Note: just prior to the start of the 2024 season, I published an article with a comment about every player on the roster. With the bye this week, it seemed like a good time to see how well or how badly my ideas aged.
Below, you’ll see what I wrote at the end of August, followed by my current (Week 14) perspective on the player and/or what I had to say about him in the original article.
If you want to see the article in its original form or read the comments from August, CLICK HERE.
Washington Commanders Roster
Offense (25)
Quarterback (3)
Jayden Daniels
I’m thrilled! I think Daniels is the real deal and that no other potential quarterback could have been a better fit for this team at this time. I’m looking forward to many years of leadership and great play from our new starting QB.
Week 14: I’m MORE thrilled. Jayden has exceeded all of my expectations for his rookie season already. Look sharp for a bit more detail about how impressed I am by JD5 in a special edition of the “Five Questions” article from Andrew York this week.
Marcus Mariota
Dating back to when he was drafted, I’ve never been a Mariota fan. Now he’ll be wearing the burgundy & gold, so I’ll spend the next week in deep meditation to prepare myself to root for him. If things go well, he’ll never take a snap for this franchise, which would make rooting for him much simpler.
Week 14: Mariota looked very good in the Carolina game, proving the value he brings to the organization. Daniels and Quinn have had nothing but praise for Mariota all season. I’ve had to revise my opinion of Mariota upward — by a lot. Well done MM!
Jeff Driskel
When he was signed, I expected his stay in Washington to be brief. I was impressed with most of what I saw in the preseason. I’ll find him easy to root for, especially since he’s most likely going to be inactive for 17 weeks as long as Jayden Daniels stays healthy.
Week 14: Honestly, until I sat down to do this “Revisited” article, I’d forgotten Driskel was still on the roster, and I don’t think that’s just because I’m old and forgetful. I’m glad he hasn’t had to play. We’ll always have the magic of preseason to remember. He did play in the preseason, right?
Wide Receiver (7)
Terry McLaurin
It’s important to understand that my fandom for this team dates back to when Vince Lombardi was the head coach. Terry McLaurin is my all-time favorite player for the Washington franchise. That’s damned impressive when you look at the torrent of great players that I watched from the mid-1970s to the early 1990s. I’m thinking of guys like Wilbur Marshall, John Riggins, Art Monk, and Darrell Green. Scary Terry is at the top of my list.
Week 14: Everything I said in August holds true. I’m really happy to see Terry get to enjoy team success this season. I didn’t expect it to happen in 2024, and it couldn’t happen to a more deserving guy. He and Jayden Daniels make a fantastic ‘face of the franchise’ duo. Good guys, great players.
Dyami Brown
I’ve believed in Dyami before (in 2022 and again in 2023). His inability to put a season together with Sam Howell at QB shook what faith I had in Brown. I’m now in ‘prove it to me’ mode. Yes, he looked good in the preseason, but I’ve seen that movie before too.
Week 14: It’s incredible that Dyami Brown has just 206 yards and 1 TD and it’s already the best season of his career. I’ll never understand how this guy wasn’t able to put together a better NFL career. Hopefully, wherever he lands next year, he’ll be in a situation where he can maximize his potential, which seems to be be greater than 682 receiving yards in 3.75 seasons.
Olamide Zaccheaus
I feel like the captain of the OZ fan club. I loved this signing when it took place and I’ve spent the past 5 months broadcasting my belief that Zaccheaus will be a great flexible receiver who will enhance the Commanders offense. I think he’ll get 40+ receptions and 500+ yards this season.
Week 14: OZ has had slightly lower stats than I expected (13 games, 27 catches, 264 yards) but that’s because he has been used primarily as a possession slot receiver, and not as a downfield threat. OZ had never averaged less than 13.1 yards per reception prior to signing with the Commanders, but this season he’s averaging just 9.8 ypr.
He’s got a 71% catch percentage, so, while he’s had a couple of bad drops that people tend to focus on, he’s played well overall.
His contribution to the punt return game — aside from the disastrous muffed punt vs Pittsburgh — has added value with a punt return average of 10.5 yards per return.
My opinion remains the same. I have higher regard for Zaccheaus as an NFL player than anyone who is not one of his blood relatives. I think he’s a very good WR5 and return man (again, setting aside that awful muff in Week 10). I like having OZ on the team.
Noah Brown
I like this signing and I think that Noah is going to be another guy that will put up 500+ yards and contribute to the team. Jayden Daniels is not going to lack for targets, and I believe he will play ‘point guard’, distributing the pigskin very widely among his playmakers.
