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 reality is that playing 17 games plus going through a playoff run is a taxing process, and Daniels felt the physical toll after the season came to an end. Now that he’s experienced it firsthand, it has shaped everything about his offseason routine.
“It’s a long season,” Daniels told Bryan Colbert Jr. on “Next Man Up.” “Now, just put the team around me, ask questions, ask vets and reach out to other individuals [to ask], ‘How did you navigate your first offseason?’”
Regardless of how Daniels has structured his offseason plans, all of it was done to replicate the success he and the Commanders had in 2024. He’s seen what general manager Adam Peters and his staff have done to improve the roster this offseason by trading for Deebo Samuel and bolstering the offensive line. We’ll need to see how those new pieces perform on the field, but for now, it looks like the team is more talented than it was last season.
As the most important piece on the offense and team, Daniels just wants to do his part.
“I gotta handle my side,” Daniels said. “He [Peters] has to handle his side. DQ [head coach Dan Quinn] has to handle his side. It’s all a collective.”
Medrano credits Norton, who coached at UCLA from 2022-23, for introducing him to the linebacker position after he switched from wide receiver. Prior to that, Medrano’s only experience at playing defense was at the high school level with 80 tackles as a senior. He ended his college career as one of UCLA’s most productive defenders in 2024 with 72 tackles — second on the team behind first-round pick Carson Schwesinger.
Now that they’re reunited, Medrano is excited for Norton to take his skill set to another level in the NFL.
“Just being able to be back with the person I felt helped me out the most at this position is very surreal and just a blessing,” Medrano said.
Norton has a long history of elevating players thanks in part to his own extended NFL career. Over the course of 17 seasons, he started in 188 of 191 games, recording six 100-tackle seasons with three Pro Bowl selections and two All-Pro nods. He’s a three-time Super Bowl champion and the only player to win three in a row with two different teams.
That knowledge was particularly helpful for Medrano, who came to UCLA as a three-star receiver with limited defensive experience. Medrano had already moved to linebacker by the time Norton arrived at UCLA ahead of the 2022 season, but his development took a significant jump at...
