Five Commanders star players are in danger.
Five Commanders key players in danger of entering draft bust status in 2024.
The Washington Commanders are depending on their young players to improve under the new coaching staff next season. During Ron Rivera’s four years in charge, far too many people went through the motions and failed to meet expectations. A concerted effort is required to return this franchise to prominence.
Adam Peters’ cutthroat approach to roster development based on a business-first strategy increases the urgency for practically everyone. The new general manager is planning for the future while adopting measures that should result in short-term gains. This is also a continuous evaluation of those on the books and what else is required moving forward.
Players who haven’t realized their lofty draft expectations face more scrutiny than others. They had a lot of leeway under Rivera. That will not be the case this time.
With that in mind, here are five Commanders players that are on the verge of being draft busts unless things change significantly during the 2024 season.
Phidarian Mathis – Commanders DL
What defines a draft bust? A player selected in the top 100 who has not reached the expectations is an appropriate measuring stick for this exercise.
Phidarian Mathis falls into this category. During his rookie season, the fearsome defensive tackle had a catastrophic injury, which set him back. He suffered health setbacks to begin the 2023 campaign and was unable to make an impact when called upon. His fortunes are now firmly in the balance.
The Washington Commanders’ starting defensive tackles are Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen. They also spent a second-round pick on Johnny Newton, who may be a valuable rotational player in Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr.’s scheme from the start.
It’s unclear what this signifies for Mathis’ involvement. It would be surprising if he did not make the 53-man roster, but anything short of increased consistency when called upon solidifies the No. 47 overall pick’s status as a draft flop.