Commanders receive positive injury news as training camp practice resumes

The Washington Commanders were lucky to get through their first preseason fixture unscathed as far as injuries are concerned. Making it through the three-game slate — and the remainder of training camp — without any serious injuries will go a long way towards deeming the preseason a success.

Luck will obviously play a role in that, but Washington can’t afford many other injuries with big names like Chase Young and Logan Thomas still on the physically unable to perform list as they continue recovering from ACL surgery.

Additionally, new right guard Trai Turner has yet to practice while he nurses a quad injury and promising rookie tight end Cole Turner missed the last week of practice and Saturday’s preseason opener with a hamstring issue.

In a batch of good news for the Commanders, though, one of their most valuable offensive linemen is slated to return to practice. The team announced Monday that swing tackle Cornelius Lucas is off the Non-Football Illness List.

Commanders offensive tackle Cornelius Lucas on track to play Week 1 after latest injury update.

This is huge news for the Commanders, who re-signed Lucas to a two-year, $8.2 million contract in free agency this offseason. One of the game’s most underrated swing tackles, Lucas started 15 games for Washington the last two seasons (29 total appearances) and played nearly 60% of the snaps during that span.

That’s a high number for a backup, but not overly surprising as swing tackles have grown in importance over the years and Lucas is as good as they come in that regard. In 2021, he finished with a 75.2 player grade from Pro Football Focus after allowing 25 pressures, three sacks and four QB hits over 587 snaps.

It’s unclear why Lucas landed on the Non-Football Injury List to begin with, but his activation puts him on track to be ready for Week 1. The Commanders might be set at tackle with Charles Leno and Sam Cosmi, but Lucas has proven to be invaluable to John Matsko’s group since he arrived in DC two years ago.

Elsewhere, fans will love hearing tight ends Cole Turner and John Bates (calf) stretched with the team before heading to the side field when practice started. The young TEs are still awaiting clearance to return to team and individual drills, but they’re seemingly heading in the right direction for a return.

In regard to Turner, Ron Rivera confirmed after practice the team is exercising caution with the fifth-round pick and he’ll miss another week or two. Better to be safe than sorry, we suppose, especially with a hamstring.

It’s surely eating at Turner and Bates that they’ve been sidelined while Logan Thomas is also shelved through injury, but it seems like they’re gearing up for a return. In the meantime, undrafted rookies Armani Rogers, a standout from Week 1 of the preseason, and Curtis Hodges will work with the starting offense.