Frankie Luvu’s groin injury has pushed Leo Chenal right into the spotlight, and Washington may need a much sharper version of him in Week 2.
Luvu hasn’t practiced this week, and if he can’t go against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium, the Commanders will be asking Chenal to handle a far bigger workload. That comes with real pressure after a shaky debut.
Chenal arrived in Washington this offseason as one of general manager Adam Peters’ more intriguing additions, a move meant to bring more youth and athleticism to Daronte Jones’ defense. His time with the Kansas City Chiefs gave the Commanders reason to believe he could be more than a role player, but his first outing in Washington didn’t match the hype.
When Luvu and No. 7 pick Sonny Styles opened at the defensive second level, the Commanders looked solid enough. They helped keep Saquon Barkley relatively in check and generated pressure on Jalen Hurts. But once Luvu left the game, the defense lost its footing.
The communication slipped. Chenal appeared hesitant. His run defense was uneven, and he didn’t look fully comfortable trying to impose himself in a new system.
That’s why Week 2 suddenly matters so much more.
Even if Luvu is active, he may not be at full strength, and he could be limited if he does play. That would leave Chenal in a central spot against a Dallas offense that doesn’t need much help finding weak points.
The Commanders are counting on more than just survival from him. They need him to be a factor.
Washington didn’t sign Chenal just to be a body in the rotation. The organization gave him a three-year, $24.75 million deal with a $6.5 million signing bonus and $12.4 million guaranteed early in free agency, betting that his size, speed and physical style would fit this defense. The Chiefs valued him as a productive rotational piece and a core special-teams contributor, and Washington clearly thinks there’s more there.
He may not be Frankie Luvu. But he has the tools to be useful next to Styles, and perhaps a lot more than that.
The test gets tougher because Dallas’ offense is loaded with playmakers, even if its defense has had issues. For Washington, this is the kind of game where every missed assignment can show up fast. If Chenal is on the field in a bigger role, the Commanders need him ready to respond.
It could be the clearest look yet at what Washington really has in him.
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