Washington
Washington Commanders had a remarkable season. Now the offseason work begins.
Niners John Lynch provides update on negotiations with quarterback Brock Purdy
49ers general manager John Lynch reveals at NFL Combine that the team is in negotiations with Purdy’s folks to secure him as their quarterback for the future.
INDIANAPOLIS – One year ago, Adam Peters didn’t have a quarterback as he confronted his first offseason as general manager of the Washington Commanders. He didn’t even know what a “scrum” with the media meant.
At his second scouting combine in the big chair he has discovered both, with Jayden Daniels the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year and Peters participating in his fair share of meetings with the media.
He and head coach Dan Quinn will need answers for a second straight busy offseason, with 28 members of the 2024 roster set to become free agents, an elite wide receiver in Terry McLaurin poised for a contract extension and a defensive-line stalwart in Jonathan Allen given permission to explore a trade.
Still, “it feels a lot better than last year,” Peters said Tuesday.
Peters and Quinn have daily discussions about the best way to improve the team, especially in the wake of a first year that exceeded expectations and the turnaround from 4-13 to a 12-5 campaign, which ended with a loss to the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game.
“It’s going be a challenge every year,” Peters said. “Not just last year, not just this year, but next year’s going to be a new set of challenges.
“There was a lot we had to accomplish and I thought we did a really good job. And this year, I mean, we still have a lot of challenges, so having Jayden is great, obviously, but you still want to build the team the right way with the right type of people.”
Entering this offseason knowing what a ‘Commander’ is
The most important thing Quinn knows now that he didn’t this time in 2024 is “the definition of a Commander.” At its core, that player possesses competitiveness and is a person who loves football and connecting with his teammates.
That makes combine week more purposeful this time around because it’s no longer conjecture – they’ve seen what “a Commander” is in practice.
“We’re looking forward to following up on that this year, especially now that we know who we are even more clearly,” Quinn said Wednesday.
Washington’s 2024 roster had 28 free agents but Quinn said he didn’t have a specific number of how many he wanted to bring back. But in his mind, there are two types of free agents as he considers who will be on his team in 2025 – the ones who were on the Commanders last year, and those on other teams. He said he’s also counting on the 2024 rookie class developing and making big jumps.
Some took on significant roles during their first season – Daniels notwithstanding. Brandon Coleman, a third-round pick, became the starting left tackle and cornerback Mike Sainristil, a second-rounder, was a starter by the end of the season.
To figure out the areas Washington will be active in player acquisition doesn’t require a degree in forensics. Start with the Commanders’ depth chart, Peters said.
“Which, there’s a few places that we don’t (have any players),” he said.
Depth at running back, wide receiver and tight end are all issues on the offensive side of the ball. Defensive line is a big question mark currently, although it is regarded as the strongest position group at the top of the 2025 draft class.
For Peters, the puzzle-solving begins by figuring out which positions may have stronger players available in the draft versus free agency and vice versa.
“Going into the offseason, into March really, just understanding the totality of the classes and understanding where you can best use your assets,” Peters said.
The Jon Allen question
On Tuesday, the team said Allen has been given the opportunity to seek a trade.
“These kinds of decisions and things you have to come up with are always tough, right?” Peters said. “…He’s been a great person for this franchise for a long time.”
The conversations that lead to a player given the chance to explore other employment opportunities can be tough to have, said Peters, “but you always want to have them civilly, and we have.”
If there is no deal to be made, Allen could be a cut candidate. Allen is due $15.5 million this season but that base salary is not guaranteed, according to NFL.com.
This is the time of the sport’s calendar when football and business intersect and that’s reality, Quinn said.
“No team is the same year-to-year,” he said. “We know that.
“That’s not specific to one player. It’s specific to the whole team.”
Defensive line prototypes
One area that’s abundantly clear for addressing is the pass rush, especially if Allen – who missed half of the season with a torn pectoral muscle – is on the move. Veterans Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler, who led the team in sacks last season, followed Quinn from the Dallas Cowboys to the Commanders last offseason, but being younger at the spot would be wise.
The ideal pass rusher in Quinn’s mind is someone with initial quickness and capable of “beating somebody to the punch.”
That sounds similar to Peters’ ideal version of a pass rusher. He wants someone who is physical and relentless, a prospect “who’s got that get-off and, really, to be really good in this league, I think you have to have both speed and power.”
