Surprise retirement could lead to opportunity for Commanders' defender

Monday was full of surprises for the Washington Commanders. First, the Commanders announced they had fired tight ends coach Ben Steele. Later on Monday, Washington revealed it had placed veteran linebacker/special teams stalwart Nick Bellore on the reserve/retired list.

Bellore, 37, was set to enter his 16th NFL season in 2026, and his third with the Commanders. He was among Washington's top special teams performers over the past two seasons and is a former two-time Pro Bowl selection.

Bellore was an important player. He was a key figure on all of Washington's special teams units. But while his loss will be felt, it could be a blessing in disguise for one former Commanders' draft pick.

Linebacker Kain Medrano, a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, could be the player to most benefit from Bellore's retirement. The 6-foot-3, 230-pounder played in nine games as a rookie last season. He did not appear on the field for one defensive snap, but did play 62% of Washington's defensive snaps.

A phenomenal athlete, Medrano had a 9.83 Relative Athletic Score coming out of UCLA. He ran a 4.46 40-yard dash and posted terrific testing numbers across the board. But with Washington's offseason acquisitions of Leo Chenal and Sonny Styles, Medrano's place on the 2026 roster was no longer a given.

Kain Medrano was drafted in round 6 pick 205 in the 2025 draft class. He scored a 9.83 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 57 out of 3204 LB from 1987 to 2025. https://t.co/WFbuyintNZpic.twitter.com/V6EwTZ5Iyr

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) April 26, 2025

That could change now with Bellore gone. In fact, Medrano could step into Bellore's role. While Medrano is essentially still learning to play linebacker, that position is no longer a need for the Commanders. They can keep Medrano exclusively on special teams, while giving him the occasional defensive snap to gain some experience.

When Daronte Jones was introduced as the new defensive coordinator earlier this year, he specifically mentioned Medrano. But Medrano was entering training camp on the bubble. Monday's news may have changed that, but it will be up to Medrano.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Surprise retirement could lead to opportunity for Commanders' defender