1 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:09,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Command Center podcast. I'm Julie Donaldson. The 2 00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:12,119 Speaker 1: off season is in full swing, but we are taking 3 00:00:12,119 --> 00:00:15,200 Speaker 1: one last look at the twenty twenty two season. Commanders 4 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:18,599 Speaker 1: play by play Bram Weinstein and Washington legend London Fletcher 5 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:21,079 Speaker 1: joined me to recap the year and what they will 6 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:24,079 Speaker 1: be looking out for heading into next season. Okay, so 7 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:26,279 Speaker 1: let's get a little bit further into the discussion about 8 00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:29,320 Speaker 1: what happened this season for the team and defensively London. Look, 9 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:31,480 Speaker 1: the defense really kind of held their own. They kept 10 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:33,280 Speaker 1: them in games, but at times that showed that it 11 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:35,680 Speaker 1: might just be you need more than that. But the 12 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:38,280 Speaker 1: defense certainly wasn't lacking. Yeah, I was impressed with the 13 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:40,839 Speaker 1: job that Jack Dale real to defensive coordinator deal with 14 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:42,960 Speaker 1: this defensive unit. You know, got off to a little 15 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:45,240 Speaker 1: bit of a slow start PLO. Once he kind of 16 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:47,640 Speaker 1: saturday in, especially on the back end when you saw 17 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:50,120 Speaker 1: the emergence of a Benjamin Saint Jews and the way 18 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:52,800 Speaker 1: he played. Derek Forrest was a you know what a 19 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:55,320 Speaker 1: goss in he was, and at the free safety position 20 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 1: and then play a dron playing what he was able 21 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 1: to do. Just you know, when you look at those 22 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:02,960 Speaker 1: guys and what they were able to do defensively. I 23 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:06,080 Speaker 1: was extremely impressed with what those guys were able to accomplish. 24 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:08,480 Speaker 1: And this was without Chase Sung for the majority of 25 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 1: the season. So once we get a healthy Chase Young, 26 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 1: I feel like this defense can take it even another 27 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 1: step forward. I think that they played above what was 28 00:01:17,319 --> 00:01:19,480 Speaker 1: out there on the field to end up third overall 29 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:21,560 Speaker 1: in the league is a testament to the coaching and 30 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:24,440 Speaker 1: the teamwork, you know. I think once all of those 31 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 1: players up front were drafted with first round picks, we 32 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:30,000 Speaker 1: all envisioned that, being the leadership part of this team, 33 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 1: that this team is going to go as far as 34 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:33,800 Speaker 1: they take them. And I thought collectively they had an 35 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:36,440 Speaker 1: absolutely amazing year. And I'm with London here. We didn't 36 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 1: even see Chase Young play very much. Emergence of Derek 37 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 1: Forrest was a big part of everything. With Cam Curl 38 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:44,679 Speaker 1: in the back end, and you saw them fill in vulnerabilities. 39 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:46,640 Speaker 1: Cole Holcom goes out for more than half the season. 40 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 1: They have one viable starting linebacker. They survived with that. 41 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 1: Benjamin say Jews starts in the slot, moves to the outside, 42 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:54,040 Speaker 1: their thin at corner. They survived with that. I think 43 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 1: the defense had a really great, great season. Yeah, we 44 00:01:56,960 --> 00:01:58,760 Speaker 1: did see where I think depth at the end kind 45 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:00,560 Speaker 1: of hurt them a little bit the linebacker and in 46 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 1: the secondary. But man, that d line certainly came out 47 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 1: and performed well. Another question is can they keep them 48 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:09,000 Speaker 1: all together for a return next season. Now, offensively, they 49 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:11,920 Speaker 1: just didn't get the production that they wanted. Coach Ron 50 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 1: Rivera said, they want to be a run first team, 51 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:16,640 Speaker 1: but you also have Terry McLaurin, Curtis Amuel johan Dotson, 52 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:18,080 Speaker 1: so they had to find the right balance. But that 53 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 1: offensive line just seemed to have issues all season long. 54 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:24,120 Speaker 1: And again, Bram, the rotation at quarterback. Yeah, rotation at quarterback, 55 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 1: And I really think it comes down to, and this 56 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:27,919 Speaker 1: is for a lot of teams situational football. They were 57 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:30,120 Speaker 1: not good at converting in the red zone. They had 58 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:32,600 Speaker 1: trouble converting third and shorts, fourth and shorts late in 59 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 1: the season in tight, close games, specifically the ones against 60 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:37,960 Speaker 1: the Giants, which is really I think the difference between 61 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 1: them being in the playoffs and not being in the playoffs. 