The Washington Commanders’ final roster is going to seem like a brand new team is being put out there. In a way, it kind of is.
With changes on all fronts and even former key players such as Kendall Fuller being let go, there are a few players who survived Adam Peters’ roster cull that should have the potential to prove their doubters wrong. This can help the franchise turn a difficult corner.
If these players can fit into their new roles, and if the new regime utilizes them better, they could be a reason that the Commanders find themselves playing meaningful football late into the season. Here are three holdovers integral to the team’s chances for growth in 2024.
Jamin Davis – Commanders LB
We’ve all seen it. The poor play, the bad angles, the coverage faults. We’ve also seen Jamin Davis surrounded by a group of linebackers that couldn’t guard a pie baker, and coached by a staff that had no idea how to use him. After being selected as a first-round pick out of Kentucky, he has been underwhelming so far.
The difference this year is that Davis is not being asked to lead the group of linebackers. He has been downgraded to the third option behind Frankie Luvu and Bobby Wagner. Others such as Jordan Magee out of Temple are breathing down his neck for playing time.
This demotion could be great for Davis. Not only will he have less pressure to perform and be able to play freer, but he will also be able to learn from two of the best in the game. This should boost his game exponentially, especially if the Commanders begin deploying him more on the edge.
Davis may not yet be a great No. 1 option, but he will be fresh and have fewer responsibilities. The long-term benefits of this are obvious. As for the upcoming season, expect the second-level presence to show those flashes more frequently.
After all, when he does flash on tape, he seriously flashes.
Andrew Wylie – Commanders OT
When the new management didn’t draft or trade for a right tackle, Washington Commanders fans everywhere were collectively scratching their heads. Improvements were made along the offensive line, but the edge spots come with significant questions attached.
Did Adam Peters, Dan Quinn, and Kliff Kingsbury see enough on tape from veteran Andrew Wylie to warrant starting him once more at the position in 2024? The short answer must be yes. Because that’s exactly what they’ve done.
Maybe it will help to realize that for the past several years the Dallas Cowboys have had one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. Though Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr. were focused on the defensive side of the ball, they both saw in practice the inner machinations of that protection Washington’s fierce NFC East rivals were presenting on Sundays.
Quinn was once upon a time responsible for protecting Matt Ryan, who led them to a Super Bowl during his time as Atlanta Falcons head coach. He knows what a solid offensive line looks like.
Combined with the expert eye of general manager Adam Peters, it’s hard to not give them a chance despite Wylie’s indifferent campaign last year. The more Commanders fans get to know the guys in charge, the more they will begin to see that they know what they’re doing.
Ron Rivera and his staff failed in their assessments of several players. So what’s the problem with assuming that they failed in the evaluation of Wylie and used him poorly as well?
The left side of Washington’s offensive line has some new moving parts thanks to the arrival of third-round pick Brandon Coleman. But with Sam Cosmi beside him on the right, look for a major bounce-back year for Wylie as he helps rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels take the NFL by storm in Year 1 of his professional career.
Darrick Forrest – Commanders S
Taken in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, Darrick Forrest was somewhat of an unknown name. Not only to Washington Commanders fans but to most of the league.
The Cincinnati fans who saw him star in college somewhat expected Forrest to come in and show the same urgency and downhill style he showcased throughout his collegiate career.
Though he has shown some great flashes throughout his career with the Washington Commanders so far, he also has remained somewhat exploitable in man coverage. Unafraid to play down near the box and get physical, the next step in his game should come this year under the tutelage of his new defensive-minded coaches. Forrest will likely be expected to show some new things to take his game to new heights.
Being looked at to start next to newcomer Jeremy Chinn, the two safeties will carry with them an aggressive demeanor into the Commanders’ new-look secondary. With that comes some skepticism about coverage capabilities. It is no secret that this was a huge disappointment for Washington last season.
The great thing is that both safeties are still young. Both Chinn and Forrest should now be able to grow and thrive alongside one another for the foreseeable future.
With more cornerbacks having been brought in to shore up other aspects of the secondary like second-round pick Mike Sainristil, it should unlock the strengths of Forrest. The blossoming veteran should be able to do what he does best and unleash his vicious tackling while also producing more efficiency in the passing game. This is something he did quite brilliantly back in 2022 before last year’s injury complications.
Forrest has a whole lot of upside. He still goes under the radar. But he should be set up to make a name for himself league-wide under the expert guidance of Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr.
He’s a pick for to become Washington’s biggest surprise next season if everything clicks.
