Daily Slop: 13 Dec 25 – Laremy Tunsil wants to stay in Washington beyond 2026 with a contract extension this offseason

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Washington Post (paywall)

Laremy Tunsil: ‘I want to be paid.’ He’d like it to be Commanders’ money.

The offensive tackle, who came to Washington in an offseason trade, has been as good as promised, and he’ll be seeking a contract extension after this year.

Through 13 games, he has played at a high level for the Commanders. That deal he signed with Houston is set to expire after the 2026 season. Extension talks between Tunsil and GM Adam Peters almost certainly await this offseason.

“Whatever happens, happens,” Tunsil said. “Of course, I want to be paid. Of course, I want to stay with this organization. … When we get to the offseason, we can handle it.”

Tunsil, who will turn 32 before the start of next season, is set to make a base salary of $20.95 million. The highest-paid left tackle in the NFL is Los Angeles Chargers star Rashawn Slater, who’ll be just 27 in 2026 and makes an average annual salary of $28.5 million.

It’s unclear if the Commanders will be willing to go that high, but Tunsil has again performed among the league’s top left tackles this season. He has been an elite run blocker. As a pass protector, he has allowed just two sacks (tied for third among players who have spent at least 300 snaps at left tackle) and 15 pressures (tied for second), according to TruMedia.

“[I] always think I’m the best. That’s just how I’m wired,” Tunsil said. “I feel like my play speaks for itself. The tape don’t lie.”

Tunsil spends a large chunk of every offseason working with his personal offensive line coach in Auburn, Alabama. This time around, he invited young Commanders offensive linemen Josh Conerly Jr. and Brandon Coleman. His preparation was intense, but that’s his norm.

Tunsil is supremely confident, but he’s also self-aware enough to criticize himself. Last year, he led the NFL with 17 accepted penalties. In an effort to cut down that number, he focused on his fundamentals. Although he has long been a premier pass blocker, he also made it a point of emphasis to improve as a run blocker.

Those efforts have brought results. Tunsil is responsible for just five accepted penalties this season. He’s also been a big reason the Commanders are averaging 4.9 yards per carry (seventh-best in the NFL).

I’ve been “complete as a whole player from top to bottom,” Tunsil said.

Commanders.com

3 keys to Commanders vs. Giants

Get off the field on third down.

The Vikings have one of the league’s worst third-down offenses, but you wouldn’t have guessed that looking at the stat sheet from last weekend’s game. They converted six of their 11 attempts against the Commanders after the Seattle Seahawks held them to 2-of-10 the week before.

The Giants present a more difficult challenge, converting 41.14% of their third downs. Dart’s legs provide the Giants with an extra dimension for defenses to account for. He leads the team with seven rushing touchdowns and is second on the team with 5.5 yards per carry. In the passing game, tight end Theo Johnson ranks second on the team in targets, receptions and yards. Twenty-three of his 42 receptions have resulted in first downs.

There were several reasons why the Commanders had problems against the Vikings, but one of the biggest was that they allowed McCarthy to get in a rhythm and gave him easier looks to dissect. Dart has proven he can be a potent threat to any defense, holding his own against teams like the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears.

The Commanders only forced one punt from the Vikings last week. They will need to do better than that to give themselves a chance against the Giants.

ESPN

Four young Commanders to watch down the stretch

Defensive tackle Johnny Newton

It’s doubtful that his play time will increase over the final four games. He’s playing behind starters Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw, but he’s another second-round pick from 2024 who needs to factor in Washington’s future.

The Commanders need to make a decision on Payne in the offseason — he has a $28 million cap hit in 2026; the team could save $16.8 million if it released him. Regardless, it would be helpful for Washington if Newton ascends.

He has an 8.7% pressure rate, up from 5.8 as a rookie. He has two sacks, same as last year. He has just two tackles for loss and hasn’t registered a quarterback hit in the last five games.

Washington has used Newton at end in recent games, sometimes as a stand-up rusher from that spot.

“It makes me more versatile,” Newton said. “I remember growing up watching Aaron Donald get reps on the edge, Chris Jones get reps on the edge.

“With my athleticism coaches knew I was capable of getting some d-end reps. Everybody knows I’m an inside guy, get off the ball, but whatever I can do to help the team win I’ll do.”

Defensive line coach Darryl Tapp said Newton has had a steep learning curve. Before his first camp Newton dealt with two foot surgeries. That made last season a “work in progress.” This year they’ve focused on details with Newton: getting out of his stance the proper way, how to attack blocks based on the stance you take.

