Hogs Haven
Editor’s note: Each day, Hogs Haven compiles a collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders, the NFC East, the NFL and sports in general, with a sprinkling of other stuff. Enjoy!
Sports Illustrated
Before tearing his ACL in Week 7, Dorance Armstrong was flashing elite efficiency metrics; now, a deep and largely rebuilt edge rotation ensures he must fight to prove his long-term value
Before tearing his ACL last season, Dorance Armstrong was playing some of the best football of his career. Now he is set to return to a rebuilt Commanders pass rush with only one season to prove he still belongs in Washington’s long-term plans.
It feels odd to say Armstrong must prove himself after starting last season with 5.5 sacks in only six games. He had already surpassed the five he finished with during his first year in Washington. Then came the torn ACL, against his former team, the Dallas Cowboys, and everything, including his place on the defense, changed in Week 7.
It would not be fair to say that Armstrong has lost anything while recovering from injury. The problem, for him, is that the team could not spend the offseason blindly assuming he would immediately return as the same player. Washington signed Odafe Oweh, K’Lavon Chaisson and Charles Omenihu, then added Joshua Josephs from Tennessee in the fifth round of the NFL Draft.
Those moves gave the team options in case they cannot depend on Armstrong. That is not to say he has been replaced. It does mean the Commanders have moved forward without waiting to see Armstrong’s return.
Commanders Roundtable
Yet the top of the room will likely be led by White and Croskey-Merritt. The addition of White upgrades not only the receiving threat in the room, but also the pass blocking. The latter is also an area where Kaytron Allen can build on his role as a rookie as he looks to become the short yardage back in the offense, but Croskey-Merritt’s growth could be what tells the tale for the unit.
Running backs coach Anthony Lynn noted that the reps for Croskey-Merritt to be utilized like a receiving threat just haven’t presented himself, indicating the absence of the former seventh-round pick in the passing game isn’t for a lack of ability after posting just nine catches on 13 targets in 2025. Whether that proves to be true for the explosive, shifty back that adds the speed back to the room will be where Croskey-Merritt can show signs of growth in year two, but it isn’t the only area. Head coach Dan Quinn joined Lynn in noting through offseason workouts that pass protection is an area of growth for Croskey-Merritt where a potential improvement could elevate him beyond being an early down back.
Heavy.com...
