Hogs Haven
Sports Illustrated
Washington continues to upgrade its roster, Jayden Daniels’s next steps as a QB and a seventh-round RB makes an impression.
There’s an unquestioned belief in the Commanders’ facility that the talent has, for the second consecutive offseason, been upgraded in a huge way.
[T]he improvement is noticeable on the line of scrimmage. On offense, the tackle position has been overhauled, with Laremy Tunsil, at 31, looking like the Pro Bowler he’s always been, and first-rounder Josh Conerly Jr. (who was seen by Washington as one of the top 10 or so players in the draft) settling in nicely at right tackle. Those additions enabled the coaches to move second-year man Brandon Coleman inside and, perhaps, turn an average line into a team strength.
Meanwhile, on defense, former first-rounder Javon Kinlaw has been a revelation. GM Adam Peters had institutional knowledge of Kinlaw, having drafted him in San Francisco. He and the staff saw a player who was a COVID-19 rookie, who sustained a nasty injury early in his career. He never had a real training camp before this summer, giving a player with a lot of upside to tap into.
The corner spot is much better than it was a year ago, with Marshon Lattimore looking more like his New Orleans-era self, rookie Trey Amos quickly emerging as a starting-level player, and Mike Sainristil able to settle in at the slot position, with the outside spots taken care of. There’s depth there, too, with vets Noah Igbinoghene and Jonathan Jones. Meanwhile, at safety, third-year man Quan Martin emerged as the breakout star of camp over the past month, playing faster and becoming more vocal as a leader alongside veterans Will Harris and Jeremy Reaves.
As for McLaurin, I think the negotiation is in a better spot than it’s been, but the sides started out pretty far apart, so there was a lot of ground to make up. Maybe the deadlines in the next couple of weeks will help push an agreement through.
[R]ookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt is looming as a reason why the team feels so comfortable walking away from a solid, dependable veteran. His burst and speed are noticeable. But he’s not the biggest guy, and it’s hard to determine how much work will be too much for him. Washington could add another body at the position, but the emergence of the seventh-rounder Croskey-Merritt has made that more of a want than a need. Add the potential here to the improvement of the line, and the involvement of Daniels in the run game, and there’s a lot of room for OC Kliff Kingsbury to generate big plays on the ground.
Bullock’s Film Room (subscription)
[A]s that drive progressed, we did see Kinlaw do better in the run game. In fact, he made two very strong plays down near the goal line.
Down inside the five yard...
