Commanders have a big problem brewing behind Frankie Luvu and Bobby Wagner

"Should the Washington Commanders be concerned that in the two preseason games without their starters, they were utterly shellacked by a combined 78-21 score? The answer is yes. Against both the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens, a lot of the backups looked overwhelmed. Some positions seem to have decent depth. At running back and along the offensive line, the Commanders can rotate players and respond to an injury or two. The safety room looks solid, and they aren't bad at the cornerback spot, either."

"But there are some positions where an injury would be devastating. Apart from losing quarterback Jayden Daniels, the worst place Washington could lose a player right now is at linebacker. Actually, as great as Daniels is, a loss at linebacker could be even more serious. The drop-off from the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year to his backup, Marcus Mariota, is noticeable but not insurmountable. The veteran proved very effective when called to play last year."

"The depth pieces after Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu are a different story. Luvu was on the field for 98 percent of the Commanders' defensive plays in 2024. Wagner did him one better, playing on 99%. That is one of the major reasons Washington's defense was as good as it was. It's two second-team All-Pro linebackers were on the field all the time."

Washington's backups were overwhelmed in two preseason games without starters, losing by a combined 78-21 against the Patriots and Ravens. Some positions show acceptable depth: running back, offensive line, safety, and cornerback. Linebacker depth is thin behind Frankie Luvu and Bobby Wagner, making a linebacker injury potentially devastating. Luvu played 98% of defensive snaps in 2024 and Wagner 99%, creating a heavy reliance on both. Marcus Mariota provides a capable backup option at quarterback, but the players behind Wagner and Luvu—Jordan Magee, Kain Medrano, Kam Arnold, Ale Kaho and Duke Riley—display athletic traits yet require significant development.

Read at Riggo's Rag