Dan Quinn's boundless excitement over Commanders rookie should thrill fans

It was an outstanding start to life with the Washington Commanders for Brandon Coleman. The No. 67 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft was a surprising choice by many. Most analysts had him pegged as an interior presence when the team was crying out for a new left tackle. That was not an opinion shared by those in power.

The Commanders gave Coleman a genuine chance on the edge throughout the offseason. He took on coaching and rose quickly into the No. 1 spot over veteran Cornelius Lucas. This was the biggest positive imaginable, swiftly followed by a frustrating shoulder issue that denied him valuable reps in a game-day setting over the preseason.

Washington erred on the side of caution and rightfully so. Coleman's been a full go in practice this week and doesn't carry an injury designation for Week 1 at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Quinn and his staff must determine whether he's ready to be thrown into the fire immediately after missing time this summer.

Commanders head coach Dan Quinn has supreme faith in rookie Brandon Coleman

Quinn stated that Coleman will play, but so will Lucas, during his final appearance in front of the media before Sunday's regular-season opener. However, the head coach's boundless excitement for the former TCU standout should thrill fans as he embarks on his first taste of a competitive NFL game.

"He was close to being ready for the third preseason game, and we just made the decision that this is not the space and the time to go push it into this spot. But he's absolutely ready to let it rip. It's an example of you can only control the things that you can, and so would it have been better? Yes, but okay that is not how it went down. This player's really put in the work and he's really ready to go. So yeah, we're excited to get him into it. Would it have been better for him and anybody else? Of course. But like I said, you can only control what you can, but the player is really putting in the work and is ready to go."

- Dan Quinn via Commanders.com

There will be growing pains for Coleman. Most first-year offensive tackles get a few rude awakenings from prolific edge rushers who target them as weak links. He's got the athleticism and outstanding footwork needed to perform well, but fans should expect some jitters considering his lack of preseason activity.

Perhaps Lucas starts the game to provide a sounder footing and Coleman is introduced a little later. Quinn hasn't made his plans public knowledge - nor should he - so there's no telling for sure what the Commanders have up their sleeve. But this will be one of the most critical factors around Washington getting their exciting new era off to a winning start.

If the Commanders believe Coleman is ready, just put him in there. He was the most productive left tackle on the squad before getting hurt. That hasn't changed just because he missed a couple of weeks. Get the player some legitimate work and see how things go.

This is a significant opportunity awaiting Coleman. If he can become the team's cornerstone left tackle long-term, the Commanders will have solved two critical offensive positions in new general manager Adam Peters' first draft. That's the perfect way to bolster the foundations for a successful future.

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