Commanders’ perfect O-line plan hit a weird snag nobody saw coming

The plan was in place. Even with Pro Bowl guard Sam Cosmi expected to be out for much of the 2025 season, the Washington Commanders' offensive line was going to be just fine. But then, something strange happened.

General manager Adam Peters added two quality linemen to join the starting five. He traded for five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil and chose prospective right tackle Josh Conerly Jr. in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Even if the rookie wasn’t ready to start right away, the Commanders had last year’s right tackle, Andrew Wylie, ready to step in.

Wylie also could play guard and, therefore, help make up for Cosmi’s absence. That hole could also be filled by second-year lineman Brandon Coleman and veteran Nick Allegretti. It was a solid unit, and when the former Texas standout eventually returned, it could go seven deep with plenty of versatility.

Commanders' offensive line depth hit a road block after Nate Herbig's retirement

There was just one small hole to plug. There was no backup center in place behind Tyler Biadasz. The Commanders did retain Michael Deiter from 2024, who filled in when the top dog had to miss a few games. But Peters wanted an upgrade.

He found an ideal candidate in Nate Herbig. At 6-foot-4 and 334 pounds, he fit with the Commanders' desire to get bigger across both lines to compete with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Herbig had once played for the Eagles before doing one season each with the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers. He had amassed 30 starts in his 61-game NFL career. And he could play both guard and center.

As a backup to Biadasz and extra interior line depth, Herbig looked like a perfect fit. The only problem was that he didn’t want to play football anymore. He announced his retirement on July 29.

In doing so, Herbig joined a small but meaningful contingent of offensive linemen who called it quits before hitting 30 years old. Conner Williams and Frank Ragnow were two starting centers who announced surprise retirements within the last year. Williams said aloha mid-season, and perennial All-Pro Ragnow walked away after the campaign.

At least Herbig’s announcement left Peters time to reload. It looks as though veteran Chris Paul has improved to the point where he can provide decent depth at guard, but who occupies the spot behind Biadasz on the depth chart remains unclear.

Maybe not what was planned, but Commanders fans can take some solace in the fact that they have a front office that is ready to deal with surprises like this.

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