Tag: Jamin Davis

Commanders decline LB Jamin Davis’ 5th-year option

Jamin Davis will be a free agent next March.

The Washington Commanders are declining linebacker Jamin Davis’ fifth-year option, per Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post.

Davis, the No. 19 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, will become a free agent next March.

In three NFL seasons, Davis has played in 45 games with 36 starts. Davis has recorded 269 tackles, including 20 for loss, 10 quarterback hits, seven sacks and one interception.

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Davis struggled as a rookie in 2021 but has improved in each of the past two seasons. However, with a new general manager (Adam Peters) and coach (Dan Quinn), Washington made significant investments at linebacker, signing Frankie Luvu and Bobby Wagner in free agency.

The former Kentucky star has also battled off-field issues. Davis faced two charges of reckless driving and is named as a defendant in a civil case along with cornerback Benjamin St-Juste and former safety Deshazor Everett that alleges the three were racing in Loudoun County. Everett crashed, and his girlfriend, Olivia Peters, was killed. Peters’ mother, Kathleen, filed the lawsuit late last year.

Commanders to host Kentucky linebacker on top 30 visit

The Commanders plan to host talented and athletic Kentucky linebacker on a top-30 visit.

Three years ago, the Washington Commanders spent a first-round pick on Kentucky linebacker Jamin Davis. Shortly after the 2024 NFL draft, the Commanders must decide whether to pick up Davis’ fifth-year option for 2025.

Washington will likely decline the option, and for good reason. Davis has yet to show that he can consistently be an impact player. Of course, the previous coaching staff did him no favors in fairness to Davis. But some of that falls on Davis, too.

The Commanders signed two starting linebackers in free agency — Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu — which likely means a more specialized role for Davis in 2024.

Washington also shown an interest in linebackers in this month’s 2024 NFL draft. Coincidentally enough, one of those linebackers comes from the University of Kentucky. According to Pro Football Network, the Commanders will host linebacker Trevin Wallace on a top-30 visit.

We’ve mentioned a trend with how the Commanders use their top 30 visits. Washington is looking for players with elite traits. Wallace is 6-foot-1 and 237 pounds, but he is a phenomenal athlete. If you watch his highlights, you see a bit of Davis in him. Both lacked consistency during their college careers at Kentucky.

New head coach Dan Quinn can be trusted more to use players to their strengths. Wallace is a good blitzer and is excellent from sideline to sideline.

Commanders have made no decision on LB Jamin Davis’ 5th-year option

Washington has yet to make a decision on LB Jamin Davis, although it looks fairly obvious.

The Washington Commanders have until after next month’s 2024 NFL draft to decide whether to exercise linebacker Jamin Davis’ fifth-year option for 2025.

According to general manager Adam Peters, he and head coach Dan Quinn have yet to decide on Davis.

In reality, what was he supposed to say? If the deadline was this week, there is no way that Washington picks up Davis’ fifth-year option. And nothing can change from now until after the draft to change their minds.

Through three NFL seasons, Davis, the No. 19 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, has yet to play up to his status as a first-round pick. After initially selecting Davis to be a middle linebacker, Washington’s former staff quickly realized he was a better fit on the outside.

Davis has had his share of moments. He’s improved each season, with his best season coming in 2023. Davis had his first career interception and forced two fumbles last season. However, new GM Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn went into free agency with the goal of improving at linebacker. The Commanders signed Frankie Luvu and Bobby Wagner, both of whom will start.

That tells you where they are with Davis — for now. If Washington doesn’t pick up the fifth-year option, that doesn’t mean he’s not included in its plans. The 2024 season is a turning point for Davis. Coaching was a real issue for all of Washington’s defensive players in recent years. That will not be an excuse moving forward. Quinn will determine what Davis does best and put him in a position to succeed.

The rest is up to Davis.

Commanders linebacker Jamin Davis pleads guilty to reckless driving

Jamin Davis resolves case, avoids jail time.

