Commanders’ former first-round pick joins NFC North contender

Jamin Davis quickly found a new place to call home.

The former Washington Commanders first-round pick joined with the Green Bay Packers’ practice squad on October 29, exactly one week after the Commanders fired Davis in an unexpected move.

The Packers announced the signing via their official website.

“Regardless of his circumstances in Washington, Davis has another opportunity with the Packers to show he can play at this level,” Zone Coverage’s Garrison Anderson wrote. “Davis fits the Packers’ ‘type’ when it comes to linebackers.”

New Commanders Regime Cut Bait on Davis

The Commanders fired Davis on October 22, after attempting a position transition from inside linebacker in the hopes of rejuvenating his career.

“(Davis) becomes the fifth first-round pick since 2019 who is no longer with the team,” ESPN’s John Keim wrote following Davis’ release. “The Commanders traded their 2022 first-round pick, receiver Jahan Dotson, to Philadelphia in August. They traded two previous first-rounders — ends Chase Young (2020) and Montez Sweat (2019) last season to San Francisco and Chicago, respectively. Quarterback Dwayne Haskins, who was drafted in 2019, was cut in 2020.”

Davis was a healthy scratch for the Commanders in a Week 6 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, but he returned to the active roster in a Week 7 win against the Carolina Panthers, recording one tackle.

Davis Fell Short of Expectations With Commanders

Even with a new head coach in Dan Quinn and a new general manager in Adam Peters in 2024, Davis failed to deliver for the Commanders.

Washington has already declined Davis’ fifth-year option on his rookie deal, which would have paid him $14.4 million in 2025. Still, Davis was deemed to be more valuable than a random backup, and if the Commanders could have gotten anything back in exchange for Davis by the November 5 NFL trading deadline — anything — that would have been considered a victory.

“The truth is that the Commanders have a lot to address before they can really start making some noise,” Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine wrote on June 30. ” … That’s not going to happen during the 2024 season, but shipping off veterans to get cap space and draft capital can help next offseason … Jamin Davis could also be a movable piece. The former first-round pick is a free agent next offseason and the Commanders didn’t exactly show they value him by bringing in both (Bobby) Wagner and Frankie Luvu in free agency this offseason.”