Watch: Commanders rookie LT Brandon Coleman is fast

Brandon Coleman shows off his speed, running with Jayden Daniels.

There was a lot of hype surrounding Washington Commanders offensive tackle Brandon Coleman this offseason. The third-round pick from TCU looked like an early favorite to start as Washington’s left tackle in Week 1, protecting fellow rookie Jayden Daniels’ blind side.

However, a pectoral injury in training camp slowed Coleman’s progress, forcing him to miss both of Washington’s joint practices and all three preseason games. While Coleman had looked good against his teammates in practice, coaches wanted to see him against other teams.

Coleman returned to practice ahead of the season, with head coach Dan Quinn saying he was healthy and on track to play in Week 1. Coleman did play in Washington’s Week 1 loss at Tampa Bay. He participated in 14 of the Commanders’ 59 offensive snaps and was Pro Football Focus’s fifth-highest-graded offensive player for Washington.

Quinn wanted to work Coleman in gradually, following veteran Cornelius Lucas.

One play showed Coleman’s terrific athleticism. Watch Coleman, No. 74, take off and follow Daniels down the field, looking for someone to block.

https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1832891446187417938

Here’s another angle.

https://twitter.com/_RyanFowler_/status/1833164183451443511

It will be interesting to follow Coleman throughout this season and proves general manager Adam Peters correct and that he can be Washington’s present and future left tackle.

 

Commanders coach Dan Quinn is comfortable playing rookie OT Brandon Coleman after not playing in preseason

Dan Quinn isn’t concerned about Coleman missing the preseason. It’s about practice.

The Washington Commanders released their first depth chart ahead of Week 1 this week, containing four rookies listed on the first team. Quarterback Jayden Daniels, wide receiver Luke McCaffrey, offensive tackle Brandon Coleman and cornerback Mike Sainristil were all listed at the top of their respective positions.

Coleman’s inclusion isn’t a surprise, considering how strong he looked throughout OTAs and early in training camp. But a shoulder injury sidelined him for all three preseason games and both joint practices. It was unfortunate because the Commanders knew how the third-round pick looked against teammates but wanted to get him some experience against other teams.

Washington released its first injury report for the season on Wednesday, and Coleman was listed. The good news is that Coleman was a full participant. That means, unless something drastic happens over the next two days, Coleman is playing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Would head coach Dan Quinn feel comfortable playing Coleman in Week 1 after he missed all of the preseason?

“I do, and it’s an example of you can only control the things that you can, and so would it have been better?” Quinn said. “Yes, but okay, that is not how it went down. This player’s really put in the work, and he’s really ready to go. So yeah, we’re excited to get him into it. Would it have been better for him and anybody else? Of course. But like I said, you can only control what you can, but the player is really putting in the work and is ready to go.”

While comfortable playing him, he needs to see him in practice this week before determining a starter.

“Yeah, for the practice part first, yeah we’re definitely aiming towards playing and getting into that,” Quinn said. “And so I’ll probably have a better instance for him and a couple of the guys all the way through the practice week.”

This is a good approach from Quinn. If he’s healthy and the best player, he should play. Under Ron Rivera, things would likely have been different.

For Quinn, there are no hard and fast rules. Every player’s playing status will be determined on an individual basis.

Coleman said he was trending positively toward playing in Week 1 last week and told JP Finlay of NBC Washington that he is good to go.

https://twitter.com/JPFinlayNBCS/status/1831425964263534832

This is excellent news for the Commanders. But Coleman will be thrown right into the fire, protecting his fellow rookie, in their NFL debuts against a defense that is known to bring pressure from all over.

Commanders injury report: Four players limited, including Daron Payne

Four players, including Daron Payne and Marcus Mariota, were limited on the first injury report.

The Washington Commanders were back on the practice field Wednesday in preparation for Sunday’s Week 1 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Wednesday’s practice brought us the first official injury report for the 2024 season.

On Washington’s depth chart unveiled on Tuesday, rookie Brandon Coleman was listed as the first-team left tackle. The rookie missed all of the preseason with a shoulder injury but had an excellent start to training camp before the injury. Head coach Dan Quinn said he’d need to see Coleman practice before determining who would start at left tackle against the Buccaneers.

The Commanders’ full Wednesday injury report can be found below:

Did not participate: N/A

Limited participants: QB Marcus Mariota (chest), DT Jer’Zhan Newton (foot), DT Daron Payne (back), OT Trent Scott (knee)

Full participants: OT Brandon Coleman (shoulder), DE Clelin Ferrell (knee), OLB Dante Fowler Jr. (knee)

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 coach Dan Quinn gives injury update on rookie OT Brandon Coleman

Should Washington be concerned?

