The Washington Commanders are counting on their young guns to make strides under the new coaching staff next season. Far too many went through the motions and couldn't meet expectations during Ron Rivera's four-year stint at the helm. A rousing effort is needed to get this franchise back to prominence.
Adam Peters' ruthless approach to roster building with a business-first model raises the urgency for almost everybody. The new general manager is planning for the future while implementing changes that should ensure short-term progress. This is also a constant assessment of those on the books and what more is needed moving forward.
Players who haven't met their lofty draft statuses are under more scrutiny than most. They got a lot of leeway under Rivera. That won't be the case this time around.
With this in mind, here are five Commanders players in danger of entering draft bust status unless things improve dramatically during the 2024 campaign.
Phidarian Mathis - Commanders DL
What constitutes a draft bust? A player taken in the top 100 picks who hasn't met the standards expected is a good measuring stick for this exercise.
Phidarian Mathis fits into this category. The formidable defensive tackle got off to a terrible start thanks to a serious injury during his rookie season. He endured health misfortune to begin the 2023 campaign and couldn't make an impact when called upon. This leaves his fortunes firmly hanging in the balance.
The Washington Commanders have Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen as their starting defensive tackle tandem. They also spent a second-round pick on Johnny Newton, who could be a significant rotational asset within Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr.'s scheme right out of the gate.
What this means for Mathis' involvement remains to be seen. It would be surprising to see him not make the 53-man roster, but anything less than improved consistency when called upon firmly places the No. 47 overall selection into the dreaded draft bust category.
Dyami Brown - Commanders WR
One could make a strong case for Dyami Brown being in the draft bust category already. The wide receiver made minimal contributions over his first three seasons with the Washington Commanders. Unless something changes this time around, it'll be his final campaign with the franchise.
Brown has the physical tools needed to be impactful. It hasn't come together as yet, but all hope is not lost with a new coaching regime coming into the fold.
The former North Carolina star remains on the books and is arguably the only vertical threat at Washington's disposal. With Kliff Kingsbury implementing different schematic concepts and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels set to provide improved distribution, Brown stands to benefit greatly if he proves himself worthy of increased involvement throughout the summer.
Everyone is getting a clean slate under Dan Quinn's staff, Brown included. Whether he can do enough to force his way into the team's plans as a key outside option remains to be seen.
The Commanders have Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson as their one-two tandem in the wideout room. Those in power have a tremendous amount of faith in third-round selection Luke McCaffrey, who made a superb first impression thanks to polished pass-catching and exceptional work ethic.
Nobody's stood out aside from that. Brown's caught the eye on occasion over early workouts. How the No. 82 overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft fares during Washington's training camp and preseason games will be crucial.
The lack of legitimate receiving depth guarantees Brown will make the team unless there's a drastic drop-off in production. What comes after that is less certain.
Gaining instant momentum is critical. If Brown gains the confidence of Kingsbury and Daniels, he could see targets increase considerably. This bears more significance on play-action when there are chances to take shots downfield.
If not, the Commanders will move on from the player swiftly in 2025.
Emmanuel Forbes - Commanders CB
Emmanuel Forbes is an interesting case. The previous regime thought highly of the talented cornerback en route to taking him at No. 16 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. That was a grave error in judgment based on early impressions.
Forbes' rookie campaign was disastrous. The Washington Commanders did the defensive back no favors by putting him up against physically imposing No. 1 wide receiver options and he suffered accordingly. He was benched after a few weeks and didn't progress effectively enough when reinstalled into the lineup.
Many are questioning whether Forbes can become what Ron Rivera hoped when he placed so much faith in the former Mississippi State standout. Writing him off after one season in difficult circumstances is foolish. At the same time, the need to enhance performance levels in 2024 cannot be overstated.
Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr. know how to develop defensive backs. They've got an accomplished record in this area during their prolific stint with the Dallas Cowboys. Whether the duo can have a similar impact on Forbes is the big question.
Quinn likes bigger cornerbacks to cope with press-man situations within his creative schematic concepts. Given Forbes' lack of size and the fact he was bullied so much last season, the jury is out regarding his role under this exciting new regime.
The Commanders are looking for ways to get Forbes involved. He's taken special teams duties as a kick returner over early workouts. This adds another string to his bow and could result in confidence-building plays thanks to the new NFL rules that seem to favor the return team.
Forbes needs to earn his money in coverage. Washington has serious questions to answer on the outside of their secondary. If the second-year pro cannot emerge into a productive force and limit mistakes, it'll be a long road back.
Jahan Dotson - Commanders WR
Jahan Dotson's made a solid if not spectacular start to his league journey. One could also say he's underachieved based on his talent and where he was taken in the 2022 NFL Draft.
The wide receiver impressed those in power to get selected at No. 16 overall. Dotson caught the eye as a rookie and many believed he was set to break out in Year 2 of his professional career under offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. This didn't come to fruition en route to 49 receptions from 83 targets for 518 receiving yards and four touchdowns.
Dotson struggled to create separation on occasion. Some concentration issues crept into his game. The talent is obvious, so the onus is on Kliff Kingsbury to devise better ways to get him involved.
Confidence remains high in Dotson. Improved schematic concepts and Jayden Daniels under center will help. But this is a crossroads campaign for the former Penn State standout in no uncertain terms.
The incentive is there for Dotson to take major strides next season. He's in a better environment within a system that should suit his strengths. There's also the small matter of his fifth-year option decision due in 2025 to factor into the equation.
Dotson must prove himself worthy of getting another year on his rookie deal and the big pay increase that comes with it. Anything less will see the Commanders go the same route with the wideout as other first-round picks such as Daron Payne and Jamin Davis in recent seasons.
There's a different energy around Dotson this offseason. The player seems highly motivated to finally take the league by storm. If he flatters to deceive once again after promising much, the draft bust status won't be too far behind.
That's a worst-case scenario - one the Commanders hope won't come to fruition. That said, they can only do so much. What comes next is down to Dotson.
Jamin Davis - Commanders LB
Jamin Davis got dealt a bad hand under the previous coaching staff. The Washington Commanders chose not to invest around the linebacker. This saw him tasked with responsibilities that didn't necessarily make the best use of his physical attributes.
Davis' production has been decent enough, there's no getting away from that. However, the Commanders wanted him to become a truly dominant force after taking the former Kentucky star at No. 19 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft.
As is the case with everyone on this list, he can get a new lease of life under Dan Quinn's coaching staff.
Adam Peters prioritized strengthening the defensive second level during the recruitment period. Bobby Wagner, Frankie Luvu, and Jordan Magee are all expected to play important roles. This is great news for Davis, who'll have more support and looks set to be deployed more creatively during the 2024 season.
According to those in attendance over early workouts, Davis is being used as an edge rusher in addition to his linebacking responsibilities. Fans have been clamoring for this since the player was drafted. Now, they'll get the chance to see if this is the spark that can ignite him to brighter fortunes.
The Commanders didn't pick up Davis' fifth-year option, which wasn't a shock This raises the stakes in a contract year, so expect to see the Hawaii native operating with more urgency than ever before.
Quinn's had success with players like Davis during his previous stops. Finding ways to get him in mismatched situations could be worth its weight in gold. Especially considering the Commanders need all the help they can get to generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
Anything less could see the Commanders move on when the upcoming campaign concludes. That would place Davis firmly in the draft bust category considering he'd be a first-round pick unable to get a second contract.