10 random thoughts about the Commanders' 2022 season originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
While it feels like at times that training camp just began, the reality is that the Commanders’ 2022 season is over.
So, after following the team on a day-to-day basis, Pete Hailey wants to share his thoughts — some timely, some random — about the year as a whole. He’s got a lot of them, too, all of which can be found below…
- I’m pledging to do my best in the coming months to remember that Sam Howell has completed just 11 passes in his career, because I fear that as his debut drifts more and more into the past, his impact against the Cowboys will only be exaggerated. However. HOWEVER. HOWEVER. The best path forward, at least immediately, might be for Washington to try and become a Niners Lite sort of club, where the rest of the roster is so strong that a less-heralded signal-caller can ably lead the way. With Carson Wentz surely done and Taylor Heinicke perhaps seeking new employment, the money that’ll be devoted to quarterback with Howell and a couple of new faces (and without a major veteran acquisition) would be rather scant, which would allow Ron Rivera and the front office to spend everywhere else. A Howell-led unit with a fortified group of blockers and more help at tight end would pair nicely with a defense that could be rounded out with another linebacker and some secondary depth. Rivera, whose seat is hot and who may be answering to a new owner soon, might prefer to find a more proven option instead of Howell, yet to me, copying San Fran’s present model is more appealing than sinking more resources into a plan that essentially boils down to, “Let’s cross our fingers and toes that this vet gets his act together.” In that scenario, Howell can show whether he’s worth building around or a new regime will get to start over in 2024.
- Daron Payne was very curt in his end-of-year media scrum about his future with the franchise. “I just want what I earned,” the defensive tackle said. Well, after registering 11.5 sacks, he’s earned a ton. Will the lone NFL squad he’s ever known be willing to give him that? Is the franchise tag in play? Or will Payne be pursuing quarterbacks somewhere else in 2023? It’s one of the primary decisions facing the Commanders this offseason, and my lean is that, unless the tag is deployed, Payne will depart. The 25-year-old seems quite interested in cashing out (there’s no fault in that, either) and the organization already paid Jonathan Allen and also has potential deals with Montez Sweat and Chase Young to consider. Plus, here’s one (possibly silly) thing I keep coming back to: Payne’s locker this season was separated from the rest of the D-line and he rarely, if ever, moseyed on over to join his fellow members of the front to chat or hang out. That and the 2021 punch that was thrown by Allen in Payne’s direction leads me to believe that Payne isn’t necessarily super tight with his peers and therefore not desperate to make it work here like a more dialed-in player would be. If he’s not forced to stick around via the tag, I bet he doesn’t stick around at all.
- While discussing pass rushers, Young’s brief contributions in his three outings were promising. He didn’t log any splashy stats or create any remarkable highlights and that obviously would’ve been a welcome sight. Regardless, he seemed plenty strong — especially when battling with Trent Williams — and more willing to rush with discipline. Him getting that experience was invaluable and will hopefully set him up to come bursting out of the gates in 2023. It’s not overdoing it to suggest that he has a chance to be the team’s most crucial “addition” between now and their opener in the fall.
- Before Tua Tagovailoa’s concussions, Miami’s Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle represented the league’s most indefensible pair of receivers. Now, I’m not saying Washington can replicate Hill and Waddle’s production because Hill is more explosive than a Michael Bay movie and Waddle is barely a tier below him, but I do believe Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson have a chance to be a dominant duo in their own right. McLaurin’s skills are well-known at this juncture and Dotson’s rookie numbers fail to fully speak to how awesome he was in his initial campaign. What I appreciate about the Dolphins is they knew what they had in Hill and Waddle and targeted them over and over and over… and over. Why spread the ball around to others when the ball is at its most dangerous in the hands of two wideouts? I’d like this outfit to develop that attitude when it comes to McLaurin and Dotson (while keeping Curtis Samuel involved, of course). I’m not exactly holding my breath that this run-first crew will opt to listen to this idea, but I do know that, in my mind, there’s no limit to how many passes McLaurin and Dotson should see.
- The way Sam Cosmi was utilized in 2022 was flat-out bizarre and it appeared to take a bit of a toll on Cosmi himself. When his ping-ponging from right tackle to right guard/rotation at right tackle with Cornelius Lucas was brought up during locker clean-out day, Cosmi said he had no idea for the reasoning behind it “to be completely honest”. The ex-second-rounder has to be more available as injuries have significantly limited his participation so far as a pro, but still, he’s one of the few possible building blocks the Commanders have on the O-line and his position ought to be figured out once and for all by September.
- At long last, it appears that the defense has found itself two safeties that are — this is a technical phrase, so prepare yourself — good at football. Kam Curl and Darrick Forrest are a fantastic combo on the back end thanks first and foremost to their versatility. On top of that overlapping quality, the two complement each other in other areas; Curl is adept near the line of scrimmage and can lock up tight ends in pass coverage, while Forrest can fly around in the deeper parts of the field and displayed a proclivity for creating turnovers in his breakout effort in 2022. The most encouraging part of all this? Curl and Forrest will each only be 24 by Week 1 of 2023. Watching them grow further individually and together is going to be a joy.
- The Dax Milne experiment at punt returner frankly should’ve never started and definitely shouldn’t continue. Milne is a quiet and unassuming guy in the locker room and, unfortunately, that’s how he is on special teams as well. His best return in 2022 — on 40 tries, mind you — spanned 19 yards, while his average runback failed to exceed eight yards. Find someone better. Please.
- The extremely disappointing finish to the season understandably overshadowed many smaller storylines, and though this one is incredibly small, I do want to highlight what Danny Johnson did at corner down the stretch. The corner tallied multiple pass breakups in four of Washington’s final five contests, which is downright impressive. There are holes behind Kendall Fuller and Benjamin St-Juste and Johnson, who’s a pending free agent, is worth keeping. The man simply played his ass off when pushed into regular duty on the outside.
- It is on me as a journalist to repeatedly remind you that Tress Way, who’s an excellent person to boot (haha, get it?), is a legitimate asset for the Commanders. The specialist’s second Pro Bowl berth is deserved: 44.6% of his punts came down inside of his opponent’s 20-yard line, a mark that represents the second-best of his career, and he (quasi-) caused three muffed catches. Highlighting a punter in the NFL can at times take on an ironic tone, though there’s nothing goofy about Way’s achievements.
- To close, when I look back on this year, my mind will first travel to the visitors’ locker room in Philadelphia on the Monday night that Washington upset the once-undefeated Eagles. The energy in that place — Jeremy Reaves was rapping on a stool, Jon Bostic was rapidly flicking the lights on and off and a handful of Instagram Lives were being recorded simultaneously — was outrageous and undoubtedly the peak of the schedule. In that moment, complaints about Dan Snyder, FedEx Field, Rivera and every other issue relating to the team weren’t on anyone’s mind. Instead, the focus was merely on soaking up the euphoria of an unforeseen victory, as it is with the game’s premier operations. Ultimately, that win didn’t act as a launching point for the Commanders. Even so, it showed what’s possible when they do find success, and that flicker of hope is why so many remain so invested in this exhausting bunch.
