Commanders' biggest winnner from Patriots preseason loss didn't even play a snap

Second-year head coach Dan Quinn saw enough from his top-level stars in joint practice to keep them out of the firing line during the Washington Commanders' first preseason game against the New England Patriots.

Injuries are all part of the business at this time of year. The Commanders have been relatively clean on the health front this summer, although they have some slight issues with potential contributors such as offensive lineman Brandon Coleman, wide receiver Noah Brown, and linebacker Jordan Magee.

And strangely, Magee might be the player who benefited most from not seeing the field at Gillette Stadium.

Jordan Magee strengthened his claims without playing a down as other Commanders LBs struggle

The Commanders don't believe the undisclosed issue is serious. Magee is a candidate to get more playing time this season. Joe Whitt Jr. wants to get the former Temple star into the mix in three-linebacker sets alongside Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu when the situation dictates. But with the second-year pro absent, others got the chance to impress.

They did not capitalize. The Commanders' linebacking corps was a glaring weak link throughout the contest. Nobody forced the issue, and everything was pedestrian. That might have sufficed under previous head coach Ron Rivera, but that's not the case where Quinn and Whitt are concerned.

Dominique Hampton doesn't look up to the required standard. Kain Medrano is incredibly raw and will be used on special teams and nothing more as a rookie. The rest are probably not going to be around when Week 1 against the New York Giants arrives.

If Magee's spot was there for the taking, nobody managed to surge ahead. This puts him in a stronger spot, especially if he can get back and make a lasting contribution on Monday Night Football versus the Cincinnati Bengals.

Magee has the size and explosiveness to be impactful. He needs meaningful reps before confidence in his chances increases, so returning from his injury problem sooner rather than later is imperative. And the underperformance of others should provide all the motivation needed.

The LB3 role was Magee's to lose heading into Washington's preparations for the new campaign. His strong summer, coupled with the preseason frailties of others in the linebacking corps, hasn't altered this perception one bit.

What comes next is important for Magee. If he can get healthy, it'll be a normal service-resumed scenario. But if others get another chance to excel in his absence, they might have the urgency needed to stake a stronger claim.

Then, the dynamic shifts again.

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