5 players the Commanders can't afford to lose to injury in 2024
By Dean Jones
It's been an encouraging offseason for the Washington Commanders. However, their chances of progressing in 2024 remain precarious despite the influx of reinforcements acquired by Adam Peters throughout his first recruitment period as general manager.
Peters left a fantastic impression and the Commanders are in better shape as a result. Things could still go either way, so much will depend on how these new faces mesh together under the guidance of Dan Quinn and his coaching staff over the summer.
Hopefully, everything will go off without a hitch and the Commanders go into their Week 1 game at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers confident the correct foundations have been laid. That said, every team around the league needs a little bit of luck on the injury front to meet their respective targets.
Injuries are part of the game. The NFL continues to make steps toward providing a safer environment. But the violent, physical nature of the sport will never change. That's why having sufficient depth is crucial - something the Commanders believe has improved exponentially after a flurry of activity in recent months.
It'll only take one or two complications to change the tide. With this in mind, here are five players the Commanders cannot afford to lose to injury in 2024.
Benjamin St-Juste - Commanders CB
This might seem like a strange choice considering how Benjamin St-Juste's production was inconsistent last season. However, the Washington Commanders would be in a world of trouble if he's forced to miss time in 2024.
St-Juste is entering a contract year with a big point to prove. The cornerback had some nice moments last season, but it was nowhere near good enough. Unless he takes a huge leap forward under Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr.'s exceptional guidance, this could be his final campaign in the nation's capital.
The Commanders aren't blessed with much quality or depth in their cornerback unit heading into the season. There's a chance Adam Peters rectifies this before Week 1 at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers arrives, but St-Juste is their best outside coverage presence as it stands.
Losing him would pile additional pressure on Emmanuel Forbes, who was bullied constantly as a rookie and could suffer a similar fate this time around. If the 2023 first-rounder cannot make the required growth, the Commanders might end up cutting this experiment short.