Washington Commanders Eye Julian Okwara as Possible Replacement After Armstrong Injury
When fans thought things couldn't get much worse for the Washington Commanders injury-wise this season, another bitter blow emerged. And unfortunately for head coach Dan Quinn, it's another established presence who'll now be out for the foreseeable future.
Concerns were immediate when Dorance Armstrong Jr. went down after a few snaps of their opening drive against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 7. The defensive end hadn't practiced much throughout the week with a hamstring problem. Washington activated him for the game, but that will be the last time they see the former Kansas prospect in 2025.
After additional testing, Quinn revealed that Armstrong had suffered a significant knee injury and would be out for the remainder of the campaign. He was their most productive pass-rusher in the midst of a breakout campaign. Considering that Deatrich Wise Jr. and Javontae Jean-Baptiste are also out long-term, this already threadbare unit has been decimated.
Commanders need another edge rusher after Dorance Armstrong Jr. injury blow
Quinn also confirmed that he would be meeting with general manager Adam Peters regarding possible reinforcements. They only have Jacob Martin, Von Miller, and Preston Smith as things stand. Drake Jackson was recently acquired, but he went to injured reserve almost immediately to continue his recovery.
More is needed. Fans know it. Quinn and Peters realize it. The problem is finding the required quality with severely diminished options available.
Going down the trade route might be something to consider. Still, Peters doesn't have many assets after giving up so much for Marshon Lattimore, Laremy Tunsil, and Deebo Samuel Sr. Free agents are extremely thin on the ground, so perhaps scooping someone off a practice squad might be the best way to go.
Julian Okwara is someone the Commanders should consider. He's athletic and fits the mold of edge rushers within Quinn's system. Although he never built on a promising start to his NFL career with the Detroit Lions, he could still have some use with a smooth transition.
Okwara is currently on the Cleveland Browns practice squad after spending last season with the Arizona Cardinals, logging 18 tackles, one sack, three tackles for loss, and four pressures from 34 percent of defensive snaps. He also knows Washington's assistant general manager, Lance Newmark, well from their time together in Detroit.
It's a dart throw, and far from ideal. But desperate times call for desperate measures. Okwara hasn't made an impact in Cleveland, but it's also worth remembering that the Browns have a formidable defensive front led by All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett.
Whether it's Okwara or something a little bolder, something needs to be done. Because make no mistake, standing pat is not an option.
Browns' Myles Garrett reflects on controversial comments after blowout win over Dolphins
After the Cleveland Browns fell to 1-5 on the season, star pass-rusher Myles Garrett made it known that it was "frustrating as hell" for Cleveland to "lose the same way every time." Garrett later shared that he "would have liked to see us stick to the run a little bit" during the club's 23-9 loss at the Pittsburgh Steelers on Oct. 12.
Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski seemingly agreed with Garrett's assessment, as rookie running back Quinshon Judkins accumulated 84 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries in the team's dominant 31-6 home win over the lowly Miami Dolphins (1-6) on Sunday. Following that result, Garrett reflected on his previous comments.
Myles Garrett vows "to tell it how it is" about Browns
"I’m always going to tell it how it is," Garrett said, per Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "That’s just my nature. I’m going to shoot you straight, and I have no problem saying what I say to them up here and vice versa. So I’m not trying to say anything to disparage anybody or try to get anybody removed from their position or anything like that. I want everybody here to be a benefactor to our success."
Leading up to Sunday's game, some wondered if Stefanski was possibly a loss away from losing his job. Garrett and Co. responded to such chatter by forcing four turnovers during the contest at Huntington Bank Field that was essentially over before the third quarter wrapped up.
Myles Garrett expands on leadership amid latest losing season for Browns
In the spring, Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz publicly challenged Garrett to step up after the 29-year-old signed a four-year, $160M extension that included $123.5M guaranteed to stay with Cleveland in March. Part of Garrett's journey has included growing as a leader after a March report indicated he has often left something to be desired with his words and actions behind the scenes.
"The football team is a mirror of our leaders, one way or another, from players to coaches, and that kind of grit and that kind of resilience, that comes from us. But it’s got to continue to go around the entire chain," Garrett said about his mindset. "We’re only as strong as the weakest link, and we’ve got to make everyone feel like we can bounce back from this and we can still achieve the things we want to. Because we dug ourselves a little hole, but we can get ourselves out of it. We’ve got to do it together."
The Browns will continue trying to dig out of that hole when they play at the New England Patriots (5-2) on Oct 26. As of Monday morning, ESPN BET had Cleveland as a 7.5-point road underdog for that matchup.
Nevertheless, Garrett seems confident the Browns can build upon what they achieved against the Dolphins.
"It can be a spark as much as we want it to," Garrett said about the Week 7 win. "Hopefully, we’ve gotten so tired of the losses and tired of the pain that comes with them that we’re ready to inflict it on somebody else. You’ve got to learn to use that pain, use that drive. It can’t just become acceptable to have those feelings. Right now, it was a good response that we have, but it’s got to continue."
