Nick Allegretti - Commanders OL
Nick Allegretti had the Washington Commanders' complete faith this offseason. Those in power thought he could fill the void left by starting Tyler Biadasz after he was surprisingly released. Fans were skeptical, and rightfully so. And so far, their fears have been justified.
Allegretti was a weak link over the first two games. There were pre-snap communication issues, several poor snaps, and a lack of consistency across all blocking phases. It wasn't surprising, considering how the Illinois product performed over his first two years in Washington.
With Sam Cosmi out in Week 3, the Commanders moved Lucas Patrick to center and shifted Allegretti to right guard. Things looked a little more functional with a stronger anchor, but the Super Bowl winner struggled again despite a couple of noteworthy plays.
This is a problem.
Allegretti's 40.5 grade from Pro Football Focus ranks last among centers. His 38.2 pass-blocking grade (32/33) and 41.6 run-blocking grade (32nd) aren't much better. Patrick should be the starting center when Cosmi returns, but that would have to involve Adam Peters and Dan Quinn admitting their mistake.
Quan Martin - Commanders S
The Commanders don't have much choice but to keep Quan Martin in the lineup right now. Veteran safety Nick Cross is out with an internal injury, and it's hard to say when (or if) he will return. Washington isn't using Tyler Owens either, with the club eager to keep him fresh as one of the league's most prolific special-teams gunners.
That doesn't mean Martin isn't in a precarious situation.
Far from it, actually.
This is a contract year for Martin. The Commanders gave him another shot this season, but aside from a few flashes of promise, the same frailties are evident.
His abysmal 34.2 grade from Pro Football Focus ranks 87th out of 89 qualifying safeties. And while that isn't the gospel by any stretch, it fairly reflects his performance so far.
If the Commanders had a better option, Martin would be a depth piece. They don't, at least until Cross gets back, but the Illinois product's chances of earning another deal have all but vanished.
Javontae Jean-Baptiste - Commanders OLB
The Commanders have strength across their edge-rushing room. This was general manager Adam Peters' intention after an aggressive free-agent push, but the front-office leader still wasn't satisfied.
Washington signed Charles Snowden to the practice squad this week, and reports suggest they want him to get involved immediately. This adds an extra level of intrigue, but it doesn't do much for Javontae Jean Baptiste's chances of earning a prominent role on the rotation.
Jean-Baptiste became a forgotten man after missing most of the 2025 campaign through injury. The Notre Dame product looked sharp over the summer to secure his roster spot, but he was a healthy scratch in Week 3.
And if Snowden is elevated or even signed to the active roster soon, Jean-Baptiste might be the one to make way.
The 2024 seventh-round selection has some useful burst and bend off the edge. Unfortunately, he is firmly on the fringes, and it doesn't look like that's going to change anytime soon.
Add us as a preferred source on Google