A revamp of the offensive line will be just as important as the Washington Commanders prepare to find their franchise quarterback with the No. 2 pick. Finding a center is their top priority, and with Dallas Cowboys free agent Tyler Biadasz on the market, he could be the solution.
The Commanders have allowed the second-most sacks in football, allowing 3.8 sacks per game in 2023. Last season, Sam Howell was sacked more than any other quarterback in football, racking up 65 sacks. That's three more than Bryce Young and nearly 20 more than the third-most quarterback, Zach Wilson, who was sacked 46 times. Bleacher Report's Matt Holder connects the managers to the former Cowboys center.
“The Washington Commanders signed center Nick Gates last offseason, but Gates struggled last season, allowing five sacks in the team's first seven games,” Pro Football Focus reported. . In the end, he was benched in favor of Tyler Larsen, whose contract expires at the beginning of the new league year.
“Managers are widely expected to spend the No. 2 overall pick on a quarterback, and they can't entrust the team's future to a center that struggles in pass protection. Then Tyler Biadasz comes in, and a rookie… We can help our sign callers.”
Holder's assessment of that need is spot on, as managers must protect whoever they draft with the No. 2 pick. Young was under pressure all last season, resulting in him throwing for just 2,877 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. His 33.4 QBR was the second worst in football.
Biadasz knows Dan Quinn.
New Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn comes to Washington after serving as defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys.
Biadasz is on the offensive end, but has some familiarity with Quinn.
That could help managers in this situation and other situations with the Cowboys' defensive players.
As a team, the Cowboys were average in sacks up front, allowing 2.4 sacks per game, ranking 16th. According to PFF, Biadasz ranks 14th with three sacks allowed.
Most of the offensive line needs help.
Adding a player of Biadasz's caliber will help the Washington Commanders, but they need help across the offensive line.
There will be options later in the draft, but with over $80 million in cap space this offseason, acquiring offensive line help should be a priority. Robert Hunt, Tyron Smith, and Jonah Jackson are among the top players available this offseason.
Brian Manning of Commander's Wire believes the center position is needed and writes that Nick Gates, who was benched by Week 8 of 2023, wasn't good enough.
“Last offseason, the managers signed Nick Gates to a three-year contract, but he was benched by Week 8. He returned late in the season when Tyler Larsen was injured. Larsen was better, though. , he is over 30 years old and prone to injuries. The managers selected Ricky Stromberg in the third round last season, but he finished 2023 on injured reserve. It is imperative that Washington revise this position, as it is likely that he will join. Perhaps Gates will answer with a different plan, or perhaps Stromberg will be healthy and ready to take over. No. Either way, finding a solution here will be very important for our offensive line this offseason.”
They have the money to make a move, and the former Dallas Cowboys center could be the perfect first move to improve this offense.
