Thursday, March 28, 2024

Commanders re-sign Bobby McCain but lose J.D. McKissic to Bills


McCain, who first signed with Washington final 12 months after spending six seasons with the Miami Dolphins, began all but one sport for the Commanders and recorded a team-high 4 interceptions.

After early season struggles by which the secondary gave up numerous huge performs, the group discovered its footing largely due to its security corps. In the latter half of the season, Washington used its three safeties — McCain, Landon Collins and Kam Curl — on the sector collectively in its nickel bundle, giving it some flexibility in going through numerous offenses. The group performed its greatest down the stretch, when Washington gained 4 consecutive video games earlier than accidents and a coronavirus outbreak depleted the roster.

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McCain, 28, turned in his greatest efficiency of the 12 months within the season’s last sport, nabbing two picks in a street win over the New York Giants. He stated afterward he hoped to be again.

“I’d love to be here in Washington,” he stated. “[I] really like the coaches here, the players here, and all of the guys. But business is business.”

Although the Commanders are anticipated to launch Collins, McCain and Curl return alongside cornerbacks Kendall Fuller, William Jackson III and Benjamin St-Juste, who might doubtless get extra enjoying time in his second 12 months.

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But whereas Washington stored one key participant Tuesday, it misplaced one other — and once more, to the Bills.

A day after defensive sort out Tim Settle agreed to a two-year contract with Buffalo, operating again J.D. McKissic adopted, agreeing to a two-year, $7 million deal that has a max worth of $8 million with incentives, in accordance to an individual accustomed to transaction.

The lack of McKissic is a little bit of a shock; each he and the staff had expressed mutual curiosity in preserving him in Washington.

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At the NFL scouting mix in early March, General Manager Martin Mayhew stated he deliberate to meet with representatives for among the staff’s free brokers, together with McKissic’s and McCain’s, and allow them to know the Commanders wished these gamers to keep in Washington but weren’t able to make a proposal but. Washington wished to resolve its quarterback challenge first.

McKissic developed right into a key piece of Washington’s offense in each the run and go sport throughout his two years with the staff. He was labeled a third-down again, but his versatility allowed the Commanders to use him on nearly any down. And his expertise within the league made him a valued chief amongst a gaggle of younger backs, with Antonio Gibson and Jaret Patterson.

McKissic ranked third amongst operating backs in complete receptions (123), receiving yards (986) and first-down catches (47) since 2020, sitting behind the New Orleans Saints’ Alvin Kamara the Los Angeles Chargers’ Austin Ekeler in each classes.

An undrafted receiver out of Arkansas State, McKissic first signed with the Atlanta Falcons in 2016, then jumped to the Seattle Seahawks, the place he transformed to operating again. After a stint with the Detroit Lions, he signed with Washington as a lesser-known addition to the offense.

But in his first 12 months in Turner’s system, McKissic, 28, produced career-highs almost throughout the board, with 85 rushes for 365 dashing yards and a landing, and 80 catches for 589 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.

“J.D. McKissic is a big part of what we do,” Rivera stated final season. “And he’s a young man that is showing that when he gets a chance to touch the ball, he could make something happen.”

McKissic and Gibson gave Washington a dashing tandem that keyed a lot of the staff’s four-game profitable streak final season, but in Week 12, after scoring a pair of touchdowns to lead Washington in a win over his former staff, Seattle, McKissic suffered a head damage that ended his season.

“That was a big loss when he got hurt,” Turner stated in January. “He’s so versatile and he gets yards in both the rushing and receiving game, he provides leadership to the group and he’s an energy guy. I mean, we had guys step up as far as that aspect of it, the leadership and the energy, but just on the field, he is a security blanket for the quarterback.”

Keeping each McKissic and McCain was the preliminary hope for Washington. But after buying and selling for Wentz, Washington’s wage cap area was diminished, and discovering a trusted security doubtless would’ve value considerably greater than a operating again.

But the Commanders are solely starting to alter their roster.

They might flip to the draft for assist at operating again behind Gibson, and can doubtless nonetheless want to bolster the security corps. They may also have to discover methods to fill the void on the offensive line, add depth on the line of defense, discover a center linebacker and add to their receiving room.



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