Commanders roundtable: Awards, record predictions and potential surprises in 2023
By Dean Jones
Commanders' biggest surprise
Hirdesh: The biggest surprise will be that by the end of the year, Chris Rodriguez Jr. will have more rushing touchdowns for the Washington Commanders than Brian Robinson Jr. He has shown in the pre-season that he is a bruiser and it wouldn’t be the first time that Eric Bieniemy’s offense had a back-up running back take over the backfield (see Isiah Pacheco in 2022).
It doesn’t hurt that Bieniemy was in the room when Rodriguez was selected and that he has a similar frame to Pacheco.
Jon: A former Kansas City Chief is going to win a game for the Washington Commanders this year. It will be Derrick Gore, who is currently relegated to the practice squad.
This isn’t a knock on the running backs on the main roster. But at some point, Antonio Gibson will get dinged, and then Gore will step up.
He has the ideal blend of running and receiving explosiveness that Bieniemy loves. Basically, a slightly slower version of Pacheco. Gore will not supplant Gibson, but he will open some eyes and earn a game ball for the Commanders this year.
Dean: The biggest surprise will be the tight end position. Bieniemy's arrival coupled with the return to health of Logan Thomas means big things could be on the way for this unit, which is only enhanced by Cole Turner's emergence into a potential Commanders breakout candidate.
Turner should get his fair share of targets - especially if Thomas ends up missing time at some stage. John Bates is also looking to evolve into more of a pass-catcher, so hopes are high surrounding this position group becoming an area of strength once again.