Ranking the Commanders’ 3 biggest strengths before OTAs
By Jerry Trotta
The Washington Commanders‘ offseason is about to kick into high gear. Organized team activities, more commonly known as OTAs, will get going next week. The first installment will span May 24-26, with the second lasting from May 31-June 2 and third starting on June 6 and concluding on June 8.
From there, the team will break for five days before mandatory minicamp gets underway from June 14-16. After that, the Commanders will enjoy a month-long vacation before training camp launches in late July. Before you know it, the preseason will be here and roster cuts will be the main topic of discussion.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We’re still in the doldrums of the offseason following the release of the 2022 schedule. Before OTAs get going, though, we thought we’d highlight Washington’s biggest strengths.
We’ll revisit this closer to the regular season, as injuries could always change the complexion of the rankings, but these three feel like a safe bet to see out the entirety of the offseason. Let’s jump right in!
What are the Commanders’ biggest strengths before OTAs?
3. Offensive Line
Some folks will be annoyed to see the offensive line ranked third, but we want to see how the unit performs without Brandon Scherff. After all, we all know Washington struggled winning games when Scherff wasn’t in the lineup. Whether that’s a legit stat or just a coincidence, going 0-14 without the five-time Pro Bowler since the start of the 2019 season cannot be ignored.
Having said all of that, the OL is in great shape entering OTAs.
From left to right, the starting lineup should look like Charles Leno at left tackle, Andrew Norwell at left guard, Chase Roullier at center (if he’s healthy), Trai Turner at right guard and Sam Cosmi at right tackle, with Wes Schweitzer capable of filling in at center or either guard position and Cornelius Lucas serving as one of the best backup swing tackles in the entire NFL.
The group doesn’t boast any superstars, but Leno was quietly one of the most dominant LTs last campaign, Turner brings five Pro Bowl nods as a free agent, Norwell’s a former first-team All-Pro and Cosmi, the No. 51 overall pick in last year’s draft, looked like a future Pro Bowler in his nine games at right tackle as a rookie.
Bottom line? The group should be just fine without Scherff.