Perhaps the Washington Commanders' most concerning position right now is at center. After releasing Tyler Biadasz, who had been the Commanders' starting center for the past two seasons, Nick Allegretti became the top center on the roster.
Allegretti has already missed most of training camp with a calf strain. He finally returned on Wednesday, only to leave practice early. Head coach Dan Quinn said Allegretti was experiencing calf tightness, and while imaging showed no issues, he will not play in Washington’s preseason game on Saturday against the Detroit Lions.
“So, Nick’s calf was tight yesterday within practice, so we took him out,” Quinn said. "And then we did some imaging last night, and the good news is that it came back clean. So, we’ll hold him from the game this weekend.”
Although Allegretti has no history of being injury-prone and has significant postseason experience, including four Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs, this latest update is concerning given the Commanders’ lack of depth at center.
His injury concerns also add to a trend across the NFL: injury concerns at center, including Biadasz with the Los Angeles Chargers, Danny Pinter, who suffered a torn patellar tendon, and Cade Mays with the Detroit Lions.
With all of the injuries at center across the league, there could be an increased demand for centers in the trade market as the season gets underway. If the Commanders want to add a center via trade, they should start looking now, given the demand.
If Washington wants to add to their center room via free agency, there are limited options at this point. The best option would probably be Ryan Bates. Bates spent 2019 through 2023 with the Buffalo Bills before being traded to the Chicago Bears. He missed most of the 2024 season due to injury but played in 16 games last year. While Bates played extensively at guard during his time with Buffalo, he has the ability to play all five positions on the line, including center, making him a good depth piece for the Commanders to invest in.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders' Dan Quinn provides injury update on a key starter
Leave a Comment