The Commanders are at the point where they have to stop talking around Brandon Coleman and start making a real decision.
Washington moved Coleman to blindside after Laremy Tunsil went down with a torn triceps at training camp, and Dan Quinn and Adam Peters decided not to chase outside help. They trusted Coleman to hold up. That trust has not paid off.
Coleman has been struggling, and the Commanders are now staring at a problem they can’t keep ignoring. He was already being asked to handle a role that may not suit him, and after another rough outing, the idea of taking him out of the lineup has to be on the table.
Week 9 brought a brutal assignment. The Los Angeles Rams came in with a strong defensive front, and they were getting All-Pro edge rusher Myles Garrett back from injury, which only made life harder on Washington’s protection.
The result was ugly on both edges. Josh Conerly Jr. had a disappointing day on the right side, though the Commanders are likely to stay patient with the first-round pick because of his talent and upside.
Coleman’s case is different. His margin for error is shrinking fast.
Washington does have a short week before heading to the New York Giants for Thursday Night Football, so a major overhaul is unlikely before then. Coleman should still be in the lineup at MetLife Stadium.
But if the struggles continue, especially the pre-snap penalties, the Commanders could use their mini bye week to make a change.
That raises the next issue: what would they actually do?
There’s no clear timetable for Tunsil’s return this season, and with the Commanders not in contention, there’s no reason to rush anything. Andrew Wylie has spent most of his career at right tackle, and putting him on an island is not a workable answer. That leaves the possibility of turning to Esa Pole from the practice squad.
Pole started four games and appeared in five for the Kansas City Chiefs last season. He didn’t make their roster this summer, but the Washington State product has the size and tools to be a stopgap if Washington decides Coleman needs to sit.
It’s a long shot, but the Commanders may be at the point where even a long shot looks better than what they’re getting now.
Another option would be moving Coleman inside in favor of Chris Paul instead of benching him outright. Still, some time away from the field might be the cleanest solution.
Anyone would have a hard time against Garrett. But the frequency with which Coleman was beaten says plenty about where he is right now. The confidence looks shaky.
And because this is Year 3, the patience that once covered for rookie mistakes is gone. What was tolerated early is now being judged much more harshly.
That reality now hangs over Coleman’s future in Washington, too.
In Other News...
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The issue is not just one bad Sunday, either. Injuries have already forced the Commanders to keep adjusting in the middle of the line, and the result has been a unit that never seems to settle into a rhythm. For a team trying to build around a young offense, the center spot has become one of the clearest reminders that the margin for error is shrinking fast. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Nearly Flipped Last Rams Meeting But The Result Still Stung
The last time Washington saw the Rams, the game had the feel of a blowout before the Commanders made it interesting late. At SoFi Stadium in Week 15, Los Angeles controlled most of the afternoon and carried a 28-7 lead into the stretch, only for Washington to find some life behind Jacoby Brissett and a pair of late touchdown passes.
Even with the rally, the Commanders never fully erased the damage from the earlier mistakes and missed chances that put them in the hole. Los Angeles still walked away with a 28-20 win after closing out the final moments, leaving Washington with the kind of near-miss that lingers because it was close enough to wonder what might have changed with one cleaner finish. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Quinns Frustration Sums Up A Commanders Problem Getting Worse
The Commanders latest loss had the familiar feel of a team leaving points on the field and then paying for it on the scoreboard. In a 20-13 defeat to the Rams at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Washington again found itself stuck between promising stretches and the kind of execution that turns a close game into a frustrating one, with Dan Quinn pointing to the missed chances on both sides of the ball.
Quinns irritation fit the moment because the Commanders did enough in spots to stay in it, but not enough to finish it. The defense created chances and the offense had openings to build on them, yet the game never quite came together in the way a playoff-caliber team needs, and the final sequence only sharpened the issue as Washingtons chance to force a tie slipped away in painful fashion. [Read more 🡒]