The Washington Commanders didn’t need much time to decide their offensive line needed help.
After a rough Week 1 showing against the Philadelphia Eagles, the team is reportedly signing versatile interior offensive lineman Lucas Patrick to its 53-man roster, according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero of The Ringer and Netflix. The move is the latest sign that the Commanders were unhappy with how things looked at Lincoln Financial Field.
It also puts a spotlight on the way general manager Adam Peters approached this part of the roster.
Patrick brings experience at all three interior offensive line spots. Last season, he played six games for the Cincinnati Bengals and made one start.
That’s not the profile of a high-end answer, but Washington appears desperate enough to give him a look. At the very least, he gives the Commanders a more usable depth option.
And that matters, because there hasn’t been much depth to lean on.
The signing also turns up the pressure on Nick Allegretti and Chris Paul. Peters took a gamble this offseason by naming Allegretti the starting center after releasing Tyler Biadasz, and the decision to miss on Tyler Linderbaum left the Commanders without much of a fallback plan.
Allegretti struggled badly in Philadelphia. He looked uncertain, shaky with his responsibilities, and guilty of blowing assignments at key moments. With only sixth-round rookie Matt Gulbin behind him, his hold on the job is now very much in doubt.
Paul is in a similar spot, though not quite to the same degree.
He played well last season, but his market in free agency was quiet. Washington brought him back on a one-year deal, and he was willing to bet on himself. Before Laremy Tunsil’s injury, Paul seemed headed toward losing his starting spot to Brandon Coleman.
Patrick’s arrival could add more heat there, too. The only real question is whether his knee will cooperate.
The New York Giants cut him before the season, but the early reports were positive. Even so, that knee issue flared up again, and it remains to be seen how much he can give Washington right away.
Miracles aren’t the expectation here.
What this does show is that the Commanders are trying to address the problem. It’s not ideal to be chasing fixes after one game, especially when fans saw this coming from a long way off. Peters is clearly working to find the right combination.
Still, if a better plan had been in place earlier in the offseason, Washington might not be scrambling now.
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