1 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:09,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Command Center podcast. I'm Braham Whitstein. The 2 00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 1: nation's top college prospects are gathered in Indianapolis to showcase 3 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:17,720 Speaker 1: their skills in the twenty twenty three NFL Combine. Former 4 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:20,680 Speaker 1: Washington tight end Logan Paulson joined us from Indie to 5 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 1: share what he's seen from the first few days of 6 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 1: the combine. Logan Paulson joins us now from Indianapolis. At 7 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:29,760 Speaker 1: the Combine, today is a good day to speak with you. 8 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:33,920 Speaker 1: Almost every mock draft that I read has Washington locked 9 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 1: in at sixteen on a defensive back or an offensive lineman. 10 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 1: And the corners were working out today. So what did 11 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:43,320 Speaker 1: you see and hear from that position group. Yeah, the 12 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:45,680 Speaker 1: quarterbacks did their interviews today and I think it's been 13 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:47,680 Speaker 1: not so much what they said in the interviews, but 14 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:49,880 Speaker 1: it's what we learned last night when we're out kind 15 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:51,960 Speaker 1: of talking to the coaches, talking to the scouts. It 16 00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 1: seems like Christian Gonzalez is the guy that's going to 17 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:56,440 Speaker 1: be kind of in that top ten pick. There's a 18 00:00:56,440 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 1: little bit concern about Meriweather's height weight. I love his 19 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:02,160 Speaker 1: film better. If he was there at sixteen, I'd say 20 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:05,880 Speaker 1: locked that in one hundred percent, but obviously everyone's got 21 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 1: their flavor of the month. Okay, So sixteen, do you 22 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:11,720 Speaker 1: feel like defensive back after what you've seen it heard, 23 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 1: seems like a likely outcome for Washington. It does seem 24 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:18,839 Speaker 1: like likely outcome if one of those guys were to fall. 25 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:22,480 Speaker 1: I don't think they will. Obviously. The next guy is 26 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:27,880 Speaker 1: Joey Porter Junior excuse me, very talented, more of a 27 00:01:27,959 --> 00:01:30,839 Speaker 1: man fit kind of guy, not a true scheme fit 28 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:33,560 Speaker 1: for this cover three that Washington likes to run. So 29 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:37,199 Speaker 1: I think if that's the option, maybe think about trading back. Okay, 30 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:39,560 Speaker 1: so we'll keep an eye on defensive back. How about 31 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:42,840 Speaker 1: offensive line? Obviously that's a need as well, maybe addressed 32 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:45,520 Speaker 1: in free agency, may be addressed early in the draft. 33 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:50,760 Speaker 1: What are you thinking it's sixteen in terms of offensive lineman? Yeah, 34 00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:52,400 Speaker 1: I mean really, the guy that everyone is kind of 35 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 1: talking about is Peter Scronsky. He is outstanding from Norris Winstern, 36 00:01:56,440 --> 00:02:01,840 Speaker 1: He's super talented. Obviously there's some size concerns technician. If 37 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 1: you were to follow you a sixteen, he can play guard, 38 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 1: tackles center. That's the guy that I got my eyes gone, obviously. 39 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:09,120 Speaker 1: Broderick Jones is the guy that we're getting a lot 40 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:12,880 Speaker 1: of mock to tremendous athlete, but very very raw. So again, 41 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 1: in that situation, if one of those guys isn't available, 42 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:19,680 Speaker 1: trade back, look at a Darnell Right, look at Dwayne Jones, 43 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:24,120 Speaker 1: those other guys very very talented, true tackles. How about 44 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:27,919 Speaker 1: interior offensive line? Do you think that that's a possibility 45 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:33,720 Speaker 1: for a straight guard center or strictly a guard at sixteen? Yeah, 46 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 1: that's really interesting, man. I'm glad you asked that. The 47 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 1: guy that has kind of been in circulation is the 48 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:40,960 Speaker 1: big guard from Florida. But a guy that came up 49 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:44,560 Speaker 1: in the conversations last night was Tillman, the center guard 50 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 1: out of Wisconsin, a guy that not what he's talking about, 51 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:51,959 Speaker 1: but obviously the NFL community is really excited about. Okay. 52 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 1: The