Everyone thought the Washington Commanders would be better defensively in 2024. Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr. have strong pedigrees of helping defenses thrive. But judging by how poorly they performed in Week 1 at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it may be a while before their methods bear fruit.

The Commanders were an embarrassing mess on defense at Raymond James Stadium. They had no answer for quarterback Baker Mayfield, who evaded pressure superbly and earned a near-perfect passer rating as a result of his exceptional efforts. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin tore apart Washington’s suspect secondary almost at will. And as for trying to get a stop on third down? Forget it.

This was a damning indictment of where this group is and the progress that is needed. No one covered themselves in glory consistently enough. One player who had been quite involved in the first series over the summer was completely ignored.

Despite playing for the Commanders and the struggles of other cornerbacks, Michael Davis was an innocent bystander during the game. The veteran free agent acquisition was seen by many as the starting outside option opposite Benjamin St-Juste. Those in power moved on to second-year pro Emmanuel Forbes Jr. as the starter when it mattered.

It was another disastrous outing for Forbes, despite his optimistic claims that he embraced the challenge ahead of the clash. Even when the Commanders decided to take the former first-round pick out of Mississippi State out of the firing line after more inconsistent production in a competitive environment, they opted to draft Noah Igbinoghene instead.

Considering that every other cornerback played 44 percent of the snaps and St-Juste didn’t complete a single play, it seems a little odd that Davis wouldn’t get any reps at all. And that’s without considering they gave up 289 passing yards and four touchdowns to Mayfield, which was too much for No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels to overcome.

Davis didn’t have the best luck last season with the Los Angeles Chargers, but his experience and potential to bounce back under Quinn and Whitt brought some intrigue to his arrival. Something happened to cause the player to fall out of favor. What that is, is anyone’s guess.

It’s a situation worth keeping an eye on, at least. Forbes lost even more confidence in his long-term vision by failing to meet the required standards in Week 1. St-Juste gave it his best shot, but it wasn’t good enough against a productive wideout like Evans on the perimeter. Even second-round rookie Mike Sainristil looked lost in his regular-season debut, despite flourishing during the offseason.

The former undrafted free agent out of BYU saw 12 snaps on special teams, which is 44 percent. Davis likely expected more involvement. Whether that happens in the coming weeks, as the Commanders look to significantly adjust their defensive strategy, is another matter.

All Davis can do is try to establish himself further in practice. Everything else is beyond his control.

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