Commanders Offense: 3 Most Important Players Outside QB

Despite missing five games in his rookie season, Washington Commanders receiver Jahan Dotson has proven his worth heading into year two.

The Washington Commanders surprised a good amount of people when they traded back in the 2022 NFL Draft with several good options available at the time. 

Receiver was one area many thought the Commanders might address with the pick, but instead they traded back with the New Orleans Saints who promptly scooped up Ohio State’s Chris Olave to boost their own receiving corps. 

Had Washington been tricked into passing on one of the best receivers in the class? 

No, as it turns out, Washington coach Ron Rivera and general manager Martin Mayhew took a calculated risk to stack draft capital and still get the guy they wanted.

That guy, and another they got later in the same draft are now two of the most important offensive players on this team in just their second seasons. 

Beginning with the receiver they did get, Jahan Dotson.

1. WR JAHAN DOTSON

To best explain Dotson’s value to the Commanders offense we took a look at the other starting receivers on the team, Terry McLaurin and Curtis Samuel.

In the 12 games Dotson played his rookie season McLaurin and Samuel’s average yards per pass attempt were lower than the five he missed. 

On the surface it may seem this means Dotson being off the field is better for the other two, but in reality it’s a sign of how taxed the Washington’s receivers became without their fellow starter on the field. 

Because while the yards per attempt went up, the target success rate went down significantly. 

Not just one or two percent, but nearly five percent for McLaurin and below 45 percent for Samuel.

With Dotson on the field he, McLaurin, and Samuel all had success rates over 50 percent, because defenses have to account for Dotson more than any other receiver outside of his two peers, and that makes life easier on the rest. 

Of course, the same data would likely be present for any of the three, but having that big an impact in year one is just one way of measuring the profound impact Dotson could have in year two.

2. RB BRIAN ROBINSON JR.

Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Robinson was another Commanders rookie forced to miss time, although his reason was much different than Dotson’s. 

Regardless, when he came back we saw several flashes of why Washington drafted him in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, and the team will need to see even more in year two. 

That’s because young quarterback Sam Howell is going to face nine defenses this season that were top 10 in either passing yards surrendered, interception rates, or sacks per pass attempts. 

It’s likely assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy will turn to the run game a bit more in those games to keep pressure off his young quarterback and force defenses to play him honest. 

However, of those nine matchups, six also present defenses that were top 12 against the run last season. 

Not just Robinson but all the running backs will need to play their parts well in those contests. Of course, they can’t do it alone.

3. OC NICK GATES

Matt Krohn, USA Today

In order for Howell to take advantage of Dotson’s ability, and for Robinson to keep opposing defenses on their toes, they’ll all need help from the offensive line. 

And if there’s one player we’re looking at the most when it comes to that unit’s success this season it’s new center, Nick Gates.

Gates came over this offseason from the New York Giants so he knows the NFC East Division well.

He also knows the value of aggressive play on the field and in having a sometimes nasty demeanor when it comes to interacting with opponents. 

Despite getting a relatively small amount of reps this preseason, Gates did draw one personal foul penalty because of his mean streak on the playing field. 

Fortunately, the defender he transgressed upon returned the favor and the result was offsetting penalties. 

Washington fans will love Gates' on-field personality, but they - and the team - will grow tired of it if it isn’t demonstrated in ways that help the team more than they hurt it. 

That’s where Gates will have to lean on his years of NFL experience, because as his reputation grows so too will the attention from officials on the field and attempt by opponents to get under his skin.

Howell is obviously the most important offensive player on the field, but everyone knows how critical the quarterback position is. 

When naming our top three for this exercise we went outside of that position to give you examples of guys who will not only benefit from Howell’s smart decisions on the field, but will also contribute to his ability to do so consistently. 

Consistency is what every offense craves, and if the Commanders find it this season they may just shock the NFL world after all.