New Commanders O-Line Gives Team 'Versatility,' Says GM Martin Mayhew

The Washington Commanders are reshaping their offensive line this offseason and trying to create as many possible lineup combinations as possible to enhance flexibility.

Jeremy Brener | Apr 22, 2023

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Washington Commanders

The Washington Commanders are making some much-needed strides in the trenches this offseason.

The Commanders' offensive line gave up the seventh-most sacks last season (48). Additionally, Carson Wentz (2.3) and Taylor Heinicke (2.5) had, on average, a little over two seconds to throw the ball before being pressured last season, which had them both ranked outside the top 30 in the NFL.

The Commanders improved their offensive line by signing three key veterans in free agency ... Andrew Wylie from the Kansas City Chiefs, Nick Gates from the New York Giants and Trent Scott from the Pittsburgh Steelers. All three of them could make an impact on the offensive line and play a lot in 2023.

“The great thing about Andrew [Wylie] and Nick [Gates] and Trent [Scott] is their position flexibility, versatility," general manager Martin Mayhew said. "Trent has played pretty much everywhere except center. Andrew has played guard and tackle and Nick has played center and guard. We have the flexibility there to go anywhere in the draft. Add someone and put the pieces wherever the pieces line up.”

The players' versatility in playing multiple positions certainly helps the Commanders configure multiple combinations to form a starting five for the 2023 season. There's also a chance the Commanders may not be done adding to the offensive line. With the NFL Draft next weekend, Washington should look to add at least one rookie to the squad, and there should be an emphasis on players that have proven to play multiple positions in college.

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Published Apr 22, 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.