— @B_Law703: What have the rotations along the D-Line looked like throughout camp / who’s lining up where?
There’s now a lot of depth on the defensive line, and part of what makes that exciting is all the different combinations that can be used up front.
It’s worth pointing out here that part of all this experimentation is to figure out which players fit the best together, so there’s a chance that we don’t see some of these groupings in the regular season. With that being said, Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw have gotten the most snaps with the starting defense. There was also a grouping that featured Von Miller and Luvu as the edge defenders with Payne and Dorance Armstrong as the interior players, which could be deadly for opposing offenses.
As for your other question about whether Conerly could split time with Andrew Wylie until he is ready, similar to how Brandon Coleman and Cornelius Lucas did last year, I think it’s certainly possible. That strategy worked well last season, and the best way for an offensive lineman to develop is to get reps in games. We’ll have to see how Conerly does against the New England Patriots next week before determining if that is a viable option.
— @sebastian_ames3: Is it too early to tell whether Sinnott is going to be involved more this year 👀
Maybe a little too early, but they are trying to get him the ball more. Dan Quinn said he was excited about Ben Sinnott’s development before the start of training camp, and the athleticism that the coaches loved when they drafted him is still there. He’s had a few impressive catches, and if he can keep that up, I can see him getting more involved in the offense besides being a blocker.
@nextmediaxyz also asked if we would see more 12 personnel (one running back and two tight ends) with Sinnott developing, and I think we could see more of that regardless of Sinnott’s growth. Zach Ertz hasn’t dropped off, but the Commanders also believe John Bates can be more of a pass-catcher. Bates hasn’t caught the ball much and has been more of a blocker, but he has reliable hands. The Commanders also want to dominate the line of scrimmage, and one of the best ways to do that is by getting really good in two tight end sets.