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May 17 was a birthday for two veteran Washington Commanders.
Saturday was defensive end Clelin Ferrell’s 28th birthday. Ferrell was born May 17, 1997, in Richmond, VA. He has publicly stated that he grew up a Washington Redskins fan. A graduate of Benedictine College Prep in Richmond, Ferrell played his college ball in South Carolina for the Clemson Tigers.
Leading up to the 2019 NFL draft, Ferrell was a consensus projected first-round selection. However, it was quite surprising to hear the announcement that the Oakland Raiders had selected Ferrell with the fourth overall choice. That was quite a jump for Ferrell, and looking back, perhaps escalated and elevated expectations on Ferrell, which were unfair.
After four somewhat disappointing seasons in which Ferrell didn’t meet expectations, the Raiders did not keep him for the fifth year. He played that season for the San Francisco 49ers, who again did not heavily pursue re-signing Ferrell. Ferrell was visibly excited to sign with Washington, his favorite team growing up in Richmond.
But 2024 was not a great season for Ferrell. There was frequent speculation that the Commanders would move on from Ferrell, looking for a more productive pass rusher. However, the Commanders did, in fact, re-sign Ferrell for 2025. Playing in 14 games, starting 10, Ferrell in 2024 collected 26 tackles (11 solo, 15 assisted), 4 tackles for a loss, 9 quarterback hits, and 3.5 quarterback sacks.
May 17, 1995, also saw Austin Ekeler born into this world. The 30-year-old Ekeler was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, and later played his high school football for Eaton HS in Eaton, CO. Only 5-9, Ekeler played his college ball at Western State (Colorado). Unlike Ferrell, Ekeler was not drafted in the top 4 overall. No, Ekeler wasn’t drafted in the first round. Or, for that matter, Ekeler actually wasn’t even drafted at all.
However, Ekeler spent seven seasons with the Chargers, and the running back enjoyed some fine moments. His best seasons were in 2021 and 2022, when he scored 12 and 13 touchdowns, respectively. Following his numbers dropping off significantly in 2023, the Chargers allowed Ekeler to walk, so she signed with the Commanders.
Ekeler was a big boost to the Washington offense. He was sort of a spark plug, as some would say. He was not overworked, as the coaching staff wanted to use him accordingly on third downs and occasionally to spell Brian Robinson Jr. on first and second down. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry and 10.5 yards per reception.
Perhaps it was his ability on kickoff returns that most ignited the team. Ekeler returned 19 kickoffs for 594 yards, averaging 31.3 yards per return with a long return of 62 yards. Unfortunately, it was during a kickoff return in a home game vs Dallas that Ekeler suffered a bad enough concussion that he was lost for the next four games, before returning in the season finale. He proved to be a weapon during the two playoff wins in Tampa and Detroit.
Both Ekeler and Ferrell are scheduled to return to the Commanders’ 2025 training camp. The Commanders are hopeful Ferrell can bring run support and enough pass rush to be a productive contributor. Meanwhile, I don’t know if the Commanders will risk Ekeler anymore on kickoff returns. However, they certainly like what he brought to the offense in 2024 as a change of pace and third-down back out of the backfield.
Both guys, having played in the league for years, can be productive locker room leaders and proven veterans who can help the team stay focused and centered on their vision for the Commanders in 2025.
#Commanders #counting #Clelin #Ferrell #Austin #Ekeler
