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Jamin Davis

Vikings Sign LB Jamin Davis, Place LB Ivan Pace On IR

November 26th, 2024 at 6:37pm CST by Ben Levine

The Vikings made a handful of changes to their linebackers corps today. The team’s newest addition is Jamin Davis, who was signed to the 53-man roster from the Packers practice squad. The team also activated linebacker Gabe Murphy off injured reserve and placed linebacker Ivan Pace on IR.

A former first-round pick by the Commanders, Davis was let go by Washington last month. The linebacker showed flashes through his first three seasons in the NFL, including 2022 and 2023 campaigns where he started 28 games while compiling 193 total tackles, six sacks, and two forced fumbles. With a new staff in Washington, Davis found himself on the outside looking in with his squad. After having his fifth-year option declined, the fourth-year player only saw time on 86 defensive snaps in five games this year.

Davis was quickly scooped up by the Packers, who stashed the new addition on the practice squad. After spending almost one month on Green Bay’s taxi squad, Davis will return to an active roster in Minnesota.

The newest addition will likely be taking the spot held by Pace, who has started all nine of his appearances in 2024. The former UDFA has settled into an important role as a sophomore, collecting 59 tackles and three sacks. Pace suffered a hamstring injury on Sunday that limited him to only five defensive snaps. He’ll now have to miss at least the next four games, with his earliest return marked for December 29 against the Packers.

Blake Cashman will continue to lead the linebackers depth chart, with Kamu Grugier-Hill and Brian Asamoah mixing in with Davis for the leftover snaps. The team clearly likes Murphy, a UDFA out of UCLA, but the rookie will likely be eyeing a special teams role for the stretch run of the season. Murphy landed on IR before the season with a knee injury.

NFC North Notes: Bears, Lions, Davis, Vikes

November 7th, 2024 at 9:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Questions about Matt Eberflus‘ status have emerged once again, as the Bears have lost two straight — the first of which featuring one of the more shocking endings in franchise history — to drop to 4-4. Eberflus fended off firing rumors to receive another chance this year, though he hired a new offensive staff upon being retained. Eberflus did not necessarily enter the season with the kind of playoffs-or-bust mandate Robert Saleh faced in New York, the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs writes, but it is fairly clear the Bears will again need a good second half for the defense-minded coach to feel comfortable.

Eberflus is 14-28 as a coach, though his first season — a 3-14 campaign — featured a gutted roster early in a rebuild. Ryan Poles did not conduct the search that produced Eberflus, being hired only two days before the HC. But the GM is probably a better bet to outlast the coach, should this season go south. Poles and team president Kevin Warren are aligned in their vision, Biggs observes, pointing to the prospect of Poles being given the chance to hire a second coach. Poles would obviously have a greater influence in the Bears’ HC hire a second time around, should a 2025 change take place.

Here is the latest from the NFC North:

  • John Cominsky went down with an MCL tear early in training camp, but the Lions waited until setting their 53-man roster to place the defensive lineman on IR. Cominsky is still in the mix to return at some point for the NFC North leaders, though Detroit Football Network’s Justin Rogers notes no reemergence is expected during the regular season. Cominsky is only in play to return if/once the Lions make the playoffs.
  • Elsewhere along the Lions’ front seven, Josh Paschal is on the way back after undergoing a recent treatment. The former second-round edge rusher needed to have a noncancerous mass removed. Diagnosed with an aggressive form of skin cancer in 2018, Paschal has needed yearly scans; his latest led to a two-game absence due to the mass needing to be removed, via DetroitLions.com’s Tim Twentyman. Paschal, who worked as a Lions starter in the two games before the hiatus, did not go on IR and is expected to return in Week 10. He will now be joined by trade pickup Za’Darius Smith, and a big role could await as both Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport are out for the regular season’s remainder.
  • Jamin Davis spent time as an edge defender during his final season with Washington, but in Green Bay, the former first-round pick has returned to his initial NFL role. The Packers have the 2021 draftee working as an off-ball ‘backer, The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman notes. The Pack added Davis to their practice squad but have yet to elevate him for a game. Green Bay drafted two linebackers on Day 2 this year, though as a 36-game Washington starter from 2021-23, Davis now represents Green Bay insurance and perhaps an intriguing rebound piece.
  • Placed on IR due to an ankle injury, Luke Musgrave will not be back for a while. The second-year tight end ultimately needed surgery, Matt LaFleur said recently. LaFleur indicated the hope is Musgrave can return later this season. A second-round pick, Musgrave has seen 2023 third-rounder Tucker Kraft become the Packers’ top tight end. Musgrave also missed six games as a rookie, though he remains in the Packers’ IR-return puzzle for this season.
  • After coming up in trade rumors before the deadline, Vikings linebacker Brian Asamoah ended up staying with the team. Minnesota did, however, end up discussing Asamoah with teams, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. Some degree of interest existed, but the former third-round pick does not have a role on defense right now. Asamoah has yet to start an NFL game, despite having been in the league for three seasons, further limiting his trade value.

