Washington Football Team grades for the 2021 offense
By Hunter Noll
Washington Football Team offensive line
This was one of the more consistent parts of the Washington Football Team offense. Their offensive line wasn’t perfect, but they were really solid for a heavy majority of the season.
The best lineman on their roster is Brandon Scherff, an All-pro type talent. However, injuries keep getting in the way. In a 17-game season, he played just 11. Those 11 games were great, but it also marked the fifth consecutive season where the guard didn’t play a full slate of games. He would grade so much higher if he played more. Final Grade: B
Charles Leno Jr. came into the year with not very high expectations. He was on the Chicago Bears for the first seven seasons of his career. There were some great “ups” but some terrible “downs” and he was brought in to Washington as a not-very-exciting option. However, Leno was really strong in 2021 starting all 17 games at tackle and earning a new contract. Final Grade: B+
Ereck Flowers was a revelation for Washington a few years ago. After a great season where he moved to guard, he left in free agency to go to the Miami Dolphins. However, Washington traded for him and he’s back being a phenomenally underrated piece of their line. Flowers is probably always going to be seen by a large number of people as that massive bust at tackle for the New York Giants. But as a guard for Washington, he’s insanely consistent. Final Grade: B
Sam Cosmi joined the team through the NFL Draft. The second-round pick only appeared in nine games this year due to injury, but wow did he impress. Can’t give him too high of a grade because of the injuries. But he really gives you hope when it comes to having a stud tackle for a long long time. Cosmi was phenomenal in every aspect of the game. He doesn’t get nearly as big of a drop due to injury as Scherff did because it’s not a reoccurring theme at the moment. Final Grade: B+
Chase Roullier only appeared in eight games this year. But the center was really solid in that time. Rouiller is a great piece in the middle and it showed as they did lose a little bit when he left. Hopefully, he can be healthy next season. For now, he gets a final grade of B-
Now we’re getting into the real depth pieces. Wes Schweitzer appeared in 11 games, starting five. He ended the year on the IR because Washington wasn’t allowed to have an offensive line this year. Schweitzer is a really good backup who you can trust to start if needed. Final grade: C+
Cornelius Lucas appeared in 15 games, starting seven. Lucas was decent. Nothing spectacular, but he definitely can do his job pretty well. Again another good depth piece. That being said, there are a few players on the line that I think should be plugged in when there are injuries before him moving forward. Final grade: C
Keith Ismael appeared in 10 games, starting five. The center looked very good for a young lineman drafted so late just a year ago. He didn’t do anything to win him a starting job, but he proved that he can play. And with some extra time and polishing, Ismael definitely has a future. Final Grade: B
Saahdiq Charles appeared in 10 games, starting four. Honestly, I really like him. Sometimes it feels like he is a little undisciplined or will miss an assignment. But he’s physical and has all the tools to be great. And in his limited time this season, Charles really showed that potential. Final Grade: B+
This is really showing you how many injuries Washington dealt with on their line. But honestly, that only makes their grade higher in my opinion. Because even with all the moving parts, they were phenomenal. Due to that, they get a really high grade despite no one getting higher than a “B+” and some people grading in the “C” range.
Final grade: B+