NFL Analyst Gives 'Potential Surprise' For Commanders Season

Could the Washington Commanders running back duo put together a strong season?

Jul 25, 2024; Ashburn, VA, USA; Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler (30) carries the ball during day two of Commanders training camp at OrthoVirginia Training Center at Commanders Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports / Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Commanders are walking into the 2024 NFL season with a blank canvas. The new-look coaching staff and roster get to determine the floor and ceiling for the squad, with a potential franchise turnaround coming.

Plenty of additions were made to the squad, as rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels will officially take over the offense, with running back Austin Ekeler and wide receiver Noah Brown both adding a new dynamic on that side of the ball.

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Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury is in his first season with the organization, and he'll be able to pull the strings to put the talent together and make sure the on-field product is sharp.

With this, ESPN's Dan Graziano put together one "potential surprise" for each of the 32 NFL teams across the league just ahead of the regular season. For the Commanders, the potential surprise scenario is the combination of Ekeler and Brian Robinson securing 100 or more catches on the season.

"The Commanders are fired up about rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and believe he can have a big season as a thrower and a runner. But there are questions about the offensive line and the receiver group behind Terry McLaurin," Graziano wrote.

With the hype surrounding Daniels, the Commanders will do what's needed to ensure he can realize his potential with Washington. However, in the short term, they have to make do with what they have as they need to get a baseline of where the squad currently is.

"While rookie receiver Luke McCaffrey and rookie tight end Ben Sinnott work to get up to speed, expect Daniels to try to get the ball into the hands of his running backs and let them try to make plays with it," Graziano continued. "Robinson and Ekeler had 36 and 51 catches, respectively, last season."

Expect the Commanders and Kingsbury to get creative offensively, doing whatever it takes to ensure Daniels has a smooth first year, even if that means getting the ball to the running backs as much as possible.

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