if the run defense, which graded out at a league-worst 49.3 in 2024, can bounce back.<\/p>\n As for the Giants, their quarterback situation remains unresolved, with three players currently in contention for the starting role. The offensive line hasn\u2019t seen meaningful improvement, which raises concerns regardless of who starts under center. However, the additions of Paulson Adebo<\/a> and Jevon Holland<\/a> should help bolster a secondary that ranked 26th in coverage grade (52.5) last season.<\/p>\n Podcasts & videos<\/p>\n Going over the Commanders\u2019 D, trying to gauge if they\u2019re better or worse at each group. And will it be enough? Needed to bolster 1 key area this offseason. I think they have. Stay tuned. @ESPNRichmond<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/BGetYBdl3s<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 John Keim (@john_keim) May 25, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n NFC East links Week 7: Sunday, October 19, vs. Washington Commanders<\/a>, 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX<\/p>\n Holleran: While the Commanders did have an outstanding season last year, the Cowboys played very well against them in their two matchups. I see Dallas having the same success this year, keeping their winning streak intact, logging their fourth-straight victory. Give me Dallas, 27-24.<\/p>\n Current Record: 5-2<\/p>\n Howman: The Commanders officially moved into contender status last year, but they lost one game to the Cowboys and nearly lost the second one too. Dallas matches up well here, and with them riding a hot streak they\u2019ll continue to roll and get the win<\/p>\n Current Record: 6-1<\/p>\n Week 17: Thursday, Dec. 25, at Washington Commanders, 1 p.m. ET, Netflix<\/p>\n Holleran: If the Cowboys want any shot of making the playoffs, this game against Washington on Christmas Day becomes a must-win. Even on a short travel week, Dallas defies the odds, led by Dak Prescott tossing four touchdown passes, walking out with a huge win. Give me Dallas, 34-27.<\/p>\n Current Record: 9-7<\/p>\n Final Record: 10-7<\/p>\n Howman: A short turnaround and going to the nation\u2019s capitol on Christmas day? That\u2019s hardly an ideal turn of events in the calendar, even without considering how good the Commanders are now. Dallas drops this one, splitting the series.<\/p>\n Current Record: 10-6<\/p>\n Final Record: 11-6<\/p>\n Barstool Sports [W]hat ]the Giants] did in the Draft and how they are going about actually making smart moves is something I haven\u2019t felt since the Super Bowl days. <\/p>\n Part of that is Abdul Carter. Part of it is the fact the Giants didn\u2019t overthink it. The freak in the Draft was just sitting there at 3, you take him. Whether it was listening to my grandfather talk, my dad talk, any older family member talk or just watching through the 38 years of my life the Giants have always been a defense first team. Go back to the best era with LT, Pepper Johnson, Carl Banks, to Strahan and Armstead to Jason Sehorn to Tuck, Osi, JPP and the NASCAR package. It\u2019s defense. That\u2019s why you take Abdul Carter and more importantly why you do this<\/p>\n You bring in the greatest football player of all time and the another all-time Giants legend to teach the next star. There\u2019s no excuse for this defense to be bad with what they have. Plus, Justin Tuck might be the number 1 pick in terms of guys in sports who were made to give speeches in the huddle. <\/p>\n NFL league links Doucette and other flag football players ostensibly will get their chance, if the tryout process for the 2028 Olympics gives them a fair chance to compete with active NFL players.<\/p>\n \u201cThe flag guys deserve their opportunity<\/a>,\u201d Doucette told Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post. \u201cThat\u2019s all we want. We felt like we worked hard to get the sport to where it\u2019s at, and then when the NFL guys spoke about it, it was like we were getting kicked to the side. I felt like I was the guy who could speak out for my peers, for my brothers that\u2019s been working hard to get to this level, for us not to be forgotten.\u201d<\/p>\n Doucette believes that the current complement of American flag football players is good enough to win gold, without NFL players horning in.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a sport that we\u2019ve played for a long time, and we feel like we are the best at it and we don\u2019t need other guys,\u201d Doucette said. \u201cBut we all have one goal in mind, and that\u2019s to represent our country. We\u2019re definitely open to all competition. If those guys come in and ball out and they\u2019re better than us, hats off to them. Go win that gold medal for our country.\u201d<\/p>\n Doucette\u2019s confidence comes from the inherent differences between flag football and tackle football. \u201cIt\u2019s entirely two different games,\u201d Doucette said. \u201cYou can\u2019t really compare flag football and tackle football.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThese are things that we practice and we work on to become great,\u201d Doucette said. \u201cThose guys, they don\u2019t understand it yet.\u201d<\/p>\n The looming opponents of the U.S. men\u2019s team believe the NFL players will figure it out.<\/p>\n Chad Palmer, the head coach of the Canadian men\u2019s national flag football team for eight years, would rather face Doucette and his teammates than an all-star collection of NFL talent.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a better chance of beating the flag players than the NFLers,\u201d Palmer told Kilgore. \u201cI say that with a fair bit of confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n Palmer believes the Canadian team also will consist of primarily NFL players, too.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think the current guys who have been doing it for a long time will hold a candle to the pros,\u201d Palmer said.<\/p>\n Discussion topics During Commissioner Roger Goodell\u2019s press conference to cap this week\u2019s ownership meetings, he was asked about potential discussions on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. With the NFL intent on expanding to 18 regular-season games (the current CBA allows 17) and 16 annual international games (the current CBA allows 10), a new deal with the NFL Players Association becomes a must.<\/p>\n And a new deal can be done, in theory, at any time.