As the Washington Commanders move through the offseason, there is still a glaring need at middle linebacker. There are still some quality linebackers available in free agency. Also, next month’s draft could provide an opportunity to address the Mike position. Better yet, the answer could already be on the roster.
That’s what both general manager Martin Mayhew and head coach Ron Rivera believe.
On Monday at the NFL’s annual league meeting, Mayhew said Cole Holcomb “has a chance” to play the Mike.
“We feel like Cole Holcomb has a chance to go in there and play Mike for us,” Mayhew told reporters per Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post. “So, there’s not a tremendous urgency to go and do something right there. He did a good job when he was in there. He kind of grew in that position last year when he got an opportunity to play some Mike. We’ll see how it plays out… Cole’s an option for us.”
Tuesday, Rivera seconded the notion of Holcomb playing the Mike.
Last season, Washington had to shuffle through the deck of options after Jon Bostic suffered a season-ending pectoral injury in Week 4.
One option was rookie Jamin Davis, who the team hoped could play all three base linebacker positions. But he struggled mightily at Mike. As the team rotated through options Holcomb ultimately stuck out the most in the middle.
Holcomb had his best season to date. He started 16 games and led the team with 142 tackles. He also had two interceptions, including a pick-six against Dallas.
But was Holcomb good enough to play the spot long-term?
Holcomb is naturally suited for Will linebacker. But Davis is definitely not ready for the middle. Washington has appeared to have moved on from Bostic. There are still options in free agency. But, outside of Bobby Wagner, who seems interested in going elsewhere, there is no one definitely better than Holcomb.
The draft has two big name options to plug the Mike with Utah’s Devin Lloyd and Georgia’s Nakobe Dean. However, can Washington sell drafting a linebacker in the first round for a second straight year to its fans, especially after Davis’ struggles?
Keep in mind, with today’s spread offenses, teams deploy more nickel and dime defensive formations than the base 4-3. With two or one linebacker on the field it’s just the determination of who gets the Mike responsibility in the scheme.
We’ll have to wait to see how the situation plays out. If Holcomb is ultimately pegged for the Mike, Washington is still expected to address linebacker for depth at some point this offseason.
