2022 Commanders Training Camp discussion

UDFA LB Tre Walker electing to retire. (https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/08/05/ron-rivera-tre-walker-is-retiring/) We already lost UDFA LB Drew White to injury...
Rivera said he was eager to evaluate the LB squad, talked about an exciting group of young guys... I don't know what they need to see to realize our paper thin we are at LB...


John Keim
@john_keim
·
1h
LB Tre Walker is back, per source. Had a change of heart; talked with Ron Rivera and might be at practice tonight. Walker had told Rivera yesterday that he wanted to retire from football. He's a UDFA from Idaho.

Keim said David Mayo replaced Jamin Davis at LB yesterday. Might just be a different sets they are trying out…I mean this is embarrassing.

Also Keim has said Kam Curl has had a strong camp and mentioned the Darrick Forrest has flashed at camp as well.

Holcomb and Curl are coming up on extensions, I’d lean towards moving towards extending both

You never want to overreact to training reports... But yeah this is embarrassing to some extent:

"LB David Mayo ran with the starters today in short-yardage defense, (https://www.hogshaven.com/2022/8/5/23294046/poor-redzone-offense-and-turnovers-highlight-offensive-woes-jamin-davis-may-be-taking-back-seat-mayo) specifically in Washington’s 5-2 defensive front alongside Cole Holcomb. It appears that Rivera and the staff have identified a role for Mayo. Rivera confirmed that there are certain “groups” where Mayo is more valuable than Davis. “That’s just kind of the way some of the defenses are set up. We have a couple defenses where we have certain elements of it where it’s what we consider our big group."

LB squad is worrying anyway. But if Jamin Davis doesn't take a big step forward this year, it's beyond alarming. We have nobody. (Oh my bad, Tre Walker unretired, so we're set).

I think we can all agree that the fact that nothing significant has been done to upgrade the LB group seems borderline outlandish at this point - from the outside looking in.

However, I also think that players have their own strengths and weaknesses, and it's not that alarming to me that one player who isn't necessarily a starter (David Mayo) may have more to offer in a certain package than another player who is expected to be a starter (Jamin Davis).

While I am not exactly thrilled that we haven't brought in a Veteran LB to supplement this group, I am more than willing to wait and see how this all plays out.

Bringing in Mayo for a short-yardage defense package, is not the same thing as 'David Mayo taking all first team reps, Jamin Davis working exclusively with the 2s.'

BUT, if the LB group is trash this year - heads ought to roll.

Sam Mills out as dline coach. Odd timing:

https://commanderswire.usatoday.com/2022/08/09/commanders-fire-defensive-line-coach-sam-mills-ron-rivera-training-camp/

Been reported that Mills didn't see eye to eye with the players, some pointing to lack of performancd from D line last year as a result, maybe JDR and Ron were paying particular attention during camp having listened to the players. Hopefully we can expect a significant improvement

I was listening to 106.7 and they were saying that the tension was based on the players either not liking or respecting Mills coaching style. They were more comfortable w/ Zgonina so Ron made the move. Apparently there had been some tension there for a long time. That must have been a real difficult firing for Ron.

I just feel like as a group they're just a middle of the pack d-line, w/ or w/out Mills. If they're better then prove it. Yeah sometimes firing a coach can help but the coach isn't on the field blocking the linemen in front of you. Either you win your one on one match-up or you don't. No more excuses for these guys now.

Timing sure is weird. But with this D overall, and DL in particular underperforming their talent by quite some bit, I have no issue with a DL coaching change. They were not in synch with him from day 1.

At least his replacement has played on the D-line, and played in the NFL for 17 seasons. Mills III never played a down in the NFL. I'm not sure he played in College either. Not that being a former NFL player is a prerequisite for being a good NFL Coach. But if I were a NFL player, I would have a hard time listening to - how to do something, from someone who has never done it at this level, or perhaps any level.

Anyway, I think Mills III was close to RR and coached for him for a long time - was brought over from the Panthers days. It shows that RR's not afraid to shake things up / make changes for the betterment of the team, even if it means letting someone like Mills III go.

Listening to Sheehan podcast with Doc the other day, which you should listen too, Doc is fucking hyped and gets on a roll…

Apparently Payne has been ripping people up in camp, since we cleared some room on the dline…if Payne breaks out and has a big season, I would be done with bringing him back

Payne having a good season is nice - I would rather hope that all these type A personalities can mesh so everybody can have a good season. The thing these star players have a hard time realizing is when Lebron signs up with Bosh and Wade, they can't all be Lebron every play. Sometimes they gotta take a back seat and sometimes they get to have the big day. Just depends who the opponent wants to prioritize - they can't prioritize everybody all at once so some days they'll double Chase which opens things up for everyone else. Then everyone else plays well so they go and double Montez. Then Allen or Payne does well and they double Allen or Payne. The truly dominant defensive lines understood that.