5 Commanders players on the hot seat entering Week 8 vs. the Bears

Andrew Wylie - Commanders OT

Andrew Wylie's renaissance has been an incredible positive for the Washington Commanders this season. Things looked bleak for the veteran right tackle after an indifferent first campaign with the franchise. The new regime gave him another opportunity, hoping that improved schematics and the addition of offensive line coach Bobby Johnson would provide a spark.

This is already reaping significant rewards. Wylie's production is much-improved and Washington's protection quickly emerged as one of the team's bright spots. The former Eastern Michigan standout has yet to give up a sack from 454 offensive snaps. That is a far cry from the turnstile fans became depressingly accustomed to during the previous campaign.

Wylie gets a stern test of his credentials this weekend versus someone he played with last season. Montez Sweat is returning to Northwest Stadium for the first time he was traded to the Chicago Bears before the 2023 deadline. He'll want to make a good impression and make his old employers pay for their lack of confidence.

If Wylie can restrict Sweat with some help, there isn't much else on the Bears capable of generating consistent pressure. That will be a big boost to whichever quarterback is under center in Week 8.

Quan Martin - Commanders S

The Commanders' defense needs to be wary of the threat posed by Chicago in Week 8. They performed much better versus the lowly Carolina Panthers last time out, but this will be a different proposition entirely.

Their ground game isn't the best, although veteran running back D'Andre Swift is capable of generating yards when afforded enough space. The Bears' talent in the passing game is much more difficult to overcome. They've also got a quarterback capable of getting them the football consistently after drafting Caleb Williams at No. 1 overall.

Williams found his groove after some early jitters, so the challenge is a steep one. Second-year safety Quan Martin's role will be vital from a support standpoint on the backend, especially considering Jeremy Chinn could be playing closer to the line of scrimmage.

Martin's performed relatively well this season. It's not perfect by any stretch, so nothing but a top-level performance will do to prevent the Bears from carving up downfield yardage as the Commanders look to go 6-2 on the campaign.

More Commanders news and analysis