62 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:42,200 Speaker 1: They were not able to come through. And so you know, 63 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:44,239 Speaker 1: there's some changes clearly that need to be made, but 64 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 1: I think situationally, if they get better, it's just that close. Yeah, 65 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:49,920 Speaker 1: you know, situationally need to get better, like you said, 66 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:51,960 Speaker 1: But I think really, when you look at this office 67 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 1: in general, a lot of attention has been pay to 68 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 1: the quarterback position. I'm looking at the offensive line is 69 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:02,200 Speaker 1: where they really need to ask and get better. Regardless 70 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 1: of who's playing a quarterback next year, if you don't 71 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:07,560 Speaker 1: address the issues at the offensive lip position, you're going 72 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:09,640 Speaker 1: to continue to have to struggles. We have heard them 73 00:03:09,639 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 1: in the off season before even going into this last year, 74 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:14,320 Speaker 1: that you build from the inside out. Would they do 75 00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:16,960 Speaker 1: that on defense? They obviously need to address that this 76 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 1: off season on offense, and then they'll be able to 77 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:22,320 Speaker 1: figure out just what they have potentially in quarterbacks Sam 78 00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:24,200 Speaker 1: Howe and if he can be the guy for the future. 79 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:26,800 Speaker 1: Plus I sat down with head coach Ron Rivera to 80 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:30,519 Speaker 1: talk about what lies ahead this offseason. All right, coach, 81 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:33,800 Speaker 1: here we are in this auditorium and you're used to 82 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:37,600 Speaker 1: it being full, yes, of your entire team. It's it 83 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 1: kind of eerie to you. It is. Come in the 84 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:43,000 Speaker 1: parking lots empty, the building's empty, the auditorium it's just 85 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:46,800 Speaker 1: us it is erie. I'm used to activity. I'm used 86 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:48,560 Speaker 1: to the hustle and bustle of what's going on, and 87 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:50,960 Speaker 1: it's kind of a different time of year for us 88 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:54,760 Speaker 1: offseason now I know officially there really is no off season. 89 00:03:54,760 --> 00:03:56,320 Speaker 1: I don't know why they call it that, you know, 90 00:03:56,360 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 1: I joke that this season is kind of like you're 91 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:00,640 Speaker 1: running a marathon but at a sprint race. Do you 92 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 1: feel that? And then do you feel a change of 93 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:05,520 Speaker 1: pace to where we are now? Yes? I do for 94 00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:07,520 Speaker 1: a couple of reasons. You know. One is obviously, you 95 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 1: know we we we've made some changes. We're making a 96 00:04:09,880 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 1: change on our offensive side. I'm looking for a new 97 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 1: offensive coordinator, looking to do things a little bit differently. Um, 98 00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:19,440 Speaker 1: you know, we have, obviously, I think, a very talented 99 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:22,160 Speaker 1: group of players that you know, I want to approach 100 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:26,839 Speaker 1: a different way. I also think as we start getting 101 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:29,080 Speaker 1: prepared going into next year, because of where we are 102 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:31,719 Speaker 1: with our personnel, it is a situation for us to 103 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:34,440 Speaker 1: even take a bigger step this year. What went into 104 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:37,200 Speaker 1: making that decision offensive coordinator? And we know that you're 105 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 1: doing a lot of interviews, so what is it? Is 106 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 1: there something you're specifically looking for I'm looking for a 107 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:44,600 Speaker 1: different way to do things. I think, you know, we 108 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:47,280 Speaker 1: have to approach it in a way that it is 109 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 1: different from what we've done. It's from different one I've 110 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:52,799 Speaker 1: been involved with. But I also think it's a chance 111 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:56,240 Speaker 1: to to really give ourselves an opportunity to attack the 112 00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:59,840 Speaker 1: opponent in a different fashion, using different players, different for 113 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:04,000 Speaker 1: nation groups, um, different personnel groups, shoos me in different 114 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:07,800 Speaker 1: formations that I fail can help us when it comes 115 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:10,680 Speaker 1: to like evaluating the talent that you do have on 116 00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 1: offense and defense, are there groups that you're really kind 117 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:15,280 Speaker 1: of saying, all