3 defensive scheme alterations the Commanders should employ immediately

Commanders need to find a role for Jamin Davis

The Washington Commanders never should have drafted Jamin Davis in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. It is just one of countless baffling personnel moves made by the previous regime.

Ron Rivera fell in love with the athletically gifted, inexperienced Kentucky product and chose him with the No. 19 overall selection. He then put Davis at middle linebacker - the hardest position for a young player to pick up on defense. That lasted less than half a season.

This isn’t revisionist thinking. We all knew the Commanders needed help at linebacker, but many of us had Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Nick Bolton - linebackers chosen after Davis - ranked higher. It was just one more swing and miss by a dysfunctional franchise.

Oddly enough, Davis has proven to be Washington’s best first-round pick under Rivera. How sad is that?

After his rocky start, Davis developed into a serviceable professional linebacker. He still had the elite athleticism and as he gained experience, he began making more plays. When Dan Quinn announced that he would start getting some snaps on the edge, it seemed like an excellent idea.

He is not nearly big enough to play a traditional defensive end, but his length and quickness could make him an effective pass rusher. Unless Washington suddenly begins employing a more traditional 3-4 front, there is no ideal role for Davis. He should be playing outside in a 3-4.

That doesn’t mean the Commanders can’t find a role for him. This team does not have disruptive attacking players on the edge. This is one thing Davis can do.

Dante Fowler Jr. hasn’t done much yet. He is an active player but he may have lost too much of his explosiveness to contribute at a high level. Davis is younger. He has speed. He may not set the edge very well on runs, but he has the size to rush the passer and even drop into coverage on occasion.

At the very least, he needs a shot.

Assuming they don’t make a splash roster move such as trading for Davante Adams, the Commanders will have the draft picks and the salary cap space to address the defensive holes in the next couple of years. For 2024, they can try some in-house solutions to increase defensive production.

More Commanders news and analysis