Week 14: I nailed this one. Brown is exactly who I expected him to be. He currently has 35 catches for 453 yards and is on his way to the most productive season of his career, even having missed two games.
The only problem we’ve had this season is that Brown is a WR4 who has been playing as WR2 for the Commanders in 2024.
At a $1.2m cap hit, Brown is one of the best value receivers to be found in the ‘24 season. I’d love to have him back (at a similar cap hit) in 2025 as part of a receiving group that is upgraded by the addition of a talented speedster to play opposite Terry, pushing Noah down the depth chart a spot or two.
Luke McCaffrey
I have modest expectations for Luke McCaffrey this season. I see 2024 as a developmental year for a guy who has been a receiver for only 2 years. If he gets 150-200 yards this season, I won’t be surprised.
Week 14: McCaffrey currently has 16 catches for 155 yards. He is having exactly the kind of season that I expected him to. He is a guy who will likely have a career arc with increased statistical production in each year of his rookie contract. I look for him to do more in 2025, but to really blossom in ‘26 and ‘27. The guy has flashed on a couple of dynamic plays this season, but think of him like medicine in a slow-release capsule rather than an injection directly into the vein. Luke is an investment that will pay off, and the coaches are being patient with him. I like the situation here.
Byron Pringle
I liked him last year and I’m glad they brought him back. I think there’s still a chance he gets squeezed off the roster if the front office signs another player. I hope not. He’s a reliable receiver who made more big(gish) plays last season than most people realize.
Week 14: I liked Pringle, but the move to Noah Brown was the right one to make. I Googled to see what happened after Pringle’s release from Washington, and it appears as if he’s out of the league. At 31 years of age, he may be done. If so, he will retire with a Super Bowl ring from his time with the Chiefs and memories of a very good 2021 season.
Jamison Crowder
I love Crowder as a local(ish) college player and a former Redskins draft pick. I was underwhelmed with his punt return performance in 2023, though he was better than Dax “fair catch” Milne. His only reason for being on the roster at this point seems to be his returner role, and I feel like the team should have been able to upgrade from Crowder this offseason. Still, as I said, I like him and will be cheering for him to ‘break one’ every time he fields a punt.
Week 14: Crowder played 14 snaps in Week 1 and went to IR for the season. He probably shouldn’t have made the roster this season. He’s 31 years old now; I don’t expect any NFL team to sign him in 2025.
I like Crowder (I am a Crowder fan) for his time here from 2015-2018 and for getting Dax Milne off the field in 2023, and I wish him success in his future endeavors.
Tight End (4)
Zach Ertz
I count myself among those who are optimistic about Ertz. I’m choosing to believe that the coaching staff will help him stay healthy. I think he can use his veteran wiles in Kingsbury’s offense. With Jayden Daniels’ running ability, teams will have a hard time playing man coverage; Zach Ertz should eat zone coverage alive and keep the chains moving. I’m drinking the Flavorade here.
Week 14: Ertz has stayed healthy through 13 games, which is already more than most people seemed to expect when he was signed by the Commanders. He’s got 52 catches for 501 yards and seems on-track to finish ‘24 with his 2nd-best season since 2019.
At $2.6m cap hit, Ertz has been good value, and is constantly talked about as one of the veteran team leaders. He may not have “eaten zone coverage alive”, but I think he’s had a valuable role on the team in 2024. I don’t really expect him back in ‘25.
John Bates
This guy has a role in the NFL. You know what it is and he knows what it is. He is a 4th-year draft pick who should be extended along with his draft classmate, Sam Cosmi.
Week 14: Word for word what I said in August. I’m a John Bates fan, and a lot of what Kliff Kingsbury is able to do with the offensive scheme is made possible by John Bates’ blocking. Give him a 3-year extension at the and of the season!
Ben Sinnott
Outside of Jayden Daniels, of Washington’s draft picks on the offensive side of the ball, Sinnott is the one I am most excited to see on the field. He looked like a dump truck running with the ball in preseason. I think he can have an impact as a blocker and receiver from Week 1. I’m stoked to see him in a regular season game!
Week 14: Okay…I got a little too excited by Sinnott’s preseason games. I have confidence that Sinnott will end up as a memorable and productive TE for Washington, but the start of his pass-catching career has been delayed until at least 2025.
Colson Yankoff
I just don’t see it. Basically, it seems to me that the coaches figure that they need 4 tight ends to run as much 12 personnel as they want to, and they didn’t have anyone better than Yankoff. I’m gonna need some time here.
