Washington Roster Thoughts, 2022 Edition: Offense

September 5, 2022

by Steve Thomas

Here we are: the first season for Washington’s new expansion franchise, the Washington Commanders.  We’ve watched the team perform at a mediocre to bad in three preseason games.  Most fans are generally optimistic right now, with good reason – the team, like all teams, is infused with some new talent and has a 0 – 0 record.  However, what’s the realistic view of Washington’s roster this season?  Let’s dive in and take a look, by position group. Today, we’ll start with the offense and do defense on another day.

Quarterbacks:

QB1: Carson Wentz

QB2: Taylor Heinicke

QB3: Sam Howell

Nobody on Washington’s roster has more to prove than Carson Wentz.  This is most likely his last chance to establish himself as a solid, long-term NFL starter.  He’s had two opportunities over the course of 6 seasons, with neither one working out.  I suspect that last season’s misadventures in Indianapolis were overblown; my colleague David Earl has written several columns on Wentz, so I’m not going to repeat the argument here.  Suffice to say that Wentz looked decent but not great in his two short appearances in the preseason.  We really can’t take much from those appearances, as Wentz didn’t do much either good or bad and was clearly running a basic, preseason offense.  We’ll all just have to find out about Wentz as the season goes along.  As far as the backup quarterback job goes, anyone who thought that Sam Howell was going to grab this position immediately was delusional.  Heinicke has definite limitations, but he’s a proven professional and a prototypical backup who can come in for a game or two and perform fairly well.  Howell, on the other hand, is not only a rookie, but also someone with a reputation for collegiate inconsistency.   That reputation proved true in the preseason, as at various times over three games, he was good, bad, and mediocre.  I suspect that it’s going to take Howell at least this season before he’s ready to take over the #2 job.  The great thing about him being a fifth round pick is that he should have to time develop without the burden of expectations heaped upon him.

Steve’s week 1 grade: C

Interior offensive line:

LG1: Andrew Norwell

C1: Chase Roullier

RG2: Trai Turner

LG2: Chris Paul

C2: Tyler Larsen (PUP)

RG2: Wes Schweitzer

Chase Roullier hasn’t made a Pro Bowl, but he’s one of the league’s better centers and is in the midst of a $40.5M contract extension that runs through 2024, so Washington is set at this position for the foreseeable future.  Andrew Norwell has a good reputation as a solid pro as well, so Washington is most likely in good shape there as well.  However, he’s only signed through 2023, so the team will have to make a decision on him next year.  For his part, Trai Turner also a decent pro, although his contract expires this season.  It’s possible that this group will be a success story for the team in 2022.  Backups Chris Paul and Wes Schweitzer are nothing to write home about, and Tyler Larson is on the PUP list, so Washington needs to hope that this position group stays injury-free.

Steve’s week 1 grade: B

Offensive Tackles:

LT1: Charles Leno

RT1: Samuel Cosmi

LT2: Cornelius Lucas

RT2: Saahdiq Charles

Charles Leno is yet another player who comes with a quality professional reputation.  Leno proved himself a solid professional for Washington last season, looking pretty good in his first season as the replacement for Redskins legend Trent Williams.  Leno signed a three-year contract extension this offseason, so Washington is most likely set at this position through 2024.  Starting right tackle Sam Cosmi, the second round pick from the University of Texas, has a bright future.  He looks like a player who’s going to live up to his draft status.  Cosmi’s rookie deal runs through 2024 as well.  Backup left tackle Cornelius Lucas is another guy with starting experience who can step in and do a respectable job when called upon.  Charles is nothing to write home about.

Steve’s week 1 grade: B+

Wide Receivers:

WR1 (X): Terry McLaurin

WR1 (Z): Jahan Dotson

WR1 (slot): Curtis Samuel

WR2 (X): Dyami Brown

WR2 (Z) Cam Sims

WR2 (slot): Dax Milne

Without question, Terry McLaurin is one of the very best receivers in the NFL, Pro Bowl or no Pro Bowl.  ‘Nuff said.  Jahan Dotson is obviously a rookie who hasn’t yet proven anything, and didn’t get many opportunities in the three offseason games; however, by all accounts so far, he’s the real thing.  Dotson has a good attitude and great hands and route running ability.  I’m optimistic that Washington may have drafted yet another receiver who works out, which is a miracle for a franchise that has to go all the way back to Art Monk in 1980 to find a pro not named McLaurin worth his draft status.  In my view, Cam Sims has been vastly underrated and underused by this franchise.  He has size and talent, is a perfect goal line target, and is someone who can do well on contested catches and over the middle.  Washington’s coaching staff would be wise to give him a bigger role.  Last year, 2021 seventh round Dax Milne looked like a guy who would shortly be gone, but has reportedly excelled in training camp this year.  It’s possible that Milne defies the odds and makes it.  We’ll see.  Dyami Brown has a ways to go, but as a third round pick, he’ll get another year or two to establish himself.  This position group has a very high ceiling, but as it is today, needs to hope that multiple players work out.

Steve’s week 1 grade: C+

Running backs:

RB1: Antonio Gibson

RB2: J.D. McKissic

RB3: Brian Robinson

RB4: Jonathan Williams

Brian Robinson’s shooting takes quite a bit from this position group.  Washington’s coaching staff is probably praying that he’s ready to return sooner rather than later.  His placement on the non-football related injury list means that he’s out through at least week 4.  Prior to his injury, it was clear to me that he was the team’s most capable runner, by far.  Robinson has the look of a tradition NFL franchise running back, and his loss is a major setback.  Antonio Gibson, on the other hand, has talent but appears to be a player who lacks the vision to be a consistent interior threat on first and second down.  McKissic does what he does very well, which is to be a threat in the passing game and running out on the edge.  Jonathan Williams takes over for Jaret Patterson as the new principal backup.  He looked very solid in limited time this preseason.

Steve’s week 1 grade: D+

Tight ends:

TE1: Logan Thomas

TE2: John Bates

TE3: Cole Turner

TE3: Armani Rogers

Remarkably, it’s possible Logan Thomas may actually be recovered enough from his ACL tear suffered in early December to play in week 1.  Hopefully the team isn’t rushing him back.  If he’s truly healthy, it’s a major boon for Washington’s offense, as he proved himself to be a plus-level option in the passing game.  John Bates, about to start his second year, is another fairly good overall tight end who may develop into a solid pro.  Cole Turner is principally known as a passing threat, so the team has high expectations for him, particularly in comparison to his draft status.  Armani came out of nowhere as a 2022 undrafted free agent from Ohio to be someone who, in my view, was the biggest surprise of the offseason.  In my view, he has a future as a solid professional in the NFL.

Steve’s week 1 grade: A- (assuming Thomas’ health; otherwise, C+)