right, this is this is what we 118 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:17,480 Speaker 1: need to build around. This is where we are going 119 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:20,840 Speaker 1: to win and get into the postseason. Yes, because you know, 120 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:23,120 Speaker 1: you go into this and you say to yourself, you 121 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 1: know what is going to be your philosophy with with 122 00:05:25,279 --> 00:05:29,160 Speaker 1: your offense, Well, it's find your quarterback, protect your quarterback, 123 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 1: and put playmakers around him. And I think we've done 124 00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:33,800 Speaker 1: a really job. I like the playmakers that are around him. 125 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:36,479 Speaker 1: They're growing, they're getting better. They're a young group. That's 126 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 1: the other huge plus. You know, we got a veteran 127 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:40,720 Speaker 1: tight end and logan and we've got four young guys 128 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 1: surrounding him. So you look at Terry and Curtis and 129 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:46,159 Speaker 1: we got a bunch of young guys surrounding them. And 130 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 1: then you look at our running back room and it's 131 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 1: very young, so you go, wow, we've got those guys. 132 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:53,719 Speaker 1: So now we have a quarterback we feel pretty comfortable in. 133 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:57,400 Speaker 1: We're going to give Sam every opportunity to to see 134 00:05:57,400 --> 00:05:59,840 Speaker 1: if he can be our starter, and we'll go from 135 00:05:59,839 --> 00:06:03,480 Speaker 1: the free agency and draft are looming, and we know 136 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:05,680 Speaker 1: you're already doing work and meeting for all of that, 137 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:09,039 Speaker 1: but how do you approach what position groups and what 138 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:11,960 Speaker 1: you need on free agency versus the draft. Well, the 139 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:14,039 Speaker 1: biggest saying first form us is which of our guys 140 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:15,480 Speaker 1: that we want to take care of now that are 141 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:18,160 Speaker 1: free agents? And you know, and I did have our 142 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:21,360 Speaker 1: meetings with the ownership. They've been tremendous, very supportive and 143 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 1: the things that we want to do. So that's the 144 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:25,640 Speaker 1: first step. Second step is now going on and doing it. 145 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:27,520 Speaker 1: And then once we are able to take care of 146 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:29,719 Speaker 1: the guys that we wanted to initie and make contact 147 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:32,680 Speaker 1: and let them know what our plans are, then we 148 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:36,520 Speaker 1: start attacking free agency itself. You know, what guys out 149 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:38,360 Speaker 1: there from the different teams that we feel can come 150 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 1: in and be part of what we want to do. 151 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:41,360 Speaker 1: And then we look at and say, okay, if we 152 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:43,480 Speaker 1: can get those guys, these are the guys that we've 153 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:45,600 Speaker 1: got to target in the draft. So we know the 154 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:48,400 Speaker 1: positions that we want. Now it's a matter of finding 155 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 1: those guys. So you're not sprinting anymore, you're just running. Yeah, Yeah, 156 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:54,560 Speaker 1: you're right. We'll start sprinting when we get into March, 157 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:56,560 Speaker 1: because that's when free agency is getting ready to start. 158 00:06:57,480 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 1: How often are you having these meetings because while most 159 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:02,960 Speaker 1: people think everybody's off on vacation, you're still here. You're 160 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:05,560 Speaker 1: still in building. I've been meeting for two weeks with 161 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:09,720 Speaker 1: different people with our personnel department, you know, obviously said 162 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 1: with the ownership, with with Jason for that matter, and 163 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:16,480 Speaker 1: then for the different guys that I've been interviewing with 164 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:19,280 Speaker 1: some of my different offensive and defensive coaches. When it 165 00:07:19,320 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 1: comes to some of the things we want to celebrate. 166 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:23,000 Speaker 1: You've got five players going to the Pro Bowl. What 167 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:25,440 Speaker 1: do you attest that too? Um, I think, first of all, 168 00:07:25,520 --> 00:07:29,440 Speaker 1: finding the talent and then secondly developing it and just 169 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:31,440 Speaker 1: the way those young men have played. They all deserve 170 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:33,880 Speaker 1: the opportunity. All right, coach, We look forward to what's 171 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:36,360 Speaker 1: going to be an exciting offseason with you cool. Thank 172 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:41,840 Speaker 1: you for all your Commander's news and analysis. Be sure 173 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:43,960 Speaker 1: to tune into Commands Center weeknights with five and ten 174 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 1: pm on NBC Sports Washington. You can also stream on 175 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 1: YouTube and Commanders dot com.