Week 14: 6 offensive snaps; 101 special teams snaps; 4 total ST tackles. He’s been on IR since early November. Did anyone notice when that happened?
Running Back (3)
Brian Robinson
Robinson proved his toughness as a rookie when he took the field only weeks after being shot twice in the lower body. In his two seasons in Washington, he’s been a tough runner, but not a very efficient one. I’m hoping that, under the tutelage of Anthony Lynn, he takes his game to the next level this season.
Week 14: Robinson has struggled to stay healthy, which, given his play style, is something we probably should get used to. After averaging 3.9 ypc as a rookie and 4.1 ypc last season, in the Kliff Kingsbury offense he’s averaged 4.6 ypc, which is the kind of improvement I had expected and hoped for.
What he hasn’t been is consistent. Robinson, this season, has 3 games with ypc of <3.0, another 2 games with <4.0, and three ‘big’ games where he averaged 5.9 (Panthers), 6.4 (Titans), and 7.8 (Giants).
I am, admittedly, less of a Brian Robinson fan than most Washington fans are. I think the combo of Robinson and Ekeler worked pretty well this season, but I’d like to see Adam Peters upgrade the position, with Robinson playing behind a more explosive back in the final year of his rookie deal.
Austin Ekeler
I thought immediately that Ekeler would be an upgrade to Antonio Gibson. I still think that. Ekeler should thrive in his role in Washington’s offense. I do think he has a lot of priorities beyond just his play on the field as he works to position himself for his post-playing career. I’m fine with that because he seems to be able to manage his responsibilities as a player even as he works hard to set up his future prospects. He hasn’t seen a video interview or podcast this offseason that he wasn’t willing to do.
Week 14: Ekeler has been everything I expected him to be this season. Two concussions, however, have been very concerning, and, while I was initially hoping to see him back in 2025, at this point, I wouldn’t be disappointed if the 29-year-old running back said that he wants to prioritize his health and family at this point in his life and career.
Jeremy McNichols
I’m okay with McNichols as the 3rd back. I started the offseason thinking that he would compete for the role with Chris Rodriguez, and that Michael Wiley would be the #5 guy in the room. In the end, Wiley gave McNichols a run for his money, but ended up on the practice squad (along with CR). I wouldn’t be shocked to see both Wiley and McNichols get snaps on offense this season.
Week 14: I have to admit that I thought McNichols was just a camp body when he was initially signed, but changed my mind when I saw him in preseason. He has been a valuable member of the running back room in 2024, with 50 carries for 249 yards and 4 TDs — all career highs. Surprisingly, he’s had at least 3 carries in every game except one since Week 4.
Offensive Line (9)
Brandon Coleman
I’m relying entirely on camp reports from local media here since Coleman wasn’t healthy enough to play in any preseason games. I have high hopes but no expectations for Coleman. I look forward to seeing him play.
Week 14: Honestly, I still haven’t got a good read on Coleman’s play. I guess it has been what is normal for a rookie OT — inconsistent. He has started and played 5 entire games since Week 9. I think the jury is still out on whether he is the starting LT of the future, but he seems to be off to an adequate start, which is a pretty solid result for a 3rd round rookie.
Sam Cosmi
Beast. I hope he is the next player on the current roster to get an extension, though I know the size of the contract is going to be heart-stopping.
Week 14: Another one where I’m happy to stand on what I wrote in August word-for-word.
His contract extension this offseason is gonna make national headlines.
Cornelius Lucas
He’s been playing in burgundy & gold for three four seasons already. This will be his 4th 5th. Dunno how many of you remember Tom Compton, but that’s who I think of when I think of Lucas. I love seeing him come off the bench when he is needed. I’m less excited about seeing him start multiple games.
Week 14: Lucas will probably end up being the guy that everyone forgets about when they reminisce about the 2024 season. He’s played 405 offensive snaps this season, ‘sharing’ the LT spot with Coleman in the first half of the season, then stepping up and playing very well at RT against the Titans when Wylie was out due to a concussion. I don’t know how much longer the 33-yr-old OT will play, but at a $2.8m cap hit, he was great value this season.
Andrew Wylie
Okay. I am nothing but a fan with a keyboard. I have no insight into the nuances of playing professional football. I saw Wylie look terrible in multiple games last season. That said, he was playing in Eric Bieniemy’s ill-conceived offense and protecting a QB who held the ball a long time and did not have a great feel for the pocket. I hope Wylie looks a lot better this season with some scheme help and a quick-release, mobile QB. I’ll be holding my breath — at least for the first few offensive series.
