As Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera looks for answers from his defense, he’s seen improvements from some over the first three games of the season.
Second-year linebacker Jamin Davis struggled as a rookie in 2021. The first-round pick was expected to be Washington’s middle linebacker, but coaches quickly realized Davis was better on the outside. So instead of spending resources on upgrading at linebacker in the offseason, Washington was counting on improvements from Davis.
After the Week 1 win over Jacksonville, defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio criticized Davis, saying he had a “so-so” performance in the victory.
“Jamin was just okay in the game,” Del Rio said at the time. “I think he practiced better throughout the offseason. It was just a so-so performance. I think he’ll do better as the year goes on.”
Rivera was asked about Del Rio’s comments and seemingly agreed.
Were the coaches putting Davis on notice, or was this a way of continuing to push the young linebacker to reach his potential?
Either way, it seems to have worked, as Davis has been better in Washington’s last two games.
Rivera specifically mentioned Davis on Wednesday.
A guy that’s kind of like we say, just kind of soaking up the gravy has been Jamin [Davis] in terms of the add-ons,” Rivera said. “You know, he’s seeing opportunities to go in and make a play, and he’s stepped up. That’s been a big deal for us, but we gotta have more of it. We just gotta continue to work at it.”
This isn’t a case of Rivera attempting to motivate Davis by praising him. The tape doesn’t lie. Davis is improving each week, and that’s good for the long-term prospects of Washington’s defense.
