Jamin Davis hasn’t necessarily lived up to his first-round billing in Washington, putting his future with the organization in doubt. Just this offseason, the Commanders declined the linebacker’s fifth-year option while also bringing in veterans Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu to start on Dan Quinn‘s new defense.
Without a clear path to playing time, the impending free agent may get a look at a different position. Quinn told reporters this week that the Commanders would give Davis a chance on the edge in 2024.
“[Y]ou’ll see him working some with the defensive line, you’ll see him working with [coach] 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,” Quinn told reporters (via NFL.com’s Kevin Patra). “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, ‘Okay, it’s there.’ Let’s take the time and work through it. I’ve been very impressed by his work ethic.”
Davis struggled with an inconsistent role as a rookie in 2021. While the Kentucky product managed to top 100 tackles during his sophomore campaign, Pro Football Focus still only graded him as a below-average linebacker. The 25-year-old was having his strongest NFL season in 2023 before he missed the final four games with a shoulder injury. In 13 appearances, Davis collected 89 tackles, three sacks, and two forced fumbles while grading as the 37th-best LB.
That performance still wasn’t enough for Washington’s new regime to commit to the player beyond the 2024 campaign. Now, Davis will be entering a crucial season, but fortunately for the player, it sounds like the organization is still committed to squeezing the most out of the former first rounder.
While Davis would be limited to a backup role at linebacker, he could see some opportunities on the edge in 2024. The team moved on from Chase Young and Montez Sweat last year before adding the likes of Dorance Armstrong, Dante Fowler, and Clelin Ferrell. Among that grouping, only Ferrell has seen a starting role over the past few years, so there could be a path to Davis carving out a role on the edge.
Jamin Davis would be the lightest DE in the NFL. The only hope would be to use Davis as dual purpose player. Are the Commies in a 3-4 or 4-3?
Sometimes you just need to admit you missed.