Packers Sign LB Jamin Davis To Practice Squad

October 29th, 2024 at 8:42pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Packers announced the signing of former first-round pick Jamin Davis to their practice squad on Tuesday.

The Commanders originally selected Davis with the 19th overall pick in 2021, but never lived up to his draft billing in Washington. He earned a starting role partway through his rookie year after an injury to Cole Holcomb and held onto it in 2022 and 2023, though he was place on injured reserve to end both seasons. Davis led the Commanders with 104 tackles in 2022, but only played in 13 games in 2023 before Washington declined his fifth-year option in the offseason.

Davis converted to defensive end under the Commanders’ new regime in 2024 and made the team’s 53-man roster to start the regular season. He appeared in five games with 13 tackles and a 30% snap share on defense. Washington then waived him on October 22; after going unclaimed, Davis became a free agent.

The Packers have a deep and healthy defensive line, so Davis is unlikely to see much playing time in Green Bay right away. Instead, he will have time to learn the playbook and refine his craft at defensive end behind veterans Rashan Gary and Preston Smith.

The Packers released linebacker Chris Russell from the practice squad in a corresponding move. The undrafted rookie had not appeared in any games for Green Bay this season.

Commanders Waive LB Jamin Davis

October 22nd, 2024 at 3:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

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.

Commanders LB Jamin Davis To Get Edge Reps

June 22nd, 2024 at 9:11am CST by Ben Levine

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.

Commanders Decline LB Jamin Davis’ Fifth-Year Option

April 25th, 2024 at 7:11am CST by Sam Robinson

None of the teams to select a linebacker in the 2020 first round opted to exercise a fifth-year option; each member of that quartet joined another team in free agency last month. The Commanders are moving down a similar path with the ILB they chose in the 2021 first round.

Washington is declining Jamin Davis‘ fifth-year option, according to the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala. Chosen 19th overall in 2021, Davis carried a $14.48MM option for the 2025 season. With Davis not yet living up to his draft slot — and seeing how teams proceeded with 2020 Round 1 ILBs last year — it is unsurprising to see the Commanders punt on that fully guaranteed number.

[RELATED: 2025 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker]

None of the 2020 ILB class carried a Pro Bowl honor from 2020-22; that placed their option prices between $11.73MM and $12.72MM. This proved too much for the Cardinals (Isaiah Simmons), Chargers (Kenneth Murray), Ravens (Patrick Queen) and Seahawks (Jordyn Brooks). Each player moved on in free agency in March. With a new regime in place in Washington, Davis’ arrow is pointing in that direction ahead of what is now a contract year.

The Commanders signed Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu in March; the Wagner agreement, like several Washington pacts this offseason, brought a reunion with new HC Dan Quinn. Washington also signed Jeremy Chinn, a hybrid player who spent extensive time as a box defender with Carolina. These transactions leave Davis’ role uncertain, as the Kentucky product has not become a difference-maker since the Ron Rivera-led regime selected him 19th overall three years ago.

After struggling as a rookie, Davis received criticism from then-DC Jack Del Rio early in the ’22 season. He did play better on the whole over the past two years, and Pro Football Focus slotted the 25-year-old defender inside the top 40 at the position last year. Davis has totaled 17 tackles for loss and six sacks over the past two years combined. He also forced two fumbles and broke up four passes last season, before going down with a season-ending shoulder injury in December.

