Every Thursday during the season, Washington Commanders senior defensive assistant coach Richard Rodgers gives a presentation about forcing turnovers. In practice sessions on those days, the offensive linemen spend part of their session diving for loose balls as the defensive backs work on picking off passes.
Those who succeeded in creating takeaways in the previous game received a black T-shirt with “GET THE DAMN BALL OUT!!!” in gold lettering. Consider it a less flashy version of the University of Miami’s turnover chain.
“Listen, if the supply of shirts runs out, you might get a fresh one,” defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio jokingly assured last year.
For the better part of the past three years, since Ron Rivera took over as coach and picked Del Rio to lead the defense, the Commanders have preached creating takeaways and limiting explosive plays. Their defense transformed into a top-five unit in total yards and passing yards allowed last season, but they recorded only nine interceptions and forced turnovers on only 7.6 percent of their opponents’ drives, tied for the third-lowest rate in the NFL. They also allowed a league-high 16 completions of at least 40 yards.
“You can make a mistake in the front and it might pop through, but it should get capped before it becomes an explosive play,” Del Rio said in November. Preventing such plays, Del Rio said, relies on “the secondary doing a good job of leveraging, tackling and being in the right spots.”
So it should be no surprise that Washington used not only its first-round pick but also its second-round selection in April’s draft on defensive backs by taking Emmanuel Forbes Jr. and Quan Martin, standouts whose college résumés stand out for their production and ball skills.
Forbes, a 166-pound cornerback taken 16th out of Mississippi State, is the Football Bowl Subdivision’s career leader in pick-sixes. Martin, the 47th pick out of Illinois, had the highest hand-on-ball rate (2.2 percent) and the most pass breakups per game (1.2) among draft-eligible safeties, according to Sports Info Solutions. He also played the majority of his snaps in the slot and will probably become the Commanders’ next “Buffalo” nickel in packages with three safeties.
But the early rounds of the Commanders’ draft were notable as much for the players selected as for the positions they didn’t address — even though Rivera’s messaging throughout the offseason pointed to this outcome. They drafted based on need and value but also proved they’re willing to gamble.
Rivera said in January that the Commanders planned to reconfigure their interior offensive line — and they did. They signed center Nick Gates, drafted Ricky Stromberg in the third round, released Chase Roullier and indicated that left guard will be a competition between Saahdiq Charles and Chris Paul. The Commanders also added Andrew Wylie, a starter in Kansas City who played guard and tackle during his tenure, and signed tackle Trent Scott.
The Commanders didn’t draft an offensive tackle in the first couple of rounds, when the odds of finding a potential starter are higher. They waited until the fourth round to draft Braeden Daniels, an athletic guard/tackle out of Utah who adds depth at both spots.
Rivera also said in January that quarterback Sam Howell will get every chance to start, with Jacoby Brissett as his probable backup. Washington didn’t draft a quarterback even though Hendon Hooker and Will Levis were available when it picked in the first and second rounds, respectively.
So the Commanders’ near future hinges not on their rookies but mostly on the 22-year-old Howell, a second-year player who has started one NFL game learning a new system with a new offensive coordinator amid an ownership change.
No pressure.
“The one thing that we still have confidence in and [are] very comfortable with is what we have at quarterback,” Rivera said during the draft. “We think Sam and Jacoby, and Jake [Fromm] for that matter, give us a good room right now.”
Howell became the Commanders’ eighth starting quarterback since 2020 when he made his first start against Dallas in Week 18 last season. His numbers in the win weren’t gaudy — 169 passing yards and two total touchdowns — and they included an interception in the end zone. But he managed the game, got the ball out quickly (Rivera often cites Howell’s quick passes to wide receiver Jahan Dotson) and used his legs to extend plays.
Washington has retooled its roster over the years to create a deep group of playmakers. It can only hope its altered offensive line is spared the many injuries it endured over the past few seasons. And a more productive defense, featuring Forbes and Martin, could help a young quarterback and his transitioning offense.
Time will tell if the gamble pays off. In the meantime, perhaps Del Rio should order a few more T-shirts.