Commanders Updated Depth Chart: Washington has added 4 new players in the past two weeks
4 HRS AGO - Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images
3 XFL players headline the Commies’ roster Expand
4 HRS AGO - Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images
3 XFL players headline the Commies’ roster reinforcements I published the last depth chart update when the Commanders officially finalized their 90-man offseason roster, but, as Martin Mayhew reminded us in his post-draft press conference, roster-building never really stops. In the two weeks since Washington’s 90-man roster became official, four new players have been signed — 3 of them from the XFL — while 3 players have been released and one moved to the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list.
Note on Armani RogersTE Armani Rogers suffered an Achilles tendon injury during OTAs recently. While the injury has been widely reported, the team has not announced any change in his status. On the depth chart below, I have moved him to the bottom of the tight end group and used a grey-colored box to denote his unclear status. I imagine we will get more clarity about his situation ahead of training camp in July, and possibly much sooner.
Note Collapse
Thank God It’s Tuesday—Offseason On the Brink S4:E16
14 HRS AGO - Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
There is no downtime for Commanders fans...not when we have Expand
14 HRS AGO - Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
There is no downtime for Commanders fans...not when we have so much going on in one offseason. Join us each week on the official Commanders podcast of Hogs Haven. Tonight, on Offseason On the Brink, the official Commanders offseason show of Hogs Haven, we finish the trial run for our new podcast setup. Kind of like a voluntary workout...of sorts. Let’s see who reports, and who....ummmm...doesn’t.
We will be calling tonight’s Mary Jo White Fan Club meeting to order around 8:45 PM. The MJW Fan Club never dies...despite all of Dan Snyder’s attempts to do keep us down. Schedule talk, camp supremacy and defensive coaching excitement.
Thanks to folks like you, we have one of the best comment boards anywhere, so please join in the conversation, and help us separate what is real from what isn’t:
Hit the board on the show link and help us get this one done on tonight’s episode of Thank God It’s Tuesday.
We’re live (around 8:45 PM EST)...join us and Collapse
All aTwitter: 30 May 2023
1 DAY AGO - Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
News, links to articles, updates and more from DC area Expand
1 DAY AGO - Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
News, links to articles, updates and more from DC area writers and national sports journalists and others The goal of All aTwitter is to give readers a handy spot to check the Washington Commanders beat writers & bloggers, national sports journalists, and football fans in order to keep up on the latest news and opinions about Washington, the NFL, and sports in general, along with a smattering of other things.
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The 5 O’Clock Club: As NFL owners vote for new kickoff rules, the XFL may have already solved all the issues
2 DAYS AGO - It’s 5 o’clock somewhere… The 5 o’clock club is published from time to time during the season, and Expand
2 DAYS AGO - It’s 5 o’clock somewhere… The 5 o’clock club is published from time to time during the season, and aims to provide a forum for reader-driven discussion at a time of day when there isn’t much NFL news being published. Feel free to introduce topics that interest you in the comments below.
NFL owners changed the rules on kickoffs at the Spring meeting this week
The AP explains the new rule voted on by NFL owners this week that changes the way kickoffs work in the NFL.
League owners voted Tuesday for a one-year trial of an enhanced touchback rule that will give the receiving team the ball at its own 25 with a fair catch of a kickoff anywhere behind that yard line.
“There’ll be a lot more work to be done about how we can continue to evolve going forward,” Commissioner Roger Goodell said. “Can we continue to keep this play in an exciting way, but more importantly in a safe way? There’s a lot of work that’s going to be need to be done.”
The proposal passed despite strong pushback from Collapse
The 5 O’Clock Club: Let’s watch film - every Logan Thomas target against the Houston Texans in Week 11
3 DAYS AGO - Washington Commanders tight end Logan Thomas (82) makes a reception during the second quarter Expand
3 DAYS AGO - Washington Commanders tight end Logan Thomas (82) makes a reception during the second quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. | Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
It’s 5 o’clock somewhere… The 5 o’clock club is published from time to time during the season, and aims to provide a forum for reader-driven discussion at a time of day when there isn’t much NFL news being published. Feel free to introduce topics that interest you in the comments below.
A lot of people spent the early part of the offseason calling for Logan Thomas to be released. In part, this was because of his significant cap hit — he’ll cost the team nearly $8.7m in cap space in 2023, and a further $8.3m in 2024. But I think fans also felt that Logan Thomas simply hadn’t recovered from his 2021 injury, and that he wasn’t really the same player that he’d been in 2020, when he had a career-best 72 catches for 670 yards and 6 TDs.
