3 Commanders role players who could make or break 2022 season

We’re all aware of whom the Washington Commanders‘ most important players are. If the team is going to enjoy any semblance of success, those players — your Jonathan Allen’s, Terry McLaurin’s Chase Young’s, Kendall Fuller’s and Montez Sweat’s, among others — are going to need to live up to their billing as core pieces.

For every star-caliber player on the team, however, there’s about four or five essential role players. From JD McKissic, Kam Curl, Bobby McCain, Cornelius Lucas and John Bates, Washington has no shortage of important depth players.

While the aforementioned group of players can be relied on for their consistency, some of the Commanders’ other role players developed a boom-or-bust label in 2021, whether it be due to injury or fluctuating performances.

Taking that into account, let’s highlight three Commanders role players whom could make or break the team’s ceiling this upcoming season.

3 Commanders role players who could make or break 2022

3. Jamin Davis

We considered several players for this spot, including Logan Thomas, Phidarian Mathis, Sam Cosmi and Trai Turner. With very few proven stars, the Commanders’ roster is littered with important role players. At the end of the day though, we went with Davis since he’s part of the team’s weakest position group.

At this juncture, we’re all aware of what Cole Holcomb brings to the table at linebacker. He’s now a top-five (if not higher) most important player on the defense and could receive a contract extension if he puts together another big year.

Outside of Holcomb, though, the linebacker room is one big question mark and no player represents that more than Davis, who played sparingly as a rookie after Washington drafted him No. 19 overall last year. In 16 games, he contributed 76 tackles, three tackles for loss and two quarterback hits. His 46.8 player grade from PFF is a testament to how much he struggled reading the game.

It’s clear Davis was drafted a round too early, but it’s hard not to sympathize with him given he played inside. With Holcomb taking over the MIKE role, Davis will play as the WILL, where he’ll operate in more space. It’s not ideal Davis already needed a position switch, but he has the physical traits to excel in an off-ball role.

Whether that happens in Year 2 remains to be seen, but Davis proving he was worthy of a first-round pick could make all the difference for Washington. If he continues showing growing pains, however, Holcomb might have to carry the entire LB room on his back and that’s a recipe for disaster.