Week 14: Wylie seems to have done okay, though Kliff has had to help both the rookie LT and the veteran RT with lots of chipping from TEs, RBs and even WRs at times. Wylie seems to communicate well and play well in tandem with Cosmi, though when he has to go 1-on-1 with an above average pass rusher, he looks out-manned at times. I’m still a bit skeptical about Wylie, who is set to cost $10.4m against the cap next year, but he’s been part of an offensive line that’s done okay this season (yeah, I know that the OL has been rated better than ‘okay’ by many observers, but I think much of that has been attributable to Jayden Daniels’ unique abilities).
Nick Allegretti
This feels a lot like the Andrew Wylie story — a Chiefs backup lineman who came through for Kansas City when they needed him and helped win a super bowl, allowing him to be a clear starter on a team with less talent on the OL. I was really underwhelmed by this signing in March, so I’ll be relying on the fact that Adam Peters is a respected NFL personnel evaluator and I am not.
Week 14: Allegretti has played way better than I thought he could. I really didn’t like this signing back in June, July and August, but that’s why I’m a retired teacher and Adam Peters is a hot shot NFL General Manager. Allegretti is here for 2 more seasons on a relatively cheap contract, and that looks like a good thing.
Tyler Biadasz
He’s a clear upgrade from Nick Gates and Tyler Larsen, but I think this Tyler gets bonus credit from fans just because of his badass surname. I think he is a competent center, but I think Chase Roullier was better.
Week 14: Yep, great signing. Like Allegretti, he’s signed through 2026 on a reasonable contract, and at 27 years of age, likely to stay longer. The continuity through the interior OL for the next two seasons is likely to help lay the foundation for ongoing offensive success.
Trent Scott
He’s actually been active for 71 NFL games, but has only about 1,800 offensive snaps in his 6 year career, with close to half of them played in 2019. He didn’t look good in preseason. I hope the players ahead of him stay healthy all season.
Week 14: Scott had to play significant snaps in Weeks 8, 10 and 12. That’s the Hail Mary game against the Bears and losses to Pitt and Dallas. He’s probably not bad for a #4 OT, but I’d prefer not to see him play if he’s not the 6th lineman in short-yardage or catching touchdown passes from Jayden Daniels.
Chris Paul
500 snaps in 2 seasons. I don’t expect a lot from Chris Paul, though I’m more confident in him as a backup guard than I am in Trent Scott as a backup tackle.
Week 14: A complete non-factor; has not taken an offensive snap this season. It’s probably fair to say that Trent Scott has out-performed him.
Michael Deiter
Completing my nearly clean-sweep of dissatisfaction with Washington’s offensive line, I really disliked the Deiter signing from the day it was announced. I thought Stromberg could beat him out; I thought JC Hassenauer would beat him out. They’re both gone and Deiter is here. In Peters & Quinn we trust.
Week 14: Deiter has actually played 35 offensive snaps this season — more than I had realized. He had to take 15 snaps at Center vs Carolina and we beat them silly, so maybe he’s better than I thought. I’m still not a fan, but I’ll have to grudgingly admit that he hasn’t really screwed anything up. I’m glad Biadasz has been mostly healthy though.
Defense(25)
Defensive End (4)
Dorance Armstrong
I’m less impressed with Armstrong than most seem to be. Hopefully, he’ll benefit from playing with better interior pass rushers than he had in Dallas.
Week 14: Armstrong proved me wrong (I’m a poet and didn’t know it). He got 3 sacks in 3 games in Weeks 3-5, but none since injuring his ribs vs the Ravens in Week 6. I’m not sure whether that validates my August assessment or simply means that he’s struggling to play at a high level with the pain of a rib injury. If ribs were a good enough excuse for a fall off in play from Jayden Daniels, they should be a good enough excuse for Armstrong.
He’s signed through 2026 on a reasonable contract, so he’s not going anywhere. I’d feel better about that if the defense was performing at a higher level. By the way, I guess we can scratch that August comment about “playing with better interior pass rushers than he had in Dallas”. I wonder if it has something to do with the way Quinn coaches the IDL to play?
Clelin Ferrell
I was not impressed with Ferrell as a rookie, and nothing has really changed. Ferrell makes me really miss Montez Sweat. I guess he’ll be okay for a year.
Week 14: Ferrell is what I thought he was. He’s played 48% of the defensive snaps this season and has actually been credited with 2.5 sacks. I think he’s okay. At $3.75m cap hit, I have him on my “Okay to extend” list, but won’t be disappointed if he moves on to his 4th team in 4 seasons in 2025.
