Legal Tampering: 3 Free Agents Commanders Need to Sign After Quiet Day 1
The Washington Commanders had undeniable holes in their roster last season, but running back wasn't one of them. They got production from Antonio Gibson and his pass-catching backup, J.D. McKissic.
Washington would certainly welcome McKissic back next year with open arms, but we all know how free agency works. Especially for a player who produced as McKissic did before his injury.
McKissic will certainly garner interest from around the league, and the Commanders should have a contingency plan for the position.
That plan should be Darrel Williams.
Last season in Kansas City, Williams was given an opportunity to excel due to the injury to Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and excel he did. And the timing couldn't have been more perfect for him as he enters free agency.
There are a lot of pass catchers in the Chiefs offense, and somehow Williams was able to catch 47 passes, compared to McKissic's 43 in the 11 games he played in 2021. And Williams may offer even more to a struggling Commanders offense.
Williams is a better blocker and pass protector than McKissic, something that Washington should be looking to improve to protect its new signal-caller.
As of Tuesday, the Commanders will have to fill a new hole on the offensive line as free agent Brandon Scherff appears headed to Jacksonville.
Washington has some options on its current roster, but with the way the line played as a whole last season, an outsider would be more of an upgrade.
And that upgrade might be Andrew Norwell.
Norwell started all 17 games for the Jaguars last season, something Scherff hasn't done in Washington since 2016. What's more, Norwell committed just two penalties last season. While it might be hard to consider anyone could be an upgrade over Scherff, Norwell might be as close as one would come.
He's probably not the All-Pro that he once was, but at 30, he's still got a few good years left, especially with his lack of injury history. He could bring something to the Washington offensive line that it hasn't had in a while, stability.
Now let's turn our attention to the disappointing defense from last season. A lot of that disappointment was due to injuries and COVID protocols, as linebacker Jon Bostic missed time due to injury, linebacker Cole Holcomb was inconsistent throughout the year, and rookie Jamin Davis didn't earn very much playing time.
There is an option for Washington here too, in Jayon Brown.
Since coming into the league with the Titans in 2017, Brown has shown to be one of the better coverage linebackers, an area the Commanders need to improve on from last season. He has had some injury issues the last three seasons and seems to have fallen out of favor with Titans' coach Mike Vrabel, but sometimes a change of locker rooms and team colors can motivate a player to improve.
Brown could help a Washington defense that ranked near the bottom of the league in pass defense last season and would immediately step in and be the best coverage linebacker on the team. He's just 27 and still has a lot of developing to do, and coach Ron Rivera could be the guy to help Brown reach that next level of play in Washington.
The Commanders have needs all over the football field, and while none of these signings drastically change the direction of the team, they are small moves that inch the team closer to where it needs to be.
