Commander Country

Commanders Sign Eagles Ex Zach Ertz: Details - Tracker

The Washington Commanders and the rest of the NFL are making moves as they work their way through an offseason of ups and downs and news and views ...

Jeremy Brener

In this story:

MAR 12 COMMANDERS SIGN MARIOTA The Washington Commanders are adding to their quarterback room.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the team is signing Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Marcus Mariota to a one-year deal worth up to $10 million.

Mariota, 30, is playing for his fourth team in as many years and could very likely be the backup quarterback for the team this season.

MAR 11 COMMANDERS SIGN MCMANUS The Washington Commanders have their kicker.

Former NFL defensive back Jason McCourty tweeted that Brandon McManus told him that he signed a one-year deal with the Commanders.

McManus, who turns 33 this summer, played nine seasons with the Denver Broncos before spending last year with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

MAR 11 COMMANDERS SIGN COWBOYS' ARMSTRONG The Washington Commanders are on the board in free agency.

Bleacher Report insider Jordan Schultz reported that the Commanders are signing pass rusher Dorance Armstrong Jr. 

He had 7.5 sacks last season plus 12 quarterback hits and seven tackles for loss last season. In 2022, he set career highs with 8.5 sacks, 16 quarterback hits and 10 tackles for loss.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler is reporting that the contract is worth up to $45 million for three years.

The Commanders were last in points and passing yards allowed per game last season. Reuniting Armstrong Jr. with head coach Dan Quinn should go a long way toward fortifying one of the NFL's more disappointing units last season. 

MAR 6 COMMANDERS SIGN ERTZ The Washington Commanders are bringing a former Pro Bowl tight end back to the NFC East.

According to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, the Commanders are signing veteran tight end Zach Ertz to a one-year deal worth $5 million.

Ertz, 33, played seven games for the Arizona Cardinals last season before he was cut. He signed with the Detroit Lions' practice squad during the playoffs, but never appeared in a game for them.

Ertz has experience with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury from their days in Arizona.

MAR 2 WASHINGTON COMMANDERS PLANNING TO RELEASE NICK GATES: ESPN is reporting that center Nick Gates has been told he'll be released by the team at the start of the new league year. 

According to the report Gates is still owed $1.99 million in the coming year, and will now look for another new team after jumping to Washington from the New York Giants in 2023.

Washington Commanders center Nick Gates (63) participates in pregame warmups against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field / Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

MAR 1 COMMANDERS CUT LOGAN THOMAS Washington Commanders tight end Logan Thomas is looking for a new home.

According to NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo, the Commanders are releasing Thomas after four seasons.

Thomas, 32, caught 55 passes for 496 yards and four touchdowns this past season in Washington.

FEB 29 JOSH HARRIS AND DAVID BLITZER SELLING Washington Commanders co-owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer are selling their minority stakes in the Pittsburgh Steelers according to a recent Bloomberg report.

The two, "are in advanced talks to sell their minority stake in the Pittsburgh Steelers to an existing investor group led by Art Rooney and Thomas Tull," the report states.

NFL approval will be needed to finalize the deal and financial terms are not known at this time. The duo owns less than five percent of the Steelers organization, currently.

FEB 28 DANIELS MEETS WITH COMMANDERS The Washington Commanders are meeting with the top prospects at the NFL Combine this week, and may have already sat across the table with the potential No. 2 overall pick.

According to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, the Commanders have met with LSU's Jayden Daniels, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner.

Daniels is competing alongside several people, including North Carolina's Drake Maye, to be the first quarterback off the board after USC's Caleb Williams.

FEB 23 NFL SALARY CAP SET TO $255.4 MILLION Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported Friday the league's salary cap for 2024 has been set at $255.4 million leaving the Washington Commanders with north of $90 million in spendable cap space for the new season according to Spotrac. 

"The unprecedented $30 million increase per club in this year’s Salary Cap is the result of the full repayment of all amounts advanced by the clubs and deferred by the players during the Covid pandemic," Pelissero said. "As well as an extraordinary increase in media revenue for the 2024 season."

Adam Peters
Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters / Clutch Points

FEB 22 COMMANDERS SIGN TWO FORMER PRACTICE SQUAD PLAYERS The Washington Commanders signed receiver Kazmeir Allen and guard Mason Brooks according to team reporter Zach Selby. Both were members of the 2023 practice squad.

