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
While we’re talking about underappreciated players, how about an underappreciated NFL pipeline? The Illinois secondary has churned out a bevy of ballers in recent years. The 2021 draft brought Nate Hobbs, who established himself as one of the game’s better nickelbacks in Las Vegas before signing a $48 million deal with Green Bay in March. The 2022 draft offered Kerby Joseph, who just signed an extension with Detroit that made him the highest-paid safety in league history. And then the 2023 draft provided a trio of talents: Devon Witherspoon (a Pro Bowler in each of his first two seasons), Sydney Brown (a projected starter for the reigning Super Bowl champion Eagles) and Jartavius Quan Martin.
Martin took over as a full-time starter in Washington last season, acquitting himself quite well at free safety. He stuffed the stat sheet with 87 tackles, three forced fumbles, three passes defensed, one interception … and two separated shoulders? Yup, apparently, he played most of the year with janky joins in each arm before undergoing offseason surgery. I appreciate your preposterous pain tolerance, Quan.
Daniels was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and enjoyed nothing short of one of the greatest rookie quarterback seasons in NFL history, and arguably the best. His 89.6 PFF overall grade ranked first among all quarterbacks drafted in 2024 and fifth at the position overall in the regular season. Daniels completed 69.0% of his passes for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns while leading the Commanders to their best record since 1991.
Even in the playoffs, the rookie never looked out of his depth. His 82.5 PFF overall grade in the postseason ranked fourth among quarterbacks, and his coolness in the pocket, as well as his rushing ability and decision-making skills, have already vaulted him into the conversation of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
Fowler was a tremendous value last season, racking up a team-high 10.5 sacks for Dan Quinn’s defense while playing on a one-year deal for less than $5 million. Fowler was due for a raise and received one 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’t matter...
