Commanders Offensive Line Needs Confirmed After Recent Roster Moves
INDIANAPOLIS -- While trying to gather as much information as we can on potential future Washington Commanders at the NFL Scouting Combine the team made sure we had plenty to digest with things happening on the actual roster.
We knew moves were coming, as they always do when teams like the Commanders usher in a reshaped front office and coaching staff. While the offense was arguably the better unit in 2023, it's the group that took on the first batch of blows on Friday.
With the moves completed and pending, Washington has once again thrust its offensive line onto center stage as the unit needing the most attention this offseason.
Former Washington Commanders left tackle Charles Leno Jr. (72)
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
TRIMMED UP
Washington made two moves official with another coming and all three impact the play that happens in front of the quarterback.
Offensive tackle Charles Leno Jr. and tight end Logan Thomas have both been released by the team and have been announced by the Commanders themselves.
Meanwhile, center Nick Gates has also been told he'll be released at the start of the new league year, so that hasn't yet been announced officially.
PROJECTED STARTERS
If you keep Andrew Wylie at right tackle, although plenty expect he could also be an offseason casualty as well, then currently we'd have to plug Trent Scott in at left tackle when looking at the current 2024 roster.
It's a position Scott hasn't played since 2020, and not an outcome we expect to come to fruition. But that means Washington will have to dedicate real resources to the position via free agency or the NFL Draft.
Currently, the starting left guard position would have to go to Chris Paul while the center would be second-year player Ricky Stromberg given Gates' future release and Tyler Larsen's pending free agency.
Of course, the right guard position was held down last year by Sam Cosmi, the best of the group, and the only sure thing for returning from the previous starting five in 2024.
WHAT'S NEXT
It doesn't go against total logic to think Wylie has been spared and that the Commanders essentially started up front with the offensive line and tight end groups when looking for players to move on from immediately.
Still, there will be speculation on that for a while, and if Wylie makes it to the new league year we think his position on the team is pretty solid.
This means at a minimum the team needs to find two new contributors to compete or lock down starting jobs, and maybe three when you consider Stromberg's rookie season was cut short due to injury after playing in just four games.
Washington can't spend every draft pick on the offensive line, however, so we'd expect at least one starter to come via free agency - perhaps Dallas Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith - while other spots are indeed addressed in April.
Currently, Over The Cap has the Commanders possessing $91.5 million in spending room for the upcoming season, second only to the New England Patriots who have a staggering $101.7 million.
