Commanders just got a massive win weeks before season opener

It's all hands on deck for the Washington Commanders as they look to cement their status as an NFL heavyweight in 2025. But it's been a summer full of distractions and concerns for head coach Dan Quinn.

One of the most complex issues centered on the offensive line. There was a lot of chopping and changing due to injuries. Quinn freely admitted that this is far from ideal in terms of preparations for the new campaign, but the Commanders just had to roll with the punches.

Sam Cosmi is still working his way back from a torn ACL and will probably start on the physically unable to perform list, although Quinn hasn't ruled him out from returning sooner. There was also a precarious situation developing with second-year lineman Brandon Coleman, who is making an important transition to the left guard spot.

Commanders got a massive boost with Brandon Coleman's return to practice

Coleman hobbled off the field early in training camp. The Commanders erred on the side of caution with the third-round pick, and rightfully so. Time was on their side, but Quinn finally got a massive morale boost with just a fortnight remaining until their Week 1 opener against the New York Giants.

There was a huge sense of relief when Coleman was spotted in full pads for the final official practice of training camp. The TCU product participated during individual drills and the team portion of practice. This is the first step, but it remains highly unlikely he will feature in Washington's regular-season finale against the Baltimore Ravens.

Still, the fact that Coleman is back out there cannot be seen as anything other than positive.

Coleman has an important role to play in 2025. He's switching to the interior after the Commanders struck a bombshell trade for five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil. This is where his physical attributes are best suited. Even so, it could be a crash course early in the campaign after missing so much time.

The Commanders begin the season versus the Giant s. For all their faults, they have a potentially dominant front seven. Dexter Larence II is the league's best nose tackle. Kayvon Thibodeaux, Brian Burns, and Abdul Care represent a game-wrecking trio on the edge if everything clicks. Washington's offensive line must be at the top of its game, or it's going to be a long afternoon.

Getting Coleman into the lineup represents a big positive at an important time. It's still something to monitor, but there should hopefully be no more complications moving forward.

That's a win-win for everybody.

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