Washington Commanders OL Face Growing Question At Center

The Washington Commanders will take the field this weekend with several fringe players to prove themselves along with more starters expected to play, but a notable absence is expected once again after head coach Dan Quinn confirmed that center Nick Allegretti will be sidelined for the second consecutive preseason game.

The expected starter entered the week of practice looking to get back in a groove after a calf injury on the first day of training camp sidelined him, but after practicing on Tuesday, Allegretti was limited during Wednesday’s practice. Quinn confirmed that Allegretti felt tightness in his calf with Washington looking to stay cautious at a position that has been under the microscope this offseason.

While Allegretti will look to return next week, how the unit shakes out is a major question mark.

"Any time you're not getting a lot of reps for a whole training camp, that's a big deal," head coach Dan Quinn said. "Even for a player as experienced as Nick is, you want time on task to go."

Matt Gulbin stuck out in his first unofficial NFL appearance where he gets a chance to potentially build on that after Dan Quinn confirmed the rookie will draw snaps at guard to evaluate his positional versatility along the interior offensive line. Julian Good-Jones, meanwhile, has drawn the bulk of snaps in Allegretti’s absence while the team added a pair of depth pieces in camp after inking Daniel Brunskill and Trey Hill.

The question isn’t about depth anymore — it’s at the top of the room. While head coach Dan Quinn and players have raved about the IQ and leadership of Allegretti, becoming an impact NFL center over a 17 game span is a question mark. And after suffering a pair of injuries before playing in any game action, whether Allegretti can last the full season is a growing question. But if you identify a problem, then identify a solution. It may take time, but if general manager Adam Peters opts to look outside, there could be options available. For now, it’s slim pickings.

Former Detroit lineman Graham Glasgow, who served as the starting center last season, remains available though the 34 year old is coming off a brutal 2025 season where he allowed 19 total pressures, eight quarterback hits and a sack. Former Dolphins interior lineman Lian Eichenberg battled injuries during his time before struggling on the field when available, leaving him an available free agent ahead of 2026. Former Chicago Ryan Bates and Miami James Daniels linemen also remain available with experience at both guard and center, but beyond that, it’s slim. What could materialize is roster cuts providing late options with a pair of teams potentially worth watching.

Tennessee and Buffalo could be two teams to watch through roster cuts, giving Washington a chance to make a late move. The Titans inked former Giants center Austin Schlottmann this offseason, reuniting with Brian Daboll, where he’s in line to become the starter with rookie Pat Coogan and veteran Andre James battling through the position battle. The Bills saw expected starting center Connor McGovern go down, complicating what could ultimately play out through preseason, though they have others along the roster who could draw intrigue in former second round pick Austin Corbett and free agent signing Lloyd Cushenberry, who the Commanders sniffed around after missing on Tyler Linderbaum.

Does Washington opt to make a move to upgrade the competition? It was a similar question the front office faced when Ethan Pocic became available, but that was viewed as a potentially luxury. Now? The urgency is different.