Training Camp – Rise & Fall – Part 3

August 23, 2023

By Noonefromtampa

This past week featured joint practices with the Baltimore Ravens ahead of the Monday Night preseason home game. There were several fights and Danny Johnson was injured by Mark Andrews when he was body slammed to the turf.

In case you missed by comment post on practice squad rules, here they are:

The NFL has kept the expanded practice squad rules updated during the COVID-impacted 2020 season for the 2023 season.

The practice squad consists of 16 players, with 10 players who have not accrued more than two NFL seasons and the remaining six players have no limitations on experience.

The detailed qualification rules for the practice squad are as follows:

• Players who do not have an accrued season of NFL experience, also known as rookies.
• Players who were on the active list for fewer than nine regular-season games during their only accrued season.
• Up to four players per team who have earned no more than two accrued seasons. with no game limitation amount.
• Up to six players per team with no limitations as to their number of accrued seasons.

Players who are on the practice squad can be elevated on the active roster for games no more than three times during the regular season. The team must sign the player to the 53-man roster to call the player up a fourth time.

Players on practice squads may not sign contracts to join another team’s practice squad, but they can be signed to deals that place them on the 53-man roster of another team.

Teams can protect up to four players on their practice squad each week and other teams are not allowed to sign those protected players.

Quarterbacks

Sam Howell is continuing his “rise” rating. Some national media folks took note of his performance against one of the league’s better defenses, Ravens, and how he adjusted after making mistakes. Now that the former owner is gone, the media is starting to be more objective in their Commanders reporting. Head Coach Ron Rivera also announced that Howell is the starting quarterback against the Cardinals in week 1 much to nobody’s surprise. If Howell can continue to improve and with Jacoby Brissett as backup, this may be the most stable that the quarterback position has been in the last 10 years. Howell had a great two-minute drive at the end of the first half.

Keep: 2 maybe 3

53-Man Roster Locks: Sam Howell, Jacoby Brissett

On the Bubble: Jake Fromm

Wide Receivers

The Ravens preseason game will be key for these four players seeking the final two roster spots at this position: Byron Pringle, Marcus Kemp, Kazmeir Allen, and Mitchell Tinsley. Roster and salary cap rules may figure into who gets released. Since a vested player not on the roster week 1 does not have a fully guaranteed salary and up to 6 veterans can be on the practice squad, Pringle and/or Kemp may start week one on the practice squad to protect the younger players. Terry McLaurin got dinged on a tackle in the game, but it did not seem serious. Jahan Dotson had several good catches during the two-minute drill at the end of the first half to set up a nice, contested touchdown catch by Dyami Brown.

Keep: 6

53-Man Roster Locks: Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel, Jahan Dotson, Dyami Brown

In contention: Bryon Pringle, Marcus Kemp, Kazmeir Allen, Mitchell Tinsley

Practice Squad: Marcus Kemp or Bryon Pringle

Probable Releases: Dax Milne, Zion Bowens, Kyric McGowan, Brycen Tremayne

Released: Jalen Sample

Running Backs

The running back rankings have not changed much. Antonio Gibson had a tough touchdown in the Ravens game on an excellently-designed play with a post route.

Keep: 3

53-Man Roster Locks: Brian Robinson, Antonio Gibson, Chris Rodriguez

Practice Squad: Jaret Patterson or Jonathan Williams.

Probable Releases: Derrick Gore

Tight Ends

John Bates, who had a drop in the Browns game, responded well in the scrimmages and  made several catches. His biggest impact will be blocking in the running game, but his ability to be a consistent target outlet for Howell is also important. Curtis Hodges and Alex Armah have limited opportunities left to impress the coaches that they deserve to be on the final roster.

Keep: 4

53-Man Roster Lock: Logan Thomas, John Bates, Cole Turner

On the Bubble: Curtis Hodges, Alex Armah

Probable Release: Brandon Dillion, Kaden Smith

Offensive Line

Media reports had Nick Gates being good in pass protection and looking more comfortable in making the pass protection adjustments. Saahdiq Charles played some in the Ravens scrimmage and held his own; however, he aggravated his injury and did not finish. Charles just keeps giving Chris Paul the opportunity to become the starting left guard.

