PFF names two free-agent targets for the Commanders in 2023
The top of the 2022 NFL season is right here for 28 NFL groups. Meaning these groups are both filling out teaching staffs or waiting for free company and the 2023 NFL draft.
The Washington Commanders season ended two weeks in the past. Washington promptly fired offensive coordinator Scott Turner and instantly turned to offseason preparation.
No matter any teaching workers adjustments, the Commanders have some holes to fill on the roster in 2023. Washington has some notable free brokers in defensive deal with Daron Payne, quarterback Taylor Heinicke and linebacker Cole Holcomb. The Commanders are anticipated to use the franchise tag to Payne if the 2 sides don’t comply with a deal over the subsequent a number of weeks.
Outdoors of the plain want at quarterback, Washington has wants on the offensive line, cornerback and linebacker. Probably the most urgent want is the offensive line. The Commanders struggled in move safety final season, and they’re particularly weak at guard.
Professional Soccer Focus has begun waiting for free company. In doing so, they named one offensive and defensive free agent that every one 32 NFL groups ought to pursue in March.
No shock, PFF went with an offensive lineman for the Commanders in Nate Davis of Tennessee.
The 6-foot-3, 316-pound Davis was a third-round pick of Charlotte by the Tennessee Titans in 2019. Since his entry into the NFL, the 26-year-old Davis has performed in 55 video games via 4 seasons, with 54 begins. Davis grew to become a starter in Week 4 of his rookie season and by no means regarded again.
He has missed 11 profession video games on account of harm. One thing of notice, Davis is a local of Ashburn, Va., the place the Commanders’ headquarters are situated, and was a high-school teammate of star defensive deal with Jonathan Allen.
Davis is coming off the very best season of his profession, along with his 70.6 general grade his high mark via 4 seasons and his 66.8 pass-blocking grade in 2022 nearly a 15-point improve over his earlier excessive. Davis completed the 2022 season on injured reserve on account of an ankle harm however is predicted to make a full restoration.
Veteran proper guard Trai Turner struggled in 2022, along with his 53.0 grade rating sixty fourth out of 78 qualifying guards. The Commanders would profit from an injection of youth to their getting older and injury-battered inside offensive line, regardless of who the quarterback finally is in 2023.
The Titans have the kind of operating recreation Washington desires to emulate, and signing their dependable proper guard could be a sensible transfer for the Commanders.
Defensively, PFF has the Commanders linebacker T.J. Edwards.
The Philadelphia Eagles signed Edwards as an undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin in 2019. He took over because the everlasting starter at one of many linebacker spots and has remained there since. In 4 seasons, Edwards has appeared in 61 video games, making 47 begins.
The largest query mark on the Commanders protection heading into 2022 was who would play center linebacker alongside 2021 first-round decide Jamin Davis, which stays the largest query mark on the protection heading into 2023. With potential large cash extensions on the way in which for inside defender Daron Payne and edge defender Montez Sweat, to not point out Chase Younger, it might be powerful for Washington to spend on a premier off-ball linebacker free agent, however Edwards could be an enormous addition for this Commanders protection.
Edwards was lastly trusted with a real three-down position beginning in Week 8 of 2021, and since then, his 88.5 grade is the highest mark amongst off-ball linebackers. Edwards was one in all simply 4 linebackers in 2022 to earn grades above 75.0 in each run protection and protection, and the previous undrafted free agent in 2019 should still not have a brilliant robust market this offseason with simply 1.5 seasons as an every-down starter. All proof now we have to this point signifies he can proceed to play at a particularly excessive degree going ahead, and he deserves a powerful multi-year deal that displays that.
Edwards taking part in inside with Davis on the surface would give the Commanders a pair of athletic linebackers behind their excellent defensive position. For Washington, it might be all about the price. With the Eagles needing to pay quarterback Jalen Hurts, it stays to be seen how large of a precedence Edwards might be within the offseason.