“I know that [his impact] can be kind of taken out of context with him being a second-round pick,” Tapp said. “I get that. So you expect more of him. But now he’s behind two to three big deal savvy vets and this is an opportunity for him. … He’s so athletic and explosive, you can use him in different ways. We’re just trying to find ways to get him on the field.”

Riggo’s Rag

7 Commanders players dangerously close to being done in Washington

Jonathan Jones – Commanders CB

This is not a time to be sentimental or emotionally attached. Adam Peters has displayed a cutthroat mindset since joining the Washington Commanders, and that must continue. He might not like some choices, but the difficult decisions must be made for the greater good.

Jonathan Jones is an interesting case. The veteran cornerback joined the Commanders in free agency after a prolific spell with the New England Patriots. He brought outstanding production and Super Bowl-winning credentials to the table. He thought linking up with head coach Dan Quinn could get him another ring, but it’s been far from that case.

The Commanders have failed to meet the required standards. Jones’ contribution has been fleeting, restricted by injury. He’s played a lot more in recent weeks after returning to health. Still, one couldn’t look at his performance levels and think he’d get another extension from the organization next spring.

Massive changes are coming to the cornerback unit this offseason. And when the dust settles, Jones will probably be playing in a different uniform next season.

Signing him was a good move by Peters, but things just haven’t worked out as anyone hoped.

Trent Scott – Commanders OL

The Washington Commanders haven’t had many positives to speak of this season. However, the offensive line is undeniably their most encouraging bright spot amid the almost constant doom and gloom.

If the Commanders extend Chris Paul, their starting five offensive linemen will all be back. That will be a massive boost to continuity. It will also allow general manager Adam Peters to focus on bolstering the depth options rather than anything more drastic.

It’ll be interesting to see what Peters decides, but things aren’t looking especially promising for Trent Scott. He’s done well to last this long under the current regime, especially given the fact that he was a Ron Rovera holdover. That’s down to his versatility, and he was also the player who unbelievably caught Jayden Daniels’ first touchdown pass in the NFL.

That will be something for Scott to tell his grandkids one day. But he should be looking for alternative employment next spring.

Commanders.com

Game status | Chris Rodriguez, Deebo Samuel QUESTIONABLE for Sunday vs. Giants

Running back Chris Rodriguez and wide receiver Deebo Samuel are both questionable for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.

Rodriguez, who has dealt with a groin injury this week, did not participate in practice on Wednesday but returned in a limited capacity on Thursday and Friday. Samuel was added to the injury report on Friday with an illness and was given the day off by the coaching staff.

Rodriguez, a 2023 sixth-round pick, has emerged as the Commanders’ primary running back over the last few weeks. Rodriguez has averaged 4.6 yards per carry in 11 games, but his usage has increased since the Commanders’ Week 9 game against the Seattle Seahawks. Over the last five games, he has led the team with 253 yards and three rushing touchdowns on 54 carries.

The Commanders have three options to replace Rodriguez if he is inactive on Sunday. Veteran Jeremy McNichols provides help as a pass catcher in addition to averaging 6.6 yards per carry. Jacory Croskey-Merritt, despite his role decreasing in recent weeks, adds quickness and vision as a runner.

Chase Edmonds, who was added to the active roster following Zach Ertz’s season-ending ACL tear, is also an option. Edmonds has 1,972 yards and 11 touchdowns on 450 carries in seven seasons.

Heavy.com

Drake Jackson : Sidelined for Week 15

Jackson (knee/groin) has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Giants. Jackson was able to practice in a limited capacity Thursday and Friday, but he has not progressed enough in his recovery to be cleared to play Sunday. He continues to work through a lingering knee injury from 2023 — along with a newer groin issue — and will aim to be available for Week 16 against the Eagles on Saturday, Dec. 20.

Podcasts & videos

Terry McLaurin on Growing Through Adversity + Gary Clark & The Posse | Next Man Up | Commanders

Playoffs

Pro Football Talk

In Week 15, there’s only one meaningless game

[E]ven with nine teams (nearly a third of the entire league) eliminated from playoff contention, only one game will be truly meaningless: Commanders at Giants. The other 15, starting with Thursday night’s Falcons-Bucs game, have at least one team that has postseason aspirations.

The fact that the Falcons, who are out, upended the Bucs, who are desperately trying to get in, underscores the reality that the teams playing for nothing won’t necessarily be checking one of the few remaining boxes before it’s time to get a much-deserved break from football.

The biggest games mean something for both teams. In Bills-Patriots (1:00 p.m. ET), it’s Buffalo’s last-ditch effort to stay in the division race. The Patriots, in turn, hope to clinch their first AFC East title since 2019 while also continuing to push for the lone AFC first-round bye.

