NFL Offense Rankings: Commanders Seek 'Addition by Subtraction'

The Washington Commanders aren't known for their offense, but that will have to change if they wish to see the postseason this year.

Jeremy Brener | May 15, 2023

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Washington Commanders

The Washington Commanders offense has a lot of question marks going into the season, namely at the quarterback position.

Instead of signing a big name in free agency or drafting a promising rookie, the Commanders are sticking with second-year pro Sam Howell ... with support from veteran backup Jacoby Brissett if things go awry.

The Commanders' quarterback uncertainty, coupled with a shaky offensive line, place Washington at No. 25 in Bleacher Report's offense rankings.

"The Commanders' best hope for an improved offense is going to come from improved pass protection and addition by subtraction," Bleacher Report writes.

The team hopes that Carson Wentz and Taylor Heinicke's inconsistent play will no longer hold it back from reaching a new level. The Commanders were the only team in the NFC East last season to not make the Divisional Round, which will make things challenging in 2023, but not impossible to succeed.

In addition to the changes at the quarterback position, Washington also invested in restructuring its offensive line, signing Andrew Wylie to play tackle. The Commanders allowed 48 sacks in 2022, seventh-most in the league.

Ultimately, the saving grace for Washington is its skill players. Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson and Curtis Samuel form one of the best receiver trios in the league, while Antonio Gibson, Brian Robinson Jr. and sixth-round rookie Chris Rodriguez Jr. look to form a strong rushing attack.

If the offensive line can support the quarterback, he can allow his playmakers to do what they do best, and the Commanders should be far better than the 25th-best offense in the league.

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Published May 15, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.