Chase

Roullier

The former Commanders center announced his retirement via Instagram. He cited his lengthy injury history as one of the reasons he is moving on from football. Over the past two years, Roullier has appeared in just 10 games. A sixth-round pick in 2017, Roullier entered the league as an unheralded prospect. It didn’t take long for him to prove the draft evaluators wrong. He started seven games as a rookie and opened his second season as Washington’s starter at center. Roullier ultimately made 63 starts over his six-year career.

The veteran center was released by the Commanders as a post-June 1 cut in early May and has yet to draw much interest on the free agent market. He has allowed only one sack since 2020 but has missed 24 games over the previous two seasons. The soon to be 30-year-old is likely to find a home on team in need of a veteran presence along the interior offensive line.

The Commanders released Roullier with a post-June 1 designation, saving $8.37 million against the cap. Roullier became expendable after the Commanders drafted center/guard Ricky Stromberg out of Arkansas in the third round and signed free agent Nick Gates earlier this offseason. Roullier suffered a season-ending injury in last season’s Week 2 contest against the Lions. A former sixth-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Roullier was promoted to a full-time starter in 2018 but has played in just 10 games over the last two seasons due to a myriad of injuries. Set to turn 30 in August, it’s possible Roullier lands elsewhere with a chance to compete for a starting job in training camp if he’s fully healthy.

A Roullier post-June 1 release would save $8.37 million in cap room. Nick Gates got a three-year, $16.5 million contract to man the center position this offseason. Roullier, who has missed 24 games the last two seasons, will turn 30 in August and could be a stop-gap option elsewhere if he’s healthy after suffering a knee injury in September.

A second-round pick by the Texans back in 2016, Martin spent last season with the Raiders. He will offer depth after the Commanders lost Chase Roullier to a knee injury. Roullier was placed on injured reserve in a corresponding move.

Roullier went down on the second-to-last play of the game, making for a brutal end to a game in which Washington’s offensive line appeared overmatched throughout. Roullier signed a four-year, $40.5 million contract with Washington in January 2021, and missed most of last season after suffering a fractured fibula in Week 8. Fowler notes that Roullier may need to undergo surgery for his latest injury, but that the team is seeking a second opinion. At a minimum, he appears to be heading for short-term IR.

Young is recovering from an ACL tear and it’s possible he opens the season on IR. Roullier, the team’s starting center, is recovering from a fractured ankle. Logan Thomas (ACL/MCL) is another player who could open the year on IR. Larsen was placed with an Achilles injury. It’s possible that none of the four of them will be back in training camp, but this designation would not keep them from returning if they’re healthy enough to go.

Roullier will undergo season-ending surgery after fracturing his fibula against the Broncos in Week 8. His recovery is expected to take “several months” as Roullier likely suffered ligament damage to his ankle. With 54 starts for Washington since 2018, the dropoff from Roullier to backup Tyler Larsen is a significant one.

Roullier had an air cast applied to his left leg, typically a season-ending move, and was ruled out with an ankle injury immediately. He was promptly replaced by backup C Tyler Larsen. We’ll have an update after Roullier undergoes an MRI.

It includes $19 million in guarantees. Roullier has crushed pre-draft expectations. A sixth-round pick in 2017, Roullier has been a starter for 3.5 seasons and has improved in each campaign. PFF ranked Roullier as the No. 4 overall center out of 37 qualifiers in 2020. Washington still has a lot of work to do along the offensive line, but Roullier should be a constant positive up front.