Commanders' key position improving but one flaw could stall momentum

The Washington Commanders have high hopes for their offensive line in 2025. But there are a few lingering issues that could hold them back from being more competitive.

Sam Cosmi’s serious knee injury is the biggest obstacle the Commanders need to overcome. Should Brandon Coleman’s lower-body injury linger longer than expected, that could also have a big impact.

Fortunately, the Commanders have assembled some solid pieces at guard, where both Cosmi and Coleman play. Even if neither can go, veterans Nick Allegretti and Andrew Wylie are more than capable of starting in their place. But nothing has been confirmed as yet.

The same cannot be said about the center position. That is why the biggest blow may end up being the unexpected retirement of free agent signing Nate Herbig.

Commanders OL production would tail off dramatically if Tyler Biadasz got hurt

If starter Tyler Biadasz remains healthy all season, it won’t matter. But he missed a couple of games in 2024 and was performing below his norm in a few others. If the veteran misses more time, Herbig’s absence looms large.

Washington has a couple of options at center beyond Biadasz. Fans saw Michael Deiter at center against the New England Patriots in the first preseason contest. They also saw a developmental youngster — Julian Good-Jones — get the starting nod.

The Commanders have kept Good-Jones around, mostly on the practice squad, for two seasons now. They see talent worth protecting.

Last year, Deiter played a little bit at guard but mostly saw action in relief of Biadasz at center. He wasn’t especially impressive, which may have been one of the main reasons Adam Peters went after a young veteran like Herbig in the first place.

Neither backup was a disaster at Gillette Stadium. Washington fans have seen them at center in the recent past. The Commanders cycled through three different centers in the wake of an injury to starter Chase Roullier in 2021 and 2022. They could never find consistency, which in turn hurt the rhythm of the entire offense.

Deiter and Good-Jones may be somewhat better than that, but neither looked particularly impressive against New England. Both were serviceable in pass protection. Neither was able to generate a push when blocking for the run.

If anything, Deiter looked better than Good-Jones, and that is a problem. His ceiling isn’t very high. His prospects against divisional opponents like Jalen Carter and Dexter Lawrence II don’t inspire much confidence.

Peters should study the waiver wire, especially as teams start cutting their rosters. Every year, a couple of decent veterans get released because of their salary cap figure. That's something the Commanders could exploit.

If veteran Ryan Bates fails to make the final Chicago Bears roster, he is worth a look. Like the current players on the Commanders’ squad, he can play both guard and center.

If Bates sticks with the Bears, it likely means that Doug Kramer is released. That wouldn't be a bad option either.

Brett Toth was signed by the Eagles in 2018. After bouncing around the league a bit, he is now back in Philadelphia but faces an uphill climb to make the roster.

Jacob Bayer may also find himself squeezed off the Buffalo Bills' roster due to their solid depth. The Denver Broncos have offensive line options aplenty, which will make it difficult for guard Clay Webb to secure a spot.

If Webb goes to the practice squad, Peters could pounce. Though a guard in college, he was a dominant center in high school (ranked first in the entire country), and a move back to the middle might be the best thing for him. It is almost impossible to compare a player in that situation to a veteran like Deiter, but it might easily be an upgrade.

Washington needs better production from its backup center. Going outside the box and taking a chance on a young player with enormous upside might be the exact right move to try at this point.

More Commanders news and analysis