Washington Commanders rookie is turning heads while filling in for injured starter during training camp

When the Washington Commanders drafted Brandon Coleman in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the idea was at worst, he'd be good depth in 2024 and at best, he'd be a starter from Day 1 and for the foreseeable future.

Coleman certainly has a chance to be a Day 1 starter, as he's competing with Cornelius Lucas for the starting left tackle spot. Lucas' early lead is not permanent, whatsoever. A good training camp could certainly turn the tide in Coleman's favor.

And as it turns out, a nagging injury to Andrew Wylie, the Commanders' incumbent starter at right tackle, has Coleman recently taking reps with the 1s at right tackle, along with the reps he was initially thought to receive at left tackle. Wylie told reporters on Sunday that he's dealing with tightness and he expects to be back on the field, Monday, when pads come on.

The extra reps have paid off. Commanders head coach Dan Quinn has been impressed with what he's seen, so far, and he talked about as much on Monday when he met with the media before the team's first padded practice of training camp.

"I knew he was a very good athlete, but what I have been more impressed by [is that] he's got great balance for a big guy," said Quinn. "He's got power in his legs... that might be one of the things I didn't know, was, really one of his strengths. I knew he was a good athlete, and, you know, movements and that. But balance is a harder thing to test. You have to see it. He is very rarely somebody that's out of position or on the ground. He's very deliberate in the way he moves and practices. So I think he's a very in-control player...

"... You never see him overextended or out of position, because when you do get beat, usually somebody's out of position, [and] it's hard to recover. He has that ability to stay connected to somebody, and that's one of the things I've been impressed by, so far."

As mentioned earlier, Monday is the first day of pads, which is when the true evaluations begin, especially in the trenches. Coleman's main motto is staying prepared, however, so there may not be any drop off in play.

"My philosophy always was, even in college, is to be ready to play wherever," Coleman told 106.7 The Fan's Lynnell Willingham after Friday's practice. "I've been practicing that in the offseason, in college, working at all spots other than really center. Coach threw me out there and obviously I have to knock the rust off, but being able to be out there and be comfortable is what I try to stay ready for, because you never know where you're going to play at."

Update: Wylie returned to practice on Monday, which moved Coleman back over to left tackle. We'll see if that's how things stay, from here on out, or if Coleman bounces on both sides regardless of it's with the 1s or 2s.

Either way, one of camp's bigger storylines is getting a lot more interesting at the perfect time.