There has been a lot of panic connected to the Washington Commanders in recent days. There is also no need for fans to get overly concerned just yet, despite some early turmoil for head coach Dan Quinn's squad to navigate.
A 1-1 record through two games isn't the end of the world. It's still extremely early in the process. However, the Commanders' loss to the Green Bay Packers, coupled with some troubling injury problems, has inevitably caused unrest.
Quinn is staying the course. His players are experienced enough to do the same. This franchise overcame significant adversity last season to fight its way to the NFC Championship game. Reaching those heights again will be difficult, but hopes remain high that they can enjoy a profitable campaign with loftier expectations on their shoulders.
The health issues are problematic. Some veteran players aren't quite meeting expectations, which is arguably a graver issue. If the Commanders want to renew confidence, it must be a collective effort, and there are a few rotational pieces who'll be counted upon more than ever moving forward.
With this in mind, here are five Commanders players quietly moving up the depth chart after just two games of the 2025 campaign.
Commanders players quietly moving up the depth chart during early turmoil
Eddie Goldman - Commanders DL
The Washington Commanders have improved against the run overall through two games. That could be about to change after defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. suffered a season-ending quad injury at Lambeau Field.
Wise performed well during his extremely brief stint on the field. He set clean edges against the run, and his two quarterback hits ranked joint-12th among qualifying edge players. It's a massive hole that must be filled, which could result in more time on the field for free-agent signing Eddie Goldman in the coming weeks.
Goldman has been nothing short of outstanding so far. He's displaying elite credentials against the run, as evidenced by his 80.4 grade in this discipline by Pro Football Focus. This ranks fifth among interior linemen around the league. His 83.5 overall grade ranks fourth, which is something the Commanders should tap into more without Wise to depend upon.
Dan Quinn stated there will be some maneuvering. The Commanders could place Javon Kinlaw more on the edge and Goldman next to Daron Payne on the interior on early downs. It's not ideal, but this is an option to consider in Week 3 when first-round rookie Ashton Jeanty and the Las Vegas Raiders come to town.