Davis underwent knee surgery last year as well, and the one-year SEC starter has run into trouble off the field. He was hit with a reckless driving charge in March 2022. While Davis appealed his conviction and avoided a 180-day sentence, Jhabvala adds he also drew a reckless driving charge (later reduced) three months before that. Additionally, Davis joins cornerback Benjamin St-Juste and former safety Deshazor Everett as defendants in a wrongful-death lawsuit stemming from the crash that killed Everett’s girlfriend. Washington cut the safety in March 2022, but the civil suit — brought on by the victim’s mother — alleges Davis, St-Juste and Everett were racing when Everett’s vehicle crashed.

2025 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker

April 24th, 2024 at 10:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

NFL teams have until May 2 to officially pick up fifth-year options on 2021 first-rounders. The 2020 CBA revamped the option structure and made them fully guaranteed, rather than guaranteed for injury only. Meanwhile, fifth-year option salaries are now determined by a blend of the player’s position, initial draft placement and performance- and usage-based benchmarks:

  • Two-time Pro Bowlers (excluding alternates) will earn the same as their position’s franchise tag
  • One-time Pro Bowlers will earn the equivalent of the transition tag
  • Players who achieve any of the following will receive the average of the third-20th-highest salaries at their position:
    • At least a 75% snap rate in two of their first three seasons
    • A 75% snap average across all three seasons
    • At least 50% in each of first three seasons
  • Players who do not hit any of those benchmarks will receive the average of the third-25th top salaries at their position

With the deadline looming, we will use the space below to track all the option decisions from around the league:

  1. QB Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars ($25.66MM): Exercised
  2. QB Zach Wilson, Broncos* ($22.41MM): Declined
  3. QB Trey Lance, Cowboys** ($22.41MM): Declined
  4. TE Kyle Pitts, Falcons ($10.88MM): Exercised
  5. WR Ja’Marr Chase, Bengals ($21.82MM): Exercised
  6. WR Jaylen Waddle, Dolphins ($15.59MM): Exercised
  7. T Penei Sewell, Lions ($19MM): Extended through 2029
  8. CB Jaycee Horn, Panthers ($12.47MM): Exercised
  9. CB Patrick Surtain, Broncos ($19.82MM): Exercised
  10. WR DeVonta Smith, Eagles ($15.59MM): Extended through 2028
  11. QB Justin Fields, Steelers*** ($25.66MM): Declined
  12. DE Micah Parsons, Cowboys ($21.32MM): Exercised
  13. T Rashawn Slater, Chargers ($19MM): Exercised
  14. OL Alijah Vera-Tucker, Jets ($13.31MM): Exercised
  15. QB Mac Jones, Jaguars**** ($25.66MM): Declined
  16. LB Zaven Collins, Cardinals ($13.25MM): Declined
  17. T Alex Leatherwood, Raiders: N/A
  18. LB Jaelan Phillips, Dolphins ($13.3MM): Exercised
  19. LB Jamin Davis, Commanders ($14.48MM): Declined
  20. WR Kadarius Toney, Chiefs***** ($14.35MM): Declined
  21. DE Kwity Paye, Colts ($13.4MM): Exercised
  22. CB Caleb Farley, Titans ($12.47MM): Declined
  23. T Christian Darrisaw, Vikings ($16MM): Exercised
  24. RB Najee Harris, Steelers ($6.79MM): Declined
  25. RB Travis Etienne, Jaguars ($6.14MM): Exercised
  26. CB Greg Newsome, Browns ($13.38MM): To be exercised
  27. WR Rashod Bateman, Ravens ($14.35MM): N/A; extended through 2026
  28. DE Payton Turner, Saints ($13.39MM): Declined
  29. CB Eric Stokes, Packers ($12.47MM): Declined
  30. DE Greg Rousseau, Bills ($13.39MM): Exercised
  31. LB Odafe Oweh, Ravens ($13.25MM): Exercised
  32. LB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Buccaneers ($13.25MM): Declined

* = Jets traded Wilson on April 22, 2024
** = 49ers traded Lance on August 25, 2023
*** = Bears traded Fields on March 16, 2024
**** = Patriots traded Jones on March 10, 2024
***** = Giants traded Toney on October 27, 2022

