Dan Quinn pleased with two young Commanders' defenders
The Washington Commanders entered the 2025 season as the NFL's oldest team. Some of that was out of necessity due to four consecutive horrible drafts by former coach Ron Rivera. Of course, some of it was due to last season's success, with GM Adam Peters wanting to run it back one more time.
Through eight weeks, the Commanders have dealt with multiple injuries, some season-ending, and appear slow on both sides of the ball, particularly on defense. Some called for future Hall of Fame linebacker Bobby Wagner to be benched due to his struggles in pass coverage, and give young linebackers, such as Jordan Magee, Kain Medrano, or Ale Kaho, a shot to play.
In recent weeks, we've started to see more of Magee, a second-year linebacker out of Temple. In Monday's loss to the Chiefs, Magee played 84% of Washington's defensive snaps, by far the most he's played on defense. While he wasn't perfect, he plays fast, which is important.
He wasn't the only second-year player to see plenty of defensive action on Monday night. Second-year safety Tyler Owens played 36% of Washington's defensive snaps. Owens, a standout on special teams, immediately upgraded the Commanders' speed on defense.
On Tuesday, head coach Dan Quinn said their speed stood out.
"Yeah, I like the speed that they brought," Quinn said. "I felt that. Not to say that the game was clean in that way. We had three explosives in the first half in terms of the passing game. But I like the speed that I felt from them and yeah, they've earned the right to, you know, have some more ops in there too."
Quinn then discussed what led Owens to get the start against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.
"Honestly, we're trying to think about into some man-to-man options. That was one of them. The second piece was could we put him, you know, down in where the action is. We felt like that's always been something with Tyler, but it started, you know, born from some man to man, you know, ideas and you know, then we'd expand from there. So, we didn't want to overload but you know, start the package enough that he could go and really go execute it."
Magee and Owens weren't perfect on Monday, but their presence was notable. Magee didn't replace Wagner or Frankie Luvu. Instead, Luvu lined up as an edge rusher for most of the game in an effort to replace Dorance Armstrong.
Moving forward, it would make sense for Quinn and his coaching staff to see more of these younger players to determine which can be a significant part of their 2026 plans.
Lions should follow Aidan Hutchinson deal by stealing a star from Aaron Glenn
Aidan Hutchinson got PAID, like, a lot of money. We're talking boatloads of cash to ensure he remains with the Detroit Lions for the long haul.
Detroit has officially put its chips on the table by signing Hutchinson to a contract extension that pays him $45 million annually through 2030. Not that they weren't already doing this, but it's time to build around him and do what's necessary to get over the hump.
Hutchinson's future is secured, and the Lions are in a crystal clear championship window. What better way to lean into the "all-in" approach they're taking than to parlay the star pass rusher's payday with a blockbuster trade? With that in mind, Detroit can reconnect with an old friend to pry standout defensive lineman Quinnen Williams from the New York Jets.
Lions should parlay Aidan Hutchinson contract extension with blockbuster Quinnen Williams trade
Williams is an elite run-stopper with a proven knack for getting to the quarterback. He's among the most impactful contributors at his position and profiles as an ideal complement to Hutchinson.
Former Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn is now the head coach of the Jets. Things haven't gone well in his transition from the Motor City to East Rutherford, to say the least. So, many are looking at New York as a possible seller ahead of the league's Nov. 4 deadline to strike a deal.
Dianna Russini of The Athletic ($) said to "keep an eye on the Jets," noting that rival clubs have "[shown] interest in" Williams. New York ostensibly hasn't rebuffed offers for the 2019 No. 3 overall selection, though their "asking price is massive."
Why can't the Lions, a squad that takes great pride in winning in the trenches, swing for the fences to bring in Williams? Outgoing package aside, they'd be adding one of football's premier interior D-linemen to form a dynamic game-wrecking duo with Hutchinson. Moreover, both players are in their prime and under contract for multiple seasons, giving Detroit an exceptional foundation up front.
Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox identified the Lions as a "potential suitor" for Williams, citing recent reporting that teams have inquired about the three-time Pro Bowler. Pulling off a move of this magnitude will cost premium draft capital. Nevertheless, Detroit is among the few that should be willing to do it if given the chance.
