The Washington Commanders didn't come out of their recently concluded mandatory minicamp without any injury concerns. But a silver lining emerged from the possible doom and gloom.
Michael Gallup missed the three-day event with a hamstring strain. Noah Brown also got carted off the field after going down following a catch. His screams of frustration didn't fill anyone with optimism, but the results of his MRI haven't been revealed by the Commanders as yet.
They don't have to disclose anything at this stage of the offseason. It's a guessing game until something gets confirmed one way or another. Still, the Commanders may have a secret weapon capable of filling the void if Brown is forced to miss considerable time.
There is momentum building around Chris Moore. The veteran pass-catcher started the offseason on the fringes and might stay there if his positive performances aren't built upon. But as team writer Zach Selby stated, his outstanding showing at minicamp could provide the Commanders with a superb contingency plan if Brown faces another extended spell on the sidelines.
The battle for spots at the bottom of the receiver depth chart looks like it'll be one to watch once again. It's still too early to make any assumptions, but [Chris] Moore is making his case about why he should stick around. Assuming he can keep standing out in training camp, Moore could be an interesting backup option for the Commanders. If Noah Brown, who was carted off the field on Wednesday, cannot participate for an extended period, perhaps Moore could step in as a veteran presence in the room. Either way, Moore showed that he could still be a useful player and help a team win games.Zach Selby via Commanders.com
This dynamic changes if Brown's injury scare turns out to be nothing more. But it's not a bad fallback option for the Commanders if the worst news arrives.
Moore has been staking a strong claim over Washington's offseason program. He's taken on a bigger role than anticipated with Brown, Gallup, and Terry McLaurin all missing. It's a challenge he's relished to give the coaching staff plenty to think about.
Establishing a role in Washington's crowded wideout unit is a difficult proposition. There are very few (if any) spots not cemented. All Moore can do is impress and let the chips fall where they may after that.
Even if he doesn't do enough to make the 53-man roster, which is likely if Brown's injury prognosis is encouraging, keeping him around on the practice squad seems almost guaranteed. However, some sterling performances over training camp and the preseason could see another team scoop him off the waiver wire in this scenario.
Losing Brown would be a blow. But the Commanders might just have a ready-made replacement staring them in the face.
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