Finding weapons for Jayden Daniels
Part of Daniels’ encore to a sensational rookie season will depend on how the front office supplies him with targets. Veteran tight end Zach Ertz became a trusted target for Daniels down the stretch and is certainly a candidate to be re-signed. Receivers Olamide Zaccheaus and Noah Brown also emerged.
Whether it’s those players back in the burgundy and gold or fresh blood, Quinn said players at skill positions will have one thing in common.
“We want to attack, man. So, however we can find ways to do that, we will,” said Quinn, who noted the Commanders had the most no-huddle snaps outside of running two-minute drills in the NFL. “That’s part of our edge. So finding guys that can play in space, play with quickness, be violent with their cuts.”
What about Bobby Wagner?
Whether linebacker Bobby Wagner, who became a mentor to Daniels last year, will return in 2025 is a question mark, and Quinn said to the reporters gathered they’d have to ask his agent – a tongue-in-cheek comment, of course, because the linebacker represents himself.
But Wagner was still top of mind for Quinn on Wednesday when he was describing the type of players he wants in the building.
“Somewhere – I have not talked to him today – but somewhere Bobby Wagner is getting better,” Quinn said. “I don’t know where it is or what it looks like or how he’s doing it but that’s the type of attitude we want to chase.”
High marks
The Commanders jumped from 32nd to 11th in the NFL Players’ Association’s annual report card, based on more than 1,600 player surveys across the league.
Quinn was happiest about the treatment of families score (B+), saying the families of everyone in the organization make sacrifices so they can do their role with the Commanders.
“So to have that right there – team travel – all those, to me, reflect back to (owner Josh Harris) and the vision of what it can be,” Quinn said. “I couldn’t be more proud to be part of it.”
Quinn himself was the highest-rated coach, and he was still talking about chasing improvement anyway. Play style and identity were his main priorities in year one.
Yet Quinn still wanted proof – results. Hope is one thing, Quinn said, and in the second half of the season, he saw hope turn into belief.
Washington
18-year-old dies after shooting in Tenleytown
An 18-year-old who was shot and wounded in Northwest D.C.’s Tenleytown neighborhood on Thursday afternoon has died, authorities say.
Brady Flowers Jr., of Southwest, was the victim, police said in an update Saturday.
Flowers was found shot in the 4500 block of Wisconsin Avenue NW, behind the CVS store. Jackson-Reed High School and American University are nearby.
Flowers was rushed to a hospital with life-threatening injuries and pronounced dead a day later, police said.
Police said 10-15 teens were seen running after the gunshots.
An investigation is underway. Anyone with potentially relevant information is asked to contact police.
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Washington
Governor Moore Continues “Delivering for Maryland” Tour in Washington County, Highlighting Transportation Infrastructure, Economic Development, and Early Childhood Education
Updated:
ANNAPOLIS, MD — Governor Wes Moore today continued his statewide “Delivering for Maryland” tour with a series of engagements in Washington County, highlighting vital investments in local transportation infrastructure, manufacturing job growth, and early childhood education. The governor emphasized state contributions to modernize the Hagerstown Regional Airport, toured the state-of-the-art Hitachi Rail facility, and celebrated the opening of a new child care center in the South End of Hagerstown funded by the administration’s historic ENOUGH Initiative.
“From investing $1.5 million to update Hagerstown Regional Airport’s aging control tower to supporting 1,300 jobs at Hitachi Rail, the Moore-Miller administration is delivering for Hagerstown, Washington County, and Western Maryland,” said Gov. Moore. “Through our administration’s ENOUGH Initiative partnerships and investments, we’ve tripled child care capacity in the South End of Hagerstown — because no parents should be forced to pick between staying in the workforce or securing quality care for their kids.”
The governor began the day at the Hagerstown Regional Airport, touring the Air Traffic Control Tower and airport grounds. During the visit, Governor Moore highlighted the State’s $1.5 million Fiscal Year 2027 investment to complete the design for a critical replacement of the airport’s aging air traffic control facility. As a primary airport in the Maryland Aviation System Plan, the Hagerstown Regional Airport is a vital economic engine for Washington County, supporting more than 1,800 jobs and generating over $140 million in local business revenue.