There was a lot of excitement surrounding Washington Commanders rookie offensive tackle Brandon Coleman entering the week. The third-round pick from TCU had impressed Washington coaches throughout training camp and was atop the depth chart at left tackle last week.

However, he’d risen up the depth chart facing his teammates. How would Coleman perform against another team? We were about to find out last week when the Commanders traveled to New Jersey for a joint practice with the New York Jets.

Unfortunately, Coleman didn’t participate. The Commanders faced the Jets on Saturday in the preseason opener, and Coleman, along with Washington’s other two top offensive tackles, did not play.

Head coach Dan Quinn gave an update on Coleman after Saturday’s game.

Quinn said Coleman was dealing with a “strain in his shoulder and his pec,” via Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post.

How long will he be out?

“He’s probably day-to-day or week-to-week,” Quinn said, “But we anticipate him moving forward quickly.”

“Day-to-day or week-to-week” is a bit worrisome. Day-to-day obviously means he should be back soon, but a week-to-week injury is not something the Commanders can afford at offensive tackle right now.

Washington needs to see Coleman against other teams ahead of the regular season.

Next week, the Commanders have a joint practice against the Miami Dolphins before they play in the preseason on Saturday night.

Dan Quinn reveals his motto for the 2024 Commanders

Dan Quinn loves a good motto.

In case you haven’t noticed, Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn likes a good motto or slogan. Whether it was during his time as head coach of the Falcons or the past three seasons with the Cowboys, Quinn has adopted a motto for his players.

When taking over as Washington’s coach this year, Quinn had another: “Doing hard s–t with good people.”

We’ve seen Quinn wearing the shirt with that motto during practice recently. On Friday, Kay Adams from the show “Up and Adams” was in Ashburn for the latest stop on her training camp tour, where Quinn revealed a new motto for 2024.

Adams asked Quinn if he had to have a motto on the back of his shirt right now, what would it be?

“Anybody. Anytime. Anywhere,” Quinn answered.

“That’s what it says on the back of my shirt right now. It really has less to do about the opponent and more to do about road games, home games, standards, hot, cold, indoor, outdoor, like if you’re ready to get it on, you gotta be able to East Coast, West Coast, Sunday nights, Monday nights, Thursdays, and division games, non-division games, like they all do it. And so that’s what that means; it’s not about proving it, like an opponent, but it’s about….we’re going to be a tough draw.”

Adams then asked the crowd behind her and Quinn if they were ready to run through a wall for their coach, and they responded, “YES.” Rookie offensive tackle Brandon Coleman, who was signing autographs, turned around, pumped his fist, and screamed, “Yeah.”

Here’s the segment:

 

 

Commanders’ Brandon Coleman impressing former NFL player

“At a bare minimum, they definitely have a guy that can play football at a high level for this organization.”

The Commanders having concluded their seventh day of training camp practices, former Redskins tight end Logan Paulsen is impressed.

Paulsen appeared on the “Chris Russell Show” on Thursday, with Lynell Willingham filling in for Russell.

Willingham asked Paulsen if he was speaking in hyperbole if he thinks the Commanders may have already found their left tackle in Brandon Coleman.

“When he was coming out (of the draft), I had him as a guard,” began Paulsen. “He has good length, good feet, athleticism and good balance.”

Paulsen doesn’t want to be premature in assessing Coleman. “This may be the guy, but I am going to hold my judgment until they get through the preseason game and joint practices (Jets). I have been very positively encouraged with his progression and with his confidence.”

He continued, stating Coleman, in team periods, has locked some guys up impressively and, of course, also had some tough moments. “I think all the foundational elements for him are there. That is something that is very encouraging. When does this click for him? Does it click next week? The first week of the season?”

“But I do think, at a bare minimum, they definitely have a guy that can play football at a high level for this organization, whether that is at left/right tackle or guard. He is a ball player; it’s about when it clicks for him, and if it clicks fast enough for him that he can be your left tackle.”

General manager Adam Peters was criticized for not selecting an offensive tackle until pick number 67 when he selected Coleman out of TCU.

However, Paulsen certainly feels like Coleman is tracking in a good direction already, only seven days into training camp.

Commanders rookie OT Brandon Coleman looking the part as potential Week 1 starter

The rookie offensive tackle has a big day on Thursday.

Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters was widely praised for the 2024 NFL draft. For one, Peters landed Jayden Daniels with the No. 2 overall pick, but other picks, such as Johnny Newton and Mike Sainristil, earned him leaguewide praise.

