The loss of NFL All-Pro left offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil to a torn triceps tendon has placed a magnifying glass on the Washington Commanders‘ offensive line.
The Commanders need help wherever they can get it, and that might be coming in the form of longtime veteran and 3-time Super Bowl champion Nick Allegretti returning to the lineup, according to Commanders head coach Dan Quinn.
“Quinn said there’s a good chance for C Nick Allegretti to return to practice Sunday,” ESPN’s John Keim wrote on X on Tuesday.
Allegretti has been out for the last 2 weeks after suffering a calf strain on the 1st day of training camp. The Commanders have joint practices with the Miami Dolphins this week before facing the Dolphins in their preseason opener on Friday.
“Dan Quinn said C Nick Allegretti and CB Trey Amos will not participate in tomorrow’s joint practice or Friday’s preseason game against the Dolphins,” The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala wrote on her official X account on Tuesday. “Quinn expects Allegretti to be back Sunday. Amos’ return is TBD.”
Nick Allegretti’s Status Changes Over Offseason
Allegretti signed a 3-year, $16 million contract with the Commanders before the 2024 season. He spent the first 5 seasons of his career with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he played in 4 Super Bowls.
In his first season with the Commanders in 2024, Allegretti started all 17 games at guard as his team went 12-5 in the regular season and advanced to the NFC Championship Game for the first time since 1991.
It was Allegretti’s only season as a full-time starter. He regressed and only made 4 starts in 16 games in 2025, including being pressed into action at center.
“Allegretti lost his starting job after Week 2, then stepped in at center after Tyler Biadasz got hurt late in the season and struggled with high snaps,” Jhabvala wrote in January. “Cutting him would save roughly $3.6 million in cap space.”
Preseason Writing on the Wall for Allegretti
In the 2025 offseason, the Commanders traded for Tunsil and drafted Oregon offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. at No. 29 overall.
Even with those 2 moves, another under-the-radar move might be just as important — when Commanders head coach Dan Quinn announced Brandon Coleman was being moved inside to left guard.
That move spelled the beginning of the end for Allegretti, who started 13 regular season games in 5 seasons with the Chiefs.
“This is where Coleman’s skills are best suited,” Riggo’s Rag’s Dean Jones wrote on June 11. “He manned left tackle duties valiantly as a rookie, but Tunsil represents the biggest upgrade imaginable. The Commanders’ placing him inside could be bad news for Nick Allegretti, who signed in free agency last year but struggled to find the consistency needed.”
Now, with Coleman moving back to left offensive tackle to fill in for Tunsil, things have changed drastically. And Allegretti’s experience becomes so much more valuable.
“Good to see Allegretti out here getting some work in on the side field today,” Commanders podcast host Tailgate Ted wrote on his official X account on Tuesday. “Hopefully it’s a positive step toward getting him back on the field soon.”
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