Commanders predicted to trade for 351-yard RB as Jacory Croskey-Merritt running mate
The Washington Commanders are riding high at the running back position entering Week 6 after rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt posted a career-best outing.
In Week 5, the running back also know as "Bill" finally saw an increased workload and turned his 16 touches into 150 scrimmage yards (111 rushing) and two scores.
While JCM is ascending, it wouldn't hurt for the Commanders to explore options for a trade to improve their backfield situation further to add a bit more insurance and help take more of the load off star quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Currently, Washington has Chris Rodriguez and Jeremy McNichols as backups after Austin Ekeler went down with a season-ending torn Achilles injury.
One player we'd love to see the Commanders target is New York Jets running back Breece Hall, who was recently predicted to land in Washington via trade by Pro Football & Sports Network's Josh Weil.
Here's the prediction Weil makes:
- Commanders get: RB Breece Hall
- Jets get: fourth-round pick
"Having a two-headed monster like this will both lower the workload of Croskey-Merritt and bring a hungry player with free agency looming to get his first taste of playoff football. Hall takes this offense to a level that can help them execute even more consistently, and make them a real threat to the Eagles’ hold on the division crown," Weil wrote.
The Jets are going nowhere fast at 0-5, so New York will likely be looking to sell off players who are in the final year of their contracts. Hall qualifies as one of those players as he plays out the last year of his rookie contract.
Hall is off to an impressive start to the season despite the Jets' struggles. The former second-round pick is up to 351 yards on the ground and 150 yards through the air. That puts him on pace for 1,193 rushing yards and 510 receiving yards.
Adding an explosive playmaker like Hall will only improve the Commanders' offense, and he'd offer a top-notch receiving threat out of the backfield for a Washington team looks hesitant to give Croskey-Merritt a lot of work in that area.
For the price of a fourth-round pick, the Commanders would be wise to bet on the upside of having Hall on the team. He has the potential to give Washington a dynamic one-two punch that could take the team's offense to another level.
Vikings Coach Announces Concerning Carson Wentz Update
Carson Wentz and the Minnesota Vikings were able to pick up a huge 21-17 Week 5 victory at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London against the Cleveland Browns. The victory saw the Vikings move to 3-2 on the season, while the Browns fell to 1-4 and lost what was rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel's first-career start.
The win also gave Vikings fans another reason to be concerned about their quarterback situation as Wentz, who was filling in for injured second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy, left the game toward the end of the first half with a shoulder injury. On a 6-yard scramble with 3:20 remaining in the second, Wentz lowered his shoulder on Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger, resulting in a huge collision. He was able to return to the game in the second half, but the injury could impact his immediate future.
The shoulder injury, which led to rookie quarterback Max Brosmer filling in for one play could end up impacting Wentz's availability moving forward. When speaking to the media today, head coach Kevin O'Connell revealed the team is looking into the injury further, as reported by The Athletic's Alec Lewis on X.
"Kevin O’Connell said QB Carson Wentz is being further evaluated with the shoulder injury suffered in yesterday’s game," wrote Lewis. "Sounded like he came in pretty sore. One to watch."
On the bright side for Wentz and the Vikings, they have a bye this week. So, Wentz has an extra week to heal up, while the Vikings could also be in line to see McCarthy return for the Week 7 meeting with the Philadelphia Eagles.