Jamin Davis
I’ve always been higher on Jamin than most Washington fans. I think he’s played some pretty good ball; he just hasn’t played like a first-round talent. His draft position is not his fault. According to all reports, he has aggressively attacked every challenge set before him this offseason. Hopefully, Joe Whitt and Dan Quinn have figured out the key to energizing Davis’ career. I’m looking forward to seeing what they have in store…and how well he rises to the challenge.
Week 14: Things obviously didn’t work out. I continue to think Davis is an NFL player. If Noah Igbinoghene can join a new team and have a career resurrection (Spoiler alert: he can), then I think the same is possible for Jamin Davis. After the issues with reckless driving, I think he’s a bit of knucklehead off the field, but as an ex-Washington player, I’ll be happy to see him succeed somewhere else if he can manage it.
Javontae Jean-Baptiste
If he doesn’t outperform KJ Henry, there’ll be complaints from a lot of people for a long time to come. In the end, Quinn and Peters chose their 7th round pick over Rivera’s 5th round pick. I’m not losing any sleep over it.
Week 14: Well, KJ Henry has played 51 defensive snaps this season; Jean-Baptiste has played 153, picking up a sack and 8 tackles. He also has 27 special teams snaps. He’s just been reactivated from IR after missing 5 weeks. Things seem to be on schedule for the young man.
Defensive Tackle (4)
Jonathan Allen
I’m starting to feel bad for Allen. With his attitude and work ethic, he should be rewarded with playoff wins and championships. He’s 29 years old and the clock is ticking. I hope the team can crystallize and compete before time runs out on Allen’s career.
Week 14: Allen never looked truly impressive when he played this season, which may have had more to do with the Dan Quinn/Joe Whitt coaching than with the player himself. He was injured in Week 6 and went on season-ending IR. With a $23m cap hit and $17m in cap savings available, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him traded or released prior to 2025.
I’m still hoping for him to have some playoff success somewhere in the NFL before he retires. He’s the kind of lunchpail player that’s earned a shot at it.
Daron Payne
When Payne was drafted by the Redskins, I had been hoping for Vita Vea. Time has proven, I think, that Payne is the better player. I wish that Allen and Payne had been together for the kind of success that ‘boomers’ think of when they talk about Mann and Manley (bookend pass rushers from ‘back in the day’). The difference between Payne and Allen at this point is that Payne is 27 years old and may be able to last long enough to enjoy some team success in Washington.
Week 14: When I watch Payne play, I still see him — at times — doing what he has always done; that is, he’s shedding blocks and making tackles. But he’s certainly not the force inside that we saw a couple of seasons ago.
My thoughts about his place on this team have undergone radical change since August.
Even as recently as a week ago, I thought that Dan Quinn might be happy with him because he was doing what Quinn was coaching him to do. But then Quinn gave this answer to a reporter who asked DQ to comment on Payne’s play: ““Yeah, it’s probably a better one for later. I don’t, just from the comparison side, we’re just working as hard as we can to get him as good as we can.”
Huh??
When has DQ ever dodged a question about player performance?
Payne is under contract for 2 more seasons at a cap hit of about $30m per year. A team that traded for him would only need to pay him about $20m next season, though, and Washington can exit the contract at pretty much break-even with respect to cap dollars.
I am shocked to admit that, at this point, I expect Adam Peters to trade Daron Payne before training camp rolls around in July.
Phidarian Mathis
I wanted the team to keep Ridgeway and move on from Mathis. I was dirty about it last week and it’s gonna take me a while to regain my composure. Hopefully, Big Phil, now in his 3rd season, is ready to start his career.
Week 14: I was puzzled by Dan Quinn’s answer to a a question about the fact that Mathis was inactive against the Titans, with Carl Davis — elevated from the practice squad — playing instead.
Quinn said Washington elevated Carl Davis and sat Phidarian Mathis in the name of internal competition.
Expect Mathis to be the next Ron Rivera high draft pick to be cut or traded.
Johnny Newton
Am I troubled by the two foot surgeries? Not at all. Am I concerned about whether he’s healthy enough to play Week 1 in Tampa Bay? No, I’m not. I like the pick; I like the player; I expect him to have a great career in Washington and to be a key part of the Commanders rebuil…errr…re-calibration.
