The Washington Commanders' gamble at center has drawn heavy scrutiny over the summer. General manager Adam Peters doubled down on his strategy before the campaign began, but Nick Allegretti didn't meet his end of the bargain in Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles.
This is a big problem, and how long Peters waits to find a more viable solution could be critical to the Commanders' chances this season.
Allegretti was nothing short of woeful against the Eagles. It was always going to be difficult in the face of Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter, but it was a disastrous outing from the Illinois product.
Nick Allegretti's disastrous Week 1 gives Commanders another major headache
Low snaps, poor communication, a lack of awareness, and an inability to block came across frequently on the tape. And the incidents were not isolated.
They were prolonged.
Allegretti looked lost. And even when the Commanders needed a two-point conversion to tie things up after a late rally, the lineman blew his assignment, and the game was over.
If this doesn't provide Peters with a wake-up call, it should.
Because if this is the start of things to come for Allegretti, the Commanders have a massive issue that could impact quarterback Jayden Daniels' ability to be productive.
Peters preached the importance of improving competition this offseason. This was evident at almost every position, but the center spot was neglected in comparison.
Previous starter Tyler Biadasz was released, which surprised everyone. Allegretti, who hasn't exactly performed well at either guard position, got a new contract and almost a free run to the starting job with no real competition. The Commanders drafted Matt Gulbin in the sixth round, but he's got a lot of hard work ahead.
Commanders' center gamble is unraveling in front of Adam Peters' eyes
To make matters worse, Peters sat on his hands when Allegretti suffered a calf strain that forced him to miss all but one practice of training camp. He needed the reps, and he needed to ease concerns. The Super Bowl winner did neither.
Allegretti's production when it mattered looked eerily similar to his disappointing efforts at left and right guard over the opening two seasons in Washington. The Commanders have been stubborn in their faith so far, but everyone has a tipping point.
The Commanders don't have much behind Allegretti. That's the biggest issue Peters overlooked.
Gulbin is a Day 3 work in progress, so asking him to log starting reps is a recipe for disaster. Julian Good-Jones is on the practice squad, but he isn't exactly consistent, and it would cause an uproar among fans if he were asked to start at any point.
Maybe a veteran free agent will be considered, but options aren't plentiful at this time of year. Scooping someone off another team's practice squad is another option, and a potential trade couldn't be dismissed either.
Peters could have avoided all these problems by addressing this clear problem much earlier in the offseason.
The team had no clear plan to upgrade the offensive line's anchor once Biadasz was unexpectedly removed from the equation. The front-office leader pushed all his chips into the middle with Allegretti, and he lost the first hand.
There is a long way to go. At the same time, it's hard not to be alarmed.
Allegretti is a solid backup. He doesn't look like a starter.
And unless Allegretti can raise his consistency, Peters must carry the can for his failings.
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