Washington: Is the Offseason Optimism Valid?

May 23, 2025

by David Earl

The 2024 Hangover

Last season exceeded many expectations, as Washington, led by rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, made a memorable run to the NFC Championship game. Finishing the season 12-5 after an abysmal 4-13 record in the 2023 season. Today, there exists a level of euphoria this fanbase has not had in quite some time as Washington appears to have not only a franchise quarterback but a player many are saying is already one of the top players in the NFL. While I am very excited about Daniels’ future, this will be his second season and defensive coordinators have the entire offseason to study his film. What I do not align with is that Daniels won’t have a “Sophomore Slump,” and he is about to take the league by storm. There will be tendencies discovered in Daniels’ game and defenses will begin to exploit these to limit his on-field effectiveness. Will he have a C.J. Stroud-type slump? I believe that he will not, as his intellectual approach to the position, along with his preparation, will allow him to adjust relatively quickly. He takes a very methodical approach to the game and does a great job forgetting the last play to move on to the next. Did Washington do enough, especially in the trenches, this offseason to warrant the level of enthusiasm I have seen thus far?

The Offensive Line

Last season, this offensive line group looked far more improved, due to Daniels‘ play more so than anything else. Per Stathead, Daniels had an average time in pocket of 2.4 seconds, ranked 8th in the NFL, while being the 6th most sacked quarterback, with 47. After facing 153 total blitzes this season, he was under pressure 18.5% of the time, hurried 36 times, and hit 28 times. Put this into perspective: Sam Howell also had 2.4 seconds in the pocket last season but faced blitzes 181 times, finishing with 39 hurries, 57 hits, and a 22.7% pressure rate. Howell also finished the season with 65 sacks and 33 scrambles. There was not a great deal of improvement in the offensive line from the 2023 season to the 2024 season. The primary difference here was Daniels’ ability to sense the pressure in the pocket and scramble to make a play with his legs, often extending the pass play to allow the wide receiver more time.

The Laremy Tunsil trade plus adding Josh Conerly Jr. with the 29th overall selection affected the offensive line twofold. The fact that Washington found its franchise anchor at left tackle allows promising rookie lineman Brandon Coleman to move either to the right tackle position or the interior offensive line, which I believe is his most natural position. As the pass blocking will look to be vastly improved, the running game beyond Daniels’ 6.0 yards per carry average should get a much-needed boost. Washington’s leading runner was Brian Robinson Jr., who averaged 4.3 yards per carry.  Robinson’s average reflects a more accurate rating for that offensive line, thus being barely a top 16 unit in the running game. I’d personally like to see them bring in either J.K. Dobbins or Nick Chubb, if they are healthy, and bolster this group even more.

The offensive line has certainly undergone a complete makeover since Adam Peters came and the direction fuels much of the off-season optimism. Daniels should have every opportunity to be comfortable standing in the pocket, allowing him to go through his pass progressions. Although the running game lacks any true homerun threat or a complete three-down runner, the running game should take a good step forward. A potential wildcard in this position group is 7th-round selection Jacory Croskey-Merritt. He could ultimately be the steal of the draft as the film on Croskey-Merritt flashes plenty of potential.

Defense Against The Run

Last season, the run defense was Washington’s Achilles heel, and watching the ease with which opposing running backs sliced through Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen was very frustrating. They both are essentially the same players, being very good in pass rush but only about average against the run, as we saw in Washington’s 28th-ranked run defense. Now that Jonathan Allen has moved on, will the additions of Javon Kinlaw and Eddie Goldman be enough of an upgrade in the run game? Another player, Deatrich Wise, brings versatility to the defensive line by playing both interior and outside on the edge, but he is listed as a starter opposite Dorance Armstrong.

While Eddie Goldman will provide a valuable rotational piece, the big signing was Javon Kinlaw to a 3-year, $45 million deal with $30 million fully guaranteed that includes a $16.5 million signing bonus. Although Kinlaw has not lived up to his 14th overall selection in the 2020 draft, this was a move strictly based on his potential, as shown in his scouting report. He has elite physical traits and can control the line of scrimmage exceptionally well, but he does show a degree of inconsistency. His power on initial contact, accompanied by great quickness and lateral movement, was something I am sure Adam Peters and Dan Quinn wanted to attempt to harness. If they can get Kinlaw to produce at this level, this signing will prove to be outstanding.

The run defense in the trenches on paper may look to be improved but this has to translate on the field. The Philadelphia Eagles have the perfect formula, with Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis anchoring the center of the defensive line. Neither Daron Payne and Jer’Zhan Newton are at the talent level of Carter, but they can serve in that role to some degree of success. What Washington lacks in a player, Davis they hope Kinlaw can fill. There are just far too many “What Ifs” in this scenario, and I am not entirely confident that Washington is noticeably improved enough to make a significant improvement in stopping the run. Not replacing Dante Fowler off the edge will negatively affect the pass rush to a degree as well, which brings the front seven under potential scrutiny as a whole.

Conclusion

The offensive and defensive lines are where games are won, especially in the playoffs. The improvements on the offensive line, I believe, were very significant. The addition of a more dynamic running back would have been ideal, but the arrival of Deebo Samuel should help both Terry McLaurin in the passing game plus make the running game a little dynamic. Luke McCaffery will be an interesting piece in his second season, but I do not expect a great deal of production this season. Overall, the offense looks to be better this season and if Jayden Daniels can avoid a sophomore slump, the sky’s the limit.

The defense still holds more questions than answers, in my opinion. The defensive line appears to be more stout against the run, but Washington is banking on a player who has never reached his fullest potential, yet, in Javon Kinlaw, plus two additional journeyman defensive linemen. So yes, I still see Washington as a playoff team and a team that will have every opportunity to win because of Jayden Daniels. I just don’t think the idea of winning the division over the Philadelphia Eagles and a trip back to the NFC Championship game is a forgone conclusion in a very strong conference. Washington is heading in the right direction and will be in the Super Bowl conversation within a year or two, but in my opinion, any Super Bowl talk this season is premature.