The Broncos enter Sunday’s game as one of the best teams in the NFL, with eight consecutive winners. Meanwhile, the Commanders are one of three teams on a six-game losing streak. Washington has dealt with significant injuries all season on both sides of the ball. While injuries have played a role in the Commanders’ woes, the defense has regressed to one of the worst units in the NFL.
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Those struggles led to the demotion of defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. Head coach Dan Quinn took over the defensive snaps just before halftime, and the defense had its best performance since Week 5. Now, Washington’s defense could be getting back a key starter and a promising young piece at a position of need.
Both safety Will Harris and defensive end Drake Jackson are currently within their 21-day practice windows and could return for Sunday’s game.
Harris started at safety in the Commanders’ first three games. Washington’s communication problems in the secondary seemed to coincide with Harris’ injury. He fractured his fibula in the Week 3 win over the Raiders.
Quinn seemed optimistic that Harris could play against Denver.
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“Yeah, it looks good, and the reason is, like I said, I was anxious before we even started,” Quinn said Monday. “He worked really hard to get back into it, and then it was really about the movements, the conditioning of those things. And that’s how the week went, also in Spain, with full practice for the start and then more conditioning, more movements last week, and then, yes, we are very optimistic going into this week for him and everything he has done to be ready to play.”
Commander safeties, specifically Quan Martin, have struggled since Harris went down. Jeremy Reaves has played in Harris’ place for much of his absence.
As for Jackson, Washington signed the 2022 second-round pick last month and immediately placed him on injured reserve. Jackson tore his patellar tendon in 2023 and hasn’t played since. The 49ers fired him in May. With injuries to the Commanders’ Dorance Armstrong, Javontae Jean-Baptiste and Deatrich Wise, Jackson could have a long look at hopefully getting his career back on track.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Defense could use help against Broncos