Commanders players who can step up with the team’s injuries and make the most of their opportunities in the preseason game vs the Patriots
it’s next man up for these players who needed the opportunity
The team traveled to New England to take on the Patriots in their first preseason game this offseason, but the Washington Commanders will be without several notable players at kickoff.
Football is a team sport with a next man up mentality, and that’s the exact approach these players need as they get an increased opportunity due to the injuries on the team. Some are second-year guys with something to prove, and others are fighting for a roster spot.
Marcus Mariota OUT = Sam Hartman IN
Commanders HC Dan Quinn already alluded that a majority of starters, if not all, will be sitting for the first preseason game, so that means the backups have to shine. Well, backup QB Marcus Mariota didn’t make the trip, so that means even more game reps for Sam Hartman, who is fighting for that QB3 spot.
Hartman has had an “up and down” training camp, as offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury puts it, and a whole tape of in-game reps can really help him out. He’s shown enough of the good stuff to be excited and feel like he has a real chance to make the squad, but he needs to build that resume up to beat out veteran Josh Johnson. Show the coaching staff that you can be dependable and that the young buck is worth keeping.
Brandon Coleman OUT = Andrew Wylie or Nick Allegretti IN
Coleman missing the preseason game after switching from tackle to guard isn’t ideal, but I’m not too worried about it (only because Quinn said not to), so we have to trust the depth. Veteran Andrew Wylie has been the starter at left guard since Coleman left practice on Saturday, but does that mean he’s the technical starter now and should rest with the others? If so, expect last year’s starter Nick Allegretti to come in and try to show his value as a depth piece on the line.
Noah Brown OUT = Chris Moore/Michael Gallup/K.J. Osborn/Ja’Corey Brooks IN
The Commanders NEED someone older or younger to rise to the occasion and become a valuable weapon for Jayden Daniels. Last season, we saw Dyami Brown, Olamide Zaccheus, and Jamison Crowder all have key moments in games that helped contribute to a win, and we need someone to replace those three when needed.
Luke McCaffrey and Jaylin Lane are expected to step up in the depth chart, but having valuable depth can go a long way when those two young bucks are still unproven for now. I put a lot of names as possibilities to make some noise because it’s clearly still an open race between them all.
Jordan Magee OUT = Kain Medrano IN
This one really hurt because I wanted to see LB Jordan Magee as a depth guy step up this season and get valuable reps in preseason, but this opens the door for another rookie. The team has been experimenting with Kain Medrano as a LB/Big Nickel type of player in training camp, and I think more in-game reps at LB will be huge. He flashed when I watched him at training camp, and I want to see more.
No matter what his position is, put him where he can fly around and show his speed and coverage ability while wrapping up tackles and making plays. Depth at LB can get shaky if Magee stays banged up like last season.
Javontae Jean-Baptiste OUT = Jacob Martin IN
A second-year player losing reps to a veteran who has shown that he can produce isn’t the best scenario in the preseason, but I feel really good about both of these guys. Martin has been a sneaky player in training camp since pads came on, and he’s shown some burst off the line. Don’t be surprised when he gets a sack or two in preseason and turns some heads. I just wish Jean-Baptiste were out there doing the same thing.
The injuries are unfortunate to have, but Quinn said they are all short-term and nothing serious, so this opens up a big opportunity for some other players to make a name for themselves on Friday night against the Patriots.
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