The Washington Commanders are entering a new era. The Commanders, led by head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters, are aiming to improve on their 4-13 record from last season. The next big box to tick for Washington is under centre, where Sam Howell currently sits – albeit primarily as a placeholder. The Commanders, who own the second overall pick in the draft, are guaranteed to land one of the draft’s best signal callers, whether it’s Caleb Williams from USC or Drake Maye from North Carolina. However, Washington may be scheming something even bigger. After hiring offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, who worked with Williams at USC this season, the possibility of reuniting the two in Ashburn is becoming more prevalent… if not likely.
“Even if you slightly overpay,” a source told CBS Sports, “if you’ve got a guy that you want to build your franchise around, with new ownership, with a quarterback coach and offensive coordinator that has a history with him, that’s going to keep him happy and have him succeed at the next level, then by all means, go make that move.”I believe it is probably, eventually, unavoidable… it feels like it is going to happen.”
The Commanders would need to acquire the No. 1 pick in a trade with the Chicago Bears, who traded it last year but may pass on others in favour of signing Williams to replace Justin Fields. Williams has been compared stylistically to Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who Kingsbury coached in college at Texas Tech. Notably, Kingsbury passed down the Las Vegas Raiders’ offensive coordinator position in favour of Washington’s, maybe believing he’d have a better chance of working with Williams.
Shortly after Kingsbury’s hire, Williams shared the news on social media, which CBS presented as additional evidence of the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner’s interest in the Commanders. Regardless, Williams and Kingsbury have a good relationship, and Kingsbury’s presence could help Williams’ transition to the professional level. “I do think having some familiarity, relationship-wise but also in the system, will make that transition smoother,” a spokesperson for CBS Sports said. “It’s not going to be easy for anybody, but having familiarity is crucial for any young quarterback.” Related: Commanders Coach Kingsbury, ‘One of the Best Offensive Minds in Football’ For the time being, it’s simply a notion, but with Kingsbury on board, turning this scenario into a reality should feel more possible, paving the way for a potential surge to the top choice in the draft.
Leave a Reply