The one knock on Peters was what some believed was his inaction at offensive tackle. The Commanders did not sign an offensive tackle in free agency, only bringing back veteran Cornelius Lucas. While Peters tried to move back into the first round, the price was too high, and he stayed put.

So, with the second pick of the third round, the Commanders selected Brandon Coleman of TCU. This wasn’t a reach as Washington clearly liked Coleman, bringing him in for a pre-draft visit.

Scouts were split on Coleman. He looked more like a guard but possessed the arm length and athleticism to play tackle. Peters made it clear the Commanders believed Coleman was a tackle.

Throughout the first week of training camp, Coleman has consistently worked with the first-team offense, either at left or right tackle. He’s drawn praise, but none of that really mattered until the pads came on. Coleman had a solid day in the first padded practice earlier this week.

On Thursday, Washington had its second day in pads, and Coleman stood out in one-on-one drills.

While people in attendance often see or interpret different things, Finlay’s opinion seemed to be the consensus on Coleman. The rookie more than held his own against Washington’s talented defensive line.

Two days in pads means nothing right now. However, the Commanders have consistently worked Coleman with the first team, which would indicate they view him as a starter. Will it be on the left or right side?

Washington could go with the veteran Lucas at left tackle early in the season and opt for Coleman on the right side, replacing Andrew Wylie. Wylie struggled last season and has been sidelined at times this summer with what he described as “tightness.”

If Peters emerges from the 2024 NFL draft with a quarterback and starting left tackle, fans will be ready to induct him into the Ring of Honor this season.

The true test will be when the games begin, but Coleman couldn’t have started his NFL career any stronger.

 

Quinn thrilled with Commanders’ rookies Newton and Coleman

Dan Quinn praises rookies Johnny Newton and Brandon Coleman.

Monday was the first day of the 2024 Commanders being in pads; it was also a time when the line of scrimmage became more of an emphasis.

When the pads go on, the hitting begins, the blocking begins, the tackling begins, and so instead of simple handoffs and passes being the focus, line play becomes more integral.

Two particular linemen have Quinn’s attention, and it was no accident he was asked about both rookies

Quinn is pleased regarding rookie DT Johnny Newton, the 36th overall selection in this year’s draft.

“No limitations at all,” Quinn said of Newton who had two offseason foot surgeries.

“He is actually doing great. Then we’ll start the team periods shortly with him. He’s making huge strides. He’s in excellent shape, so it was more just by design. The player is wanting to go badly and is showing he can, but really we want to stick to our plan of how we’re ramping him up. But yeah, you’ll see him in some team work soon.”

When asked what he has seen from OT Brandon Coleman, Quinn offered some praise. Coleman was the 67th overall selection in April’s draft.

“One of the things that I knew was he is a very good athlete, but what I have been more impressed by is he’s got great balance for a big guy, and so he’s got power in his legs. One foot coming back, redirecting on pass rush stunts that could go. So that might be one of the things I didn’t know was really one of his strengths. I knew he was a good athlete and movements and that, but balance is a harder thing to test. You have to see it. And so he is very rarely somebody that’s out of position or on the ground.”

More from Quinn on Coleman:

“He’s very deliberate in the way he moves and practices. I think he’s a very in-control player, and I think that’s a real attribute as an offensive lineman. You never see him overextended or out of position because when you do get beat, usually somebody’s out of position, it’s hard to recover. He has that ability to stay connected to somebody, and that’s one of the things I’ve been impressed by so far.”

It would be great if both rookie linemen remain healthy, making huge contributions for the Commanders during the 2024 regular season.

 

Commanders RT Andrew Wylie dealing with ‘tightness’ early in training camp

Andrew Wylie has missed some practice time early in camp.

It was surprising that the Washington Commanders were running with rookie Brandon Coleman and veteran Cornelius Lucas at the offensive tackle positions early in training camp. Andrew Wylie, Washington’s starter at right tackle last season, is expected to start there again in 2024.

Head coach Dan Quinn hasn’t mentioned an injury to Wylie at any point in his pre-practice press conferences.

However, on Sunday, Wylie told reporters he was dealing with some “tightness” early in training camp. He didn’t say where the tightness originated but indicated that it wasn’t serious and that he’d be back on the field on Monday.

Coleman and Lucas are competing for the starting left tackle position, and each has taken first-team reps at right tackle in Wylie’s absence.

Wylie struggled in his first year with the Commanders last season. When assessing Washington’s offseason needs, many believed general manager Adam Peters should upgrade both tackle positions and possibly kick Wylie inside to left guard, where he has played before.

This situation will be worth monitoring throughout the week.