Week 14: Here’s what I wrote about Johnny Newton in an email to someone who asked me to comment on the rookies this week:
Johnny Newton has flashed at times, but I don’t think he’s “as advertised” yet. Among the players drafted in the first 4 rounds, he seems to have the greatest chance of not meeting expectations in the medium- to long-term.
Linebacker (5)
Bobby Wagner
Slam dunk future Hall of Fame inductee. Leading tackler in the NFL in 2023. NFL fans from around the league think that Bobby Wagner is washed because he is 34 years old. Boy, are they in for a shock! I am absolutely freaking thrilled to have Bobby Wagner on this team. Shades of London Fletcher…
Week 14: Sure, he’s not quite the same player he was a decade ago, but then, neither am I. Wagner has been a great leader and a good player. He recorded his 100th tackle of the season against the Titans — the 13th consecutive season that he has achieved that mark, second only to the great London Fletcher.
When Bobby Wagner was a free agent in 2022 and 2023, I wanted the Commanders to sign him. Of course, he wasn’t interested in playing on the East Coast, and he wasn’t gonna play for Ron Rivera. Getting him in the building was a fantastic coup for Dan Quinn.
I’m certainly hoping that BG returns in 2025, and I think he will.
Frankie Luvu
This guy plays like he’s shot out of a cannon. It seems he may have been misused in Carolina’s defense. I’m counting on Luvu to have a Pro Bowl year playing alongside Bobby Wagner in Joe Whitt’s attacking defensive scheme.
Week 14: Luvu has been exactly as advertised. He lifts the play of the entire defensive unit and Quinn & Whitt seem to know his cheat code. Bobby Wagner may have greater experience, better ability to dissect the offense and set the defense, and stronger leadership skills, but Luvu is like a pure form of radiant energy with the versatility to move around the defense and cause havoc for opposing offenses.
Thankfully, he’s already under contract through 2026 on a reasonable deal. He adds an intangible element to the defensive unit, and I am thrilled to know will be around for at least two more seasons.
Dante Fowler Jr
Yeah. Okay. Situational pass rusher that the Commanders keep listing on the depth chart as a linebacker. This could be interesting.
Week 14: Boy, you can chalk this up as a swing & a miss for me.
I didn’t expect Fowler to play 49% of the defensive snaps. I absolutely did not envision him with 8.5 sacks in 13 games. Opposing QBs have a 33.3 rating when targeting him in coverage (which doesn’t happen often).
Fowler isn’t likely to go to a Pro Bowl, but he has certainly delivered for Washington on his $3.25m cap hit. He’s 30 years old, so I don’t want anyone to go crazy with an extension for a rotation pass rusher, but a reasonable 1- or 2-year deal that brings him back is something I could live with.
Mykal Walker
He should be better than David Mayo and Scoota Harris.
Week 14: Walker has played 64 defensive snaps this season; 39 of those snaps were in Weeks 6 and 10. He’s got 251 special teams snaps, so we know what his role is on this team.
Most importantly, he’s got two fumble recoveries this season — one against Philly and one against Tennessee. Recoveries can be a bit fluky, but 2 of them in 3 games impresses me.
He’s 27 years old and on a league minimum contract. I’ve got no complaints.
Dominique Hampton
Great athleticism, size and length. Not sure if he’ll play safety, linebacker or both. I look forward to seeing the rookie on the field in the regular season.
Week 14: I still look forward to seeing the rookie on the field in the regular season.
Cornerback (5)
Mike Sainristil
I’ve never heard a bad word about this player. Apparently he is possessed of a championship mentality and the ball skills to overcome his height and weight limitations. He is often described as a prime mover on Michigan’s national championship team, and some training camp observers have suggested that he may already be the best cornerback on the roster. He is the defensive counterpart to Ben Sinnott in terms of my excitement for this season and expectations for a great career.
Week 14: While Sinnott is still finding his way towards the high expectations I had for him in August, Sainristil has smashed any expectations I had while laughing at my puny notions of what he would accomplish as a rookie slot corner.
I see Mikey as the 2nd-best draft pick for Washington behind Jayden Daniels, and, aside from Sam Cosmi, he’s probably better than every player Ron Rivera ever drafted.
It’s not just that Sainristil has played well. It’s that he’s had to play out of position in a weak CB group, and he’s not only done so, but has performed at such a high level that most people expect St-Juste to see the bench while ‘Cover 0’ continues to start at boundary/field corner when Marshon Lattimore finally takes the field — probably in Week 15 against the Saints.
