The young backups are not meeting expectations.
Washington Commanders linebackers Frankie Luvu and Bobby Wagner
Should the Washington Commanders be concerned that in the two preseason games without their starters, they were utterly shellacked by a combined 78-21 score?
The answer is yes. Against both the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens, a lot of the backups looked overwhelmed.
Some positions seem to have decent depth. At running back and along the offensive line, the Commanders can rotate players and respond to an injury or two. The safety room looks solid, and they aren’t bad at the cornerback spot, either.
Commanders have a problem brewing behind Frankie Luvu and Bobby Wagner
But there are some positions where an injury would be devastating. Apart from losing quarterback Jayden Daniels, the worst place Washington could lose a player right now is at linebacker.
Actually, as great as Daniels is, a loss at linebacker could be even more serious. The drop-off from the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year to his backup, Marcus Mariota, is noticeable but not insurmountable. The veteran proved very effective when called to play last year.
The depth pieces after Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu are a different story.
Luvu was on the field for 98 percent of the Commanders’ defensive plays in 2024. Wagner did him one better, playing on 99%. That is one of the major reasons Washington’s defense was as good as it was. It’s two second-team All-Pro linebackers were on the field all the time.
Dante Fowler Jr. was listed as the third linebacker last season, but he was essentially a pure edge rusher. The backups to Wagner and Luvu, had they been needed, would have been Mykal Walker and, once he was healthy, Jordan Magee. Safety Jeremy Chinn also could have filled in if needed.
Magee has returned this season, and he is the primary backup to both linebackers. Sixth-round rookie Kain Medrano has been taking a lot of snaps. After them, Kam Arnold, Ale Kaho, and Duke Riley have been battling for a spot.
Both Magee and Medrano have shown excellent physical talent, but both need a lot of work. The Temple product is a little ahead, but it still looks like the time he missed last season and this summer’s training camp is slowing him down. He is very active and does make tackles, but too often, he is running to the wrong hole or taking bad angles.
Medrano has looked very raw. He runs around a lot but is rarely involved in the play. He looks lost on too many reps so far. Both on running plays and in coverage, it’s hard to imagine defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. would actually feel confident if the former UCLA standout were forced into action.
The two kids — Arnold and Kaho — have looked a bit more comfortable, but they are also playing against opposition further down the depth chart. Both are far more likely to wind up on the practice squad than playing meaningful snaps this season.
Riley is a different matter. He only joined the team recently, but he already seems far more comfortable than the other backups. If one of the starters had to miss time early on, it might be the veteran who would get the call to deputize.
If Magee continues to improve, he would become the logical first backup and successor if and when the ageless Wagner ever retires. But he isn’t there yet. None of the other linebackers, with the possible exception of Riley, could say any different.
Washington fans have to hope that Wagner and Luvu once again stay healthy for an entire season. If they don’t, the defense could take a step backwards.
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