For the 9-4 Chargers and the 6-7 Chiefs, L.A.’s opportunity for its first sweep of the Chiefs since 2013 also includes a chance to ensure that the AFC playoff tree will omit the team that has climbed to the top of it five times in six seasons.

Packers-Broncos at 4:25 p.m. ET could be a Super Bowl preview.

Lions-Rams (4:25 p.m. ET) has the obvious storyline featuring the quarterbacks who were traded for each other (with the Lions also getting two first-round picks and a third-round pick) nearly five years ago. But the 8-5 Lions are currently on the outside looking in, and the 10-3 Rams have very realistic No. 1 seed aspirations.

In the Sunday night window, it’s a literal elimination game for the 5-8 Vikings — and a de facto go-home proposition for the 6-6-1 Cowboys.

The 8-5 Eagles need to prove to the world that they aren’t slipping and sliding out of the NFC East lead against a 3-10 Raiders team with nothing to lose (except their eighth game in a row).

NFC East links

Washington Post (paywall)

Jalen Hurts quieted his doubters in February. They’re awfully loud again.

NFL primer: The Eagles’ offense is a mess, and much of the finger-pointing is directed at Hurts, who had five turnovers in Philadelphia’s third straight loss.

Until Monday, turnovers by Hurts had not been the Eagles’ problem. He had thrown 19 touchdown passes with only two interceptions in the season’s first 12 games. But he threw four interceptions and didn’t have a touchdown pass Monday. He threw an interception and then, after the Chargers fumbled on the return and Hurts made the recovery, lost a fumble on the same play. And after the Chargers got a field goal on the opening possession of overtime, Hurts led the Eagles into the red zone before throwing an interception to end the 22-19 loss.

The Eagles have plenty that must be fixed on offense. Barkley ran for 122 yards and a touchdown against the Chargers; but he’s on course for a comparatively modest 1,127 rushing yards this season after having the ninth 2,000-yard season in NFL history last season. Brown has had three straight 100-yard receiving games; but that’s after his modest role in the offense created so much consternation earlier in the season.

The tush push has not been as automatic as it usually is: The Eagles’ conversion rate on it is 67 percent, down from 85 percent over the previous three seasons, according to the ESPN broadcast Monday.

The recent spiral has raised fears about a repeat of the 2023 collapse in which the Eagles, on the heels of their Super Bowl defeat to the Chiefs, followed a 10-1 start by losing five of their final six regular season games and exiting the playoffs in the opening round.

Washington Post (paywall)

Maybe the seventh time will be the charm as the Giants look for a coach

Since parting with Tom Coughlin after the 2015 season, owner John Mara has struck out six times trying to find a winning coach.

The list of coaches for the New York Football Giants in the 10 years since the venerable Tom Coughlin “stepped down” — or, more to the point, was pushed out — does not exactly bathe this once-great franchise in glory.

In no way does that list indicate an ownership group that is remotely astute at staffing this position, and if anything it reveals a flawed process marred by a particular commonality. It has prompted a major course correction in how the Giants’ latest coaching search will unfold. Owner John Mara won’t get fooled again by someone who has never coached an NFL team or a major college program, finally learning from mistake after mistake. After firing Brian Daboll midseason, he wants someone who has already done this job, quite preferably with at least a modicum of success along the way.

This hardly ensures what was once considered a model front office won’t butcher this most important hire yet again. No one who has been paying attention would believe in that group. It’s also clear that a fan base in despair won’t subscribe to another complete start-up overseen by someone they have barely heard of who has questionable qualifications. There’s every reason to believe on-the-job experience will carry massive weight as the Giants interview and weed through candidates in the coming weeks.

The Giants have one playoff victory since Coughlin left. They have one 10-win season since (2016 with McAdoo). They have not won the division since 2011. They have been victorious in five of 30 football games since the start of the 2024 season. Since Coughlin departed, Giants coaches have a combined record of 53-107-1. None has surpassed even 20 wins at the helm.

Just consider the past six Giants coaches since Coughlin’s quasi-retirement: Mike Kafka, Brian Daboll, Joe Judge, Pat Shurmur, Steve Spagnuolo and Ben McAdoo. Apologies for making you read that. But facts are facts. That’s the list.

“It’s not going to be another first-time guy, I promise you that,” said a high-ranking official of one NFL team who could possibly be involved in a coaching search and spoke on the condition of anonymity because they are not permitted to speak publicly about other team’s hires. “… It’s not going to be [Brian] Daboll 2.0. They want someone who has done it before.”

