Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix both had sensational rookie seasons in 2024.
They led the Washington Commanders and Denver Broncos to the playoffs and finished first and third in the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year voting. Nix and Denver have continued that success. They are 9-2 and have a two-game lead in the rugged AFC West.
As all Commanders’ fans know, things have gone in the opposite direction for Daniels in his second season.
The dynamic quarterback has missed a handful of games with injuries and has been without several of his top offensive weapons. Daniels' defense and special teams haven't met expectations, resulting in a disappointing 3-8 record.
As the two teams meet this week for what should have been an exciting showdown, it is worth examining the opposing roster philosophies that may have led to the current situation. This is not necessarily an indictment of Adam Peters. He was dealt a worse hand than the Broncos’ front-office leader, George Paton.
Commanders might take a lesson from the Broncos offensive line
Paton recently extended his starting center, Luke Wattenberg. The fifth-round draft pick out of Washington rode the bench for a couple of seasons, then took over as the starter when Lloyd Cushenberry left via free agency in 2024. Other than missing four games in the middle of 2024 with an ankle injury, he's been a constant for Nix to depend upon.
Wattenberg is a decent center, but no one would call him elite. What Paton and head coach Sean Peyton are saying with this extension is that they value continuity. All five of Denver’s starting offensive linemen now have contracts that average over $10 million per season.
The salaries range from Wattenberg’s $12 million up to left tackle Garrett Bolles’ $20.5 million. By contrast, the Commanders’ offensive line has salaries that are all over the map.
Left tackle Laremy Tunsil earns $25 million per year, sixth-highest in the league. Meanwhile, the guard who plays next to him, Chris Paul, is earning under $1 million in the final year of his rookie deal. The Commanders have two other starters — Josh Conerly Jr. and Tyler Biadasz — who earn under $10 million.
That imbalance does not guarantee poor play, just as Denver's high salaries don’t ensure quality. But it has worked out that way this year. The Broncos' offensive line earns an average yearly salary of $16.2 million. Washington’s line earns $11.6 million.
The five Broncos carry an average Pro Football Focus grade of 73.9. Washington’s starting five comes in at 66.3. The adage “you get what you pay for” seems to be coming true.
Both Peters and Paton recognized the importance of building their rosters with higher-salaried players to take advantage of the rookie quarterbacks’ team-friendly contracts. But Paton has been in Denver since 2021 and has built his line through the draft and free agency. He already had several quality players and has been able to supplement from the veteran pool.
Peters essentially started from scratch. It has not worked out this year, but he may learn a valuable lesson when he watches his team play Denver this week.
With high-value assets like Daniels and Nix, it is unwise to scrimp on the players who protect them.