Commanders' Allegretti set to return at center for Thursday night matchup at Giants

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — Washington Commanders offensive lineman Nick Allegretti is set to take over at center once again for Thursday's game against the NFC East rival New York Giants.

And it's been a challenge for him to get back into the lineup.

He opened the season at center and played every offensive snap for the first three games despite dealing with a calf injury throughout training camp. He was then benched for Lucas Patrick for the team's game against the Colts on Oct. 4. But with Patrick in concussion protocol, Allegretti will return to the lineup against New York.

“Obviously been a tough year for myself physically," Allegretti said Tuesday. "Excited to feel good physically, and get an opportunity to go out there. A short week, which, positives and negatives, but I’m a huge fan of them, especially (since I) didn’t play last week, so not dealing with the bumps and bruises from the last game. So just to get out there, pretty concise game plan and cut it loose.”

Battling those injuries, as well as being in and out of the lineup, led Allegretti to work with mental health coaches to help with what this season has been like.

“And in my career, I kind of just kept all that to myself,” Allegretti said. "Working through that these last couple years helped me a ton and I think it’s helped me day to day just to truly enjoy being here, being in the locker room, regardless of what my role is, taking that role serious. And now I have another opportunity to be in the role that I obviously truly want and I’m excited for.”

His work with those coaches, he said, made him feel comfortable speaking about it publicly — so that others feel they can do the same.

“It’s one of those things that, as men, we’re lulled into this, ‘Don’t talk about it, handle your things yourself,'” Allegretti said. “And I tried, for a long time, and I got to a point where it was too much for me. And I’ll say probably one of the reasons that I handled the day to day here well when I’m not playing is just all the people that were here for me and helped me get the help that I needed. Not just in the locker room, but some coaches, staff members really went out of their way to make sure I was right.

“It’s a process, obviously. I’m still working weekly with that, but it’s something that in life I never thought I would need to work on. You lift weights, you recover, you work on the football, you watch film, you do all this stuff, but you don’t really ever work on the mental health side of things.”

On the field, he'll take over at center for a team that has dealt with several different combinations in its starting lineup. Left tackle Laremy Tunsil suffered an injury before the season started. Right guard Sam Cosmi missed two games, and now, another change will take place at center.

Moving around isn't new to Allegretti, who played center and both guard spots going back to college.

“I've snapped every day since I was 14," Allegretti said. “Center's been a big part of my life, but still always ready to play all three of those.”

Now Allegretti will have to lead the charge for Washington's offensive line on a short week, against the division-leading Giants against a defense that sacked the Eagles' Joe Milton seven times on Sunday.

Commanders coach Dan Quinn noted that, even on a short week, he is OK with the change at center.

“Not if you have the calls, the communication where you’re gonna go, and that way he can be the one directing those," Quinn said of worry about making a change at center on a short week. "And so, as long as you can start it that way, that’s much easier as opposed to the shift down at the end of the week.”

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