A $33 million starter for the Washington Commanders is playing a new role at training camp.
Even after signing Von Miller, the Washington Commanders still find themselves needing to manufacture ways to create more pressure, with those ways including a new role for a $33 million starter who’s also involved in a “deadly” sub-package.
It’s defensive end Dorance Armstrong Jr., a versatile lineman who “is off to a good start in camp — he’s been moved around more than last year and has rushed standing up on occasion,” according to ESPN’s John Keim.
A roving brief isn’t necessarily anything new for Armstrong. He spent time sliding inside to defensive tackle for head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. when all three were members of the Dallas Cowboys.
Their shared history prompted the Commanders to hand Armstrong a three-year contract worth $33 million in 2024 NFL free agency. Now, Quinn and Whitt are looking to expand his role by using the 28-year-old as a standup rusher.
It’s not the only way Armstrong will be helping the Commanders come up with different ways to collapse the pass pocket.
Armstrong was solid, but far from spectacular, during most of his debut campaign with the Burgundy and Gold. He logged a mere five sacks in the regular season, but Armstrong turned on the style with 3.5 quarterback takedowns through the playoffs.
The prolific postseason run showcased Armstrong’s potential to be more disruptive. Specifically, plays like this rapid downhill rush off the edge to get to Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts in the NFC Championship Game proves Armstrong has the athleticism to win on the outside more often.
This highlight explains why Quinn and Whitt want Armstrong to stand up more often, rather than put his hand in the dirt as a traditional defensive end. It makes sense on a number of levels.
First, the Commanders play a hybrid-front defense, mixing 4-3 personnel with 3-4 principles and vice versa. Second, the pass rush is coached by franchise all-time sack leader Ryan Kerrigan, who made a career as a 3-4 outside linebacker rushing from a standing position.
Armstrong can learn a lot about doing that from Miller, arguably the most dynamic outside linebacker of his generation. Putting Miller and Armstrong onto the field together can help create the loaded pass-rush fronts the Commanders will need to generate pressure without blitzing as often as last season, when Whitt’s unit had the fifth-highest blitz percentage at 31.5, per Pro Football Reference.
It isn’t just Armstrong who will get value from Miller’s presence. So can linebacker Frankie Luvu, who should target double digits rushing the passer after the arrival of Miller.
Luvu and Armstrong have been part of a revolving picture up front during camp. It’s involved “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,” according to Commanders.com Senior Writer Zach Selby.
Armstrong is perfect for this kind of changeup in obvious passing situations. He’s got ample experience rushing and winning from the interior, like for this sack against the Detroit Lions in the playoffs, highlighted by Kansas Football.
What’s interesting here is how the Commanders could add even more speed to this look by pairing Armstrong with veteran Deatrich Wise Jr. on the inside. The former New England Patriots lineman is another defensive end comfortable sliding inside against the pass.
Keeping Wise, Luvu, Miller and Armstrong on the move can give the Commanders the unpredictability and matchup advantages they’ll need to prove their reloaded defensive front is not a weakness.
