Outside the nest: Commanders beat writer Stephen Whyno offers view from the other side

The Washington Commanders have only reached the 10-win mark in two seasons this millennium, and they have not exceeded that benchmark.

The Commanders have only made the playoffs five times in that span. They lost all five of those games. In fact, the last time the Commanders won a playoff game was Super Bowl XXVI after the 1991 season.

You’ll forgive the DC faithful for being a little excited about rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, first-year offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, and a 2-1 start — a lot more excited than Valley fans are about any of those three elements, to be sure.

With the Commanders in town to face the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at State Farm Stadium, it’s time for another edition of Outside the Nest.

This week, we caught up with Stephen Whyno, a longtime friend because he also covers the NHL. Here are his thoughts on the Commanders.

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What were the most impactful additions and subtractions this offseason?

It’s a whole new era of Washington football, from general manager Adam Peters to coach Dan Quinn and nearly their entire staffs. Very few players are left from the unsuccessful Ron Rivera era, as it was clear the new regime thought the cupboard was pretty bare.

Jayden Daniels is obviously the biggie, taken with the second pick after winning the Heisman Trophy last year at LSU. Peters has made sure to surround Daniels with veterans, namely running back Austin Ekeler (out this week due to a concussion) and tight end Zach Ertz, and on defense the team added linebackers Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu, safety Jeremy Chinn and defensive ends Dante Fowler and Clelin Ferrell in a complete roster overhaul. 

What have been the elements of Jayden Daniels’ early success, and what are fair expectations for the rest of his season and beyond?

Daniels has been eager — maybe too eager? — to run through his first three NFL games, but his ability to scramble, extend plays and hurt opponents with his legs is part of what has made him successful. Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury has also been instrumental in putting Daniels in spots to succeed, and a reliable running game with Ekeler and Brian Robinson Jr. doesn’t hurt.

All that said, Daniels is showing with his arm why he’s one of the best QB prospects in the game. He’s not just dinking and dunking throws. he can get the ball down the field when asked, like on passes of 55 and 27 yards to Terry McLaurin at Cincinnati, the second of which was a huge touchdown.

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Why was former Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury the choice as OC and what have you learned about his offense through three games?

When Peters and Quinn were making hires, it was a mix of familiarity and best candidate available. Kingsbury fits into the latter of those two groups, and he was attractive because of his work with young quarterbacks — particularly Kyler Murray.

The hope was that Kingsbury, the QB guru, could get the most out of Daniels not only right away, but for the next few years. That’s working, and while Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt called the system “simple” and a “nice college offense,” Kingsbury has shown he’s not all “Air Raid” and can adapt to the talent at his disposal.

The Commanders made a lot of changes to their defense this offseason: Have they seen results?

Not really. The defense has six new starters and still plenty of problems. 

It starts with the lack of a reliable pass rush, less than a year after trading away Montez Sweat and Chase Young, and continues to create problems in an untested and largely inexperienced secondary. The Commanders have struggled to cover and have been bad at tackling. The result is the fourth-worst defense in the league so far.

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Aside from the personnel changes in the front office, on the coaching staff and on the roster, how has new owner Josh Harris tried to erase the stigma of the Daniel Snyder era?

It has been night and day from old ownership. Harris, Magic Johnson, Mitch Rales, Mark Ein and that group have made it an emphasis to treat players and their families better. They have spent a lot of money to improve the experience — as much as possible — for the team and fans.

The owners are doing their best to fix things like players’ meals and the stadium experience, all while looking for a permanent home for the organization that will eliminate issues out of their control, like aging facilities.

What are realistic expectations for the Commanders this season?

As recently as a week and a half ago, after they went 0 for 6 in the red zone and needed seven field goals from Austin Seibert to beat the New York Giants, this being a five- to seven-win team was the most likely outcome.

Still, getting to close to .500 would be a step forward for Washington, while the most important thing is Daniels getting through the season healthy and showing he can be among the game’s best at the most important position in sports. 

Top illustration via Sidney Pinger and Damon Fairall, ALLCITY Sports

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