Tag: Edge Jamin Davis

Logan Paulsen responds to Commanders trading Jahan Dotson

The former Washington TE offers some excellent insight into the trade.

Logan Paulsen is level-headed, reasonable, and really attempts to be fair when evaluating Commanders’ personnel, coaching, and management.

So, what did the former Redskins tight end have to say upon learning the Commanders had traded Jahan Dotson?

Paulsen chatted with Craig Hoffman (The Team 980) an hour following the trade. Here are some selected quotes from Paulsen.

“I wasn’t really surprised. I think a lot of people are surprised when I say that.”

“I like Jahan as a person. I like some of the stuff he does as a receiver. Obviously, I was very high on him coming out in the draft. However, when you watch him, compared to the rest of the receivers in the room, there just seems to be a lack of urgency at times.”

“When you look at his production through practice and through the games, is he really offering that much more than a guy like Luke McCaffrey, who you brought in? When you talk about Luke McCaffrey, one thing you will never say about him is that he’s not urgent. He is one of the most urgent and deliberate players I think I’ve seen as a rookie.”

“This is just my opinion, I haven’t talked to anybody in the building about this specifically. But it appeared to me that Jahan was not engaging with the new culture, the way the other players we just mentioned are and have done (Jamin Davis, Emmanuel Forbes, Phidarian Mathis, McCaffrey).”

“This is a tough thing because I think we all have become fans of Jahan. We all wanted to see him succeed. I was really high on him coming out. But I do think in terms of watching practice and watching the games, it didn’t seem like it was working out for whatever reason.”

Here is the video of the entire discussion.

Some surprising Commanders raise questions

Some success stories this summer raise questions.

With one final preseason game to go, some roster spots will be settled against the Patriots on Sunday.

There have been some disappointments for the Commanders but also some pleasant surprises thus far.

Did any of us expect Dyami Brown to be passing Jahan Dotson in training camp? Probably not anyone saw that coming. Did you notice Jayden Daniels went to Brown twice early on the first drive against the Dolphins?

Speaking of Daniels, he has certainly been better than expected, and don’t forget Jeff Driskel. He has made enough plays in the first two games; he raises the question, would they keep him now?

I was certain that Chris Rodriguez would be the third running back. He ran really hard last season and was physical. But Michael Wiley has looked good enough both weeks that he has me wondering: Might he be the third running back?

Jamin Davis has made plays learning a new position. And this isn’t simply a different linebacker position. No, he is down on the edge doing battle every snap against huge offensive tackles. That is quite a transition, and he only weighs 234. Has he done enough?

Tyler Owens was an undrafted safety who had transferred from Texas and made the CFP to Texas Tech. He has grabbed the attention of viewers in both preseason weeks. There is depth at safety. So, if Owens makes the roster, whom does he replace?

Olamide Zaccheaus was brought here simply to be a camp route runner for the reps and preseason games. At least, that was what I thought in April. He had a 19-yard punt return and a nice reception negated by a penalty, no fault of his. Might he be a receiver/punt returner on opening day?

When camp began, I thought Tariq Catro-Fields was gone. But he played some good man coverage last week, which made me wonder if some good coverage against the Patriots might get him a spot.

That was Colson Yankoff you might have noticed really hustling on some special teams efforts against the Dolphins. He is only 225 at tight end, but could his special teams efforts be the deciding factor for him?

 

Several Commanders defenders must stand out vs. Dolphins

Some defensive players who need to stand out against the Dolphins.

It’s not too complicated; who was the worst defense in the NFL last season?

For starters, the Commanders gave up the most in the entire league, surrendering 518 points.

If that is not enough, the Commanders surrendered 6,612 yards, and the closest to Washington was the Bengals, with 6,368. Imagine giving up 5.9 yards every play, and that’s just what the Commanders did, second only to the Bengals, who surrendered 6.0.

The passing defense was so bad that it gave up 4,447 passing yards (dead last) and 39 passing touchdowns, again, dead last.

Saturday against the Dolphins, some returning players are going to need to stand up and frankly show they want to make the 53-man roster. So, let’s start by looking up front at who needs to make a good impression.

Defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis was a second-round Ron Rivera selection (2022), and he needs some good tape soon. Returning ends KJ Henry and Andre Jones, chosen by Rivera in 2023, need to make some plays if they are to convince coaches not to replace them.

Not to be overlooked is defensive end Clelin Ferrell. He was not drafted by Rivera but signed by Adam Peters as a free agent. Amazingly, the Raiders selected him 4th overall in 2019. Yet, he only received a one-year deal from the Commanders that no one else was looking to better. Ferrell needs to show Dan Quinn and Peters he can play effectively, producing a pass rush on the edge.

Then there is Jamin Davis. He is going to see time again at defensive end. Davis made some nice plays against the run while also giving up a big run of 20 yards. He has also been working with assistant coach Ryan Kerrigan, attempting to learn and develop some pass-rushing moves.

Peters said he had a lot of work to do when he took the job, rebuilding the roster. It’s up to these players to step up and keep their jobs and their place in the NFL.

 

Some Commanders’ bright spots against the Jets

We look at some of the Commanders’ bright spots vs. the Jets.

The Commanders lost to the Jets on Saturday, 20-17, at MetLife Stadium.

However, what were some of the bright spots?

Jeff Driskel

Third quarterback Jeff Driskel made some nice plays, passing and running. He completed 7 of 15 passes for 87 yards, with a 16-yard run. Was Driskel the second-best quarterback for Washington on Saturday?

Ben Sinnott

Rookie tight end Ben Sinnott and Driskel hooked up for the longest gain on Saturday. It was a 44-yard pass, and Sinnott demonstrated that he might be a tough ball carrier to bring down in the regular season. Sinnott finished with three receptions on three targets for 57 yards.

Jamin Davis

Jamin Davis knew he needed to make some plays. When he first entered the game, he made two stops on running plays, with the runs totaling only three yards. He displayed quickness and energy on the edge. There was one play where he decided to battle OT (Fashanu) and did not seal the edge, resulting in a 24-yard run.

Dyami Brown

Dyami Brown was covered well, yet he made a nice catch for a 42-yard gain. Later, Brown made another nice catch for 13 yards from Driskel. Brown is in his fourth year and the first three have been disappointments. This was a good start for him today if he is to make this team in 2024.

Cole Turner/John Bates

Did you see tight end Cole Turner on Daniels’ touchdown run? Turner lined up on the right side and drove his man to the back of the end zone. Tight end John Bates also took care of his man. Daniels was able to jog in for the score because these two did such a good job on the play.

Tyler Owens

Punt return coverage is a place where players can make an impression with their hustle and or a tackle. Such was the case today for undrafted safety Tyler Owens (Texas Tech). He is 6-foot-2, 213 pounds.

Tress Way

Also, there was a punt return that started right; the returner then reversed his field all the way left, and there was Tress Way. He came up and made the nice, clean tackle. I noticed the bench really reacted to Way’s tackle/effort. Don’t you know the coaches loved that as well when an older punter is hustling?