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SNIDER: Commanders facing the great unknown

By Rick SniderSep 06, 2024

Eight months after another franchise reboot, rebuild or recalibration, the Washington Commanders open the season on Sunday wondering how good they are.

"Anytime you come in and it's a new staff overall," said Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, "new offensive staff, the way they bought in, the way they've worked. I'm just anxious to watch it all come together and see what they can do. I think that's the biggest thing.

"We practiced for a long time together and put a bunch of different pieces together, a bunch of guys from all over the league coming together to see how good we can be and I'm just excited to see what that looks like."

Probably not good enough to start 1-0 with a victory at Tampa Bay. But, hopefully, 3-3 in October when the offseason moves finally come together. And maybe 9-8 for a wild card slot when the national pundits are predicting five wins or so.

Really, there's no way to know how good or bad Washington is after undergoing its largest roster turnover since 1945. Nearly two-thirds of the players are new and chemistry has taken a back seat to bare-knuckles defense and hoping rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels is the second coming of Robert Griffin a dozen years ago.

Washington knows it has a promising quarterback. Maybe the best one since Joe Theismann nearly 40 years ago. But it doesn't know how deep its receiver corps goes or how long the offensive line will hold. Will Daniels need to run to escape injury or rely on his quick release to a talented tight end unit?

The Commanders know their linebacker corps has gone from a 1 to a solid 7 after finding three new starters over the offseason. It just doesn't know if the pass rush will leave a thin secondary naked and afraid.

Head coach Dan Quinn knows the town is excited, but doesn't know Northwest Stadium will often be filled with more visiting fans than locals. And when the going gets tough, players and coaches will be going. Washington isn't a patient place.

There's so much the Commanders don't know about the coming season, but that's the exciting part. It's looking like a losing season, but maybe the heavy free agent class will pump new energy onto the field. If tight end Zac Ertz doesn't get teammates excited, then they're dead men walking.

Running back Austin Ekeler, linebacker Bobby Wagner and Ertz didn't come to Washington for one last paycheck like so many during the Dan Snyder era. They came to lead a burgundy revolution.

In a city bracing for a presidential election and its aftermath during the NFL's midseason, Washingtonians need a distraction. That's what the Commanders have traditionally been – a public rallying point amid tough times.

"Just everything is better when football is going on," said Commanders defensive coordinator Joe Whitt.

Indeed, nothing beats the eternal hope of Commanders fans come opening day. Hopefully, it's not crushed before October.

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