The Washington Commanders kick off the 2022 regular season against the Jacksonville Jaguars from FedEx Field. For Washington, it’s been a long offseason for many headlines off the field. The biggest headline related to Washington’s roster was the acquisition of quarterback Carson Wentz.
In Ron Rivera’s first two seasons as head coach, Washington won seven games each season. Washington surprisingly won seven games and the NFC East in 2020 before finishing with a disappointing 7-10 record in 2021.
With an upgrade at quarterback for 2022, can the Commanders win more than seven games for the first time in Rivera’s tenure?
NFL.com’s analytics expert, Cynthia Frelund, recently previewed the 2022 season and predicted win totals for every team using her formula. Where did Washington land in Frelund’s projections?
Frelund’s projects give the Commanders 7.8 wins. That’s not enough for a playoff spot and third in the NFC East behind the Eagles and Cowboys.
Ceiling: 9.2
Floor: 6.2
FanDuel over/under: 8.5
Terry McLaurin earns more than 1,000 receiving yards in 54.4 percent of simulations and at least 1,100 yards 52 percent of the time, with his most likely TD number being seven. This makes him WR15 — with upside — in my fantasy model.
Frelund’s floor and ceiling appear on target with what many believe the Commanders can accomplish in 2022 with Wentz under center. So much depends on Wentz. If he plays to his talent level and cuts down on some of the head-scratching mistakes, Washington can win more than nine games.
As we’ve stated time and again, the Commanders’ 2022 season is about a bunch of ifs, with Wentz being the biggest.
