When the Las Vegas Raiders selected defensive end Clelin Ferrell with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft out of Clemson, it was met with widespread condemnation.
Ferrell, 6-foot-4 and 265 pounds, was projected as a late 1st round pick and ended up selected ahead of future Pro Bowl edge rushers picked in the 1st round like Josh Hines-Allen, Brian Burns and Montez Sweat.
Now with the Washington Commanders after signing a 1-year, $3.75 million contract in March 2024, he’s been one of the few highlights for a defense struggling to get stops through the first 2 games. Ferrell leads the Commanders with 2.0 sacks as the team if off to a 1-1 start.
Fellow Washington defensive linemen Daron Payne, Jonathan Allen and Dorance Armstrong — who have a combined $195 million in contracts — have yet to register a sack.
In that vacuum, the Commanders’ investment in Ferrell is already paying off in a big way.
Clelin Ferrell gets home for the @Commanders sack 💪
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Ferrell Got Market Replaced by Raiders’ Superstar
Unfortunately for Ferrell, he wasn’t the only defensive end the Raiders selected in 2019. In the 4th round (No. 106 overall) they selected Eastern Michigan’s Maxx Crosby, who has been arguably the NFL’s elite pass rusher over the last 5 seasons.
Over the next 4 seasons, as Crosby’s star continued to rise, Ferrell continued to underperform. He had a career-high 4.5 sacks as a rookie and finished with 10.0 sacks from 2019 to 2022 before the Raiders let him become a free agent.
Ferrell played 2023 on a 1-year, $2.5 million contract with the San Francisco 49ers and breathed life into his career by starting all 17 games and finishing with 3.5 sacks as the 49ers advanced to the Super Bowl.
When former 49ers assistant general manager Adam Peters was hired as Washington’s general manager following the 2023 season, he made a move to bring Ferrell with him.
“General manager Adam Peters brought Ferrell to Washington because he knows he’s a good leader, works hard and has no problem mentoring younger players,” USA Today’s Bryan Manning wrote on July 15. “Ferrell is a good run-stopper. He will likely play a similar role in Washington as he did in San Francisco.”
Not Everyone Sold on Ferrell’s Play So Far
Ferrell’s play — outside of the sacks — hasn’t won over everyone.
Riggo’s Rag’s Dean Jones was critical of Ferrell’s play against the run. Through the first 2 games, the Commanders are 21st in the NFL in total defense while giving up an average of 348 yards per game.
The Commanders travel to face the Cincinnati Bengals in a Week 3 Monday Night Football matchup on Sept. 23.
“Ferrell’s inability to set the edge effectively against the run is glaring,” Jones wrote. “He fails to gain leverage consistently and doesn’t have the reactionary moves needed to counteract when things don’t go his way at the initial contact point. If the former first-round pick out of Clemson puts together a similar outing at the Cincinnati Bengals, his time as a starter will be short-lived.
“The Commanders — Adam Peters, in particular — saw something in Ferrell after he spent time alongside the general manager last season with the San Francisco 49ers. Gaining a sack in consecutive contests is pleasing, but that’s not enough to become a forceful edge presence.”
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Commanders’ Investment in Former No. 4 Overall Pick Paying Off