Hogs Haven
Last week’s game versus the Green Bay Packers not only resulted in a demoralizing loss, it also took a significant toll on Washington’s lineup. In addition to Jayden Daniels suffering a knee injury, running back Austin Ekeler and defensive end Deatrich Wise both suffered season-ending injuries. Noah Brown and John Bates also did not practice this week and are both out after sustaining injuries of their own. These four players accounted for a significant number of snaps on both sides of the ball as demonstrated by their Week 1 usage:
The loss of these veterans hurts the overall talent available on game day, but, as the saying goes, next man up. Below are five players that will be given an opportunity to prove themselves on Sunday when the Washington Commanders host the Las Vegas Raiders at Northwest Stadium in Landover, MD this Sunday at 1:00 PM EDT.
Inactive for Week 1, Javontae suddenly finds himself listed as the starter on the team’s unofficial depth chart going into Week 3:
A seventh-round selection last year, Jean-Baptiste played 248 defensive snaps recording 11 tackles, 6 assists, 9 run stops, 7 pressures, and 1 sack. The effort ranked him 7th in defensive stops and tackles in comparison to the rest of the rookie class and in the middle of the pack compared to edge defenders league-wide. A five-year college player, Jean-Baptiste always had plenty of length but needed to add strength and bulk to his frame. Currently, the team roster has him listed at 260 pounds, and Dan Quinn praised his development during camp, although Javontae did miss a good portion of preseason with an injury. Nevertheless, with Ryan Kerrigan instructing him on the finer points of the position, JJB may be poised to prove himself worthy of more playing time on Sunday. If he should falter, recent veteran roster additions Jalyn Holmes and Preston Smith will be there to take his snaps.
This opportunity might not be as great as some think, but with John Bates in street clothes, second-round selection Ben Sinnott needs to be included on the list. Fans have been clamoring for Sinnott to be given more opportunities; the problem is Bates’ primary role is an elite blocking specialist, both inline and on the move. Sinnott simply has not shown enough as a Y tight end to be trusted to fill that part of John’s role.
Whether the coaching staff decides to fill the inline role with a 6th OL or go with a different option, Ben Sinnott should still see increased snaps, especially as an H-back. It is also possible Kliff Kingsbury calls his number to attack the seams of the Raiders defense. The key for the Kansas State product will be to take advantage of every opportunity he is afforded to make a case for the TE2 role going forward....
