The Washington Commanders are heading into training camp with a real question at center, and Nick Allegretti is right in the middle of it.
Washington doesn’t have a locked-in starter at the position, but it does have a player the staff clearly trusts. Allegretti brings interior flexibility, and the Commanders believe that matters. More important, they see a lineman whose intelligence, leadership and poise give him a legitimate shot to win the job.
The numbers tell part of the story, though they also show how new this is for him. Allegretti has logged about 190 NFL snaps at center and has started only two games there, both coming at the end of last season with Washington. Dan Quinn has pointed out that Allegretti has regularly worked across the interior, which helps explain why the team views him as more than just a backup option.
Center, of course, is a demanding spot. The job goes far beyond taking the snap. The center has to sort out fronts, handle protection calls and keep the line organized when defenses start moving pieces around and disguising pressure.
That is where Allegretti’s appeal really seems to lie. Quinn’s confidence appears tied to how quickly Allegretti processes information, how clearly he communicates and how well he handles the chaos that can come with the position. Adam Peters has emphasized the same theme, stressing Allegretti’s leadership and his ability to command the situation.
Still, this is not a coronation. Allegretti is in an open competition with Julian Good-Jones and rookie Matt Gulbin. Gulbin brings real competition after starting at center and playing well during his senior year at Michigan State, while Good-Jones has time on Washington’s practice squad and enough familiarity with the building to stay in the mix.
Even with the front office’s confidence, Allegretti still has to prove it on the field. Center is one of those jobs where every mistake shows up immediately, and there is no hiding from a bad snap, a blown block or a missed protection call. At the same time, doing the job well often means going unnoticed.
For Washington, the bet is that Allegretti’s mental strengths can carry over physically. The command, the trust, the calm under pressure - those are the traits the Commanders already believe he has. Now he has to turn that into clean snaps, solid blocking and steady play when the pressure starts coming.
In Other News...
Commanders Are Already Dealing With A Defensive Camp Nightmare
Washington is opening training camp with an early hit to the defense, as Dorance Armstrong Jr., Trey Amos and Deatrich Wise Jr. all begin on the Physically Unable to Perform list. Armstrong and Amos are coming off significant injuries from last season, and their absence immediately thins out a unit that was supposed to be a point of emphasis as the Commanders try to move past a disappointing 2025.
The bigger concern is not just who is missing now, but how much the team had been counting on these players to help steady the front and the back end. Armstrong was already facing a reduced role in Daronte Jones defense after the arrivals of Odafe Oweh and KLavon Chaisson, while Amos had been viewed as a possible Year 2 breakout candidate before his setback. Washington is still hoping the group can work its way back in time for the season, but camp has barely started and the defense is already trying to absorb another setback. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Camp Opens With One Roster Question Hanging Over Everything
Training camp opens this week with the full roster due Tuesday and the first practice set for Wednesday, giving the Commanders their first real chance to sort through a crowded 91-man group before the cutdown to 53. It is also the first extended look at how new offensive coordinator David Blough and defensive coordinator Daronte Jones want to shape the team, with joint practices, preseason games and a steady stream of reps all feeding into decisions that will ripple through the rest of August.
For Washington, the intrigue is not just about scheme changes but about who can seize a role quickly enough to matter. The staff will be watching rookies closely, along with any potential additions that could alter the depth chart, and there is still a sense that one more move could change the tone of camp before the roster picture starts to settle. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Face An Uncomfortable WR2 Question Around A Big Name
The Commanders are still sorting out what the passing game looks like behind Terry McLaurin, and the search for a reliable No. 2 has naturally pulled a big name into the conversation. Stefon Diggs is available, he has ties to the Washington area, and the idea of pairing him with Jayden Daniels is the kind of move that would at least make the front office think hard about how much proven receiver help it wants to add.
Diggs, though, would not be stepping into a tidy setup where the job is clearly defined for him. Washington already has several pass-catchers competing for touches and roles, which makes the fit more complicated than a simple name-value upgrade. For the Commanders, the question is not just whether Diggs is interested, but whether he would arrive as the answer to their WR2 issue or simply add another layer to it. [Read more 🡒]