Nick Allegretti Ready to be Full-Time Center for Commanders

The Washington Commanders have reason to be optimistic about the offensive line after taking care of the left side during free agency by extending Laremy Tunsil and re-signing Chris Paul. Josh Conerly has put a premium on nutrition ahead of his second season with hopes of building on a strong last nine games to 2025, while Sam Cosmi returns as a dependable piece at right guard. Whether former third round pick Brandon Coleman disrupts the starting unit could be a question through the rest of the offseason, but maybe the only question for the unit is how Nick Allegretti acclimates to becoming the new starting center.

Though the bulk of his reps have come at guard rather than center, the chance to return to anchor an offensive line again is something he hasn't overlooked.

"I love center. I love the mental side of that game," Allegretti said after Tuesday's OTA.

"I've always wanted that opportunity to get back to being a full-time center so I'm excited about that."

Allegretti has appeared in 107 games over his seven-year NFL career where he's been largely consistent with just seven career holding penalties, including two in each of the last two seasons. That confidence kept him part of the group in the mix to round out a unit that battled through a handful of injuries through 2025, leading Allegretti to draw three starts at right guard. Yet beyond the shift from guard to center, adjusting to the traditional NFL-style offense under David Blough is a shift.

There are advantages to the scheme shift, such as the simple chance at increasing communication across the offensive line, while Allegretti noted the tempo offense is still "in our pocket" when quarterback Jayden Daniels dictate the change in pace. Yet there are still adjustments that come with it as Allegretti noted the offensive line has focused on getting a "quick step" to force the defense to adjust early on downs.

Of course, he isn't alone at the position with rookie Matt Gulbin adding depth with hopes the Michigan State and Wake Forest product can elevate the competition. But Allegretti sees areas of growth for himself after noting "under center snaps with some wide zone, with some pulling" is a continued focus with that expected to return to the Commanders' playbook under Blough, along with the obvious focus of accurate snaps.

The chance to make that transition against a developing, yet complex defense under new coordinator Daronte Jones adds to the challenge with "six, seven, eight" defensive fronts the defense is showing the offense forcing the offensive line to "draw our eyes to a lot of different places."

Quarterback Jayden Daniels downplayed the shift to an under-center offense, adding he has to "be versatile in whatever you can and I had to be well-rounded.

"Ever since I got in the NFL, it's kind of just been the thing. So, it's not anything like super new to me,” Daniels said last week.

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