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/13/23

December 13th, 2023 at 7:31pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor moves from around the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

Dallas Cowboys

Jacksonville Jaguars

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

Agnew has missed the four games required to return from injured reserve, and though he’s not been activated yet, the Jaguars took the first step towards that outcome today in returning him to practice. It was shoulder and rib injuries that led to the return specialist’s placement on IR. During his absence the team had turned to rookie sixth-round receiver Parker Washington to return punts and veteran backup running back D’Ernest Johnson to return kickoffs. Jacksonville still has a few days to determine whether or not they’ll activate him right away for this weekend. If not, the team will have 21 days to activate him before his practice window closes and Agnew is reverted to season-ending IR.

Commanders LB Jamin Davis Set For Season-Ending Surgery

December 11th, 2023 at 2:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

A regular starter since the midpoint of his rookie season, Jamin Davis will not play his third NFL campaign to the end. The Commanders linebacker will undergo surgery that will shut him down early, according to the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala.

Davis sustained a shoulder injury in Washington’s Week 13 loss to Miami. The former No. 19 overall pick had missed just one game this season and had only been sidelined for two during his first two seasons. With the Commanders all but certain to change coaching staffs in 2024, Davis will be tasked with learning a new scheme once he recovers.

After struggling during his rookie season, Davis has fared better over the past two. He played a key role in Jack Del Rio‘s defense ranking in the top 10 last year. Pro Football Focus slotted Davis just outside the top 40 in 2022 and has him in that range once again this year. Davis posted a 104-tackle, three-sack season last year and was on track to replicate that; the off-ball linebacker will wrap this season with 89 stops and three sacks. Davis added two forced fumbles this season.

One season remains on Davis’ fully guaranteed rookie contract, but it will likely be a new regime’s responsibility to pick up his fifth-year option by May. Based on how teams proceeded with off-ball ‘backers from the 2020 first round, it should be considered unlikely Davis’ is exercised. Davis will meet the playing-time qualifications to land on the third tier within the option hierarchy. That is slated to produce a number near $13MM, according to OverTheCap. The Cardinals, Chargers, Seahawks and Ravens (Isaiah Simmons, Kenneth Murray, Jordyn Brooks, Patrick Queen) each declined ILB fifth-year options in 2023.

This will point to Davis entering a contract year in 2024. Washington let Cole Holcomb walk this year and replaced him with ex-Seahawk Cody Barton. David Mayo, former fifth-rounder Khaleke Hudson and ex-Cowboy Jabril Cox are in place as depth pieces behind the Barton-Davis duo. Mayo is likely to take over as Davis’ first-string replacement, per Jhabvala.

Latest On Commanders LB Depth

June 27th, 2023 at 6:41pm CST by Ben Levine

Entering mandatory minicamp, there were some questions surrounding the Commanders’ depth at linebacker. However, the team’s answer at the position may already be on the roster. As ESPN’s John Keim writes, the Commanders’ apparent need for a LB may not be as urgent considering the emergence of Khaleke Hudson.

Hudson, a 2020 fifth-round pick, has seen time in 41 games through his first three seasons in the NFL. However, he only has four starts while playing about 85 percent of his total snaps on special teams. In total, the Michigan product has 34 tackles, two tackles for loss, and three QB hits. The defender was cut by Washington last August before catching on with the practice squad. After appearing in 13 games last season, he was signed to a one-year extension back in March.

Jamin Davis is still expected to fill in at the WLB spot, but he was sidelined during minicamp while recovering from offseason knee injury. On the other side, free agent addition Cody Barton was slated to play the MLB role, but he was playing alongside the backups while he learned the defense.

As a result, Hudson saw an increased role during minicamp, and per Keim, the linebacker’s performance impressed coaches. Even if the 25-year-old doesn’t end up starting at either of Washington’s two linebacker spots, it seems all but certain that he’ll still see an increased role on defense in 2023. Plus, as Keim notes, his development may reduce the team’s need for depth at the position. The Commanders are also rostering the likes of David Mayo, De’Jon Harris, and Milo Eifler at the position.

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