Washington’s offense was anemic under Eric Bieniemy last season, ranking 24th in yards per game (312.8), and 25th in points per game (19.4). The Commanders ranked second worst in the NFL in both sacks allowed (65) and interceptions (21).
It was obvious something had to change, and although free agency saw a few key additions, I think next month’s NFL draft is where new General Manager Adam Peters will be looking to put his stamp on this offense.
NFL Draft:
This mock draft below gives an example of how Washington can use the draft to drastically change its offensive identity.
RD1 (Pick #2) – Jayden Danies, QB, LSU
– The dual-threat ability Daniels brings to the offense is unlike any other quarterback in this draft, and maybe unlike any other player in the NFL. He has the ability to layer passes to all levels of the field, can move in the pocket to create opportunities downfield in the passing game, and make defense pay dearly with his legs.
RD2 (Pick #36) – Kingsley Suamataia, LT, BYU
– Suamataia is an athletic left tackle who is heavy-handed, light-footed and plays with a nasty streak. He steps in day one and solidifies Daniels’ bling side for the foreseeable future.
RD2 (Pick #40) – Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina
– Legette is a big-bodied blazer who can create after the catch and win jump balls with his physicality. He burst onto the scene in 2023 and his best football is still ahead of him.
RD3 (Pick #67) – Ja’Tavion Sanders, TE, Texas
– Adam Peters brought in veteran tight end Zach Ertz to add some stability to the room. This will allow the staff to bring Sanders along slowly, but his route running and athletic ability may warrant early attention and provide a potential security blanket for Daniels.
RD3 (Pick #78) – Kalen King, CB, PSU
– At this point, King’s best position in the NFL may be either at slot corner or safety. Washington can use a young player at either position and Kalen can come in and compete for a spot on the two-deep.
RD3 (Pick #100) – Jaylan Ford, LB, Texas
– The Commanders signed Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu during the first wave of free agency, however Wagner inked a one-year deal and his amazing career is beginning to wind down. Ford can learn the NFL game as a rookie and be poised for a bigger role in 2025.
RD5 (Pick #139) – Mohamed Kamara, EDGE, Colorado State
– Kamara is a young, developmental EDGE prospect who has some quick-twitch and bend to his game. He showed a nice job converting speed to power on tape.
RD5 (Pick #152) – Joe Milton, QB, Tennessee
– Peters has said he wants to have four quarterbacks in Washington. Milton is raw but brings some intangibles that can’t be taught – including one of the best arms in college football.
RD7 (Pick #222) – Drake Nugent, C, Michigan
– Newton will be able to come in and compete for a spot on the two-deep at center.
A New-Look Offense:
QB – Jayden Daniels (R)
RB – Brian Robinson, Austin Ekeler (FA)
WR – Terry McLaurin
WR – Xavier Legette (R)
WR(Slot) – Jahan Dotson
TE – Ja’Tavion Sanders (R)/Zach Ertz (FA)
LT – Kingsley Suamataia (R)
LG – Nick Allegretti (FA)/Michael Deiter (FA)
C – Tyler Biadasz (FA)
RG – Sam Cosmi
RT – Andrew Wylie
In this scenario, Washington will have turned over more than half of their starting offense from 2023. They will also have upgraded at the four most important positions on that side of the ball – QB, LT, C and WR.
With Daniels under center, it forces defenses to account for him on every play due to his running ability. This essentially creates an even playing field for the offense, as a spy will be needed on passing downs, making it true 11-on-11 football.
The addition of Austin Ekeler to the backfield complements Brian Robinson quite well. Ekeler in an excellent receiver out of the backfield and more of a slasher to Robinson’s punishing style of running. This two-headed monster can be used to keep opposing defenses off-balance and guessing throughout games.
The wide receiving corps and tight end room blend nicely here. McLaurin and Legette can both take the tops off of defenses, allowing Dotson and Ertz/Sanders to work the intermediate parts of the field. There will be no area that Daniels can’t attack with regularity – including the flats to backs out of the backfield.
Finally, the offensive line was upgraded significantly here. I’d still like to see a piece added at right tackle to get Wylie out of the starting lineup – and maybe that still comes, but on paper, this unit shows a night-and-day difference from 2023. Learning to play together as one cohesive unit will be the key.
It may take some time for a hypothetical unit like this to gel and begin putting things together, but make no mistake, this would be a fun offense to watch.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Adam Peters sees some of the same glaring holes that loyal fans do on this offense and uses the draft to address them.