Hogs Haven
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, and a sprinkling of other stuff
The Washington Commanders were the NFL’s breakout team in 2024. For a Super Bowl run in 2025, it’ll be on the defense to match Jayden Daniels, writes Doug Farrar.
Especially on offense, this team has arrived, and they didn’t take that for granted in the offseason. In the draft, Washington added Oregon offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr., Virginia Tech receiver Jaylin Lane, and Arizona running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt, and all three have the potential to add a lot on that side of the ball. Factor in the addition of receiver Deebo Samuel in an offseason trade, and this offense looks to have just about everything you want.
The defense last season was a different story. Quinn and Whitt had an uphill battle when trying to get past what ex-defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio did from a schematic perspective (spoiler alert: it was REALLY bad), so they did the best they could with what they had. While Washington’s offense ranked sixth in DVOA last season, Washington’s defense ranked 23rd.
Washington tied for third among the league’s worst yards per carry allowed at 4.8, and what the Eagles’ run game did to that defense in the NFC title game (36 carries for 229 yards and seven touchdowns) was the equivalent of an All-22 snuff film.
So, everybody knows where the focus needs to be now. There are still some heavy questions about the edge-rushing group. The bad news is that Dante Fowler Jr., who led the team last season with 11 sacks and finished second with 50 total pressures, took his talents back to Dallas in the offseason. The good news is that the criminally underrated Dorance Armstrong, who came over to the nation’s capital with Quinn (who had been the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator from 2021-2023), is still around on the three-year, $33 million contract he signed in 2024. The 6-foot-4, 255-pound Armstrong may never be an NFL sack leader, but he’s one of those “glue guys” who can tie a defensive line together.
[T]he Commanders addressed key weaknesses. They added former All-Pro wideout Deebo Samuel, bolstering a receiver corps already featuring Terry McLaurin. This gives Daniels multiple YAC-heavy options to target, and his dual-threat ability puts opposing defenses in conflict.
Second, Quinn’s defensive mindset in year two is starting to take root. Washington’s defense enters 2025 as one of the most versatile in the NFC. The front seven features veterans like Bobby Wagner, Frankie Luvu, Dorance Armstrong, and Daron Payne, while young stars such as Mikey Sainristil and Jer’Zhan Newton look ready to take Pro Bowl-level next steps in their development. The unit thrives on disguises, zone...