Washington Commanders linebacker Jamin Davis was scheduled to face a jury trial in Loudoun County (Va.) Circuit Court on Monday for a misdemeanor reckless driving charge. However, Davis’ attorney, Mark Dycio, resolved the matter on Friday, allowing Davis to avoid jail time.

Davis received 180 days of jail time, with all of it suspended. He will lose his driver’s license for six months and must pay a $2,500 fine plus court costs.

Davis was first charged with reckless driving in Dec. 2021 after going 89 mph in a 65 mph zone. In March 2022, Davis was arrested and charged with reckless driving after being clocked at 114 mph in a 45 mph zone.

He was later convicted of reckless driving and sentenced to 30 days in jail. Davis appealed the ruling, and last July reached an agreement where he would serve eight days in jail. However, the judge deemed the penalty too lenient leading to another agreement that was also rejected.

Davis, 25, was a first-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft and has played 45 games with 36 starts. He has 269 tackles, including 20 for loss, seven sacks and an interception. Davis has continued to improve in each of his three NFL seasons.

N.C State linebacker Payton Wilson would be an excellent fit for the Commanders

It’s all about the medicals for Wilson.

North Carolina State linebacker Payton Wilson was a phenomenal college player. Wilson played five seasons for the Wolfpack, improving every season until he became a household name in 2023.

During his final season for the Wolfpack, Wilson won the Butkus Award, the Chuck Bednarik Award, ACC Defensive Player of the Year and was a unanimous All-American.

He was ready for the NFL.

The on-field workouts at the 2024 NFL Combine began Wednesday, and Wilson stole the show. Measuring in at 6-foot-4, 233 pounds, Wilson looks like a starting NFL inside linebacker. When it came to the workouts, no defensive lineman or linebacker ran a faster 40-yard dash than Wilson on Thursday.

His final number came in at 4.43 seconds.

He crushed other workouts, too. For Wilson, he has the tape, experience, size and athleticism to be a dominant NFL linebacker. However, there is one knock against him: Injuries.

Wilson had two torn ACLs before he ever played a game in college and a season-ending shoulder injury in 2021. The medical concerns are real. Teams will view Wilson’s history differently. Wilson is a player NFL teams will want to visit with so they can get an even closer look at him. Some teams may take Wilson off their boards. He was completely healthy the past two seasons in college.

But there is so much to love about Wilson’s game. The on-field workouts match the tape. He plays fast. He is fast. His football IQ and ability to diagnose plays are off the charts. Wilson hits hard. He hustles. He is a respected leader. He is what a rebuilding team would love to have in the middle of their defense.

Enter the Washington Commanders. Under new head coach Dan Quinn, the Commanders aren’t going to neglect the linebacker position like the former staff. And general manager Adam Peters knows what an elite NFL inside linebacker looks like, as he drafted Fred Warner for the 49ers.

Could you imagine Wilson anchoring Washington’s defense? If the Commanders drafted Wilson to play inside, with Jamin Davis and another new addition on the outside, Washington’s linebacker corps would be the best it has been in years before ever playing a game.

Wherever Wilson lands, he’s an immediate contender to be NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. He’s ready to help an NFL team on day one.

Is that team Washington? So much will depend on how the Commanders feel about his medicals. It seems unlikely that a new regime would bet heavily on a player with injury questions.

Wilson is a player who could end Washington’s struggles at inside linebacker as soon as he steps foot in the building.

6 Commanders’ players who will benefit the most from a coaching change

These players will benefit from Washington’s coaching changes.

The Washington Commanders look a lot different now than they did one month ago. Sure, the roster hasn’t changed yet, but beginning with new general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn, Washington’s vision is beginning to take shape.

The day after Quinn’s hiring became official, we learned who would lead the Commanders’ offense and defense. Washington hired former Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury as offensive coordinator, while Joe Whitt Jr. followed Quinn from Dallas to be his defensive coordinator.

