Dan Quinn sounds open to finding new answers to the Washington Commanders’ ongoing issues at center, and the “cleanest answer” might be a “favorable” trade for a former starter for the Houston Texans.
That’s according to Locked On Commanders host David Harrison. He believes “conditions” are right for Commanders’ general manager Adam Peters to trade for Jake Andrews.
Harrison explained why Andrews “is the cleanest answer to really the biggest question, and that is who can Washington realistically acquire at this point that improves their number two center position immediately?”
It’s significant Harrison has this trade scenario netting the Commanders depth at center. Andrews would provide starter-ready depth, having started 16 games for the playoff-bound Texans during the 2025 NFL season.
The Commanders need a pivot who can fill in right away, while Quinn remains concerned about projected starter Nick Allegretti. He’s still dealing with a calf injury, and the Commanders lack a credible, battle-tested replacement.
A deal for Andrews would solve that problem, and Harrison outlined why the time is ripe to present the Texans with an offer.
Trading for Jake Andrews Would Make Sense
There are good reasons why the Texans have been tipped more than once to cut Andrews this offseason. Those reasons involve the Texans adding “Keylan Rutledge to be their, you know, starting center, you know, future and all that kind of stuff. Evan Brown is listed as their second center by a lot of analysts, and it’s August. So, a lot of the roster projections have Andrews being cut,” per Harrison.
GettyAndrews has established himself as a credible NFL starter.
The latter believes these developments form “an unusually favorable combination of conditions here in the late stages of August for a team that needs some help or at least appear to need some help right now. He’s not a 30-some year old starter whose career is kind of coming to an end. He isn’t a college hopeful that, you know, might be able to translate, might not. He is a good player who has a proven track record.”
Andrews’ record includes the 26-year-old having played “over a thousand offensive snaps just last season. Essentially a full starting season worth of snaps. PFF, for those who like those grades, 61.6 overall grade, 67.2 in pass protection, but the part that interests me the most, only one sack blamed on him by PFF advanced scouting.”
The point about Andrews being efficient in pass protection is significant for the Commanders. Particularly after the Detroit Lions’ defense hounded and harassed star quarterback Jayden Daniels across just three snaps during Washington’s 17-13 defeat in Week 2 of the preseason.
GettyDaniels already looks vulnerable behind an O-line lacking a focal point.
Daniels acknowledged his offensive line still needs work, and most of that work involves who plays over the ball. Quinn heard his quarterback and sounds like he knows the Commanders can’t risk trusting younger options to replace Allegretti.
Commanders Can’t Put Brave Spin on Center Problem
Having a strong anchor at the heart of the group in front of Daniels is a must. It’s why the potential availability of an established center like Andrews is something the Commanders can’t ignore.
Quinn and Peters won’t want to ignore Andrews when he could be fetched for a modest fee. Harrison initially suggested “perhaps the Houston Texans need a wide receiver and there’s a wide receiver on this team that the Washington Commanders know is not making this roster kick him over there for the last week of training camp.”
Dealing a wideout makes sense when the Commanders have a logjam at the position. Yet, the Texans already answered their need when they traded with the New England Patriots to acquire deep threat Kayshon Boutte.
That deal is why Harrison’s alternative suggestion that “Maybe a sixth rounder” is the right price for Andrews makes sense. Especially if the Commanders “don’t want to wait till the waiver claim.”
The Commanders won’t be able to wait if their in-house alternatives to Allegretti don’t make the grade. They include 2026 NFL draft sixth-round pick Matt Gulbin, who “will work only at C this week,” according to ESPN’s John Keim.
Gulbin staying over the ball is something of an about-turn, after Quinn teased a position switch for the rookie. Reversing the plan so quickly underscores how desperate the coach is to find “the best way to go” at a crucial position.
There may not be a better way than acquiring some veteran help.
Commanders Urged to Trade for ‘Cleanest Answer’ to Center Problem