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As we look toward the 2023 regular season, we count down the most important players for the Washington Commanders ahead of training camp. On Monday, No. 10 was cornerback Kendall Fuller.
We continue our countdown today with No. 9, left tackle Charles Leno Jr.
From 2000-2018, Chris Samuels and Trent Williams manned Washington’s left tackle position. That transition from Samuels to Williams at one of the NFL’s premier positions is a rarity and akin to going from Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers. It’s too bad Washington wasn’t better at other positions over those two decades.
Williams missed the 2019 season, which would be his last with the franchise before head coach Ron Rivera traded him ahead of the 2020 season. After the Chicago Bears released former Pro Bowl left tackle Charles Leno Jr., Washington quickly signed him.
Leno was solid in his first year with Washington, earning a three-year extension. In 2022, Leno took a step back, as did the rest of the offensive line. Leno wasn’t terrible by any means, but he was hardly dominant. With so many other offensive line positions needing to be upgraded in the offseason, the Commanders stuck with Leno.
Washington needs Leno to be better in 2023. And the Commanders could be in trouble if Leno is injured. Yes, Cornelius Lucas is back, but he fits better on the right side if there’s an injury to Andrew Wylie. Washington selected Braeden Daniels in the fourth round of the NFL draft, but it would be less than ideal if he needed to play left tackle as a rookie.
So, while Leno may not be one of the 10 best Commanders, he’s certainly among the 10 most important.