Quinn’s coordinator hirings drew praise from around the league.

From their responses on social media, some Washington players appear to be happy with the coaching moves.

We look at six players who will benefit the most from the coaching moves.

Will the Commanders exercise LB Jamin Davis’ 5th-year option?

Should the Commanders exercise Jamin Davis’ 5th-year option?

One year ago, the Washington Commanders had a massive decision: Whether or not to pick up defensive end Chase Young’s fifth-year option for 2024.

That notion seemed silly at one time, but injuries and a lack of production made Washington’s decision a relatively easy one. The Commanders declined Young’s fifth-year option and traded him during the season to the San Francisco 49ers for a 2024 third-round draft pick.

This year, new general manager Adam Peters has another decision to make. This time, it’s regarding 2021 first-round pick Jamin Davis. It’s safe to say Peters likely will not struggle with that decision.

Through three seasons, Davis has played in 45 games with 36 starts and recorded 269 tackles, including 20 for loss, 10 QB hits, seven sacks, two forced fumbles, and one interception. Davis struggled as a rookie when Washington selected him to play Mike linebacker. However, it didn’t take long for the Commanders to move him back outside, and he showed improvement.

Davis had his best season in 2023 before a shoulder injury ended his campaign after 13 games.

NFL.com recently examined all 32 first-round picks from the 2021 NFL draft and predicted whether their fifth-year option would be exercised.

Here’s what was said about Davis:

Exercise the option? No.

I loved Davis coming out of Kentucky and thought he’d be a huge contributor behind a once-stacked Commanders defensive line. But that never came to fruition, and he is currently recovering from season-ending shoulder surgery. Plus, with Washington bringing in a new regime this offseason, the team is most likely to let Davis play out his fourth season before re-evaluating whether it wants to keep the former first-rounder for 2025 and beyond.

We agree. While Davis has shown flashes and improved each season, the bar has been lowered. Peters has drafted some good linebackers in his previous stops, so Davis can play himself into Washington’s future plans with a strong 2024 season.

It will be interesting to see Davis play for a new defensive staff.

Commanders new GM Peters on roster: ‘We have a lot of work to do’

What does Adam Peters think of Washington’s current roster?

At his introductory press conference on Tuesday, new Commanders GM Adam Peters was asked a direct question: “I wonder what you think of the current roster?”

Peters gave his reply, and those listening closely should have discerned this guy was not giving some ‘Pollyanna’ response on his first day before the home-team media.

“I believe there’s a few cornerstone pieces in this roster. I believe we have a lot of work to do. And that’s just evaluating everybody, and that’s going to start with the coaches when the coaches come in.”

“We will hire a head coach and sit down with the personnel department, evaluate everything and figure out where we need to be. That’s an on-going process I’ve started a little bit. But we have a lot of work to do.”

Did you catch what he said? He did not say there are “many” significant players on the roster. Nor did he say “several”. He used the description “few.” It was followed immediately by “I believe we have a lot of work to do,” and he also closed that response with, “But we have a lot of work to do.”

Bookends, in his response, pointed to the fact that the Commanders have a lot of work to do with their roster. Not merely in general but in the context of their roster. And Peters is altogether correct.

Ron Rivera was the head coach and head of personnel decisions regarding the draft. Rivera’s four first-round draft choices were Chase Young (2020), Jamin Davis (2021), Jahan Dotson (2022) and Emmanuel Forbes (2023).

Doesn’t that speak volumes? With Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert available, Rivera wanted Young in 2020. Then, the last three first-round choices were all reaches, being selected earlier than projected.

Not a single player of Rivera’s four first-round choices has proven they were worthy of a first-round choice. It may be that they will, but for now, they clearly have not.

Peters was absolutely correct and direct concerning the current roster.

He does have a lot of work to do.

