Commanders Season Hinges on O-Line Performance
With the regular season near, there's a clearer picture of what each team will look like once the games finally count.
ESPN predicted the ceiling and floor for every team. For the Washington Commanders, their ceiling is at 10 wins, while their floor at five, the lowest among fellow NFC East teams.
The biggest determining factor behind the team's success or failure is the offensive line.
"The line remains a work in progress, though the run blocking has been better than the pass protection so far. Their line won't rank among the NFL's best, but it needs to at least be middle of the pack for the Commanders to have a good season," ESPN's John Keim writes.
The Commanders' offensive line allowed 48 sacks in 2022, the seventh-most in the NFL. ESPN also had Washington ranked 26th in pressure percentage. To improve the offensive line, Washington signed Andrew Wylie and Nick Gates. The team also added Ricky Stromberg and Braeden Daniels in the middle rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft.
If Washington is going to improve from 24th in points per game (18.9), it'll need the tandem of Howell and Bieniemy to work, but they'll only reach their full potential if the offensive line improves.
If the Commanders' offensive line is better, Howell can lead the team to ESPN's ceiling for the team and possibly knock on the door of the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
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