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Breaking down the Washington Football Team’s position battles: Left Guard

By Jacob Camenker

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - SEPTEMBER 29: Wes Martin #67 of the Washington Football Team blocks B.J. Hill #95 of the New York Giants during their game at MetLife Stadium on September 29, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - SEPTEMBER 29: Wes Martin #67 of the Washington Football Team blocks B.J. Hill #95 of the New York Giants during their game at MetLife Stadium on September 29, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 30: Joshua Garnett #65 of the San Francisco 49ers pulls to block during the game against the Los Angeles Rams at the LA Memorial Coliseum on December 30, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. The Rams defeated the 49ers 48-32. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 30: Joshua Garnett #65 of the San Francisco 49ers pulls to block during the game against the Los Angeles Rams at the LA Memorial Coliseum on December 30, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. The Rams defeated the 49ers 48-32. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images) /

Dark Horse: Joshua Garnett

Before Kevin Pamphile was released, he would’ve been the dark horse here. But with him gone, we’ll take a look at one of the linemen signed to replace him as a potential dark horse.

Given that Joshua Garnett was signed so late in the offseason, it will be hard for him to make the Washington Football Team’s roster. That said, Garnett undoubtedly has upside. He was a first-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft and while he hasn’t lived up to that billing, there’s a chance that Washington’s coaching staff could get the most out of him.

Garnett made 22 appearances for the San Francisco 49ers over the course of three years with the team from 2016 to 2018. He started 11 games as a rookie but struggled with penalties (seven) and allowed three sacks. Then, injuries became an issue for him.

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Garnett missed all of the 2017 season after suffering a knee injury that required surgery. In 2018, he played just 59 snaps in seven games while missing time with a toe injury. He was better in ’18 than he was as a rookie, but the 49ers were fed up with his lack of production. As a result, he found himself among the team’s final cuts in 2019 and he remained unemployed during the 2019 season.

But now, Garnett will have another chance to prove that he belongs in the NFL. And Washington should be a good place for him to prove himself. John Matsko has done a good job of developing talent on the offensive line over the course of his time in the NFL. He could be the coach that Garnett needs to unlock his potential.

Garnett (6-foot-5, 305 pounds) has the prototypical size needed to be a quality guard. He’s only 26, so there is still plenty of time for him to find his footing. He may not be ready to start, but if he’s healthy and learns Washington’s system quickly, he could fit in nicely. Of course, he could struggle to fit in and find himself among the team’s final cuts. There’s no way of knowing what he’ll do without preseason action.

We’ll see what Garnett can do in camp. For now, he’s an intriguing dark horse, but his chances of making the roster are lower than the other longer-term members of the Washington roster.

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