Keep: 9

53-Man Roster Locks: Charles Leno Jr., Chris Paul, Nick Gates, Sam Cosmi, Andrew Wylie, Tyler Larsen, Cornelius Lucas, Ricky Stromberg

On the Bubble: Saahdiq Charles, Trenton Scott

Practice Squad: Mason Brooks, Braeden Daniels, Nolan Laufenberg

Probable Releases: Alex Akingbulu, Jaryd Jones-Smith, Aaron Monteiro

Defensive Line

On Sunday, the Commanders signed defensive tackle Isaiah Mack, an undrafted free agent out of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga who has bounced around the league since 2019. Jonathan Allen had a viral video clip from the joint practice of a bull rush, knocking the Ravens player to the ground. Andre Jones Jr. has been doing so well that he got a few first team reps during the Ravens practices. He seems to have passed K.J. Henry on the depth chart. The defensive coaches are enamored with his speed and length. Jones got the start ahead of Casey Toohill in the Ravens game, where the entire starting defensive line sat out. Rising: Jones; falling: Henry and Toohill.

Keep: 9

53-Man Roster Locks: Chase Young, Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, Montez Sweat, Phidarian Mathis, Efe Obada, John Ridgeway

On the Bubble:  James Smith-Williams, Casey Toohill, Andre Jones Jr.

Practice Squad: Benning Potoa’e, K.J. Henry

Probable Releases: Will Bradley-King, Curtis Brooks, Joshua Pryor, Isaiah Mack

Linebackers

There was not much reported on linebackers from the joint practices and not much good from the starters in the actual game either. This is the weak link of the defense.

Keep: 5

53-Man Roster Locks: Cody Barton, Jamin Davis, David Mayo

On the Bubble: Milo Eifler, De’Jon Harris, Khaleke Hudson

Practice Squad: [If Eifler or Harris don’t make the roster, one of them will end up here.]

Cornerbacks

While a lot of secondary starters were withheld from the game, Emmanuel Forbes had a great stop on third and short where he went under the defensive lineman and tackled a much larger running back. Rachad Wildgoose had another defensive pass interference call, continuing his streak from last year, and then allowed a touchdown on the next play. Rising: Forbes; falling: Wildgoose.

Keep: 6

53-Man Roster Locks: Emmanuel Forbes, Kendall Fuller, Benjamin St-Juste, Danny Johnson

On the Bubble: Christian Holmes, Tariq Castro-Fields, DaMarcus Fields

Practice Squad: [Probably Holmes and/or Castro-Fields]

Probable Releases: D.J. Stirgus, Nick Whiteside II, Jace Whittaker, Rachad Wildgoose

Safeties

Kamren Curl was flying around against the Ravens, making plays all over the field. The Commanders have a tough decision on whether to reward Curl with a contract extension or hope Percy Butler, Darrick Forrest and Jartavius Martin can play to his level in the secondary next year. Both Forbes and Martin missed tackles on Zay Flowers on different plays on the Ravens’ first drive. Martin’s miss allowed a touchdown. Later in the first half, Martin had an interception in the end zone on a tipped ball and returned it 59 yards, which led to a touchdown. This is why Forbes and Martin were drafted. Rising: Martin.

Keep: 5

53-Man Roster Locks: Percy Butler, Kamren Curl, Darrick Forrest, Jartavius “Quan” Martin, Jeremy Reaves

On the Bubble: Terrell Burgess

Practice Squad: Ferrod Gardner

Probable Releases: Joshua Kalu, Kendall Smith

Special Teams

Punter Michael Palardy, was probably signed to punt in the Baltimore game because the staff doesn’t want to chance Tress Way’s back. Palardy has been around the league since 2014 and has even punted in the Canadian Football League. Michael Badgley was released assuring Joey Slye of the kicker position.

53-Man Roster Locks: Tress Way, Joey Slye and Camaron Cheeseman

Probable Releases: Michael Palardy

Released: Michael Badgley