3 winners (and 2 losers) from Commanders 2024 minicamp

Winner No. 3

Jamin Davis - Commanders LB

The Washington Commanders didn't pick up Jamin Davis' fifth-year option because he hasn't lived up to the billing as a No. 19 overall pick. The linebacker hasn't made the grade as an every-down, three-dimensional force at the defensive second level, but the new staff still sees a way to salvage the 25-year-old's raw potential.

It's a plan based on turning Davis loose as a pass-rusher. This isn't just about unleashing him off the edge. Still, it helps that the former Kentucky star looked comfortable throughout the Commanders' mandatory minicamp camp - whether as a standup outside linebacker or when putting his hand on the ground as a traditional defensive end.

There's an obvious parallel here with what Dan Quinn did to utilize Micah Parsons in Dallas. He went from inside linebacker to seek-and-destroy quarterback hunter on the coach's watch with great success.

While the transition owed a lot to Parsons' dynamic athleticism, another key was the roving nature of his role. Quinn schemed ways for him to move anywhere across the front and pick the optimum gaps to attack.

Being a mobile menace should also inspire a bump in Davis' production. He has the takeoff speed and downhill tenacity to be a regular disruptor along the line of scrimmage.

The fact that the Commanders committed to the experiment showed that this was more than just a what-if. Or mere lip service dedicated to doing something, anything to justify the franchise's original investment in Davis.

If nothing else, Davis and Emmanuel Forbes working out of position has shown Quinn and his assistants are more willing to be creative with personnel than the previous regime. Hopefully, there'll be further out-of-the-box thinking at training camp.