The Washington Commanders are staring at a major problem after losing Javon Kinlaw and Daron Payne for the rest of the season, and that kind of hit usually leaves a defense scrambling. But in the middle of all that bad news, Shy Tuttle has suddenly become one of the most important names on the roster.
Tuttle has quietly carved out a bigger role, and he’s made the most of it. He’s been tough to move on running plays, and he’s also flashed real pressure ability with a mix of power and explosiveness off the snap.
The technical side has sharpened too, with better hand placement and a stronger ability to hold up against double teams. With Kinlaw and Payne now out, Washington will need that version of Tuttle to keep showing up, starting with the Los Angeles Rams coming to town this weekend.
It’s a pretty sharp turn for a player whose recent career path looked shaky not long ago. His move to the Carolina Panthers didn’t work out, and he never looked comfortable at nose tackle in Ejiro Evero’s 3-4 front. The inconsistency piled up, frustration followed, and Carolina let him go before the 2025 campaign.
The 2019 undrafted free agent didn’t sit around long. He landed with the Tennessee Titans, heading back to the region where he starred in college, but the chances there were limited. He was released late in the campaign before the Commanders added him.
Washington gave Tuttle another one-year commitment, though nothing was guaranteed. He made the 53-man roster and then made sure to take advantage of every opening he got.
The Commanders have already seen enough to reward him once, and now the opportunity in front of him is even bigger. He had been splitting reps with Tim Settle Jr. while Kinlaw and Payne were healthy, but that changed fast. Against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football, he played 46.4 percent of the snaps and came away with one sack and six tackles.
That’s the kind of outing that can change the conversation around a player. Tuttle still has work to do, but the door is open wider now than anyone expected.
Just when his career seemed to be drifting toward the margins, he’s found a new lane in Washington. If he keeps producing over the final 10 games, general manager Adam Peters would have a strong case to keep him around when the time comes.
The challenge is obvious. Payne and Kinlaw are quicker and faster than anyone else in Washington’s defensive trenches, and replacing that kind of burst won’t be simple. Still, Tuttle brings experience, and he’s disruptive enough to help keep the unit afloat.
For a player once viewed as little more than emergency depth, that’s a serious comeback. Seven games into the season, he may be the most important defensive piece on the team that nobody is talking about.
The Commanders need somebody to step up. Right now, Tuttle looks like the guy.
In Other News...
Commanders Suddenly Have A Major Rams Injury Watch This Week
The Rams got a notable update this week when Myles Garrett returned to limited practice after left knee surgery, putting his status back on the radar as Washington prepares for the matchup. Sean McVay said the veteran would handle about half his usual practice repetitions, a sign Los Angeles is easing him back into the routine while keeping a close eye on how the knee responds.
For the Commanders, it adds another layer to a game plan that already had to account for a talented Rams front. Matthew Stafford sounded encouraged by Garretts progress toward playing, but the Rams are still treating the decision as a day-to-day evaluation, which leaves Washington waiting to see whether one of Los Angeles most disruptive defenders will be available when the teams meet. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Suddenly Have A New Problem Up Front Before Rams Game
The Commanders Week 9 injury report brought a little more clarity before their matchup with the Rams, but it also underscored how thin things are getting up front. JerZhan Newton was a full participant after being limited last week as he continues working back from a torn pectoral muscle, while the rest of the report featured a mix of limited and absent players across the roster.
The bigger concern came with Shy Tuttle, who was limited because of a shoulder injury at a time when Washington is already trying to patch together its defensive front. Treylon Burks sat out with a foot issue after playing in the previous game, and Stefon Diggs was given a rest day, leaving the Commanders with a few moving parts to monitor as they head into a matchup that could test their depth early. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Get A Big Chance To Prove Last Week Was Real
The Commanders get a fresh measuring-stick opportunity at Northwest Stadium this week, with the Rams coming to Landover after Washingtons win over the Eagles turned a lot of heads. It is the kind of follow-up game that can tell you whether a breakthrough was a one-week jolt or the start of something sturdier, especially with Los Angeles also arriving off a victory of its own over the Chargers.
For Washington, the setting only sharpens the stakes. A home crowd, a quality opponent and a national spotlight on local FOX make this feel like more than just another Sunday afternoon, even if the broadcast crew is a familiar one for viewers. The Commanders do not need to make a statement to themselves so much as to everyone still wondering whether last week was the real thing. [Read more 🡒]