The Commanders’ new regime cut a host of Ron Rivera draftees after training camp. The Adam Peters-Dan Quinn duo is making a higher-profile move weeks later.
Jamin Davis, a 2021 first-round pick, received his walking papers Tuesday. Washington waived the fourth-year linebacker. Not yet a vested veteran, Davis can be claimed within the next 24 hours. The Commanders declined Davis’ $14.48MM fifth-year option in May and made multiple key moves at linebacker in free agency.
Under Quinn, Davis has seen his defensive snap share plummet from 86% down to 30%. Washington, which signed Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu in March, has used Davis strictly as a backup this season. He has been a healthy scratch twice, including in Week 6. Davis played 16 defensive snaps in Washington’s rout of Carolina on Sunday. Barring a return on a practice squad deal, the Kentucky alum appears done in Washington.
Davis, 25, was not alone among ILBs in seeing his option declined recently. The Ravens passed on Patrick Queen‘s last year, with fellow 2024 free agent signees Jordyn Brooks and Kenneth Murray seeing theirs declined as well. Davis being cut before becoming an unrestricted free agent naturally dings his stock, which had already trended downward since he came off the 2021 draft board 19th overall.
Although Davis bounced back from a bad rookie year by posting 104 tackles and three sacks in 2022 (before an 89-tackle, three-sack 2023 season), he was drafted to play in Jack Del Rio‘s defense. Davis did not see much of a look from Quinn, who brought in a host of his former players this offseason. Wagner is among them, and Luvu, while having no experience under Quinn, was one of the top free agent LBs available in free agency.
Davis, however, logged edge reps this offseason and has seen time in that role as well. Pro Football Focus even rates the recent hybrid performer, albeit on a limited snap count, inside the top 40 at the position. A team taking on his first-round salary might be a stretch, a claim should not be considered entirely out of the question. Davis’ recent versatility may help that cause — even if it did not help his Commanders standing.
The Commanders will eat a bit of dead money by cutting Davis, though his fully guaranteed rookie contract has seen most of the money paid out. The former high-end prospect will look to reestablish some momentum elsewhere — be it via waiver claim or a free agent signing at a lower rate.
This era of NFL offenses is deeply unkind to linebackers who have tons of athleticism but unsophisticated ability to read the game. Maybe he could be like Patrick Queen or Devin White and be a good role player next to someone with tons of savvy.
He’s not great in coverage and doesn’t force turnovers. That said, as a bills fan, I’d take a flier on him if he clears waivers.