One of ESPN's analytics gurus, Seth Walder, went through every NFL team's roster at pulled five core players who represent the most important players on the roster. With these five core playmakers – the guys each roster is theoretically built around – selected he ranked them headed into the 2023 season
So here are the five most important players ESPN listed for the Washington Commanders core: WR Terry McLaurin, DT Daron Payne, DT Jonathan Allen, DE Montez Sweat and DE Chase Young. Team 980's Kevin Sheehan took exception with one of the five making the cut.
Of course, Sheehan did not disagree with the first three names on Walder's list and said they could be put in any order as they were obviously the core of the Commanders. He also did not have any problem with Sweat making Washington's Top 5, either.
"I don't know, I don't think right now that they would count Chase Young as one of their five core players, or one of their five cornerstones or most important players that they're building around," Sheehan said. "So I would immediately take Chase Young off that list."
Sheehan did say that Young could crack a list of the 'most talented' players on Waashington's roster, but not cornerstones or core players or playmakers. "Maybe it will be the case next year when he does the list. Let's hope, fingers crossed," he added.
A player Sheehan would have considered: wide receiver Jahan Dotson. "If the quarterback play is OK, it's not gonna take long for us to realize that Jahan Dotson in year two was really a Grade A pick and maybe their best playmaker offensively," he said of the 16th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Some other names that could be considered: Brian Robinson and Antonio Gibson on offense and Kam Curl on defense.
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So where did the Commanders rank out of 32? Near the bottom at 28th, only beating out the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons and, last of all, Arizona Cardinals.
"I actually think that's way too low," Sheehan said, pointing out how New England at 27 with (QB Mac Jones, OLB Matthew Judon, S Kyle Dugger, OLB Josh Uche, G Mike Onwenu) and Tampa Bay at 26 (WR Mike Evans, OT Tristan Wirfs, CB Jamel Dean, DT Vita Vea, OLB Shaquil Barrett) were not better than Washington's core.
Of course, it is hard for Washington to be much higher than the bottom half of the league, Sheehan noted, because, without a quarterback who is top flight, it will be impossible to crack anything higher than 13 - 15 where teams QBd by Kirk Cousins, Geno Smith and Daniel Jones reside.
"Uncertainty at quarterback (and therefore, the lack of one on this list) dings Washington," Walder wrote.
And not having a quarterback is only part of the problem for Washington. The other is that they're in a division with Philadelphia at No. 3, Dallas at No. 6, and New York Giants at No. 15.
"You turn that around and you're in the top 15 next year with the same firs four players if Sweat comes back and Sam Howell if Sam Howell turns out to be legit," Sheehan said. "The whole team has a completely different outlook – the whole franchise does – if Sam Howell turns out to be legit."
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