3 young offensive tackles with uncertain futures Commanders could sign in 2023

Commanders should monitor Kellen Diesch

In case you haven’t noticed, there’s a theme here. Kellen Diesch is virtually identical to Jake Witt in terms of size and speed.

When he tested in college, he actually showed a little more upper-body strength. But could not match Witt’s explosive leg power.

The Chicago Bears drafted Darnell Wright in the first round of the 2023 draft, and with veteran Reilly Reiff gone, he looks to immediately slot into the right tackle position. They also have a bevy of young prospects with more experience than Diesch.

Players like Larry Borom and Alex Leatherwood – even Teven Jenkins who will likely move inside but can slide outside in a pinch – will make it very hard for Diesch to find a spot on the final roster.

Diesch, maybe even more than the others mentioned here, is a work in progress. Given his size, he has relatively short arms which could be an issue at tackle. Then again, a strong technique has turned guys with shorter arms into quality tackles throughout NFL history.

If any of these players end up with the Washington Commanders, they are going to need coaching. The fact that the team has yet to replace offensive line coach John Matsko is becoming an issue.

Washington will field a decent group of veterans across the line this season. But after those players, there are a lot of untested youngsters.

At tackle, that applies to Jaryd Jones-Smith and Braeden Daniels. The fourth-round pick, like Brandon Scherff, Saadhiq Charles, and Sam Cosmi before him, played tackle in college, but may well shift inside at the pro level. If he is able to shine at tackle, then the need to identify and develop one of these other young prospects is not nearly as great.

Strike that. On second thought, the need remains great regardless of Daniels’ or Jones-Smith’s development. This is the NFL. You can never have enough tackles.