3 sparks that could ignite the Commanders offense in 2024

If Austin Ekeler starts over Brian Robinson Jr., Luke McCaffrey gets the nod over Jamison Crowder, and Brandon Coleman wins the starting gig at left tackle, the Washington Commanders will open the 2024 season with seven new starters on offense. It's an opportunity for them to build a brand-new identity.

With Jayden Daniels at the helm, offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury has the chance to be creative. Despite all of the plentiful talents possessed by the No. 2 pick, it will likely need to be a plan that allows the play-caller to take advantage of the rookie quarterback's ability to time routes astoundingly well rather than relying on his ability to drive the ball into tight windows.

This is something Daniels has struggled with at times. His arm strength is not weak by any means, but it is not the same as some of the other quarterbacks that were drafted. Something Kingsbury will take into consideration when devising an offensive philosophy that fits his strengths.

So what exactly will the offense look like? Here are three potential sparks that could ignite Kingsbury's unit to better fortunes in 2024.

Commanders YAC strategy

Jayden Daniels can drop the deep ball in the bucket easier than most people can crack an egg into a skillet. But that is something predicated more on his touch than arm strength. With the collection of wide receivers and running backs that the Washington Commanders now have, this should not matter much.

Terry McLaurin, his new No. 1 receiver, will be the ideal weapon for him. He can use his extensive route tree across all parts of the field. For the first time in his career, Commanders fans can now see the former Ohio State star with a legitimate quarterback for the first time.

Other weapons that the Commanders will use will come from all over. Austin Ekeler's abilities as a pass-catcher are well-documented, as now are Brian Robinson Jr.'s. But it doesn't stop there.

The Commanders boast other pass catchers who can make things happen in open space. Whether it is Jahan Dotson, Ben Sinnott, Luke McCaffrey, or even Dyami Brown, who has shown brief glimpses of being fabulous after the catch.

Designing a philosophy that gets these players the ball in open spaces will be one of the focal points of this offense. If Kliff Kingsbury can incorporate this with deep shots, he should be able to keep opposing defenses on their toes.

Hopefully, Kingsbury doesn't count on the arm strength of Daniels to be the sole focal point of moving the ball downfield. He would be better served using the signal-caller's celestial gift of timing to get these players the ball and then allowing their feet to do the rest of the work.