NFL
By: Ryan Cooley
Washington’s offense has been at the bottom of the league since 2018. After Cousin’s departure, they have yet to find a reliable signal-caller. Wentz is undoubtedly the most talented quarterback Washington has had in a long time. While they have had their struggles, the Commander’s offense has the potential to surprise some people this season.
Just how good can the Commander’s offense be in 2022?
*All grades and statistics are via Pro Football Focus
Quarterback
Carson Wentz is now on his third team in three years. While that is never a good sign, Wentz has had an unusual career up to this point. In 2017, he was on his way to winning MVP before tearing his ACL in week 14. He has never gotten back to that form since. However, I believe the media is far too critical of Wentz.
He has endured sub-optimal rosters and questionable front offices. Washington is the best situation he has been in for some time. Expecting Wentz to be a top-10 quarterback is fairly irrational. Still, he is a substantial upgrade over Heinicke and, most importantly, won’t limit the playbook from a physical standpoint.
Receivers
Curtis Samuel only played 84 snaps in 2021 after signing a three-year deal last offseason. The front office knew they had to secure another legitimate receiver this offseason. They ended up drafting Jahan Dotson with the 16th pick. Dotson has already impressed in the limited time he has been on the practice field.
After signing his extension, McLaurin will be in Washington for a while. Curtis Samuel had his best season in 2020 when Carolina played him primarily in the slot (60% of snaps). Despite his size, Dotson rarely played in the slot at Penn State (18.6% of snaps). It is unclear where Washington will play Dotson, but if he plays the majority of snaps out wide, it will allow Samuel to be in his most effective position.
Tight End
The tight end position has a few question marks. Logan Thomas only played six games before tearing his ACL in week 13. There is a chance he won’t be ready for week one. This could give John Bates and Cole Turner extra reps. Bates wasn’t used much as a receiver, but his blocking ability shinned in 2021. He ended the year with an 87.6 run-blocking grade. This ranked 1st in the league by a large margin (77.3 was 2nd highest).
Cole Turner is a name to watch in 2022. The 5th-round rookie stands at 6’7 and 245 lbs. He caught 62 passes for 677 yards and 10 touchdowns at Nevada last season. Antonio Gandy-Golden is switching to tight end and could find a place in the passing game this year.
Offense Line
The offensive line is the only area not to improve this offseason. Opting to let Brandon Scherff walk and not pay him $16.5 million per year was a smart move. However, there is now a question mark at both guard positions. Wes Schweitzer will likely replace Scherff at RG and Andrew Norwell will likely replace Flowers at LG. Trai Turner will get his opportunity to compete with Schweitzer for the RG position.
Leno and Cosmi will start at tackle with Roullier returning from injury at center. Leno is coming off the best year of his career, managing the 2nd highest pass blocking grade in the league among tackles (87.3). Cosmi received the 3rd highest run-blocking grade (81.3) among all rookies. In the last two seasons, Chase Roullier’s grade has ranked 5th and 6th best in the league among centers.
Running back
One piece Washington missed in the running back room in 2021 was a goal-line/bruising back. Brain Robinson Jr. averaged 3.29 yards after contact per attempt at Alabama last season. For comparison, Derrick Henry averaged 3.38 yards after contact per attempt in his last season in college. Robinson Jr. only fumbled twice in his five years at Alabama.
Gibson is a proven back if he can fix his ball security issues. J.D. McKissic has been one of the best third-down backs in the league the past two seasons. If they can stay healthy, this is a complete running back room.
Overall
Washington’s offense has ranked near the bottom of the league since 2018. In an era where the offense is king, it was disappointing to see them continue to ignore glaring issues on that side of the ball. However, trading for an upgrade at quarterback and drafting a wide receiver at 16, a bruising running back, and a tight end is a good start
While this won’t be a top-five offense, I believe they will at least be able to consistently move the ball and put up points on a weekly basis. Having an offense that can do this will help the defense immensely, who has counted on the past two seasons to win every game.
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