The Washington Commanders are running out of margin for error, and four games into the season, the list of problems is getting harder to ignore. At 1-3, with injuries piling up and head coach Dan Quinn trying to steady the ship before and after the bye week, the pressure is already real. The Commanders have shown flashes, but too many players are falling short when the team can least afford it.
That’s why the conversation around roster decisions has turned so sharp. Washington is 3-13 over its last 16 games dating back to last season, a stretch that puts the franchise in No. 1 overall pick territory if things don’t change fast.
Quinn still believes he can get this group turned around, and the players believe in him too. But this is the NFL, where belief only goes so far.
Outside of the stunning upset over the Seattle Seahawks, the results haven’t been close to good enough.
General manager Adam Peters has the money to chase reinforcements, but he’d rather hold that back for future contract extensions. That leaves Washington with fewer easy answers. The team has to start stacking wins, and if that requires some uncomfortable personnel calls, so be it.
One of those calls already came in Week 4, when the Commanders benched veteran Nick Allegretti and handed the job to sixth-round rookie Matt Gulbin. It was a big ask, and Gulbin wasn’t ready for it.
He had a rough day against an Indianapolis Colts front led by DeForest Buckner, and he was blown up on the play that injured veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota. After that, Washington’s afternoon was effectively over.
That doesn’t mean Gulbin is doomed, but it does mean the Commanders can’t keep forcing him into the lineup except in emergency situations. The issue is bigger than one rookie’s struggles.
It reflects Adam Peters’ offseason neglect up front, especially the heavy reliance on Allegretti. Washington is paying for that now, and plenty of people could see this coming.
There is at least some help on the way. Right guard Sam Cosmi is expected back this weekend against the New York Giants, and that should stabilize things considerably.
Having Lucas Patrick at center also makes the picture look a lot cleaner. For now, Gulbin looks like what he probably should be at this stage: a development project, not a weekly answer.
In Other News...
Giants Just Got A Tougher NFC East Problem To Prepare For
A rough afternoon in London left Washington with more than just a loss to the Colts. Starting quarterback Jayden Daniels suffered a dislocated left elbow in Week 5, and the injury immediately changed the conversation around the Commanders offense after Marcus Mariota had already gone down and third-stringer Athan Kaliakmanis was forced into action.
Dan Quinn said Daniels is on track to potentially return as soon as next week against the Giants, a development that would give Washington a much different look than it had overseas. For New York, it means preparing for a division opponent that may not be scrambling at quarterback for long, even if the recovery timeline still has to play out. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Suddenly Have A Week 5 Injury Problem Fans Can't Ignore
The injury picture around Washington has shifted quickly enough to become a real Week 5 storyline, and it reaches across both sides of the ball. The Commanders are trying to manage hamstring strains for Stefon Diggs and Terry McLaurin, while Charles Omenihu is working through groin and ankle issues and Marcus Mariota is dealing with a sprained MCL. Jayden Daniels is still expected to start despite his own dislocated elbow, which gives the quarterback room at least some clarity even as the rest of the roster gets more complicated.
Nick Cross adds another layer after his illness and hospitalization, and the list of limited or sidelined players keeps the pressure on Washingtons depth. For a team already balancing injuries at receiver, along the defensive front and behind center, the concern is less about any one name than the cumulative effect on how the Commanders can actually function this week. The next update on availability may say plenty about how much margin this group still has left. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Suddenly Face A QB Decision They Can't Ignore
Washingtons quarterback room got another look this week after the team brought in Jack Plummer for a workout following Marcus Mariotas injury. For now, though, the Commanders are not planning to add him, a sign they believe Mariotas absence will be short enough to avoid an injured reserve move. With Jayden Daniels also expected back soon from an elbow injury, the position remains in a holding pattern while the staff waits to see how the health of the room settles.
Dan Quinn has stayed upbeat through a stretch that has featured multiple injuries around the roster, and this latest quarterback wrinkle fits the same uneasy theme. The Commanders do not appear ready to make a roster move at the position yet, but they are clearly keeping options open as they navigate a week-to-week situation that could shift quickly depending on Mariota and Daniels. [Read more 🡒]