Following the airport tour, Governor Moore visited the Hitachi Rail STS facility alongside Congresswoman April McClain Delaney, Senator Mike McKay, Senator Paul Corderman and state transportation leaders. The governor toured the factory floor and rode a test train to observe the manufacturing process. Opened in September 2025 with the support of a $1.6 million state conditional loan, the 307,000-square-foot, carbon-neutral facility is a $100 million capital investment by Hitachi. The factory supports 1,300 jobs — including 460 newly created jobs — and is actively manufacturing railcars for both the Maryland Transit Administration and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
“Hitachi Rail has built a cutting-edge model for advanced manufacturing here in Western Maryland which is focused on delivering clean, safe, efficient regional transportation across our state and the rest of the country,” said Congresswoman April McClain Delaney. “This facility is powered by Maryland’s second-to-none workforce and world-class innovation environment. I’m proud to work with Governor Moore and our public, private, and philanthropic partners to drive global investment that supports jobs and economic growth along our I-270 Tech Corridor.”
Governor Moore concluded the day at the Children’s Learning and Empowerment Center in the South End of Hagerstown, where he met with parents, children, and community leaders. During the visit, the Governor highlighted the administration’s ENOUGH Initiative, which provided critical support for the center’s opening. The new facility is a major win for the community, tripling local childcare capacity with 24 new slots and generating six new early childhood education jobs.
The Children’s Learning and Empowerment Center’s opening was accelerated by a $100,000 investment from San Mar Family & Community Services, the ENOUGH grantee in Hagerstown. ENOUGH grant funding was also supplemented by a $100,000 philanthropic contribution from the Bainum Family Foundation — a member of the ENOUGH Alliance — to complete necessary facility upgrades. The center’s completion underscores the strength of the ENOUGH Initiative’s public-private partnerships to deliver on community priorities and work towards ending child poverty.
Governor Moore’s visit to Washington County follows the third stop of his “Delivering for Maryland” tour in Montgomery County, where he marked a historic milestone by installing the final segment of rail for the Purple Line. This installation completes the 16.2-mile light rail corridor connecting Bethesda and New Carrollton, with passenger service expected to begin in late 2027. The governor also visited Max’s Best Ice Cream in Bethesda, a local business dedicated to creating meaningful employment opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through the Best Buddies Jobs program.
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Washington
Washington shooting suspect seeks to bar DoJ officials from prosecution role
A man charged with attacking the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner is seeking to disqualify top justice department officials from direct involvement in prosecuting him because they could be considered victims or witnesses in the case, creating a potential conflict of interest.
The acting attorney general, Todd Blanche, and US attorney Jeanine Pirro were attending the 25 April event at the Washington Hilton hotel when Cole Tomas Allen allegedly ran through a security checkpoint and fired a shotgun at a Secret Service officer.
In a court filing late on Thursday, Allen’s attorneys argued that it created at least the appearance of a conflict of interest for Blanche and Pirro to be making any prosecutorial decisions in the case.
“As this case proceeds closer to trial, the country and the world will continue to wonder – how can the American justice system permit a victim to prosecute a criminal defendant in a case involving them?” defense attorneys Eugene Ohm and Tezira Abe wrote.
Ohm and Abe, who are assistant federal public defenders, suggested that the appointment of a special prosecutor might be warranted. They urged US district judge Trevor McFadden, a Trump nominee assigned to Allen’s case, to disqualify Pirro, Blanche and possibly other justice department officials from direct involvement in the investigation and prosecution.
“Both heard gunshots, which presumably forced them to duck below the tables with the rest of the occupants. They were quickly evacuated. Shortly thereafter, they learned that law enforcement believed the target was certain administration officials,” Ohm and Abe wrote.
Pirro said her office would respond to the defense lawyers’ arguments in its own court filing.
“We will not tolerate people who come to the District of Columbia to engage in antidemocratic acts of political violence; and we will prosecute all such acts to the fullest extent of the law,” Pirro said in a statement.
Allen is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday on further charges in an indictment handed up Tuesday by a grand jury in Washington.
The charges include attempting to assassinate Donald Trump, who is a longtime friend of Pirro. Blanche served as a personal attorney for Trump before joining the justice department last year. Blanche, through a spokesperson, referred a request for comment to Pirro’s office. Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, is also charged with assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon and two additional firearms counts.
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