The Washington Commanders are resting the majority of its defensive starters for Monday’s preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens. The defense is the strength of the Commanders, particularly along the defensive line and secondary. Therefore it’s no surprise the inactive list includes defensive line and secondary starters.
The Commanders are sitting eight defensive starters. The list includes its star-studded defensive line. Pass rushers Chase Young and Montez Sweat won’t play, nor will defensive tackles Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen. Second-year defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis won’t dress either.
Young is bothered by a stinger suffered in Washington’s first preseason game last week. Allen is dealing with a bout with plantar fasciitis. Mathis suffered a calf injury last week against the Cleveland Browns.
Additionally, cornerbacks Kendall Fuller, Benjamin St-Juste, and Danny Johnson will not play. Safeties Darrick Forrest and Kam Curl will also be on the sidelines.
Forrest and Curl are healthy scratches. Meanwhile, Fuller and St-Juste have nicks. Johnson suffered a rotator cuff injury after getting slammed by Ravens tight end Mark Andrews Tuesday during a joint practice between the two teams.
The offense only has two inactive — starting left tackle Charles Leno Jr. and tight end Logan Thomas. A calf injury has sidelined Thomas for the past two weeks. Leno has a nick, according to head coach Ron Rivera. But, Leno likely would be active and protecting the blindside of quarterback Sam Howell if the Commanders were playing a regular season game.
Speaking of Howell, he and the rest of the offensive starters will play. ESPN’s John Keim expects to see the offensive starters play “at least a quarter and maybe a little more.”
Rivera later told ESPN’s Lisa Salters that Howell will “probably see a good half.”
The defensive starters are nearly all set in stone. Injuries are playing a factor in some cases like Young and Allen, but no need for the belly of the defense to take the field not at full strength.
The first-team defense played just one series last week against the Browns. The Commanders had a top-three defense in two of the past three seasons.
Instead, Rivera and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio get to see its younger players like this year’s first-round draft pick, cornerback Emmanuel Forbes play a prominent role. Also, sitting the starters lets the coaching staff get a chance to see how much depth the defense truly has.
