This is a make-or-break season for Washington Commanders linebacker Jamin Davis. The 2021 first-round pick has had an up-and-down career through three seasons. Davis has shown flashes of solid play but nothing spectacular.
Washington turned down Davis’ fifth-year option for 2025 this spring, which meant Davis would need a strong 2024 season to earn a new contract from the Commanders. The bad news for Davis is that Washington signed linebackers Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu in free agency. That means an altered role for Davis in 2024, which is something he is looking forward to.
Davis is excited about playing for head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. His altered role could be more in the role of situational pass rusher.
Last week, Quinn spoke of what he wanted to see from Davis.
“Yeah, I think that’s a natural question,” Quinn told reporters last week. “At the end of a contract, or you’re in a contract year and what does that look like? But more important, even more than that is like this improvement. And we’re trying to really push him specifically on the versatility. So you’ll see him working some with the defensive line, you’ll see him working with (pass rush specialist) Ryan Kerrigan on the side, and we’re adding parts to his game that maybe we didn’t use and we’re certainly trying to explore that. And so, if that’s something that he can add value for himself and for the team, then we’ll dig in and that’ll take a while as well. That’s not something that’s in one practice or in one week to say, ‘OK, it’s there.’ Let’s take the time and work through it. I’ve been very impressed by his work ethic.”
Those are certainly some positive comments from Quinn. He sees something in Davis, and this goes back to his previous comments about finding the things players do well and putting them in positions to succeed. Davis is athletic and could thrive as a situational pass rusher.