Joshua Josephs - Commanders OLB
- Problem: How to get him on the field more
After a strong summer, the Washington Commanders rewarded Joshua Josephs with a spot on the 53-man roster. This looked like a foregone conclusion from a long way out, but the hybrid edge rusher/linebacker had much bigger ambitions.
Josephs came into the Commanders with a big chip on his shoulder. Some draft analysts had him tabbed as a second-round pick, but most had him as a Day 2 selection at worst. NFL evaluators disagreed, with the Tennessee product enduring an alarming slide before Washington finally took him in the fifth round at No. 147 overall.
This added motivation has served him well.
Josephs stood out at training camp and the preseason. He's also flashed tremendous promise when given reps in the defensive rotation, logging five tackles and two run stops on just 20 percent of snaps.
He's got the athleticism and natural instincts to be impactful. Josephs will only get better with more experience, but the problem is how Daronte Jones can get him on the field more.
The Commanders are well stocked on the edge. Odafe Oweh, K'Lavon Chaisson, and Dorance Armstrong Jr. are ahead of him in the pecking order. Washington also recently signed Charles Snowden, and reports suggest he could be activated to the 53-man roster quickly.
Where that leaves Josephs is anyone's guess. But he has the size and lateral quickness to potentially transition to inside linebacker with some extra refinement.
Brandon Coleman - Commanders OT
- Problem: Where he is best suited
The Commanders were forced to pivot this offseason after five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil suffered a torn triceps that could rule him out for the entire campaign. It was a body blow, but it also gave Brandon Coleman a chance to return to the starting lineup.
That might have happened even before Tunsil got hurt.
The 2024 third-round pick was competing with Chris Paul for the left guard job, and some reports suggested Coleman was winning. When arguably Washington's best overall player went down, the TCU product went back to the edge, where he started as a rookie in 2024.
Coleman was always going to go through a transitional period. Flip-flopping from the interior to the edge is not ideal for continuity, but the Commanders had no other choice. Even with some growing pains, his production has been relatively solid overall.
While there is some work ahead for Coleman in pass protection, there have been some tremendous flashes as a run blocker. But there are still some debates as to where he's best suited in the long term.
This decision might be by default if Coleman wants to play.
Tunsil will immediately return to the blindside when healthy. However, the third-year pro's stronger base makes him a good candidate for the left guard role moving forward.
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