other spot that obviously is of need and mighty 53 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:58,120 Speaker 1: get addressed in free agency and might get addressed in 54 00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:01,240 Speaker 1: the draft or potentially both is lined acker where there's 55 00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:04,639 Speaker 1: no clear cut starter on this roster outside of jam 56 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:06,920 Speaker 1: and Davis. So from your point of view of the 57 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:09,360 Speaker 1: linebackers who are going to be working out tonight, what 58 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:13,440 Speaker 1: do you see from that draft class. Yeah, this is 59 00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:16,400 Speaker 1: kind of really fun group. There's a guy like Jack Campbell, 60 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:20,160 Speaker 1: who's maybe the most linebacker linebacker of all time. He's 61 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: six two forty five pounds. But for a guy like 62 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:26,160 Speaker 1: him today, how's he gonna run? He's a little tight 63 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:28,520 Speaker 1: in the hips, and can he kind of match some 64 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:32,480 Speaker 1: athletic qualities to that tremendous football intuition. Then you got 65 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 1: a guy like the kid from Washington State who played 66 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 1: receiver for a couple of years. Tremendous athlete, but how 67 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 1: does that intuition hold up? So there's kind of all 68 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 1: these cool storylines around these guys. Do you think linebacker's 69 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:47,880 Speaker 1: a possibility early in the draft for them? You know, 70 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:50,440 Speaker 1: I don't think so. I think there's the needed offensive line, 71 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:53,920 Speaker 1: the need a corner as long as they're not addressing 72 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 1: that in free agency. I think the linebacker thing will 73 00:03:56,200 --> 00:03:58,920 Speaker 1: kind of address itself later in the draft. And I 74 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 1: think there's enough talent, enough kind of upside players that 75 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 1: you feel good about it. Logan Paulson at the Combine 76 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:08,960 Speaker 1: in Indianapolis. Thanks Logan, Thanks appreciate it. With free agency 77 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:12,560 Speaker 1: on the horizon, former players, Satanamas said, Fred Scouth joined 78 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:16,080 Speaker 1: me to discuss franchise tagging defensive tackle to Ron Payne 79 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 1: and what they're looking for in free agency. Let's start 80 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 1: with Ron Hayne. What did you make of the tag? 81 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:23,000 Speaker 1: This is what a tag is to me. It's like 82 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 1: when you're married and you in a relationship and you 83 00:04:25,279 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 1: gotta go see counseling. You know, you almost at the 84 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 1: end right now, you know this is the last ditch 85 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:31,720 Speaker 1: effort to say this relationship and make us grown. But 86 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:32,880 Speaker 1: at the end of the day, we did this with 87 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:36,320 Speaker 1: Kirk Cousins, we did this with Brandon shaff I just 88 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:39,400 Speaker 1: think when you draft well, you cannot play and resign 89 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:41,599 Speaker 1: that entire room. So I thought this was the best 90 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:43,360 Speaker 1: thing to do in it came room. Those other two 91 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 1: did not work out in the long term deal. I 92 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:47,120 Speaker 1: think this situation is a little bit different, though, right 93 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:49,520 Speaker 1: I think it's I think it's not so different. I 94 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:51,760 Speaker 1: think the only different thing about this one he actually 95 00:04:51,839 --> 00:04:53,960 Speaker 1: wants to be yeah, yeah, okay, what do you make 96 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 1: a pay? But I mean, just to be honest with you, 97 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:58,360 Speaker 1: we can't keep all those guys. I mean, we drafted 98 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 1: it so well to where if those guys you know, 99 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:04,800 Speaker 1: basically played up to expectations. Sooner or later, we're gonna 100 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:07,279 Speaker 1: have to say if we didn't win at that given 101 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 1: time that those draft picks was here, then we lost. 102 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:12,920 Speaker 1: You know what I mean, These guys they deserve better pay, 103 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:15,920 Speaker 1: They deserve what they're gonna probably be tentionally. What you know, 104 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 1: Dron Payne show you he's worth right now. And quite frankly, 105 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 1: we don't have the money for that. Our team has 106 