While Commanders face questions at center, coach Dan Quinn expresses confidence in the position

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — After being blunt about where the Washington Commanders stand at center after their preseason loss at Detroit over the weekend, coach Dan Quinn expressed more confidence Monday about the position that has been hampered by injuries and inconsistent play.

Asked if he feels the Commanders have enough talent on the roster at center, Quinn said, "We do, but we still have work to do there.”

“We’re still in the process of evaluating what’s the best way for us to go,” he said. "That’d be one of the spots that I’m still digging in on and still looking.”

Center first became a hole when Washington released veteran Tyler Biadasz in February, choosing to move forward with natural guard Nick Allegretti, who started in the middle of the offensive line in the final two games last season. The plan became even clearer once the top centers available in free agency signed elsewhere.

The Commanders' problem at the moment is that Allegretti has been sidelined most of training camp because of a calf injury. He has participated in just two practices, most recently last Tuesday, when he left early with members of the training staff.

Quinn said on Monday that Allegretti is “not there yet” in terms of his recovery, almost certainly ruling him out for a joint practice at Baltimore on Wednesday.

Julian Good-Jones, 29, has served as Washington’s starting center in Allegretti’s absence. Good-Jones has been with the franchise since 2023, mainly as a practice squad player, and has played in just one career NFL game.

Good-Jones got the starting nod on Saturday against the Lions. He appeared to miss a block on Washington’s first offensive snap, forcing quarterback Jayden Daniels to throw the ball away. Daniels and most of the Commanders’ offensive starters played just three snaps before the second-team unit came in.

Challenging Good-Jones for the center role is rookie Matt Gulbin, a sixth-round pick out of Michigan State. The two players rotated in with the first-team offense on Monday, and Quinn plans to give Gulbin – who has mostly played guard during training camp — an extended look at center this week.

“I feel like I’ve gotten better,” Gulbin said. “Still a lot to improve on. Looking forward to going to Baltimore and getting to work and competing with them.”

Quinn is looking for improvement in pass protection, specifically picking up blitzes and stunts, when evaluating the two players. The joint practice and Friday’s game against the Ravens provide his staff two opportunities to evaluate those players against outside competition.

Despite the uncertainty, Quinn said he is confident either one can handle the role.

“I feel comfortable system-wise, and you know how important it is to direct everything up front,” Quinn said. “This is the call; this is where we’re going. With both of them, I feel good (with their) knowledge of the system and where they’re at.”

The Commanders were supposed to have just a walkthrough on Monday, with Tuesday being a normal practice before heading to Owings Mills, Maryland, to meet up with the Ravens.

But after losing in Detroit, Quinn decided his team needed more work.

“I didn’t love all that I saw from an identity standpoint,” Quinn said, yet emphasized it wasn’t a “knee-jerk reaction” to add an extra practice day.

Injuries and subpar play in Detroit forced Quinn and his staff to take an additional look at players in positions they don’t normally play. Changing Monday’s session from a walkthrough to practice gave those players extra snaps, particularly on the offensive line.

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Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn speaks to the media before a joint practice with the Miami Dolphins at NFL football training camp, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026 in Ashburn, Va. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Hartman (15) runs the ball during a preseason NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Rey Del Rio)

Detroit Lions defensive end D.J. Wonnum (98) sacks Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) during a preseason NFL football game, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn speaks during a post game news conference after an NFL preseason football game against the Miami Dolphins, Friday, Aug. 14, 2026, in Landover, MD. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

A mental health advocate suspected of killing her police officer husband was found dead Monday, six days after she disappeared from her Massachusetts home, authorities said.

Karen Solomon, an advocate who called for improvements and greater awareness of police mental health issues, had disappeared after Worcester Police Officer Kurt Solomon was found dead at their home just before 5:30 a.m. on Aug. 18. Officials had named Karen Solomon a suspect and said she was believed to be armed.

“We believe this case is a tragic murder-suicide that occurred,” Worcester Police Chief Paul Saucier said at a news conference Monday.

Two people who worked at Fairlawn Rehabilitation Hospital reported finding human remains nearby, and officers recovered a woman’s corpse, Saucier said. A final ID was still pending, but authorities said they were confident it was Karen Solomon.

A handgun found near her body was not a Worcester police service weapon, and investigators were working to determine who owned it.

On Aug. 19, authorities released doorbell camera footage of Karen Solomon walking down a street in a T-shirt, shorts and flip-flops, just minutes after officers responded to the couple’s home and found her husband’s body.

Kurt Solomon, who had served 31 years with the police department, was mortally injured with a sharp object, authorities have said.

Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. said Karen Solomon had been at the house on the morning of her husband's death, and investigators were looking to question her. An arrest warrant issued over the weekend charged her with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

Police handed out flyers with her photo to drivers in the area. An intensive law enforcement search that included local, state and federal agencies centered on the area near the couple's Worcester home and a reservoir about a mile (1.6 kilometers) away. Authorities had deployed drones, boats and tracking dogs.

Karen Solomon, 58, co-founded the group First H.E.L.P., which advocates for the mental health of police officers. She also wrote two books — “Hearts Beneath the Badge” and “The Price They Pay” — about the physical and psychological experiences of first responders.

In a 2020 interview on the “Dr. Phil” show with Phil McGraw, she said police departments often offered little help to the families of officers who took their own lives.

In a statement read by Saucier during Monday's news conference, the Solomon family thanked law enforcement for helping them find some answers.

“The nightmare of the past week has left our family heartbroken and rudderless," the family said. “The compassion, dedication and empathy of all agencies involved have given us light in face of darkness.”

A wake for Kurt Solomon was scheduled for Tuesday, and his funeral for Wednesday, the police chief said. The local police union president, Thomas Duffy, described him as “a tremendous human being” who was like family.

This screen grab made from video provided by WCVB-TV shows a police officer standing guard over a home in Worcester, Mass., Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. (WCVB-TV via AP)