To Ron Rivera, he was a starting linebacker and the only dependable presence at the defensive second level. To Dan Quinn and the new regime, Jamin Davis was just another guy.
The Washington Commanders released the former first-round pick on Tuesday after an anonymous start to the 2024 season. Davis' transition to an edge rusher didn't go according to plan. Even with Dorance Armstrong Jr. and Javontae Jean-Baptiste missing in Week 7 against the Carolina Panthers, he played just 37 percent of snaps in a game that was over by half-time.
This is the latest in a long line of draft errors by Rivera. Cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. is the only first-rounder left from his four-year tenure. General manager Adam Peters is here to change all that, but it's clear that he didn't think much of the decisions made by those in power before his arrival.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing to have. With this in mind, here are five players the Commanders could have taken over Davis at No. 19 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Players the Commanders could have drafted over Jamin Davis
Commanders could have drafted Odafe Oweh
The Baltimore Ravens know how to draft productive players. They also know how to bring them along gradually regardless of where they were taken. This has been the hallmark behind their journey into perennial contention.
Odafe Oweh is a prime example. The edge rusher flashed on the rotation over his first three seasons, being deployed as a situational presence and putting his explosiveness to good use for 12 sacks during this span.
He got the chance to start prominently in 2024 and is thriving so far, gaining 4.5 sacks through seven weeks and setting the edge effectively on running downs en route to a fantastic 75.5 grade from Pro Football Focus. Considering how things unfolded for Jamin Davis and the Washington Commanders' need for pass-rushing help right now, this would have been a better pick in hindsight.