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:24,120 Speaker 1: other needs. And last time Brown two interior players made 107 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:27,320 Speaker 1: over fifty million dollars. It was Warren Sap and Booker 108 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:30,840 Speaker 1: McFarland at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They managed to get 109 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:33,320 Speaker 1: one Super Bowl out of the team. I just don't 110 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:35,839 Speaker 1: see people doing it. They prone to play the edges 111 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:38,680 Speaker 1: before they and play the interior guys. You're gonna wait 112 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:40,719 Speaker 1: out Chase Young to find out what the health is 113 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:42,599 Speaker 1: with him, and then Montes Sweat. This has been kind 114 00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:45,560 Speaker 1: of a simmering story here. He's entering the final year 115 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:47,120 Speaker 1: of his contract too, so there's a lot of decisions 116 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:48,839 Speaker 1: that need to be made as well. All right, as 117 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:51,720 Speaker 1: for Bobby McCain being released, Yeah, but it seems to 118 00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:54,760 Speaker 1: show a lot of confidence in the young safeties. Well, 119 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:56,719 Speaker 1: you got for us, you got Butler that showed us, 120 00:05:56,800 --> 00:05:58,600 Speaker 1: especially that last game of the season, that he can 121 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:02,160 Speaker 1: really go out here and be called upon and an answer. 122 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:03,920 Speaker 1: So when you saw him, Macame, I think it was 123 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:06,320 Speaker 1: a down year for him. He played well, he didn't 124 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:08,320 Speaker 1: play as well as he played the year before. So 125 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 1: he was expendable. He wasn't versatile for them, Yeah, different, 126 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:12,920 Speaker 1: he was versatile, and then that time he tried to 127 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:14,680 Speaker 1: make him cover too much. I think, yeah, you know 128 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:17,320 Speaker 1: him a knife but losing the stale. But I think 129 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:19,320 Speaker 1: he was out there more for his leadership. He was 130 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:21,760 Speaker 1: out there more for his communication skills, and this is 131 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:24,000 Speaker 1: what they're gonna have to replace. Like person, but is 132 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:25,760 Speaker 1: one of those guys play one hundred mile per hour, 133 00:06:26,120 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 1: not thinking all the time. He needs somebody to slew 134 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:29,640 Speaker 1: him down and talk to him. So I look for 135 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:32,040 Speaker 1: him in the off season to sign a veteran presence 136 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 1: back there with those defensive backs. Okay, so where's the 137 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:36,440 Speaker 1: focus go next? They've done some of their business here. 138 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:38,680 Speaker 1: Paint is at least in toe for this season. We'll 139 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:42,600 Speaker 1: see beyond. There are holes offensive line, linebacker, corner. What 140 00:06:42,880 --> 00:06:44,719 Speaker 1: do you think the focus is? Fat boys? If you 141 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:48,000 Speaker 1: don't smell like bacon. I don't want you. I want guys. 142 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 1: There's three hundred pounds that can move people. I want 143 00:06:50,279 --> 00:06:52,080 Speaker 1: people to kick people out the club. It has to 144 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:54,600 Speaker 1: be the offensive life, and it has to be the linebackers. Yeah, 145 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:56,560 Speaker 1: I mean, I mean, I gotta I got a second that. 146 00:06:56,680 --> 00:06:59,720 Speaker 1: I think offensive line is probably the top priority. We 147 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 1: want to look at linebacker snakes and then cornerbacks. Cornerback 148 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:05,440 Speaker 1: should be bottom bottom of the list. But those two positions, 149 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:07,560 Speaker 1: offensive line and linebacker, to me, I think those are 150 00:07:07,640 --> 00:07:10,200 Speaker 1: key for your offense and your free agency of the draft. 151 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 1: Or I need to let both With the linebackers, I 152 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:14,280 Speaker 1: need an older linebacker because I need a leader help 153 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 1: I did. I need some youth to to incorporate into that. 154 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:20,000 Speaker 1: So I want to get a little bit of everything. 155 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:24,800 Speaker 1: For all your news and analysis, be sure to tune 156 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:28,560 Speaker 1: into command Center weeknights at five and ten pm on 157 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:31,920 Speaker 1: NBC Sports Washington. You can also stream on YouTube and 158 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:36,360 Speaker 1: Commanders dot com.