Jamin Davis has not lived up to his first-round status in Washington, putting his future with the team in jeopardy. This offseason, the Commanders declined the linebacker’s fifth-year option and signed veterans Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu to start on Dan Quinn’s revamped defense.
Without a clear road to playing time, the approaching free agent may consider a different position. Quinn told reporters last week that the Commanders planned to give Davis an opportunity on the edge in 2024.
“[Y]”You’ll see him working with the defensive line and [coach] Ryan Kerrigan on the side, and we’re adding parts to his game that maybe we didn’t use before,” Quinn told reporters (via NFL.com’s Kevin Patra).”So, if that’s something he can contribute value to both himself and the team, we’ll look into it, which will take some time. That’s not something you can say, ‘Okay, it’s there,’ after one session or week. Let’s take our time and work through this. I’m quite impressed with his work ethic.
Davis struggled as a rookie in 2021, playing in various roles. While the Kentucky product topped 100 tackles in his second season, Pro Football Focus still rated him as a below-average linebacker. The 25-year-old was having his best NFL season in 2023 before missing the last four games due to a shoulder ailment. Davis made 13 appearances and recorded 89 tackles, three sacks, and two forced fumbles, ranking him as the 37th-best LB.
Despite that performance, Washington’s new government did not commit to the player beyond the 2024 season. Davis will now enter a pivotal season, but thankfully for him, it appears like the club is still committed to getting the best out of the former first-round pick.
Davis would be confined to a backup linebacker role, although he could see some edge opportunities in 2024. Last year, the squad replaced Chase Young and Montez Sweat with Dorance Armstrong, Dante Fowler, and Clarin Ferrell. Only Ferrell has seen a starting job in the last several years, so Davis may be able to carve out a niche on the fringes.
