Losing Deatrich Wise Jr. to a season-ending quad injury has to sting from the Washington Commanders' perspective. They were already thin on legitimate options on the defensive edge, so losing one of their most experienced players is a blow that demands a swift response.
Adam Peters needs to examine all available options in pursuit of filling the void. One NFL analyst believes the general manager could potentially steal a viable option from the practice squad of a Super Bowl contender.
The Commanders might run with what they have initially. Jacob Martin and 2024 seventh-rounder Javontae Jean-Baptiste split reps once Wise went out against the Green Bay Packers. Neither set the world alight, so Peters would be wise to find another capable performer who could slot in immediately.
NFL analyst urges Commanders too snatch Brent Urban from Ravens' practice squad
John Portis from SB Nation thought snatching Brent Urban from the Baltimore Ravens' practice squad would be a smart decision. Although the seasoned veteran fell victim to the numbers game in pursuit of making the 53-man roster, the analyst felt like he could be a nice stopgap for the Commanders until a longer-term solution is found.
"While I don’t see Adam Peters willing to part with significant draft capital to acquire a player in a trade, he should definitely be scouring practice squads for possible additions. While not a game-changing talent or young prospect, Brent Urban has been a trusty player for the Ravens’ defense and a quality depth piece in the defensive line rotation. He’s played between 23% and 29% of defensive snaps for the team over the past three seasons while chipping in on special teams as well. Urban is not a stat sheet stuffer but is a good space-eater and stalwart presence at 6-foot-7."John Portis
Urban is 34 years old, so it would be yet another aging performer for Washington to depend upon. This has been their preferred recruitment approach this offseason, so it wouldn't be surprising to see Peters adopt a similar approach.
Expecting miracles from Urban would be unrealistic in this scenario. Still, he's a dependable pro with bags of experience to call upon. That might be the best way to offset the damage of Wise's injury blow, even if it's merely to bolster the depth options initially.
Whether it's Urban or someone else, the Commanders cannot stand pat. They don't have enough, and there is too much at stake for Washington in head coach Dan Quinn's second season to overlook this new concern.
Peters will have a plan. And that should become clearer in the coming days.