Ron Rivera pleaded for patience. That it took several years to judge a draft class. Well, the former Washington Commanders coach is about to get an official F grade from successor Dan Quinn.
Rivera’s No. 2 overall pick in 2020 was Chase Young, who’s now on his third team in a year with an incentive-laced one-year deal in New Orleans. After a solid rookie season, Young was a combination of injuries and inefficiency.
Rivera’s other three first-rounders – linebacker Jamin Davis, receiver Jahan Dotson and cornerback Emmanuel Forbes – may not even start under Quinn. Davis looks to become a third-down rusher. Dotson is being tried everywhere in hopes of finding a role. Forbes might not start.
And you wonder why the team was 4-13 last season.
Young was essentially a bust for Washington. He never came to voluntary offseason camps. He never followed through on plays when unable to reach the quarterback, which is why San Francisco didn’t re-sign him after trading a third rounder for him midway last season.
Davis and Dotson probably aren’t on the 2025 roster. They might not make this one. There are whispers of a trade for Dotson if failing on Saturday against the Miami Dolphins to prove he’s the No. 2 target behind Terry McLaurin. The problem is nobody’s paying more than a third and probably less for Dotson so Washington might as well keep him. Washington made Davis essentially play on a show-me deal by not extending his fifth-year option and there’s little so far to show next year he’s a keeper.
Forbes has looked better in his second training camp, but he’s far from a lockdown corner expected as a mid-first rounder. Forbes is behind eight-year veteran Michael Davis and Bejamin St-Juste, who frankly is no lock for 2025 either.
It’s not that Dotson, Davis and Forbes are bad players. They just haven’t merited being first-round selections. If released, all three would be snapped up elsewhere under cheaper deals. That’s what they really are – decent players rather than headliners.
Dotson has the best chance to redeem himself. His 49 catches last season were reasonable given the offensive disaster that was coordinator Eric Bieniemy’s only season. Let’s just offer amnesty for everyone in 2023.
The big problem is Dotson started showing shaky hands last season. Rivera always praised Dotson’s “catch radius” that meant catching anything near him. That wasn’t so last season or so far in camp. Dotson better dial in now or a competitive receivers room will produce a successor.
Davis is in a no-win situation if largely regulated to pass rusher. He’s not good enough to produce 10 sacks. Indeed, six would be the over/under and that’s still not worth retention next season. Davis has improved annually over three seasons, but a new coaching staff apparently lacks faith in him.
New coaches don’t extend loyalty to players before them and Davis and Dotson are quickly seeing that. Forbes gets more time given it’s just his second season.
Time is running out for Rivera’s legacy picks, though. They may soon be just memories.