The Washington Commanders are facing serious issues right now. They are 1-3, with significant injuries holding them back, so head coach Dan Quinn faces a real fight to turn the tide before and after the bye week.
There have been some bright spots. But some players are also underperforming at the worst possible time.
And it cannot continue for much longer.
The stakes have been raised exponentially. The Commanders are 3-13 over their last 16 games dating back to last season. That is No. 1 overall pick territory, and if results don't improve, big changes will be on the horizon.
Quinn is still confident he can turn things around. He believes in this squad, and they believe in their coach. But the NFL is a result-driven business, and aside from their stunning upset over the Seattle Seahawks, it's been nowhere near good enough.
The Commanders have money to spend on potential reinforcements, but general manager Adam Peters wants to save this for future contract extensions. That complicates things, but Washington has to start putting wins on the board to build some semblance of positivity.
And if that means making some tough choices to get there, it's a small price to pay.
With that in mind, here are five players who are dangerously approaching unplayable status after four games.
Washington Commanders players who are dangerously approaching unplayable status after four games
Matt Gulbin - Commanders OL
The Commanders made a bold move in Week 4, benching veteran Nick Allegretti and replacing him with sixth-round rookie Matt Gulbin. It was a lot to ask, and the interior offensive lineman just wasn't ready.
Gulbin struggled to cope with an Indianapolis Colts defensive front led by DeForest Buckner. He was blown up on the play that injured veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota, and Washington's race run was run after that.
Not entirely surprising, of course, but the Commanders cannot justify putting him back in the lineup for anything other than emergency purposes.
This is not an indictment of Gulbin. It indicts Adam Peters' offseason neglect of the protection. They placed far too much faith in Allegretti, and the Commanders are paying a heavy price.
And almost everyone saw it coming.
Fortunately, it seems right guard Sam Cosmi will be back this weekend against the New York Giants. That will help enormously, especially given how much more stable things look with Lucas Patrick at center. This should also make Gulbin a development project, which is clearly where he is best suited at this stage.
Anything less is organizational malpractice.
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