The Washington Commanders were gearing up for a tough test against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3. And their defensive game plan centered mainly on the need to contain All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers.
How the Commanders approach this will be crucial to their chances. The linebacking corps doesn't exactly shine in coverage, which is thanks in no small part to Bobby Wagner's declining explosiveness. This led some fans to speculate whether alterations would arrive, but the inactives list told a different story.
It was also an uncomfortable truth for one player looking to stake a bigger claim.
Kain Medrano has a lot of hard work ahead to earn Commanders' trust
Adam Peters raised eyebrows around the league when he spent his sixth-round selection on linebacker Kain Medrano. His athleticism isn't in question, but his erratic college production meant it was always going to be a work in progress. This proved to be the case, although the UCLA product did enough to comfortably make the 53-man roster.
Medrano is incredibly raw technically. He's a poor tackler, failing to identify plays developing quickly enough. That was a problem coming out of college, so there is a lot of hard work ahead before confidence in his chances increases.
And yet, his dynamic athletic intangibles led some to wonder if he would finally be active in Week 3 versus the Raiders. The Commanders thought otherwise, making him a healthy scratch once again.
Commanders inactive players for Week 3
- QB Jayden Daniels
- DE Preston Smith
- LB Kain Medrano
- G Brandon Coleman
- WR Noah Brown
- TE John Bates
This is Medrano's reality. There isn't enough trust in his ability right now. The rookie isn't a lost cause by any stretch of the imagination, but he's in danger of getting his first season almost redshirted if the same trend continues in the coming weeks.
Medrano should be acutely aware of his predicament. The second-level presence, who could also operate as a safety in specific alignments, must focus on what he can control. This involves taking on coaching, making the right progress in problem areas of his game, and instilling more belief that he can do a good job whenever his number is called.
Everything else is out of his hands. Medrano is currently way down the pecking order as a development project. But one only has to look at Dominique Hampton's situation and eventual departure to see what could come next if the correct growth doesn't arrive.
It'll be fascinating to see if, or when, Medrano is introduced into the defensive rotation. However, he could be waiting a while yet unless injuries arrive.