3 Commanders players not named Jayden Daniels that can single handedly change the 2024 season
The Washington Commanders, along with the other 31 NFL teams, are officially in the dead period now that mandatory minicamps have wrapped across the board.That also means there won't be much to talk about over the next month-and-change, but I digress.The Commanders are entering the freshest of eras and it's easy to see why optimism […]
The Washington Commanders, along with the other 31 NFL teams, are officially in the dead period now that mandatory minicamps have wrapped across the board.
That also means there won't be much to talk about over the next month-and-change, but I digress.
The Commanders are entering the freshest of eras and it's easy to see why optimism is abound, even with some lingering roster questions that need to be figured out over the coming weeks and months.
Outside of the obvious names like Jayden Daniels, Terry McLaurin, Jonathan Allen, etc. there are a few guys, in particular, that if they can help answer the aforementioned questions, then the Commanders will really turn some heads in 2024.
1. LTs Cornelius Lucas/Brandon Coleman
As mentioned above, Daniels won't be included in this article, but the unproven guys potentially protecting his blindside are at the top of this list, easily, and for obvious reasons.
The "unproven" label is a bit unfair to Lucas, as he's entering his 11th NFL season and has played 3,464 offensive snaps across 115 games that include 47 starts. He's unproven more in the sense that he's played mostly right tackle throughout his career and has yet to show he can handle a full-time load on the left side of the offensive line.
To Lucas' credit, he was solid in 2020, where he started eight games at left tackle. Things took a bit of a dive regarding his four starts in 2023, but the entire offense took a dive in 2023. Overall, it paints a picture of up and down play, but a baseline where the offense can get by, as long as Lucas isn't in an overwhelming position.
| Stat | 2020 (rank) |
|---|---|
Total Pressures Allowed | 17 (7th) |
Sacks Allowed | 2 (t-9th) |
Pass Blocking Efficiency rating | 97.5 (22nd) |
Run Blocking Grade | 61.4 (41st) |
Overall Grade | 78.9 (22nd) |
Penalties | 1 (t-1st) |
If he can provide a full year of what he showed in 2020, then the Commanders offense should take a big step from 2023 – no matter how low the bar may be.
Then, there's the rookie Brandon Coleman. Let's just put it this way: If a third-round rookie can beat out an 11-year vet with starting experience for a starting job, then the floor is just as high as Lucas', with an even higher ceiling. That hypothetical, along with Lucas becoming the swing tackle, would not be a bad spot to be in, at all.
2. DB Mike Sainristil
This all boils down to one attribute for the former All-American and national champion: making splash plays.
Think about it. The Commanders defense, as a whole, finished 2023 with eight interceptions on the season. Sainristil had six interceptions and 12 pass breakups, himself, in 2023. He returned two of those for touchdowns and added 4.0 tackles for loss and a sack to his stat line, as well.
He has Antoine Winfield Jr.-like ability to fill up a stat sheet, but the numbers aren't just filler – they are impactful plays that key wins. Sainristil is expected to be the team's primary nickel, which puts him in a position to spread the love like he did last year.
If he does that in 2024, then the Commanders secondary will have the spark it needs to rebound from a dreadful 2023 campaign.
3. DE Dorance Armstrong
Have you noticed a trend, yet?
Of course, an NFL team's primary difference-makers are going to come from premium positions and Armstrong is certainly part of the crowd.
The Commanders have the best defensive tackle duo in the league via Allen and Daron Payne, but they really need someone to step up on the outside and Dan Quinn brought in Armstrong to do just that.
At $11 million per year, I wouldn't expect the guy to go off and lead the league in sacks or anywhere close to that kind of production. But, it's not unrealistic to think the odds are in his favor to reach double-digits, even if that's scraping the bottom of the barrel with 10.0.
The Commanders clearly plan on utilizing a rotation at defensive end, but Armstrong is the foundational piece. If he can live up to that then, hell, we may see Allen or Payne at the top of the list when it comes to leading the NFL in sacks at the end of the year. The point is – only good things can come from the development.
Honorable mentions: LB Frankie Luvu, LB Bobby Wagner, WR Jahan Dotson
