“Dan Quinn’s Bold Experiment: Will Jamin Davis Thrive or Falter in Micah Parsons’ Shadow?”
Former Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is already making his presence felt with the Washington Commanders as their new head coach. However, one of the team’s linebackers—a recent first-round pick—may be facing a rough transition as Quinn appears more focused on imitation than innovation.
ESPN’s Washington Commanders reporter John Keim suggests that Quinn is attempting a lackluster replication of his success with Micah Parsons in Dallas. The Commanders have reportedly been giving Jamin Davis, a highly athletic linebacker, reps as a pass rusher off the edge, in a move reminiscent of Parsons’ role with the Cowboys.
Quinn’s effort to transform Davis into a Micah Parsons-like player is surprising. Davis, who was selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, seems to be undergoing this position shift in an attempt to salvage his career—or at least his time in Washington. However, Davis’s college stats at Kentucky (5.0 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks) significantly differ from Parsons’ impressive numbers at Penn State (19.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks).
The comparison becomes even more striking when considering Parsons’ immediate success in the NFL as an edge rusher, despite sitting out the 2020 season due to the pandemic. Unlike Parsons, Davis has not shown the same pass-rush potential at the collegiate level, even though he possesses size, length, and speed. But that alone doesn’t make him another Parsons.
Moving Davis to the edge is a strategy worth exploring if Quinn and the Commanders feel that he cannot contribute effectively as an off-ball linebacker. Success on the edge could either solidify his role there or boost his trade value. However, Davis’s frame—6-foot-4 and 234 pounds—makes him one of the lighter edge players in the NFL, and he has no experience at this position.
As seen last year with Quinn’s attempt to reposition defensive lineman Mazi Smith, not every player can adapt to new roles in his defensive scheme. This move by Quinn may be a desperate attempt to recreate his Dallas success, and it could end up hindering Jamin Davis’s career.