It’s true that Logan Thomas started out the ‘22 season looking very much Collapse
The 5 O’Clock Club: The biggest mistake in the 2020 Draft
4 DAYS AGO - Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It’s 5 o’clock somewhere… The 5 Expand
4 DAYS AGO - Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It’s 5 o’clock somewhere… The 5 o’clock club is published from time to time during the season, and aims to provide a forum for reader-driven discussion at a time of day when there isn’t much NFL news being published. Feel free to introduce topics that interest you in the comments below.
The 2020 Draft
Here are the first 15 picks in the 2020 draft:
There are a few swings and misses in there along with a few home runs.
In the lead up to the 2020 draft, Washington fans were mostly in one of 3 camps:
Draft Chase Young
Draft Tua Tagovailoa
Trade back and pick Isaiah Simmons or the best player available
Of course, Washington drafted Young, and in his rookie season that looked like a great decision. In 2020, Young won the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. He had 44 tackles, including 10 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks, 4 passes defended, 4 forced fumbles, and 3 fumble recoveries, one for a Collapse
The 5 O’Clock Club: Commanders undrafted college free agents and guaranteed money in contracts
5 DAYS AGO - Photo by John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images
It’s 5 o’clock somewhere… The Expand
5 DAYS AGO - Photo by John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images
It’s 5 o’clock somewhere… The 5 o’clock club is published from time to time during the season, and aims to provide a forum for reader-driven discussion at a time of day when there isn’t much NFL news being published. Feel free to introduce topics that interest you in the comments below.
An article from CBS Sports describes the process of signing undrafted college free agents this way:
When it comes to signing undrafted free agents after the NFL Draft, there really are no rules. It is, as some agents explained, “the wild, wild West,” devoid of any real regulation by the league office or elsewhere.
It is an all-out free-for-all, with both teams and agents angling to complete these deals not only during the draft – technically they aren’t allowed to sign such players until after the draft – but, in many cases, actually agreeing to verbal terms before the draft even begins. Signing bonuses can range from $500 to Collapse
The 5 O’Clock Club: Using veteran free agency to improve the Commanders tight end depth chart
6 DAYS AGO - Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
It’s 5 o’clock somewhere… The 5 o’clock club is published from Expand
6 DAYS AGO - Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
It’s 5 o’clock somewhere… The 5 o’clock club is published from time to time during the season, and aims to provide a forum for reader-driven discussion at a time of day when there isn’t much NFL news being published. Feel free to introduce topics that interest you in the comments below.
Free agency never really ends
Two free agent players have been signed by the Commanders over the past week (with two other players released to make room for them). First, the team added offensive tackle Jaryd Jones-Smith, and a few days later LB Ferrod Gardner. To make room for them, the team released OT Drew Himmelman and LB Nathan Gerry. Both Jones-Smith and Gardner had just completed stints in the XFL, though both had been under contract to NFL teams prior to that. Jones-Smith actually has 4 NFL starts on his resume, while Gardner was in training camp with the Commanders last year, making this something of a ‘homecoming’ for him.
The Commanders suddenly need Collapse
Washington Commanders trademark application denied
6 DAYS AGO - Photo by John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images
What’s next? The Washington Expand
6 DAYS AGO - Photo by John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images
What’s next? The Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder finally relented to outside pressure to change the team’s name from the Redskins in 2020, and changed it to the placeholder ‘Football Team’. Washington played under that for two seasons, but announced their new name on 2/2/22, and are now in year 2 with their new branding. Washington asked for fan input during the name change process, and tried to make the process look inclusive. Red Wolves was a popular option in the fanbase, but trademark issues were cited when Commanders was named the final choice.
The United States Patent Organization has reportedly denied the trademark application from Pro Football, Inc., Snyder’s company that owns the Washington Commanders. Josh Gerben, a trademark attorney who has been following this case, posted the following thread detailing the reasons for the USPTO’s denial of PFI’s application. He believes that the team will Collapse
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The 5 O’Clock Club: Spotlight on new safety Terrell Burgess
6 HRS AGO - Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images
It’s 5 o’clock somewhere… The 5 o’clock club is Expand
6 HRS AGO - Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images
It’s 5 o’clock somewhere… The 5 o’clock club is published from time to time during the season, and aims to provide a forum for reader-driven discussion at a time of day when there isn’t much NFL news being published. Feel free to introduce topics that interest you in the comments below.
The LA Rams chose Terrell Burgess, a versatile defensive back from Utah, in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft as the 104th overall pick. At the time, there was considerable optimism that the team had discovered a player who integrated the strength of an NFL safety with the coverage skills of an NFL cornerback, making him a talented and versatile defender.
