5 Washington Commanders players on the hot seat entering 2024 season
By Dean Jones
Nick Allegretti - Commanders OL
The Washington Commanders have a new franchise quarterback to protect. Jayden Daniels looks like a potential superstar, but he cannot do it alone. His offensive line needs to raise their respective performance levels and keep the team's prized possession out of harm's way more often than not.
Nick Allegretti is getting his big chance to shine from a starting role in 2024. The left guard was acquired in free agency after starring for the Kansas City Chiefs late in the postseason en route to another Super Bowl. That was an undoubted positive. That said, doing it for a prolonged period is much tougher.
Allegretti's been relatively quiet throughout the summer, which isn't a bad thing. If nobody is talking about the offensive lineman, he isn't making mistakes. The Commanders are hoping this trend continues when live fire inevitably arrives during the regular season.
Last year's experience should serve Allegretti well. He got a decent contract from the Commanders in free agency, which brings added expectations he must live up to if Washington's offense wants to thrive immediately with Daniels leading the charge.
Emmanuel Forbes Jr. - Commanders CB
Adam Peters spoke glowingly about Emmanuel Forbes Jr.'s progress throughout the summer. It wasn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but the Commanders believe that all hope is not lost with the former first-round pick despite his underwhelming rookie campaign.
Forbes went through untold turmoil in Year 1 of his professional career. He's added some muscle mass in pursuit of better fortunes this spring. Washington also needs one of its outside cornerbacks to step up and make their presence felt to alleviate concerns.
The Mississippi State product might not be ready to cover the opposition's No. 1 wideouts - one only has to look at how he fared against Garrett Wilson in a joint practice with the New York Jets to see that. But if the Commanders utilize his obvious skills more effectively and bring him along gradually, he might be able to carve out a decent career for himself.
Complacency cannot become an issue for Forbes. Getting another opportunity was almost guaranteed. If the defensive back doesn't make the most of it and suffers a similar fate this season, he won't be so lucky next time around.