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are no formal plans on any discussions,\u201d Goodell told reporters. \u201cWe obviously continue to be in close communication with the union on a variety of matters, but no start of negotiations have been set or are under consideration really at this point. We did spend time today talking, at length, about areas of our Collective Bargaining Agreement that we want to focus on. The two areas that we spent time on were really the cap system itself, the integrity of that system, how\u2019s it working, where do we need to address that in the context of collective bargaining, when that does happen. That was a very lengthy discussion.\u201d<\/p>\n Go back and read those last three sentences again.<\/p>\n \u201cThe second is just the rising cost, the cost of stadiums, the cost to facilities, the cost of operation, the cost of investment, and how dramatically that\u2019s impacting the ownership view,\u201d Goodell said. \u201cSo, I think both of those will form what I would call our priorities. Going into any negotiation whenever that occurs. So that was the extent of our discussion today. [the] 18-and-two [season format] did not even come up.\u201d<\/p>\n This is how it starts. With fewer than five years to go before the current CBA expires, the league is signaling its eventual objectives.<\/p>\n Reading between the lines, Goodell seems to be saying that the owners are considering whether the current split of revenue between players and owners possibly isn\u2019t working. Really, why have a \u201cvery lengthy discussion\u201d if things are going swimmingly?<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the basic reality. The owners learned in 2011 that, when push comes to shove, the players will do a deal. They\u2019ll huff and they\u2019ll puff but they won\u2019t miss game checks. It creates an imbalance in bargaining power that the owners \u2014 who would shut a season down in a heartbeat without blinking \u2014 have yet to fully leverage.<\/p>\n With the salary cap now at $279.2 million per team, some owners surely think that too much is being spent on players. That, as the NFL continues to make more and more and more money, the players no longer need half<\/a>.<\/p>\n It\u2019s one thing for the NFL to make record revenues. It\u2019s another thing to turn those revenues into maximum profits. And it\u2019s safe to say that more than a few owners could be thinking that the ongoing explosion in cash (as mentioned earlier today, the cap has increased more than 130 percent since 2011) may be getting to the point at which the franchises should be retaining more than half of the money.<\/p>\n If nothing else, the NFLPA is on notice.<\/p>\n Translation – the league is likely concerned that cash rich owners use void years and rolling option bonuses to continuously push contracts higher and higher in terms of cash flow, but lower in terms of cap hits, and “poorer” owners can’t really replicate that. https:\/\/t.co\/TxDtK3Ps25<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) May 25, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Bingo. This is the thing most don’t understand. There are cash rich owners and cash “poo” owners. They move very differently as it pertains to contracts as the escrow hits hard on big, new deals.<\/p>\n \u2014 Lance Zierlein (@LanceZierlein) May 25, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Had a few questions about Goodell’s comments on the cap…my gut feeling is those are about the current level of manipulation that exists with void years. <\/p>\n The nfl has always been a reactive league when it comes to rules. Changes often occur when too many teams skirt the rules<\/p>\n \u2014 Jason_OTC (@Jason_OTC) May 25, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n The other portion of the comments sound like he is looking for the next cba to be modified to reflect more credits for new stadiums\/renovations and maybe a change to revenue formulas overall.<\/p>\n \u2014 Jason_OTC (@Jason_OTC) May 25, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Given all the turnover at the NFLPA if there was a time to look for a change in revenue accounting now would be the time<\/p>\n \u2014 Jason_OTC (@Jason_OTC) May 25, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n All aTwitter<\/p>\n After playing through an MCL sprain, a meniscus issue, and a knee fracture, 34-year-old Morgan Moses underwent offseason knee surgery to get ready for 2025:https:\/\/t.co\/d33MlQo0Q8<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Pro Football Rumors (@pfrumors) May 25, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n : Ryan Clark has released a new apology video apologizing to his wife and family for speaking about Robert Griffin III and his wife in a negative light.<\/p>\n Clark apologizes to his wife, Yonka, for being dragged the entire week, and to his biracial daughter, Jaden.\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/EHqkOGD9RR<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) May 26, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Wild: Former Raiders HC Antonio Pierce reveals the untold story of what led to Josh McDaniels’s firing and how he became the Interim Head Coach.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve never heard players talk about coaches like that, like players like that, so bluntly honest.\u201d<\/p>\n AP is such a good storyteller\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/76alg7e8To<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) May 26, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n
\nTwo former Seahawks stars challenged each other. They show how relationships really grow<\/a><\/p>\n
\n2025 NFL season: Player departures that will have biggest impact on their former teams<\/a>
\nDante Fowler – Dallas Cowboys \u00b7 Edge<\/p>\n
\nCommanders must get more from Brian Robinson Jr. in a contract year<\/a><\/p>\n
\nRanking the NFL divisions by strength heading into 2025<\/a><\/p>\n
\nBlogging the Boys
\nPredicting the result of every game on the Cowboys 2025 regular season schedule<\/a><\/p>\n
\nThere\u2019s No Way Abdul Carter Can Be A Bust After Watching The Giants Bring In Justin Tuck And Lawrence Taylor To Teach Him How To Be A Star<\/a><\/p>\n
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\nPro Football Talk
\nDarrell \u201cHoush\u201d Doucette hopes flag football players get an opportunity to make Olympic team<\/a><\/p>\n
\nPro Football Talk
\nRoger Goodell hints that next CBA will address owner concerns about cap system, rising costs<\/a><\/p>\n