Ideally, Ron Rivera would like to play his starters for the first half Saturday against Kansas City. He could take a good look at Carson Wentz and the offensive line, could see whether the third-down defense fares any better with more reps and could get a close-up of his defensive backs.
Banged-up O-line may keep Carson Wentz from playing a full half vs. Chiefs
“I really would,” Rivera said, “but I don’t know if we can get that done.”
That ideal scenario now seems unrealistic because the Commanders are inundated with soft-tissue injuries to key players. Multiple starters have been sidelined in camp because of pulled hamstrings and calf and quadriceps issues. Some are recovering from old injuries, others are recovering from new ones, and recovery just takes time, of which Washington has little.
On Thursday, the last day of training camp, the Commanders were down to two healthy tight ends: Eli Wolf, who signed less than two weeks ago, and Armani Rogers. Logan Thomas is still recovering from his knee injury, John Bates has a calf injury, and Cole Turner is recovering from a hamstring issue.
In team drills, Washington has had to adjust its practice of 13 personnel (one running back, three tight ends) by reporting an offensive lineman eligible.
The situation at guard is even worse. The Commanders have been practicing without their top three players at the position — Trai Turner (quadriceps), Andrew Norwell and Wes Schweitzer (hip) — prompting them at times to move right tackle Sam Cosmi inside or use Saahdiq Charles at left guard.
Their top line combo Thursday featured Cornelius Lucas at left tackle (starter Charles Leno Jr. was excused from practice), Charles at left guard, Chase Roullier at center, Aaron Monteiro at right guard and Cosmi at right tackle. (Roullier has been ramping up after recovering from an ankle injury he suffered last season and will be on a pitch count, Rivera said.)
The injuries up front create problems with depth and spark additional concern about playing Wentz for a full half behind mostly second- and third-team linemen.
What’s more, veteran running back J.D. McKissic was added to the injured group Thursday. Rivera said McKissic “had a little tightness in his groin” and was held out of practice.
Rivera said his teams traditionally haven’t dealt with as many soft-tissue injuries.
“If you go back to when I first started as a head coach, we learned that if you carry a practice beyond 2 hours and 10 minutes, you’re going to have a lot of soft-tissue injuries. I don’t think we’ve hit the 2:10 mark this year at all,” he added. “That’s something that’s been honestly bothering me because that’s the kind of stuff I’ve hung my hat on.”
The good news is Rivera is hopeful he’ll get one or two of his injured tight ends back next week — he declined to name names — and he thinks the Commanders “more than likely” will have three of their top four back for the opener.
“And that’s if we keep four,” he said.
Backs by committee
The Commanders added a running back in the third round of this year’s draft, believing the group could be more dynamic and needed depth. The selection of Brian Robinson Jr., whose powerful running style is unlike the others in the room, gives them options.
But it also has clouded the vision for Antonio Gibson, the starter for the past two seasons. This week in camp, the team has used Gibson on special teams, in punt coverage, as a kick returner — and in a backup role on offense.
That could be because of the fumble he had in the preseason opener against Carolina. Or it might be more about giving the team a safety net in case injuries ravage the roster and it needs to get the most out of its backs.
“What guys did in college never leaves my mind,” special teams coordinator Nate Kaczor said. “If [Gibson] or Brian Robinson, who have been practicing special teams all along, whatever their roles are on offense, we need to have one or both of them prepared to do a job on special teams. AG is a returner. Brian had some return production at [Alabama], too, but that doesn’t mean he is going to be back there.
“But these running backs that are talented are very, very Swiss Army knife-ish on special teams. So with AG, you’ve seen more of a role with us recently because we only have so many padded opportunities left and he needs some work in the event that we need him on another phase or two in the regular season.”
Added Rivera: “Once we get into the regular season, everybody is involved in special teams. AG did it last year. So for the most part, you know, this is nothing new.”
But what is new is the dynamic of the running backs room with the addition of Robinson.
Rivera said he will use his running backs by committee, and he often has referenced the success he had in Carolina with three backs — Jonathan Stewart, Mike Tolbert and Fozzy Whittaker. Creating something similar in Washington has been his vision.
Now Rivera has three backs with different skill sets, sizes and strengths.
“If you want to use these guys and use them differently, we’re not going to put [Robinson] in there and expect him to do what [Gibson] does,” Rivera said. “And then with J.D., I think J.D.’s just a multipurpose guy who can do anything.”
“It’s definitely going to be by committee, I’ll tell you that right now,” he added. “And just like when I was in Carolina, the hot hand is going to get the ball.”
Source: WP
