The Commanders are making another change in their personnel department, with veteran NFL executive Scott Fitterer leaving after two seasons with the team, according to Tom Pelissero.
Washington is also adding a familiar face. The Commanders have hired former Vikings assistant GM Demitrius Washington as a senior personnel executive, Jori Epstein reported. That move reunites Washington with GM Adam Peters, who worked with him in San Francisco.
In Dallas, Brian Schottenheimer sounds convinced that Ryan Flournoy is ready for a bigger stage. The Cowboys head coach praised the receiver’s progress and suggested he could carve out a meaningful role in the offense even with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens in the mix.
“He looks great,” Schottenheimer said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic. “He’s moving great.
His routes, I think, have gotten better. Here’s a guy from a small school that’s come in and really adapted to the way we teach route breaks and releases and speed terms and power cuts and things like that.
I really think the sky’s the limit for him, and he’s definitely a guy we see finding ways to get him the ball.”
Over in New York, Tyrone Tracy sees Patrick Ricard as a piece that could help the Giants’ run game and, in turn, his own production. Tracy pointed to the difference between what the team had last year and what it has now with a true fullback in the fold.
“ We didn’t really have that last year, we had a tight end, ” Tracy said, via NY Post. “ This year with an actual fullback, 300 pounds, like I mean, I’m gonna let him go to work, really.
I told him, ‘You do what you do, I’m gonna make you right. I’m going to do my best to make sure I’m making you look good, because you’re 300 pounds.
I know a lot of dudes aren’t going to want to block you, they aren’t going to want to be blocked by you.’ I told Pat, ‘Me and you are gonna make each other a lot of money.’
”
Ricard, for his part, is perfectly comfortable doing the dirty work. He said the supporting role in the run game doesn’t bother him at all, and that he’s more interested in the offense moving the chains and scoring than in touching the ball himself.
“ Yeah. I mean, that doesn’t bother me at all, ” Ricard said.
“ I’ve been fortunate enough to play with so many great backs and so many great quarterbacks who can run the ball to where as long as I am blocking and we are getting yards and we’re getting touchdowns, that’s all I care about. That’s all that matters.
It does not bother me if I don’t get the ball at all. Sometimes I’d rather have these other guys get the balls because they’re just, to be honest, they’re better.
They’re more explosive. They can run a lot faster than me, you know, I’m 300 pounds.
So, I’d rather have the ball in their hands and me blocking for them. But, yeah, sometimes it’s nice to get the ball and make a play for the team.
But I’m OK with either option. ”
In Other News...
Commanders May Have Finally Found A Veteran WR Answer
Washingtons receiver room still looks thin behind Terry McLaurin, and the front office has not yet done anything to fully answer that need. The depth chart has been leaning on a group of young or unproven options, which is why the search for a veteran addition has lingered into the stretch before training camp.
One name now in the mix is Brandin Cooks, who has made it clear he wants to land with a team before camp opens and has also said Buffalo is his preferred destination. For Washington, the appeal is obvious: Cooks just showed he can still help a contender in a late-season run, and his brief stint with the Bills gave him a reminder that he can fit into a passing game quickly if the opportunity is right. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders May Already Have Their Answer Opposite Terry McLaurin
The Commanders spent a premium draft pick on a receiver who could change the look of their passing game almost immediately, and Antonio Williams already has the kind of profile that makes people around the league take notice. With Terry McLaurin still the centerpiece, Washington needed someone who could help lighten the load on the other side, and Williams arrives with enough buzz to make that conversation feel real before training camp even starts.
What happens next will matter just as much as the draft-night decision. If Williams shows he can handle the speed and physicality of the pro game right away, Washington may not feel much urgency to keep shopping for another veteran wideout, but if the transition proves bumpy, the team could be back in the market sooner than expected. For now, the Commanders at least have a promising answer in-house, and the summer will tell them how firm that answer really is. [Read more 🡒]