Darrell Green showed us what a motivated small CB could do. I’m not saying Mike Sainristil will play 20 seasons in the NFL, win multiple rings and be named All-Pro multiple times, eventually being put into the Ring of Honor and elected to the Hall of Fame, but I’m also not saying he won’t do any of those things.
Seriously, the rookie is off to a fantastic start in his first 13 games and I both hope and believe he will be on the field in burgundy & gold for many years to come and has the chance to eventually be a franchise legend if he can continue his early career trajectory.
Benjamin St-Juste
He just always seems to be a penalty flag waiting to be thrown. I wish I had more confidence in him.
Week 14: Yeah…what I said in August.
Emmanuel Forbes
I guess we’ll find out this season if coaching and scheme can make a difference.
Week 14: I guess we found out that it didn’t. Good luck in LA with Sean McVay and Chris Shula.
Thanks again, Ron.
Michael Davis
I think the front office saw Michael Davis as a one-for-one replacement for Kendall Fuller. I think he’s less than that. He didn’t do anything to impress me in the preseason. I hope that will change when the team starts game-planning. I’m still not clear if Davis is a starting CB or a backup.
Week 14: Davis played 23 defensive snaps in Week 2 and then went into cool storage for two months. Suddenly, in Weeks 10 & 11 (vs Eagles and Cowboys) he played 49 snaps in 2 weeks, seemingly sharing time with Ben St-Juste.
I continue to be confused about Davis and his role on the team. He’s got 8 tackles and 1 pass defensed on the season. He plays special teams, but I tend to think the 29-year-old won’t be invited back for 2025.
Noah Igbinoghene
I think he made the roster because the team needs a backup nickel corner in case Sainristil gets nicked up. Igbinoghene is a former first-round pick who has never really distinguished himself (in a good way) in the NFL. Here’s hoping that the light finally comes on for him.
Week 14: Man, this is a lovely redemption story that seems to have a happy ending for Igbinoghene and Sainristil, but not so much for Benjamin St-Juste or Emmanuel Forbes.
With Forbes apparently lacking the necessary skills and ingredients to play CB and Ben St-Juste looking more like a backup than a starter, Sainristil was put out wide and Noah was put in the slot. He has thrived there (relatively speaking), playing 405 or his 587 total defensive snaps as the nickel corner. His coverage statistics are nothing to write home about, but he has generally been competent in coverage, tackled well, and avoided blown coverages or surrendering big plays.
I’d say the $1.15m cap hit for his services was well-spent. This was another thrifty free agent signing for Adam Peters & Co.
I’m not sure if Igbinoghene will be back next year, but he’s just 25 years old and Quinn & Whitt liked him enough to sign him after having had him on the roster in Dallas last season. If player and coaches want to keep the party going, I’d be happy to have him back as Sainristil’s backup in 2025.
Safety (6)
Quan Martin
Martin is looking like a very good draft pick — which isn’t something we get to say a lot about players selected by Ron Rivera. Back in March, I thought Martin was our starting nickel back. In May, I thought he was a backup nickel/safety. He now seems to have locked down the starting safety job opposite Jeremy Chinn. The role was his all along; it just took me a while to catch up.
Week 14: So, Martin has been much as expected. He seems to work well with Chinn and avoid mistakes. He is a pretty sure tackler who can bring the wood a few times per game. He’s better against the run than in pass coverage, but he seems to be skilled at beating blockers in space and getting the guy with the ball to the ground.
Quan may eventually end up as a rotational player or a backup, but on a thin 2024 roster, he has held up pretty well and is likely to be able to do the same next season (and the next…) until Adam Peters (perhaps someday) finds a better player to push him down the depth chart.
Jeremy Chinn
This guy should have won defensive rookie of the year over Chase Young in 2020. He struggled in the three seasons that followed. Peters and Quinn preferred him to our “home grown” safety, Kamren Curl. I’m looking for a revitalized career here in Washington for Chinn.
Week 14: Chinn seems to be a bit hot & cold in coverage, but, like Quan Martin, seems to play with anticipation and the ability to beat blocks, both in space and in the box.
His stat line indicates a guy who is often where the ball is:
- 1 interception
- 3 passes defended
- 1 forced fumble
- 2 fumble recoveries
- 86 tackles
In addition to 767 defensive snaps, Chinn has played 135 special teams snaps.
Chinn signed on a one-year deal in Washington for about $4m. I suspect that he will want to return in ‘25 and I’m guessing that Quinn & Whitt would love to have him back. For Adam Peters, Chinn’s return would mean one more position nailed down that won’t have to be filled via draft or a veteran free agent from another team. It may all come down to the amount of the contract he’s looking for and that AP is willing to give.