For what it’s worth, the betting markets have long favored former Cowboys and Packers coach Mike McCarthy for the position, and while it’s hard to imagine him not getting consideration, it also feels a little too old-school for an owner who seemingly wants to change his spots.

Big Blue View

NY Giants edge defender to miss another game; Backup CB done for year

Kayvon Thibodeaux will miss his fourth straight game for the New York Giants on Sunday. Thibodeaux, who has a shoulder injury has been ruled out against the Washington Commanders.

Giants backup cornerback Nic Jones is done for the season. He will have shoulder surgery. That was first reported by Dan Duggan of The Athletic. Jones has been a key special teams contributor, and his injury is one reason why the Giants on Thursday claimed Ryan Miller on waivers from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Miller, a 6-foot-2, 221-pound wide receiver, had been a core special teams player for Tampa Bay.

Interim head coach Mike Kafka said on Friday that wide receiver/kick returner Gunner Olszewski had progressed to the next step of the concussion protocol, and could clear in time to play Sunday.

Punter Jamie Gillan will not kick on Friday, but the Giants were not yet ready to rule him out on Friday morning. Still, it seems likely that veteran punter Cameron Johnston, signed to the practice squad this week, will be punting.

Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, questionable with a hamstring injury, was a new addition to the injury report.

Giants-Commanders final injury report

OUT

WR Beaux Collins | Neck/Concussion
OLB Victor Dimukeje | Knee
CB Nic Jones | Shoulder
DL Rakeem Nuñez-Roches Sr. | Ankle
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux | Shoulder

Collins just had his 21-day practice window opened this week. That means the concussion had to [have] occur[ed] during practice.

NFL league links

Articles

ESPN

T.J. Watt’s collapsed lung injury update, dry needling explained

“Yesterday TJ had successful surgery to stabilize and repair a partially collapsed lung suffered Wednesday after a dry needling treatment session at the facility,” J.J. Watt wrote on social media. “Recovery timeline is still TBD, but all went well and he is being released from the hospital today. He and his family are very appreciative of everyone’s kind words and well wishes.”

Dry needling isn’t unusual during an NFL player’s physical therapy, but a significant incident like this is uncommon.

Did Watt have a chest or back injury before the dry needling?

Watt has not been listed on the team practice or injury report this season. Tomlin also said Thursday that, to his knowledge, Watt didn’t have an injury that was worthy of being on an injury report or after the Steelers’ Week 14 game.

What is dry needling? What is required to legally administer dry needling? How safe is it?

Dry needling is a skilled intervention where the provider uses a thin needle to penetrate the skin with the goal of alleviating pain and improving movement. Unlike “wet” needling, which utilizes a hollow bore needle (which has a central channel to allow liquid to pass through it) to inject a medication, dry needling utilizes a solid needle and no substance is injected.

Common applications for dry needling include, but aren’t limited to, muscle pain/strains (e.g., hamstring, quad), tendinitis/tendinopathy (e.g., patellofemoral, biceps, rotator cuff), plantar fasciitis and headaches. Utilization has expanded within the past decade, in particular, and it is not uncommon to see dry needling in most athletic rehabilitation settings or training rooms.

[Note from BiB in the difference between acupuncture & dry needling (per Google): Acupuncture comes from Traditional Chinese Medicine, targeting meridian lines to balance overall Qi (energy) for broad wellness, while Dry Needling is a Western technique focusing on anatomical trigger points (muscle knots) to relieve localized musculoskeletal pain, often within physical therapy]

What should be the typical prognosis for Watt? Will there be any long-term effects?

The most critical aspect of Watt’s case is that once he reported symptoms and was evaluated, he was sent to the hospital for care emergently and treated promptly by the appropriate personnel. This gives him an excellent chance of full recovery.

Lung tissue is remarkably resilient, especially in a young, healthy athlete. A lung injury like Watt’s has the potential to heal within 7-10 days, and there should be no long-term effects.

Is this like the Tyrod Taylor situation? What are the differences?

Taylor was reportedly dealing with two cracked ribs and received a pregame pain-relieving injection, the intent of which was to decrease localized pain and allow him to compete on game day. The needle punctured a lung, and the result was a pneumothorax (where air leaks into the space between the lung and the chest wall, putting pressure on or “collapsing” the lung).

In Watt’s situation, according to his brother JJ, he suffered a partially collapsed lung (also a pneumothorax) after a dry needling treatment session. By definition, dry needling means no medication was being delivered via the needle, making this different from Taylor’s specific procedure.

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