Commanders Injury Update: Who's OUT for Preseason Opener?

The Cleveland Browns host the Washington Commanders tonight, but a few starters won't be playing.

Jeremy Brener | Aug 11, 2023

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Washington Commanders

The Washington Commanders (0-0) are set to return to the field for the first time since January in tonight's preseason opener against the Cleveland Browns (1-0).

However, there are a pair of Commanders who will have to wait a little longer to make their official return to the field.

Per ESPN's John Keim, offensive lineman Saahdiq Charles and tight end Logan Thomas are both sitting out of tonight's game with calf injuries.

Charles, 24, is entering the final season of his four-year rookie contract. He was drafted by Washington in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Charles is in the running to start at left guard this season, but he will not run with the first team in Friday's preseason game.

With Charles out, Chris Paul is expected to start at left guard. Paul was drafted in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft and appeared in one game last season for the Commanders.

Thomas, 32, is also no stranger to injuries, and as the top tight end, the Commanders could look to keep him from hurting himself further before the start of the season. This should mean extra reps for John Bates and Cole Turner, especially in the first half of tonight's game.

The Commanders and Browns kickoff at 7:30 p.m. at FirstEnergy Stadium.

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Published Aug 11, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.