Tag: Brandon Coleman

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.

Brandon Coleman’s 42-yard reception is the Saints Play of the Day

We continue our Play of the Day countdown with No. 42, and Brandon Coleman’s 42-yard reception against the dynastic New England Patriots:

We have made it to 42 days remaining until the New Orleans Saints Week 1 kickoff against the Carolina Panthers, making this 42-yard reception by Brandon Coleman our Saints Play of the Day. In this battle between Drew Brees versus Tom Brady, we got to witness some impressive games from both Michael Thomas and Brandon Coleman.

Despite ending with an eventual 36-20 loss for the Saints, this play led a field goal drive that brought the Saints within touching distance at 20-13. The drive had all but stalled out at 3rd and 9 on the New Orleans 40-yard line, but Brandon Coleman (thanks to a Sean Payton play design) got absolutely wide open due to three routes crossing over each other, sparking defensive confusion. Coleman ran along the sideline and shed a low tackle before being pushed out of bounds at the New England 18-yard line.

This play was the most prominent of the day for Coleman, but he also had a 5-yard touchdown catch earlier in the game. He ended the day with 4 receptions for 82 yards (20.5 yards per catch) and a touchdown. The Saints figured some things out in this loss to the Patriots, though, and they won their next eight games with Coleman making a lot of plays as their primary blocking wideout. It was ultimately a career day for Coleman, as he would end up retiring in 2019 after suffering a career-ending neck injury.

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Which Commanders position is named as one of NFL’s top position battles?

What is Washington’s most intriguing position battle this summer?

Who will start at left tackle for the Washington Commanders in 2024? Whoever Washington chooses is tasked with protecting the blind side of rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.

The Commanders open training camp on Wednesday, and observers will be watching the left tackle battle. Veterans Cornelius Lucas and Trent Scott will compete with rookie third-round pick Brandon Coleman to be Washington’s starter.

Kevin Patra of NFL.com looked at the 24 most intriguing position battles across the league in 2024. Patra ranks the Commanders’ battle at No. 5.

The biggest question entering the season is the blocking in front of Jayden Daniels, particularly on his blind side. Lucas, an 11th-year pro, figures to have a leg up, having started 31 games in four years in D.C. He also started just four games last season on one of the worst lines in the league and appears to be a stop-gap at best. Scott could win the gig. The big question is whether Coleman, a third-round pick in April’s draft, can step in from the jump and play such a key role. All three players received starting reps in 11-on-11 drills during the offseason program, a clear indicator that this job is up in the air. Ideally, Coleman proves the best option. But is riding with youth at LT ideal when there is a rookie under center?

The Commanders have high hopes for Coleman. They believe he’s a tackle, not a guard. We’ve written multiple times that it’s more likely that Lucas opens the season at left tackle, regardless of how Coleman performs this summer. Does Washington really want to burden a rookie offensive tackle with protecting a rookie quarterback right out of the gate? Could you imagine the backlash if Coleman allows a sack in Week 1 and Daniels is injured?

This is an intriguing battle and certainly Washington’s most interesting competition. However, unless he’s hurt in camp, don’t be surprised if Lucas opens the year at left tackle.

College coach believes Commanders OT Brandon Coleman not even close to his ceiling

The Commanders believe they landed a steal in third-round rookie OT Brandon Coleman.

Washington fans and NFL analysts were shocked when the Washington Commanders didn’t address the left tackle position in free agency and during the first round of the 2024 NFL draft.

General manager Adam Peters did try to move back into the first round for an offensive tackle. But whether it was because the player he targeted was gone or Peters wasn’t going to pay the price, a deal wasn’t made, and Washington remained patient.

The Commanders had three second-round picks and did not select an offensive tackle. That wait ended early in the third round when Washington chose Brandon Coleman from TCU.

No one questioned where Coleman was drafted. The debate was whether he would be better as a guard or tackle in the NFL.

He played both positions in college, earning All-Big 12 honors at each position. At the NFL combine, Coleman’s measurables blew teams away. His length and athleticism were reminiscent of top NFL tackles, but other inconsistencies led some to believe he fit better at guard.

From the moment Washington drafted Coleman, Peters made it clear the team believed he was a tackle, and that’s where he would start his career.

Coleman’s offensive line coach at TCU, A.J. Ricker, believes Coleman’s versatility is an asset at the next level.

“It’s huge,” Ricker said, per Zach Selby of commanders.com.

“There’s a guy that honestly could play all three [positions]. Center, guard and tackle. And heck, that’s what you’re looking for now. You’d like for him to…settle on one position, but he’s one guy that I tell people all the time, ‘It’s kind of amazing how much you can move him around.’ And he still hasn’t played that much football. His best football is still ahead of him.”

Ricker said that Coleman wasn’t even “close to his ceiling” as a player.

One area where the best offensive tackles stand out above the rest is their footwork. Coleman excels in this area as well.

“If your feet are not right, very rarely are your hands gonna be efficient,” Ricker said. “It’s blocking with your feet first, and then the rest will take care of itself. He was blessed genetically to have really good feet and be athletic, but he also works at it, too.”

Peters rolled the dice this offseason at offensive tackle, bringing back Andrew Wylie to play right tackle and going with veteran Cornelius Lucas at left tackle. That’s not to say he hasn’t tried. He obviously has tried. Remember how many holes Peters had to fill when he took over the team in January? You can’t fill them all in one offseason.

It’s often said that the best move is the one you don’t make. Perhaps that will be the case for Washington in 2024. For that to happen, Peters would need to be right about Coleman. From all indications, Peters and the coaching staff strongly believe the rookie can start at left tackle early in his career. If the GM is right, Coleman could be his best offseason move in an offseason full of moves.

Whoever starts at left tackle has a clear mission: Protect rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels at all costs.