Injuries have completely derailed the Washington Commanders this season. Some established stars are slowly returning to the fold, but it's come way too late to save their efforts in 2025.
However, one factor continues to frustrate fans. Noah Brown looked set to take his place back on the roster after featuring in practice this week. He's been out since Week 2 with knee and ankle issues, but the signs were reportedly encouraging for the wide receiver heading into Washington's prime-time game against the Denver Broncos.
Unfortunately, those in power felt like the contest came too soon. Brown was ruled out again, which means he'll only have five games left to convince the coaching staff he is worthy of another deal when the 2026 offseason arrives.
Noah Brown is still working towards Commanders return, but time is running out
That seems like a long shot right now. Brown cannot be relied upon to stay healthy, and the fact that it's taken so long to recover from his latest ailments only magnifies his precarious predicament. This won't go unnoticed by general manager Adam Peters, who looks set to implement significant changes to the playing personnel once the season concludes.
Brown is a good player when firing on all cylinders. The Commanders haven't seen that nearly enough this season, which began by getting carted off during Washington's mandatory minicamp. That was the start of a concerning trend, and head coach Dan Quinn clearly felt the wideout's markers weren't being hit before this one.
Perhaps another week of practice will be enough for Brown to feature down the stretch. The Commanders are taking things with extreme caution, especially given how long he's been unavailable. Until then, Washington will rely on its healthy pass-catchers, which also include the returning duo of second-team All-Pro Terry McLaurin and Treylon Burks with the national spotlight glaring.
The Commanders have no room for sentiment when it comes to their roster decisions next spring. Peters has some difficult choices looming. Still, it's starting to look like letting Brown take his chances elsewhere will be among the easiest unless there is a miraculous turnaround in the coming weeks.
Fans aren't exactly holding their breath. Even if Brown does get back, it might take time to find his football legs again. That's the time he doesn't have with so few contests left, so it's not hard to envision a scenario where the Commanders go in a different direction.
It's been a luckless run for Brown. But this is a cut-throat business.