His pre-draft profiles were filled with optimism and projected Burgess as an eventual average NFL starter. That never eventuated, despite the Rams’ need for a young player to step up. Around the time that Burgess was drafted, LA lost veteran S Eric Weddle and was anticipating the departure of free Collapse
Has Jack Del Rio shown growth during his tenure as Washington’s defensive coordinator?
23 HRS AGO - Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
On the latest Trap or Dive Podcast episode, Commanders Expand
23 HRS AGO - Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
On the latest Trap or Dive Podcast episode, Commanders analyst Mark Bullock explained what he has seen from Jack Del Rio as Washington’s defensive coordinator
Jack Del Rio’s time as the Commanders defensive coordinator has rightfully provided mixed reviews. Things got off to a good start, though, finishing his first season as Washington’s DC statistically top 4 in both points and yards allowed. Unfortunately, Washington saw a significant dip in the same categories in the following season, finishing 25th in points allowed and 22nd in yards allowed.
In 2022 we saw the best and worst from the previous two seasons. The Commanders had several weeks in the season where they showed how dominant they could be on a weekly basis. Alternatively, the Commanders also had spurts where they could not eliminate explosive plays. Washington’s defense finished the season t-8th worst in 20+ yard plays allowed with 65, and at one point early in the season, was tied Collapse
What have the Ravens done with their comp picks over time?
1 DAY AGO - Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
In response to a piece that I wrote earlier this afternoon, Expand
1 DAY AGO - Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
In response to a piece that I wrote earlier this afternoon, poster/writer LASkin wondered allowed in the comments:
Comp picks only work if you have a fountain of talent that you are constantly replenishing. Most draft picks, especially comp picks, aren’t day 1 starters. They need a year or more of development before they are ready. That means you need reserves ready to step in for the departed players while you see what you’ve got with the comp picks. Sometimes you will hit the jackpot, most of the time you get nothing. I’d love to see the list of the 55 picks Baltimore has gotten - an entire roster’s worth - with their wAVs. I’ll bet they got a few studs, some marginal starters and some reserves, and about 25 duds. It works for them because they don’t need every comp pick to hit.
It sparked my curiosity, and with some free time to explore the question this afternoon, I decided to jump headlong down the rabbit hole. Since 1994, I’m fairly certain Collapse
All aTwitter: 29 May 2023 - Memorial Day edition
2 DAYS AGO - memberfiles.freewebs.com
News, links to articles, updates and more from DC area writers Expand
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News, links to articles, updates and more from DC area writers and national sports journalists and others The goal of All aTwitter is to give readers a handy spot to check the Washington Commanders beat writers & bloggers, national sports journalists, and football fans in order to keep up on the latest news and opinions about Washington, the NFL, and sports in general, along with a smattering of other things.
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All aTwitter: 28 May 2023 - Commanders have invited Vegas Vipers tight end for a tryout
3 DAYS AGO - Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
News, links to articles, updates and more from DC area Expand
3 DAYS AGO - Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
News, links to articles, updates and more from DC area writers and national sports journalists and others The goal of All aTwitter is to give readers a handy spot to check the Washington Commanders beat writers & bloggers, national sports journalists, and football fans in order to keep up on the latest news and opinions about Washington, the NFL, and sports in general, along with a smattering of other things.
Washington Commanders twitter feed:
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All aTwitter: 27 May 2023 - Nick Gates is at the top of the depth chart; docs in Brian Davis suit “appear to be ‘fictitious’”
4 DAYS AGO - Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
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4 DAYS AGO - Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
News, links to articles, updates and more from DC area writers and national sports journalists and others The goal of All aTwitter is to give readers a handy spot to check the Washington Commanders beat writers & bloggers, national sports journalists, and football fans in order to keep up on the latest news and opinions about Washington, the NFL, and sports in general, along with a smattering of other things.
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All aTwitter: 26 May 2023 - Cole Turner & Logan Thomas heading to “Tight End U” this offseason
5 DAYS AGO - Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
News, links to articles, updates and more from DC area Expand
5 DAYS AGO - Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
News, links to articles, updates and more from DC area writers and national sports journalists and others The goal of All aTwitter is to give readers a handy spot to check the Washington Commanders beat writers & bloggers, national sports journalists, and football fans in order to keep up on the latest news and opinions about Washington, the NFL, and sports in general, along with a smattering of other things.