Jamin Davis, Benjamin St-Juste are named in wrongful death lawsuit

Davis and St-Juste, along with former Washington safety Deshazor Everett were named in a wrongful death lawsuit from a 2021 fatal car crash.

Washington Commanders linebacker Jamin Davis and cornerback Benjamin St-Juste were named in a wrongful death lawsuit filed on Dec. 22 in the Loudoun County (Va.) Circuit Court.

Kathleen Peters filed a $25 million wrongful death lawsuit against Davis, St-Juste, former Washington safety Deshazor Everett and another friend, Shadidul Islam, alleging the football players were racing their cars in an accident that killed Peters’ daughter, Olivia, on Dec. 23, 2021. Olivia Peters was the fiance of Everett, who played for Washington from 2015-21.

Everett was charged with involuntary manslaughter in Feb. 2022 and released by Washington afterward. Everett pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of reckless driving and was sentenced to three months of house arrest. Davis and St-Juste weren’t charged in the accident.

Here are more details from the suit, per Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post.

The lawsuit alleges that Everett, St-Juste and Davis, who were all on Washington’s roster at the time, planned that evening “to ‘show off’ and race their cars on the public roads.” According to the lawsuit, Everett’s car was equipped with nitrous oxide, which can boost a car’s horsepower and is illegal in Virginia, along with racing tires and a roll cage. Davis drove a McLaren, and St-Juste drove a customized Audi A6.

The suit claims the three met at an auto shop in Loudoun County owned by fellow defendant Shahidul Islam, then went driving. Everett had a GoPro Camera attached to his car, recording the events. According to the suit, the defendants “drove at high rates of speed well in excess of the posted speed limits,” “changed lanes erratically and without signaling,” “crossed over double yellow lines and drove in the opposite lane of traffic” and “raced each other on multiple occasions.”

Olivia Peters, 29, was from Rockville, Md., and worked as an occupational therapist.

Davis was charged with reckless driving just days before the crash in a separate incident. Three months later, Davis was again charged with reckless driving after allegedly going 114 mph in a 45 mph zone. He was initially convicted and sentenced to 30 days in jail but appealed and is awaiting another hearing which is scheduled for March.

Davis and St-Juste are both in their third NFL season and were a part of Washington’s 2021 NFL draft class.

Commanders LB Khaleke Hudson again showing his value

When Khaleke Hudson gets an opportunity, he usually delivers, and that’s again the case.

Khaleke Hudson has been down this road previously.

The former Michigan Wolverine linebacker has played hard for four seasons on special teams but has gotten little chance to play on the defensive side of the ball.

Last week against the Jets, Hudson was graded by Pro Football Focus (PFF) to have recorded an 82.5. The significance of this was it meant Hudson graded out as the highest Commanders defensive player for the game.

Following Hudson was Kendall Fuller (78.0), Jonathan Allen (76.0), Percy Butler (73.5), Emmanuel Forbes (70.2) and David Mayo (69.7).

While Ron Rivera’s linebackers have struggled for much of the season, Hudson’s defensive snaps have remained peculiarly quite low.

Cody Barton was brought in to replace free agent Cole Holcomb who signed with Pittsburgh. But Barton often struggled. Several of us asked at various times this season why was Hudson again being relegated to special teams primarily?

Most often, the Commanders coaches determined to not play the two most athletic linebackers. So Hudson again found himself not even seeing a single defensive snap in four games. And then, in three other games, he saw only 1, 8 and 6 defensive snaps.

This is the same Hudson who coaches limited to a grand total of five defensive snaps in 2022 going into the season finale against Dallas. That day he was permitted to play all 67 defensive snaps making 7 tackles.

With two games remaining, Hudson is playing more now, being given six defensive starts. He has made 50 tackles, 2 quarterback hits, 1 quarterback sack and 2 tackles for a loss.

Hudson enjoyed a big game last week against the Jets with 8 solo tackles and two passes defended. He was also in on 7 assisted tackles.