Adam Peters didn’t leave much mystery about where the Commanders stood at the trade deadline.
On Friday morning, the Washington general manager said the team was active in exploring possibilities, but he made it clear the Commanders were not in on the blockbuster move that sent Colts guard Quenton Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks earlier this week. Peters said Washington will keep checking every avenue that could help the roster now or later, whether that means a wide receiver or another spot, but opportunities like that simply don’t come around often.
“We’re looking at everything. Any position on our team where we can make our team better for the present of the future, we’re always going to look into that.
Whether it’s wide receiver of any other position that you can think of, we’re going to look for us to get better. There aren’t a lot of opportunities to do this.
There are times where teams are looking to move on from guys you’re interested in and those are opportunities where you can make a move.”
Peters also used the interview on 106.7-FM The Fan to touch on the Commanders’ immediate roster situation after the bye week, and he opened with news on Terry McLaurin. The receiver is having Friday surgery to repair a torn patellar tendon, and Peters asked listeners to keep him in their thoughts.
“First and foremost, I want to give a shout out to Terry. He’s having surgery today.
For all those who do so, please say a prayer for him. He’s a big part of what we’re doing and what we’ve done.
I just want to send him some love here today. Moving forward with Antonio, every single day he does something special in practice that shows you what kind of talent he has, what kind of instinct he has as a receiver.
The sky’s the limit for him. With Terry going down, that creates more opportunities for others and people will have to step up.
We’re still hoping and expecting that Antonio will do that. He’s definitely capable of that.”
That injury thrusts more attention onto Antonio Williams, and Peters sounded bullish on what he’s been seeing. He pointed to the flashes Williams has shown in practice and said the team expects those reps to matter now that opportunities are opening up.
Peters also discussed cornerback Amik Robertson, praising the edge Robertson brings after his guarantee. The GM called him “a straight dawg” and said Washington wanted him for exactly that kind of confidence and attitude.
“We went out and signed Amik for a reason, because he’s a straight dawg. He’s a very good player.
He has the utmost confidence and has an edge and an attitude and impacts a defense. I love that he’s on our team.
Listen, that’s the mindset you want. For sure that’s bulletin board material if you do subscribe to that, but I’ve always said that, if you need bulletin board material to get ready for a division game on Sunday night, then - all the material and motivation - that’s kind of a problem, you know?”
Another player Peters highlighted was Chig Okonkwo. He said the tight end got off to a slow start because of injury, but Washington still believes there’s more there and expects to keep feeding him chances in the offense.
“We’ve high hopes for him. He had a slow start because he got hurt, and now we’re seeing what that’s going to look like within our offense.
We really haven’t seen the full extent of what he can do within our offense in terms of catching and running. We’re going to continue to give him those opportunities.
With Terry down and other guys that have been down, that gives other guys opportunities in terms of Antonio and Chig - and we think we can get even more from Chig.”
Peters closed by explaining why Steve Wilks ended up joining the staff. He said Washington had discussed the possibility before it became real, then moved quickly once the chance materialized. Wilks had commitments with Appalachian State and was not working in the league this year, but Peters said he fit the role best among the options the team considered.
“When that opportunity came about, it was a no brainer. It’s something we had talked about and it came into fruition.
He had some other obligations with (Appalachian State), where he had some commitments. He wasn’t working in the league this year, so we thought it was a great opportunity.
We looked into a number of different possibilities for this role and he was the best fit. ... Within the short time he has been here he has aquitted himself well, which I knew he would.
He has fit in seamlessly. ... Having an extra set of hands is always good and we’re thrilled that he’s here.”
Washington is now pushing toward a Sunday night matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, with the roster and roles shifting around McLaurin’s absence and the coaching staff getting a boost from Wilks.
In Other News...
Commanders Suddenly Face A Big Trade Deadline Decision At Wide Receiver
The wide receiver market is starting to loom over Washington as the NFL trade deadline on Nov. 10 approaches, and the Commanders are at least being linked to a move that could help deepen their passing game. ESPN has put three names in the conversation: Clevelands Jerry Jeudy, Baltimores Rashod Bateman and Tampa Bays Chris Godwin, giving the front office a short list of options with very different levels of appeal.
Each candidate comes with a different type of fit and a different level of realism, which is what makes this such a tricky decision for Washington. Bateman appears to be the cleanest match for what the Commanders might want, while Godwin is the most complicated swing of the group because of his injury history and age, leaving the team to weigh upside against the kind of certainty it can actually get before the deadline. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Trade Debate Just Got Real On The Offensive Line
Washingtons offensive line has been a point of concern this season, with the unit sitting 20th in the NFL by PFFs grading. That backdrop is what makes the latest trade chatter worth watching, because any move up front would be aimed at stabilizing a group that has not consistently given the offense the kind of protection and flexibility it needs.
ESPN has floated the Commanders as a possible landing spot for New Orleans guard Cesar Ruiz, a player whose appeal goes beyond one spot on the interior. Ruiz brings the kind of versatility teams covet along the line, and a deal would make sense on paper for both sides, but for now it remains only a projection rather than an actual transaction. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Season Could Decide How Soon Laremy Tunsil Returns
Laremy Tunsils road back to the field is still in the early stages, but there is at least some encouraging news for the Commanders. The veteran left tackle tore his triceps in training camp and had surgery, leaving Washington to move forward without one of its biggest offseason additions while he works through the rehab process.
Dan Quinn said Tunsil is still a few weeks away from his next medical check to see how the healing is progressing, and the signs so far have been described as on track. Even so, whether Tunsil plays again this season may end up depending as much on where the Commanders stand in the standings as on the next round of evaluations. [Read more 🡒]