The Washington Commanders have the potential to be a dynamic offense in 2022. For that to happen, so much depends on new quarterback Carson Wentz.
Opinions are split on Wentz. Some believe he is finished and the Commanders will regret trading for him, while others see things much differently.
Wentz should have plenty of help in 2022, so there will be no excuses. The Commanders spent a first-round pick on wide receiver Jahan Dotson and a third-round pick on running back Brian Robinson Jr. Robinson will miss at least the first four games of the season after he was shot in an attempted robbery last week.
With Robinson sidelined, the Commanders should still be in good shape with 1,000-yard rusher Antonio Gibson and J.D. McKissic back.
In addition, Wentz will be throwing to one of the NFL’s best wide receivers in Terry McLaurin.
How good can the combination of Wentz and McLaurin be in 2022?
Nick Shook of NFL.com recently ranked every team’s “triplets” for the upcoming season. The Dallas Cowboys of the 1990s popularized the term “triplets” in the NFL with quarterback Troy Aikman, running back Emmitt Smith and wide receiver Michael Irvin.
Shook ranked the Commanders at No. 20. He listed Wentz, Gibson and McLaurin as Washington’s “triplets.” Once Robinson returns to action, Gibson is expected to play a larger role in the passing game, where McKissic is also one of the best in the NFL.
If Wentz hadn’t melted down in spectacular fashion at the end of last season, he might still be in Indianapolis. Instead, he’s in Washington, where the Commanders hope they can be the ones to rejuvenate his career. He certainly has the playmakers to make it work; it’s up to him to prove his struggles of recent years are not career-defining. McLaurin is one of the most underrated receivers in the league, and maybe this is the year that changes.
At the running back position, Washington was rocked on Sunday when promising rookie Brian Robinson was shot twice in the knee during an attempted robbery or carjacking. Fortunately, Robinson has already been released from the hospital — in fact, the Commanders kept the running back on the initial 53-man roster. It’s unclear what this means going forward, but for the time being, Gibson has a chance to open the season as the feature back despite some August struggles.
While Washington is excited about what Robinson brings to the table, Gibson is no slouch. Considering Gibson was a wide receiver in college, his development as a running back in two NFL seasons is an impressive feat.
McLaurin remains one of the NFL’s best wide receivers. If Wentz has the type of season Washington coaches believe he is capable of, Washington’s “triplets” will rank much higher after the season.
