5 Washington Commanders players looking for redemption in 2024

Ricky Stromberg - Commanders OL

Ricky Stromberg is one of the roster's biggest question marks. A knee injury cut his rookie season short. Before that, he did little to instill confidence in the fanbase from limited involvement.

Will he turn out to be another in a long line of failed offensive linemen drafted by Ron Rivera? Or can Stromberg become a major contributor?

In his four years at the helm, Rivera drafted six offensive linemen. Only Sam Cosmi has developed into a reliable starter. Saahdiq Charles and Keith Ismael are gone. Chris Paul and Braeden Daniels have shown little. Stromberg was drafted in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft with the hope that he could fill the troubling void at center - a position in flux ever since unfortunate injuries ended Chase Roullier’s career.

Stromberg was viewed as a tough, smart center coming out of Arkansas who held his own against elite college competition. Though not an exceptional athlete, he was strong enough and moved well enough to merit his third-round status. In just 46 snaps last year, that was not evident. But it's hard to get a genuine evaluation from such a small sample size.

Plenty of players need some time to adjust to the speed and physicality of the NFL. There is hope that Stromberg will develop under a new coaching staff. He does not have the pressure of needing to start this year, but he should be able to provide quality depth at both center and guard.

What makes Stromberg’s situation more troubling for fans is that Anthony Bradford - selected a few spots after Washington's choice - played 659 snaps for the Seattle Seahawks as a rookie. He may ultimately be destined for a backup role when push comes to shove, but he was a contributor.

Stromberg needs to show he can at least get to that level this year.