Jeremy Reaves
Who can be a Washington fan and not love Jeremy Reaves?
Week 14: I get the feeling that Reaves’ “big dog” status on special teams may have been usurped by a guy who wasn’t on the roster when I wrote my “One thought about each player” article in August. Nick Bellore seems to have elbowed Reaves aside a bit.
Bellore is 35 years old; Reaves is 28, so Reaves’ future with the team is probably secure for at least another season (he is under contract in 2025 for $3.4m).
Darrick Forrest
In March, I thought he would be a starting safety. By last week, I was wondering if he would make the roster. Forrest is a big hitter who should improve his skills under the coaching of Joe Whitt.
Week 14: Darrick Forrest has played only 11 defensive snaps and 83 special teams snaps this season. This is the final year of his rookie contract. I don’t expect him back next year.
Percy Butler
I spent most of the offseason expecting Percy Butler to end up on the practice squad. I still think he’ll be primarily a special teams player, but it’s good to see a Rivera 4th round pick make the team. Again, I’m counting on Joe Whitt and the position coaches to develop the relatively young secondary.
Week 14: Butler has definitely gotten the nod over Darrick Forrest under the Quinn/Whitt regime. He has played over 300 defensive snaps and 226 special teams snaps, making him a valuable contributor to the team.
Percy is under contract for 2025 — the final year of his rookie deal — and I anticipate that he’ll be tasked with playing a similar role next season.
Tyler Owens
There was a lot of buzz around Owens when he signed as an undrafted rookie in May. I largely dismissed it because there are always three or four undrafted rookies with a lot of buzz. Rarely do any of them amount to anything. In the case of Owens, the hype looks to be real. He impressed in camp and preseason, and, in my mind, earned his way to a spot on the depth chart ahead of Butler and Forrest.
Week 14: Owens has played only 1 defensive snap in 2024, but the undrafted rookie has nearly 200 special teams snaps despite missing three games in the middle of the season due to injuries.
His season highlight came this past Sunday when he knocked the ball loose from the Tennessee Titans kickoff returner’s hands to record a forced fumble (recovered by Mykal Walker) that gave the offense a short field and led to a 34-yard scoring drive.
In terms of roster depth, Owens is ahead of Forrest but behind Butler, but he’s laid a solid career foundation as an undrafted rookie and can probably look forward to an NFL career that should last a good 6 or 7 years.
Special Teams (3)
Kicker
Cade York
Yeah. He’s a kicker. I hope he brings an end to Washington’s seeming allergy to a committed relationship with the team’s placekicker.
Week 14: York lasted a week.
His replacement, Austin Seibert, was doing well until he got injured before the Week 10 game. He came back in Week 12 and had a nightmarish game. He is now on IR.
Siebert was replaced in Weeks 10 & 11 by practice squad kicker Zane Gonzalez. He had a rough outing last week against the Titans, missing two field goals wide-right, but interestingly was signed to the 53-man roster after the game and ahead of the bye week.
Of course, nothing prevents Washington from trying out other kickers and replacing Gonzalez before or after the New Orleans game, but any kicker who is a free agent at this point in the season is likely to be as much of a crap shoot as Gonzalez.
I sure hope that Adam Peters will make it an offseason priority to secure the kicking situation, and I recommend he run an FBI background check on anyone he wants to consider signing.
Punter
Tress Way
The longest-tenured player on the team and one of its most popular. Outside of the charismatic Pat McAfee, I can’t remember a punter with such a strong connection to the fan base. He’s been our MVP for years. It seemed like Tress was struggling a bit last season, but I’m hoping that he returns to his “A” game this season and for many more to come.
Week 14: Our “Maytag repairman” hasn’t had to do a lot this season other than hold for field goal attempts, but on the 37 occasions he’s been needed to punt, he has distinguished himself with a 46.5 yard average and 43% of his punts being downed inside the 20-yard line.
He’s still got a place on our team and in our hearts.
Long Snapper
Tyler Ott
I haven’t heard anyone say a word about his long snapping abilities, which is as it should be. Last year’s Cheeseman drama is a thing of the past. Ott is a professional who should get the job done. With any luck, we’ll never think of him again.
Week 14: We all saw the one ‘worm burner’ that got so much attention in a recent loss, but that snap aside, I hadn’t heard Tyler Ott’s name all season. The Cheeseman dramas have been left behind us, and, aside from one significant poor snap, Ott seems to be keeping a low profile, as he should.