5 intriguing position battles for Commanders in 2024

Commanders LG1

Nick Allegretti joined the Washington Commanders with one goal in mind. After helping the Kansas City Chiefs win a second-straight Super Bowl when filling in for the injured Joe Thuney, the offensive lineman took his chances elsewhere to become the team's starting left guard.

There's a good chance Allegretti can seize the moment and provide some much-needed stability to the interior. However, giving him a free pass to the role wouldn't be wise given the coaching staff's need to raise standards across the board.

Allegretti is the hot favorite, there's no getting away from that. But the likes of Chris Paul and maybe even Ricky Stromberg might also fancy their chances of pushing the free-agent signing close.

Dan Quinn wants to give everyone a decent amount of reps throughout early workouts before deciding on depth chart standing. Allegretti has waited a long time for this moment. He'll be eager to make the most of it.

Perhaps the biggest threat to Allegretti is Brandon Coleman. The Commanders drafted the third-rounder to potentially become a prolific left tackle. If his skill set is better suited to the interior, then things get a lot more interesting.

Commanders DE2

Several veterans were acquired to solidify the team's edge-rushing options. This was almost a necessity after the Washington Commanders traded Chase Young and Montez Sweat before the deadline, which disintegrated the defense's capabilities to create consistent havoc in opposing backfields over the second half of 2023.

It looks like Dorance Armstrong Jr. will be the No. 1 option. He played the best football of his career working with Dan Quinn on the Dallas Cowboys, by a considerable margin. Coping with being a focal point is completely different, but he's ascended enough over the last two years to suggest he can cope with extra responsibilities.

Who lines up opposite Armstrong is the big question. Clelin Ferrell and Dante Fowler Jr. will have their sights set on the No. 2 defensive end role. One cannot ignore the presence of K.J. Henry, who flashed during his rookie campaign and could excel with some much-needed experience under his belt under more accomplished coaches.

Quinn will likely chop and change to keep everyone fresh. That said, bragging rights are still up for grabs during a critical preparation period for a franchise looking to emerge from obscurity in 2024.