Tag: 2024 Commanders offensive line

Commanders’ rookie LT Brandon Coleman is trending upward

The rookie left tackle continues to play more snaps each week and the arrow is pointing up.

Washington head coach Dan Quinn was asked Tuesday about rookie offensive tackle Brandon Coleman.

Coleman has yet to start in his three games, but he has seen action on 65 offensive snaps (34 percent), rotating with starter Cornelius Lucas.

“We continued to balance them up a little more, as we’re going to do, but we knew that was going to be one of the factors inside, to make sure (Trey) Hendrickson can’t ruin the game. I believe he got inside late, on one late (rush) where they got the sack and created the negative yards.”

“But by and large, I felt Brandon’s technique and energy, all the things when you are missing some time, start coming back into play. So, we’ve been impressed, and the arrow is definitely going up.”

https://Twitter.com/Mason_Kinnahan/status/1838607324044497298

Also of note, in these three games, Coleman has yet to be penalized. So, he is not getting beat early and is holding on to avoid his quarterback getting killed.

Washington drafted the 6-foot-6, 320-pound rookie out of TCU in the third round with the 67th overall choice. He had received first-string reps before injuring a pectoral muscle in training camp.

The coaches have determined to bring him along, play him each week, to help Lucas get some rest each week, providing both of them playing time and rests during the game.

Coleman has received progressively a few more snaps each of the three games. Against Tampa Bay in Week 1, it was 14 offensive snaps. Then, it was 22 against the Giants and 29 against the Bengals. Notice the progression: 24 percent, then 31 percent, and finally 49 percent.

Consequently, barring injury, Coleman may most likely play a higher percentage of plays than Lucas for the first time this season on Sunday against the Cardinals.

How ready are the Commanders at offensive tackle?

How ready are the Commanders at offensive tackle?

It’s hard to believe but Jayden Daniels may not actually be the biggest question for the Commanders in their season opener in eight days.

Yes, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were a playoff team last year and yes, the season opener is at Tampa on a Sunday afternoon.

Daniels will face a much fiercer test than he has in the preseason, there is no debating this. But a large factor in how much pressure Daniels sees may be the play of the Commanders offensive tackles.

Andrew Wylie is plugged in at right tackle, and Cornelius Lucas is still the starter until we hear differently from Dan Quinn. Brandon Coleman had a pectoral injury and did not play a snap in the three preseason games.

Coleman is again back working with the team on the field with no restrictions. The TCU rookie said he feels great and is ready to go. So, what happens Sunday in Tampa if Coleman works out all next week?

Will the Commanders make him active? If so, will he play a few series, though he did not play in the preseason?

If he plays three or four series, then Lucas could be much less exhausted in the fourth quarter than if he played the entire game in the Florida heat.

The other tackle on the roster is Trent Scott. Returning from injury, Scott is listed as Wylie’s backup at right tackle.  Chris Paul was asked to play tackle in the preseason, but with Coleman returning, Paul will now be listed as a backup at both guard positions.

Paul was willing to go way outside his comfort zone and play tackle for the good of the team to meet their need at the time. He retains his spot on the roster as a guard.

There is no tackle on the practice squad currently. Certainly, they know much more than we do about why they don’t have a tackle on the practice squad.

Lastly, fans will complain, but they must be reminded that Adam Peters attempted to trade back into the first round to draft a starting tackle; however, he saw the asking price as too much and did not pull the trigger on the trade.

Commanders OL continues to have some question marks

The final two preseason games are huge for several offensive linemen.

Two weeks ago all the word out of Ashburn was so positive regarding Brandon Coleman.

Coleman had been taking reps at right tackle and left tackle. He was moving better than any of the tackles on the current roster. Everything was said to be going well for him.

Commanders fans were excited, and word was spreading that the Commanders had found their franchise quarterback and franchise left tackle in Adam Peters’ first draft as Commanders general manager.

12 days later, however, offensive tackle has become again a position of uncertainty and concern.

Head coach Dan Quinn stated Coleman was day-to-day or week-to-week with a pectoral/shoulder issue. Coleman will most likely not see action in Miami this week.

As much as we would rather see him in the lineup, what’s more important is to allow Coleman to heal and be ready to get some good reps in preparation for the Sept. 8 season opener in Tampa.

The other four starting spots on the line are pretty much settled. Nick Allegretti, Tyler Biadasz, Sam Cosmi, and Andrew Wylie are still probably upgrades from the 2023 season.

Going a bit further, if the Commanders were to keep nine or ten linemen, seven of the spots seem assured. In addition to the four mentioned above, there are Cornelius Lucas and Coleman at left tackle and then Michael Deiter, the top reserve inside lineman who has been getting the most reps at both guard and center.

This leaves two or three spots about which we can not yet be certain. Last year, we were told that Mason Brooks was really tough and aggressive and might develop nicely. Brooks was cut on Wednesday.

So, this week, watch for the play of reserves Ricky Stromberg (C/G), Julian Good-Jones (G), Chris Paul (G), and J.C. Hassenauer (G) and tackles Braeden Daniels, Trent Scott, Armani Taylor-Prioleau, and David Nwogwugwu.

Commanders’ Brian Robinson happy to have Austin Ekeler joining him

Brian Robinson Jr. loves the idea of teaming with Austin Ekeler this season.

Brian Robinson is not threatened by Austin Ekeler.

In fact, the Commanders running back told the media on Thursday that he is enjoying Ekeler, having joined the Commander running back group.
“Austin, he’s a pro’s pro. He shows up to work every day. He’s locked in, he’s focused, he tries to find every way to hold the guys around him accountable.”

Not only does Robinson notice Ekeler being a leader in the running back group but Robinson likes what Ekeler has taught him. ” I’ve been learning a few steps from him in the pass game and he’s just been a real big help for me and what I want to do this season. And I expect us to have a great year together.”

Robinson also likes what he sees in rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.  “He’s poised, he’s a hard worker, he comes to work every day, just looking to take that next step and improve, and he’s done that every single day. He’s come in here; he’s gotten better.”

With some personnel changes made in the offseason, Robinson is encouraged by this group of offensive linemen. “They just got to emphasize getting off the ball and coming downhill. And I feel like when they’re at their best, they do that very, very well. So, they just got to kind of keep that in the back of their heads and just stay focused on what we want to accomplish.”

With rookie Jayden Daniels learning his first NFL offense and seeing NFL defenses initially as well, Robinson is confident he and Ekeler can be a big help to Daniels in 2024

“I feel like it’ll help him tremendously. Just knowing that he always has an option in the running backs. Anytime me or Austin are in the game, it shouldn’t be a problem for him to find us, or check down to us, or find us in the pass game just as much as he can find a receiver.”