Dan Quinn highlighted his desire to get younger players involved more. The Washington Commanders are going nowhere fast, so this represents the best chance to start planning for the future before another crucial offseason for the franchise in 2026.
This has started to come to the fore over the last fortnight. It hasn't helped the Commanders gain any positivity, but this sink-or-swim scenario will help the team's ongoing roster evaluations if nothing else.
However, one fledgling hopeful remains on the fringes.
Commanders are reluctant to take the training wheels off Kain Medrano
There was no sign of sixth-round rookie Kain Medrano in Week 10 against the Detroit Lions. He was a healthy scratch once again. Considering the complications being endured by the linebackers and safeties this season, the fact that he is not getting an opportunity to shine speaks volumes.
Medrano became Washington's final selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. Most fans thought general manager Adam Peters would take a developmental edge rusher, but the UCLA product's athleticism was too tempting to ignore. He made the 53-man roster as expected, but it's clear he has a lot of hard work ahead of him to improve his chances of involvement.
The athleticism is absolutely off the charts. Medrano's numbers at the NFL Scouting Combine were sensational, but to say he is raw technically would be an understatement. There is also a question of where he is best suited. Is he an off-ball linebacker, or would his skills be more beneficial in the secondary?
This is an awful lot like the Commanders' decision to draft Dominique Hampton in 2024. He spent a season as a healthy scratch more often than not, and he was released before his second campaign. It appears as if Medrano is on a similar trajectory.
Hopefully, Medrano can develop into a contributor over time. But if he doesn't, Peters has already shown a willingness to move on from his own draft picks quickly if they don't meet the required standards.
Whether Medrano falls into this category remains to be seen. Even so, the fact that he is getting no involvement whatsoever on this porous defensive unit cannot be seen as anything other than concerning.
At some point, the training wheels have to come off. They haven't, which is a damnining indictment of his early progress.