The opinions expressed in this article do not reflect those of the team.

We are so close to the NFL season kicking off. By this time next week, the Washington Commanders will have already had a practice and provided their first injury report of the year. It's wild to think that we're so close after months of waiting, but we're just over a week away from seeing the team take on the Philadelphia Eagles.

And of course, fans have questions, so let's look at what they want to know this week.

@ECFoisie: Nick Bellore (along with Owens and Magee) played in the most special teams snaps last season; which player(s) is(are) taking Nick's roles?

I don't think you can find a single player who can replace a player like Bellore. He was in the league for 15 years, and it would be difficult to find a player with his skill set, experience and production. With that said, I believe the Commanders have a few players who could fill that gap.

Percy Butler and Tyler Owens are the immediate candidates who come to mind. Both players have been mainstays on the Commanders' special teams unit and made plays in the preseason. Not only is Owens developing on defense, but he shows leadership on the punt team and plays with physicality. Both Owens and Butler are on the roster largely because of their special teams ability.

Although he's taken on a larger defensive role, Jeremy Reaves also deserves a shoutout here. Reaves has been a key piece of the Commanders' roster for years, largely because of what he's accomplished on special teams. His leadership will remain an important part of the team, no matter how many snaps he gets.

@cdoyle222: Think we will see Antonio Williams start week 1?

I think there are a few factors at play with this question.

I'll be curious to see what formation the Commanders use as their primary formation on the depth chart. For what it's worth, they used 12 personnel (one running back with two tight ends) on their preseason unofficial depth chart. There could be some merit to that, but I would advise against basing any speculation on what we saw last month, when the Commanders were actively running more basic concepts to subvert their regular season opponents.

But for the sake of argument, let's say the Commanders do use 12 personnel as their primary formation. If that's the case, we know two of the starting three receiver spots would be filled by Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs. That leaves the slot position, and depending on what the coaches saw in Williams' preseason, I could see a world where he starts (again, take this for what it's worth, but the preseason depth chart had Williams as an outside receiver behind Diggs and Treylon Burks).

Ultimately, though, I'm not sure it matters if Williams is considered a "starter" for Week 1, because if the Commanders use him the way I think they could use him, he'll likely get a healthy snap count regardless of whether he's on the field for the first play.

@MrEd315: In your opinion, what are the Commanders lacking in this year's team?

I'm going to rephrase this question a bit and talk about the spots I have questions about, not in a negative fashion but more out of curiosity. I'm curious to see how the Commanders use their cornerbacks this year. I know they added Fabian Moreau and that Daronte Jones comes from a system that doesn't utilize corners as much in nickel formations, but four players for the position is a lighter number than we're used to. I have complete confidence in what Jones can do as a play caller, but I just want to see the vision play out.

On offense, I'm curious how Nick Allegretti is going to handle being the starting center. Again, I do have confidence in Allegretti as a player. He's an experienced veteran who started in the NFL for several years. Most of his experience is at guard, but he feels like center is his natural position. Like many, the team included, I was looking forward to seeing Allegretti in camp. That obviously didn't happen, so our best look at him will be in Week 1. While I do think he's going to play well, I want to see how he handles making the calls at the line of scrimmage and communicating with his teammates.

@ECFoisie: Five new additions to the practice squad: 2 cornerbacks, 2 tight ends and an offensive tackle. Anyone we should be particularly intrigued about?

I'll give you two players. The first is cornerback Isaac Yiabdom, who has been in the league since 2018 with 118 games and 34 starts in that span. You don't normally have a player with that kind of experience on your practice squad. It's possible he could be elevated to the active roster once he gets up to speed on the system, but we'll have to let that play out.

The other is offensive tackle Esa Pole, who played for the Kansas City Chiefs last season and started four games. Pole is more of a developmental player, but it does speak to how the Commanders have built their depth at tackle. If all goes well, Pole will remain on the practice squad throughout this season, but I could see him competing for a roster spot in 2027.

@Hughburt33: What's something or someone you think is gonna surprise people? I have high hopes for Burks after being at training camp. And is there a surprise group or spot you think will be weaker than what we're expecting?

I think Burks is a good choice for an answer to the first question. Other than at the start of camp, he was healthy for all of training camp -- a big question surrounding his skill set -- and he has good physical traits that help him win downfield. He also doesn't need to be a focal point of the offense with McLaurin, Diggs, Brown and others also on the roster. He can focus more on what he's good at, which is making contested catches and winning in the middle of the field.

As for your second question, I genuinely feel pretty good about the roster's overall health. I guess you could say offensive line because Laremy Tunsil is injured, but I still feel confident in the way the offensive line is currently constructed.

@reedieandzee: Zach, the fan base is especially concerned about the interior of the OL. With Laremy Tunsil on IR and Nick Allegretti returning after missing most of training camp, our OL will have had limited time together before facing Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis in Week 1. Is the bigger concern Allegretti's health, the unit's communication and chemistry, or the overall depth and what can coach Blough do schematically to keep those issues from disrupting Jayden Daniels?

So here's what I'll say about each of these questions:

1. I know Allegretti's health was a talking point in camp, but here's something I want people to consider: he's played at least 16 games in each of the last six seasons. That's 100 games with 34 starts. Sure, freak injuries happen, but I don't believe Allegretti's health is a concern.

2. Chemistry and communication are certainly important components for a good offensive line, and the Commanders obviously wanted him to be on the field. However, the offensive linemen we spoke to in the locker room earlier this week, including Allegretti himself, seemed confident in the chemistry they have built throughout the offseason. Will it be completely clean for Week 1? Probably not, but they do have a foundation to work on despite Allegretti not being on the field for about a month.

3. I think the Commanders will need to change things offensively more because of Tunsil's absence. That could mean more two tight end sets, quicker releases from Daniels and the running backs spending more time in the backfield to pass block. It's one of the many things I'm looking forward to seeing when they play the Eagles in less than 10 days.