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Commanders WR Noah Brown could miss rest of season with kidney injury
Head coach Dan Quinn announced on Wednesday that wide receiver Noah Brown is expected to miss several weeks and possibly the remainder of the season with a “significant internal injury.” Brown, who emerged as Washington’s No. 2 receiver this season, exited the Commanders’ Dec. 1 win over the Tennessee Titans with a rib injury. The team is labeling it as a kidney issue on the injury report.
Washington hasn’t placed Brown on injured reserve, but Quinn said “it’s likely headed that way.”
Cornerback Marshon Lattimore practiced in full on Wednesday for the first time since the Commanders acquired the four-time Pro Bowler on Nov. 5. He’s missed six games this season — four with Washington — due to a lingering hamstring injury. If available for Sunday’s game, the ex-Saint would make his Commanders debut against his former New Orleans team.
Right tackle Andrew Wylie was also a full practice participant after being cleared from the concussion protocol and missing Washington’s 42-19 win over Tennessee.
Though offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury uses three-receiver lineups as the primary set, the Commanders deployed two- and three-tight end formations against Tennessee more than any game this season. Zach Ertz’s 52 receptions rank second behind McLaurin, followed by Brown and running back Austin Ekeler, who is on injured reserve (concussion) until at least Week 18.
Commanders.com
Practice notes | Noah Brown out multiple weeks, Commanders look for other WR options on roster
As the Commanders prepare to improve their playoff standing and get their first winning season since 2016, they will need to call on other depth pieces to step up in Brown’s absence. One such player could be rookie Luke McCaffrey, who has 16 receptions for 155 yards this season and caught two passes for 13 yards against the Titans two weeks ago.
McCaffrey averages 1.5 targets per game this season but has produced in critical moments. Against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football in Week 3, McCaffrey caught a pass on fourth-and-2 and turned it into a 30-yard gain. He also caught a fourth-down pass against the Titans that helped close out the game.
“My biggest thing with him is his work ethic and his fearlessness is through the roof,” offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said of McCaffrey Oct. 17. “He’s out there on Sundays, he wants the ball. He’s not afraid of the moment, and then every day of practice you almost gotta slow him down because he’s doing so much and wants every rep he can get and won’t come off the field.”
Four-year veteran Dyami Brown could be another answer. The 2021 third-round pick is having the best season of his career so far with 20 catches on 27 targets with 206 yards. He was viewed as a deep threat when he was drafted out of North Carolina, and he put that on display with a 41-yard touchdown grab against the Cleveland Browns, but he’s also shown promise as a target on screen passes, as he’s shown solid vision and ability to weave around defenders for sizable gains.
“I’m really proud of him [Dyami], the plays he has made,” Kingsbury said. “He’s a very explosive player. And has just continued to get better, his approach, great work ethic and just keeps making plays when he is called upon.”
Yard Barker
Jayden Daniels gets a new weapon that should help make a big part of his game even better
While he didn’t work out for a struggling Patriots team, Osborn becomes an ideal fit for what the 8-5 Commanders need in their quest to secure a wild card spot for the playoffs.
The Commanders lost starting wideout Noah Brown to a “significant internal injury” during Week 13’s win over the Tennessee Titans. That leaves a vacancy at the receiver position for a former starter like Osborn to fill.
Brown proved to be a nice complement opposite of Terry McLaurin, but Osborn’s history of being an effective deep target should make him an ideal fit for quarterback Jayden Daniels. Five of Daniels’ touchdowns have come on passes of at least 20 air yards, and his 0.82 EPA/drop back on such throws ranks fifth in the league. Osborn hauled in 11 of his 26 targets of 20+ yards or more for 441 yards and five touchdowns during his two fully healthy seasons in Minnesota from 2021-22.
Will Marshon Lattimore Play in Commanders-Saints?
The Washington Commanders are 8-5 and fresh off of a bye week. They have an upcoming contest against the New Orleans Saints, which they are hitting the road for.
The Commanders are looking to use the latter half of their schedule to secure their berth into the playoffs just one season removed from a 4-13 season. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels has done a great job at turning the offense around. However, the defense is about to get a great boost.
Four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore is set to make his Washington debut, and he’s doing so against his former team, the New Orleans Saints.
ESPN
Ranking top 20 NFL quarterback-receiver duos of 2024 season
I leaned heavily on what I’ve seen during the 2024 season and what I expect to happen the rest of the way (and into the playoffs). Because I’m focusing on right now, season-ending injuries matter. If you’re looking for Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, they won’t be here because Prescott is out with a hamstring issue. The same goes for Patrick Mahomes and Rashee Rice; Rice is done for the year with a knee injury (though Mahomes is on the list with another WR.) And this isn’t just a list of WR1s, either — I focused on how certain receivers have built chemistry and reliability with their quarterbacks, even if they aren’t the top pass catcher on the team’s depth chart.
9. Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin, Commanders
2024 stats: 56 completions, 801 yards, 9 touchdowns
Daniels’ emergence in his rookie season has been incredible for McLaurin. We’re seeing some big plays down the field, and McLaurin has the tracking ability to win in 1-on-1s. Per NFL Next Gen Stats, Daniels’ 72.7% completion percentage when targeting McLaurin is 14.7% higher than expected.
If Daniels gets back to full health off his rib injury and starts putting even more trust in McLaurin, this duo could finish hot.
Bleacher Report
NFL Team Needs: Prioritizing Every Roster’s Biggest Weaknesses Before Week 15
Move to Make Now: Kick the tires on La’el Collins
Andrew Wylie missed Week 13 with an injury and hasn’t been great this season. So, Washington might want to look into signing another right tackle ahead of the playoffs in case of an emergency.
Plus, Collins has experience playing on the interior too. It couldn’t hurt to at least bring him in for a workout and see what he has left.
2025 Free Agency: S Budda Baker, Arizona Cardinals
Washington could use some safety help as it’s one of the team’s current weaknesses, and Jeremy Chinn, the defense’s best player at the position, is an impending free agent. Part of what makes Chinn so valuable is he wears multiple hats, lining up in the box, playing as the deep safety and covering the slot.
Baker can do all of that as well but is the superior player. Heading into this past weekend, the 28-year-old who turns 29 in January had earned coverage and run defense grades from Pro Football Focus in the mid-70s while lining up all over the field.
2025 NFL Draft: TE Tyler Warren, Penn State
With Zach Ertz and John Bates being impending free agents, the Commanders could be looking for a tight end in the offseason. Also, Daniels could use another target in the passing game, which is where the Nittany Lion thrives.
“In all, Tyler Warren is a talented pass-catcher who is handling the role as the top offensive option,” B/R’s offensive skill positions scout Damian Parson wrote in the Penn State product’s scouting report.
“He should be used as an H-back and flex tight end early in his NFL career until his run-blocking improves. Warren’s receiving versatility and upside will add another element to a passing attack.”
Upcoming opponent
Canal Street Chronicles
A look back at the history between the Saints and Commanders
How did it all start for these two teams?
The New Orleans Saints (5-8) are back home this week to face the Washington Commanders (8-5) in the Caesars Superdome.
These two first played one another back on September 24th, 1967, when the then Redskins defeated the Saints 30-10 at Tulane Stadium. This Sunday will be the 28th time that these two franchises will face one another with Washington leading the series 17-10.
Their last matchup was on October 10th, 2023, at FedEx Field which saw the Saints defeat the Commanders 33-22.
State of the NFC South
Some movement in the division.
New Orleans Saints
Regular Season record 5-8
After a tough loss last week against the Rams, the New Orleans Saints were looking to bounce back against a bad Giants team. New Orleans squeaked out a win in an ugly 14-11 game. On the offensive side of the ball, there were few positive things to take away from this game. The offense looked terrible throughout the game. The passing game had some big plays, but for most of the game, they couldn’t complete passes. The Saints dynamic rushing attack also couldn’t find any consistency, but it was good to see Kendre Miller come back from the IR and make some big plays. The Saints defense saved this game. Bryan Bresee and Chase Young ruined any type of game plan the Giants had. Drew Lock was terrible, and the Saints really weren’t faced with any challenge until the end of the game. This is where Bryan Bresee made the best play of his young career, jumping the line and blocking the potential game-winning field goal for the Giants. The Saints get this bounce-back win, but Derek Carr’s injury looked bad and could knock him out for the rest of the season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Regular Season record 7-6
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have one of the easiest remaining schedules in the league and have taken full advantage of this. In week 14, Tampa Bay was set to face against the struggling Las Vegas Raiders. The score was close for most of the game, but the Bucs dominated the 4th quarter and won 28-13. I have repeatedly discussed how Baker Mayfield has had such an interesting season because of the interceptions. Against the Raiders, Mayfield threw 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. This season, he has thrown the second most interceptions in the league, but the Bucs are still able to overcome these mistakes in a pretty consistent fashion.
Atlanta Falcons
Regular Season record 6-7
A team that has not been able to overcome turnovers is the Atlanta Falcons, and against the Minnesota Vikings, this stayed true. The Vikings dominated the Falcons 41-21, but the game was actually tied going into the 4th quarter. I mentioned before that Baker Mayfield was second in the league regarding throwing interceptions, but I made sure to leave out that first place is Kirk Cousins. Cousins is struggling and only has two more touchdowns than interceptions this season. Against the Vikings, he threw 2 interceptions and 0 touchdowns.
Podcasts & videos
With @davidaldridgedc on a newsy day in Ashburn. Impact of Noah Brown's injury. Marshon Lattimore practices. Jayden Daniels thrives in winning time. KJ Osborn.
We also discuss "The Basketball 100" book David helped write/curate and top debates within.https://t.co/rGxmQKAUAO
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) December 12, 2024
Commanders recharging after Titans win: All Ears with JP Finlay
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