4 Commanders players who need a monster offseason in 2024

Phidarian Mathis - Commanders DT

A new coaching staff normally means almost everyone is put on notice. That bears more significance for the Washington Commanders, who've gone nowhere fast in recent years and endured another season littered with underachievement in 2023.

It seems as if those remaining on the roster will get a chance to prove themselves. The draft will change that for some, so first impressions when offseason workouts gather pace will be crucial to their overall fortunes.

Phidarian Mathis fits into this category. The formidable defensive tackle's been a proverbial afterthought thanks in no small part to injury issues over his first two NFL seasons. This luckless start wasn't what he hoped for, but the Commanders aren't letting sentiment get in the way of their decision-making process under Adam Peters and Dan Quinn.

Quinn no doubt wants to see Mathis in the flesh before making anything final regarding his roster status or role with the franchise. He looks an ideal fit for the nose tackle position when the Commanders switch to a 3-4 alignment in Quinn's creative scheme. After that, he'll be a primary backup to Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne.

For this scenario to become reality, Mathis must leave a mark during Washington's offseason program. The former Alabama star has the physical gifts, but they've been seldom seen thanks to lingering health issues.

Hopefully, the player enjoys better luck and can finally kickstart his career in 2024.