Dan Quinn is turning over every stone to get the Washington Commanders trending upward. The head coach got a helping hand with a significant roster overhaul from general manager Adam Peters this offseason. He must also find ways to galvanize those who become unmotivated and demoralized under the previous coaching staff.
This is a tricky conundrum Quinn needs to solve. The initial foundations were laid over early workouts. These must be solidified thoroughly as training camp progresses if the Commanders want to hit the ground running under his exceptional leadership.
Quinn's renowned accomplishments as a defensive strategist leave many wondering if the Commanders' failing defense can make strides. This group underachieved greatly last season. It would be a big disappointment if the same happened again with the personnel available.
One player under more pressure than most is Jamin Davis. The linebacker got a rough deal from Ron Rivera after the previous head coach failed to address the defensive second level effectively. Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu were acquired this offseason, which hints at a position switch for the former first-round pick depending on how things unfold over camp.
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn all but confirms pivotal position switch for Jamin Davis
This was all but confirmed by Quinn during his media availability before the second day of training camp practice. The head coach revealed that Davis has been working hard on becoming a better edge rushing threat since his arrival. He's also getting plenty of help from pass-rusher extraordinaire-turned-coach Ryan Kerrigan during this pivotal transition.
"I wanted to find out all the unique things that he could [do]. As the pass-rush goes, how do you utilize this size and length that he has? And so, part of that experiment is to let me see more rush from the edge of the line, blitzing off the ball. Those were the traits I was looking at. What's nice is having a guy like Ryan Kerrigan here who can work very specifically on the skills that we're going to ask Jamin [Davis] to do. You'll see him before and after practice. Sometimes you're going to see small moments. Micro-teaching sessions for 10 minutes a day with somebody that, over time, can add up. When you keep doing that over and over, you're skills will continue to increase. Ryan and Jamin and closely connected because when you need to play more than one position, there's a burden."
- Dan Quinn
Davis has the athletic profile to become a real asset on the edge. There is also a significant need to generate more pressure following the departures of Montez Sweat and Chase Young before the 2023 trade deadline.
The Kentucky product will spend some time within the linebacking corps depending on the schematic alignment. Davis should excel there too with Wagner and Luvu by his side. But if the Commanders had any sense, deploying him in a pass-rushing capacity is the spark with the scope to unlock his true potential.
It's a high-stakes situation for Davis in 2024. The Commanders didn't trigger his fifth-year option, which was unsurprising. This is a prove-it season for the player. If he thrives as a pass-rusher and becomes more accomplished in a coverage capacity when called upon, Peters will reward him accordingly. Anything less could see his time in the nation's capital conclude abruptly.
Opportunity knocks for Davis. Kerrigan's influence is only going to help his cause.
