Should the Washington Commanders set their sights on acquiring Caleb Williams, Kliff Kingsbury isn’t revealing their intentions just yet.
During his introductory press conference on Thursday, the freshly appointed offensive coordinator skillfully sidestepped inquiries regarding Williams, whom he had coached at USC during the previous season.
“He’s a remarkable kid, there’s no denying that,” remarked Kingsbury, as reported by NBC4 Sports. “Having the opportunity to observe Lincoln [Riley] from a distance, witness his coaching approach, his strategic maneuvers, and his methods was incredibly beneficial, along with interacting with the younger players.”
With the offseason looming, the Commanders hold the coveted No. 2 overall pick and boast a projected $73.6 million in cap space (according to Over The Cap).
This marks the inaugural offseason under the stewardship of the Josh Harris ownership consortium. Adam Peters was appointed as general manager, followed by the hiring of Quinn as head coach, with Kingsbury’s recruitment completing the managerial shakeup.
Following his dismissal from Arizona in January of last year, Kingsbury assumed the role of offensive analyst at USC for the preceding season. During his four-year tenure with the Cardinals, he amassed a record of 28-37-1, clinching a playoff berth in 2021 with an 11-6 record.
While his inaugural NFL season saw a modest 5-10-1 performance, Kingsbury steadily improved the team’s win tally over the subsequent two seasons.
However, fortunes took a downturn in 2022, as Arizona languished at the bottom of the NFC West with a disappointing 4-13 record. Prior to his stint at USC, Kingsbury served as head coach at Texas Tech and held the position of offensive coordinator at Texas A&M during Johnny Manziel’s Heisman Trophy-winning campaign.
Given his role as an offensive analyst at USC, Kingsbury had ample opportunity to assess Williams, widely anticipated to be a top-three pick in the upcoming draft.
With the Chicago Bears holding the No. 1 pick and already possessing Justin Fields in their quarterback ranks, speculation is rife that they may entertain the possibility of trading Fields and selecting Williams instead.
Should Chicago opt to retain Fields, Washington finds itself in an enviable position to secure Williams with the second overall pick, potentially reuniting him with Kingsbury from their shared stint at USC.
Kingsbury’s primary objective will be to revitalize an offense that languishes in the bottom tier across various metrics.
The Commanders concluded the previous season ranked 24th in points per possession (1.68) and yards per possession (26.9), with similarly lackluster standings in offensive points per game (19.0) and yards per play (5.0), landing them at 23rd in both categories.
