The Washington Commanders have taken some bold gambles to make things easier for quarterback Jayden Daniels. But despite some encouraging signs, the reports from offseason workouts indicate this is still very much a work in progress.
That isn't surprising. Big changes were made, including a new offensive coordinator and several new pieces expected to play important roles. These moves had Daniels' outlook at the forefront, but it was always going to take time.
Head coach Dan Quinn acknowledged that the scheme is around 80 percent installed. Daniels is working more under center, which is an adjustment. It hasn't been a complete flop up to now, but for Nick Jhabvala of The Athletic, the unknowns cannot be ignored.
Commanders offense remains a work in progress, which is no real surprise
Jhabvala, who received backlash for noting that something was off last summer, and she was right, thought the Commanders' offense was far from complete. There are questions to answer, most notably at wide receiver and tight end. And they need to get worked out over the summer before Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles.
"Dan Quinn believes the switch is a necessary gamble to help Daniels and to get the team back to the playoffs. But if the last two years (and the last few weeks of OTAs and minicamp) proved anything, it’s that Washington’s offense is hardly complete.
"The team doesn’t have a clear No. 2 at wide receiver to complement Terry McLaurin, competition in the running backs room is wide open and the identity of the tight ends is unclear."
There is no need to press the panic button. The Commanders have only just completed mandatory minicamp. There is a training camp, joint practices, and the preseason to get through before things get real. And as the old saying goes, Rome wasn't built in a day.
David Blough's system has received widespread praise from the players so far. The scheme is more pro-friendly. Its concepts are designed to get the football into the playmakers' hands quickly. Everything was not going to click immediately, but there is nothing to cause any real concern right now.
It's a step-by-step process. Learning a new system takes time.
There is a lot of information to take on, and there may even be some adjustments needed over the first few weeks of the campaign. The fact that Washington is relying on a rookie play-caller only raises the trepidation, but there will be many twists to come over the summer before things look a little more settled.
The wideouts behind Terry McLaurin are worrying, though speculation remains high around Brandon Aiyuk's potential arrival. Washington's running-back dynamic is interesting, with several options vying for prominent roles. The offensive line looks relatively stable, and Chig Okonkwo will lead the tight-end room.
Optimism remains high. Blough is seen as a fast-riser who could be a head coach one day. Acing this latest challenge is crucial to achieving this objective. If he can, that will also alleviate the pressure on Quinn's shoulders in a make-or-break year.
The hard work is just getting started; that much is obvious. But the glass-half-empty sentiment around the offense under Blough's guidance might be a little overdone at this early stage.
Even so, it will be something for fans to judge for themselves at training camp.
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