Surprise retirement gives buried Commanders draft pick one last shot

All the noise surrounding the Washington Commanders throughout training camp has centered around star wide receiver Terry McLaurin, who at first held out but is now back at the facility as he seeks a contract extension.

With all of the attention on McLaurin, it will likely go relatively unnoticed that Washington was rocked by the sudden retirement of offensive lineman Nate Herbig. He was signed by the Commanders this offseason after spells with the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets, and Philadelphia Eagles. The expectation was to provide an upgrade to the Commanders' depth options.

It's unclear if Washington will sign another guard in his absence. For now, Herbig's decision opens the door for a player who had fallen in danger of potentially being left off the 53-man roster.

Chris Paul might have a route to make Commanders' roster after Nate Herbig's retirement

The second-most famous Chris Paul in American sports was selected in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The Tulsa product has appeared sporadically throughout the regular season in each of his three years in Washington. He saw his heaviest production in 2023, when he started seven games.

However, Paul was unable to capitalize on that opportunity and found himself buried in the rotation last year after the Commanders signed Nick Allegretti from the Kansas City Chiefs and drafted Brandon Coleman in the third round. He appeared in only six regular-season games, starting none.

This season, Paul was slated to slide even further down Washington's depth chart after Herbig's signing. Some shuffling caused by the Commanders trading for five-time Pro Bowler Laremy Tunsil and drafting Oregon's Josh Conerly Jr. with the No. 29 overall pick didn't help his cause, either.

He had slipped to a third-string role before Herbig's retirement. Now, that could change.

For the time being, Paul's place on the roster should be considered safe, but he'll need to make the most of it for once and for all. He's entering the final year of his rookie contract, so not only is he playing to prove himself in Washington, but he's also playing for an opportunity to stay in the NFL beyond 2025.

There's certainly a world in which Paul ends up playing a solid amount of snaps this season. Allegretti, who is filling in at right guard for the injured Sam Cosmi, and Andrew Wylie are not players who must always be on the field. Coleman is getting the chance to start at left guard at training camp, but there will be room for the Jersey Village High School graduate to make an impact.

Paul has been gifted a final lifeline with the Commanders thanks to Herbig's retirement. We'll see what he does with it.

It's put up or shut up.