Washington Commanders twitter feed:
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All aTwitter: 25 May 2023 - An OTA injury, and Washington is awarded its trademark, but not the one they wanted
6 DAYS AGO - Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
News, links to articles, updates and more from DC area Expand
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News, links to articles, updates and more from DC area writers and national sports journalists and others The goal of All aTwitter is to give readers a handy spot to check the Washington Commanders beat writers & bloggers, national sports journalists, and football fans in order to keep up on the latest news and opinions about Washington, the NFL, and sports in general, along with a smattering of other things.
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Washington Commanders Pressers: Kam Curl is just coming to work; Everybody loves Eric Bieniemy
6 DAYS AGO - Players talk to the media after practice
Kam Curl Presser
LIVE: S Kam Curl speaks with the Expand
6 DAYS AGO - Players talk to the media after practice
Kam Curl Presser
LIVE: S Kam Curl speaks with the media after Day 2 of OTAs https://t.co/fFnHN9dkYM— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) May 24, 2023
Not participating in team drills/new contract:
Commanders S Kam Curl participated in individual drills, but observed team drills from behind the end zone. He said after practice that he’s healthy. “I’m just coming to work.” pic.twitter.com/ebt4wpdTlD— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) May 24, 2023
Kam Curl participated in individual drills but not during team drills. He’s up for an extension. He said he’s healthy and “just coming to work being with the guys. I like being around my team. That’s why I’m here.”— John Keim (@john_keim) May 24, 2023
Terry McLaurin Presser
LIVE: WR Terry McLaurin speaks with the media after Day 2 of OTAs https://t.co/ecCQlC6vCr— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) May 24, 2023
Eric Bieniemy:
Everybody is noticing the impact of Eric Collapse
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All aTwitter: 31 May 2023 - Commanders sign a TE and a Safety with NFL playing experience; Dantzler released
11 HRS AGO - Photo by Harry How/Getty Images
News, links to articles, updates and more from DC area Expand
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News, links to articles, updates and more from DC area writers and national sports journalists and others The goal of All aTwitter is to give readers a handy spot to check the Washington Commanders beat writers & bloggers, national sports journalists, and football fans in order to keep up on the latest news and opinions about Washington, the NFL, and sports in general, along with a smattering of other things.
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The 5 O’Clock Club: Is Mike Florio’s style good or bad for the NFL and its fans?
1 DAY AGO - Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images
It’s 5 o’clock somewhere… The 5 o’clock club is Expand
1 DAY AGO - Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images
It’s 5 o’clock somewhere… The 5 o’clock club is published from time to time during the season, and aims to provide a forum for reader-driven discussion at a time of day when there isn’t much NFL news being published. Feel free to introduce topics that interest you in the comments below.
Let me say right at the top that I love reading Pro Football Talk, the website that is created pretty much in its entirety by Mike Florio. I read the website every day, and I learn new things from Florio, who is intelligent and creative.
Florio is 57 years old, so I consider him to be in ‘my generation’. He went to Catholic school, another thing that he and I have in common. He writes about football, as do I, although he has become successful and famous doing so, while I do it as a hobby.
Aside from these three things, in my mind at least, he and I are quite different. Florio graduated with, if I understand correctly, two undergaduated degrees — one in Collapse
Washington won’t be receiving compensatory picks in 2024
1 DAY AGO - Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Better luck next year! Over the years, Washington has been Expand
1 DAY AGO - Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Better luck next year! Over the years, Washington has been one of the worst teams in the league at collecting compensatory draft picks, so it was a pleasant surprise when - for the first time since 2019 - Washington generated two compensatory picks for the 2023 draft last year.
The comp pick capital for those two picks was gained by letting Brandon Scherff and Tim Settle walk in free agency for contracts that were sufficiently large - $16.5M and $4.5M APY, respectively - that they met the compensatory pick cut off threshold, while at the same time passing on signing any free agents who would have cancelled them out.
This offseason, however, Washington signed four free agents who counted against the comp pick formula, Jacoby Brissett, Nick Gates, Andrew Wylie, and Cody Barton, while only parting ways with two free agents who generated comp pick capital: Taylor Heinicke and Cole Holcomb.
This information is all available per Overthecap.com, which is Collapse
A closer look at Andre Jones Jr.
2 DAYS AGO - Photo by Lee Coleman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Like a lot of seventh round picks, Expand
2 DAYS AGO - Photo by Lee Coleman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Like a lot of seventh round picks, background on Andre Jones Jr. - the EDGE rusher out of Louisiana that Washington took in this year’s draft - is scattered and not necessarily as comprehensively available as it is for players picked earlier in the draft. Here, I’ve tried to compile information and accounts from some of the best sources that I could find.