FEB 21 CALEB WILLIAMS TO ENTER NFL WITHOUT AGENT University of Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams, widely viewed as the top signal caller in the 2024 NFL Draft, hasn't hired an agent and doesn't plan on doing so, per Pro Football Talk.

Players representing themselves isn't a new phenomenon, as Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner have both done so in years past.

But for Williams, navigating through the tricky schedule of preparing for the NFL Combine and his Pro Day and arranging pre-draft visits with teams may prove difficult.

Nonetheless, Williams remains the favorite to be the draft's No. 1 overall pick - and the Washington Commanders, who sit at No. 2, may not even get a chance at the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner.

FEB 16 COMMANDERS WIN NFC EAST, PER ANALYST The 2024 season doesn't start for another seven months, but Fox Sports' Colin Cowherd has a bold prediction for the NFC East.

Cowherd projects that the Washington Commanders will come out on top in the NFC East and beat the defending champion Dallas Cowboys.

The NFC East hasn't had a repeat champion in 20 years, and if this were to happen, the Commanders could go from worst to first in one season.

FEB 14 COMMANDERS ADD ASSISTANT GM The Washington Commanders are shuffling around in the front office.

The team announced that it has hired Detroit Lions Senior Director of Player Personnel Lance Newmark as Adam Peters' assistant general manager. Former general manager Martin Mayhew is expected to transition into an advisory role. Executive vice president Marty Hurney is also becoming an advisor for Peters.

FEB 13 SHARRIF FLOYD HIRED BY COMMANDERS The Washington Commanders continue to add to their coaching staff.

According to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, the Commanders are hiring Sharrif Floyd to be an assistant defensive line coach.

Floyd, 32, was a first-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2013 and played four seasons with the team before injuries ended his career prematurely. He joined the coaching ranks in 2023 with the Dallas Cowboys. Now, he follows Dan Quinn to join the Commanders.

FEB 11 CHASE YOUNG SUPER BOWL SACK Former Washington Commanders defensive end Chase Young is making some noise in the Super Bowl.

In the first quarter, Young recorded a sack against Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

The Chiefs and Niners are tied 0-0 after the first quarter.

FEB 11 CHIEFS PROTEST AT SUPER BOWL The Washington Commanders franchise is no stranger to protests from Native American groups, and now the Kansas City Chiefs are joining them.

"Not In Our Honor," a Native American group based in Kansas City, will be protesting the Chiefs name at the Super Bowl on Sunday.

The Chiefs play the San Francisco 49ers at the Super Bowl. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET.

FEB 10 BIENIEMY REVEALS NEXT STEP Former Washington Commanders Eric Bieniemy is not currently working for any NFL team, and it may stay that way for the 2024 season.

ESPN's Dan Graziano is reporting that Bieniemy could either return to the Chiefs, where he coached from 2013-22 and won two Super Bowls as an offensive coordinator ... or he could take 2024 off and make himself a top candidate for the 2025 season.

It was announced earlier this week that Bieniemy would not return to Washington when Dan Quinn was hired. Kliff Kingsbury is set to succeed him.

FEB 9 LARRY IZZO TO COMMANDERS The Washington Commanders continue to fortify their coaching staff.

According to The Athletic's Ben Standig, the team is hiring Larry Izzo as their special teams coordinator.

Izzo, 49, has coached special teams with the New York Giants (2011-15), Houston Texans (2016-17) and Seattle Seahawks (2018-23). Now, he joins Dan Quinn in the nation's capital.

FEB 8 BRIAN JOHNSON TO COMMANDERS The Washington Commanders are looking at a coach from one of their rivals.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Commanders are hiring former Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson to their staff. While he won't be in the same role that he was in Philadelphia, he will be a "prominent" part of Dan Quinn's staff.

FEB 5 EAGLES TO PLAY IN SAO PAULO The NFL is playing its first-ever game in Brazil this year, and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced Monday that the Philadelphia Eagles would host their season opener in South America.

The Commanders, as their NFC East partner, have the potential to play their road game against the Eagles in Week 1 in Sao Paulo.

The game will take place on Friday, Sept. 6 to help kick off the first weekend of the 2024 season.

Published
Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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