While Jones was nominally referred to as an EDGE rusher when he was initially selected by the Commanders, that really belies the breadth of how he was used both in college, and how Ron Rivera likely sees him playing in his defense in the pros.
In college, Jones was characterized by his “versatility,” a descriptor that most fans recognize as one of Rivera’s favorites:
In UL’s odd-man front, he has lined up at both outside linebacker and edge rusher, allowing him to have a plethora of responsibility in the Cajuns’ defensive scheme. He has experience taking backs in the Collapse
Commanders fans are positive about joint practice arrangement with Ravens and predicting success for Sam Howell
4 DAYS AGO - Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
Survey results!! Joint Practices
Joint practices have Expand
4 DAYS AGO - Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
Survey results!! Joint Practices
Joint practices have become more and more popular among NFL teams. Aside from the competition, they offer coaches more control through situational drills, and with starters playing only a limited numbers of snaps in preseason games, it gives them a chance to get quality reps in a situation where injury is more avoidable.
The Redskins hosted the Patriots for joint practices in 2014, and Bill Belichick seemed quite happy with the arrangement.
“As a head coach of an NFL team, you don’t really get many opportunities to see what other people are doing,” Belichick said. “So in the NFL, this is like one of the few opportunities that we have to work with another staff, another team. You can always pick up something. There’s a lot of outstanding coaches on (the Redskins).”
The downside is that putting players from two different teams on the field together often leads to anger, frustration and fights, which sometimes Collapse
Three Players I Expect to Make a Jump in 2023
5 DAYS AGO - Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
KS4GM’S take on the team’s potential break-out stars In the Expand
5 DAYS AGO - Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
KS4GM’S take on the team’s potential break-out stars In the thick of the offseason doldrums, there’s not much to do other than speculate, or try to elaborate on the small bits of information that dribble out about the team. In this piece, I’ll be looking at four three* young players I think will take their game up a notch in 2023.
In some cases, that will mean simply becoming reliable depth, or potential quality starters, but in at least one case, I think we may see an ascension into the Pro Bowl-caliber player range. Let’s start there.
* This write up originally included Armani Rogers, who will now have to wait for the 2024 edition.
Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
Darrick Forrest (S)
When “DaFo” was drafted in the 5th round, out of Cincinnati in the 2021 draft, I was expecting that it was primarily for his value as a special teams player. And, in 2021, that’s what it was. As a rookie, Forrest played 82% of special teams snaps, Collapse
Daily Slop: Sam Howell and Eric Bieniemy lead a new-look offense at OTAs; Questions Mount in Brian Davis’ Lawsuit Over Commanders Sale
5 DAYS AGO - Photo by John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images
A daily collection of Expand
5 DAYS AGO - Photo by John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images
A daily collection of Commanders articles from around the web
OTA Notebook | Forbes shines with another offseason INT
Commanders defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio ready to get to work
BMitch & Finlay: IP attorney Josh Gerben on Commanders’ name trademark filing being denied
Commanders safety Kam Curl on reporting for OTAs: ‘I like being around my team’
“Nah, you know, I am just coming to work being with the guys,” Curl said when asked about his contract situation. “I like being around my team; that’s why I’m here.”
Federal judge questions Brian Davis’ Bank of America lawsuit
Attitudes around mental health have shifted at Commanders Park
SNIDER: Eric Bieniemy quickly impacts Commanders
“EB is a high energy, high-impact guy,” Rivera said. “He doesn’t hold in. He doesn’t pull any punches. He’s very direct with the players, which has been good. One of the things that we talked about was just Collapse
The NFL, kickoffs, and the buzz saw of unintended consequences
6 DAYS AGO - Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
For years now, it seems both pro and college football Expand
6 DAYS AGO - Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
For years now, it seems both pro and college football have been tinkering with a variety of rules in order to ostensibly “make the game safer.” I put that phrase in quotes because when it comes to things like adding a 17th regular season game, or shortening the recovery timeframe of players by flexing Thursday games, the league seems utterly unconcerned about player safety.
However, given the times we live in, the lawyers have apparently determined that it’s in the league’s best interest to put on a good show around this issue.
To that end, the league has zoned in on kick-off returns, which data suggests have historically accounted for an outsized portion of concussions. For instance, a study of Ivy League football games in 2015 found that - although only accounting for 6% of all plays - kick off returns made up 21% of the concussion-inducing plays. Kick offs tend to involve lots of players running headlong into each other at high speeds, Collapse
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