The Commanders signed Nick Allegretti this offseason and still have Sam Cosmi, so Chris Paul will be competing for a starting spot on Washington’s revamped offensive line.
In the meantime, he’s…dropping beats with a new album?
“It’s been great, and honestly, music has always been one of my biggest creative outlets, and just the way to unplug from the major things in my life,” Paul told BMitch & Finlay Monday. “I've been doing music since birth, and I know that sounds cliche, but the doctors told my mom that I came out of the womb humming in the ICU, so it was one of those things where he's destined to do something musically. But “Options” is out right now, available on all streaming platforms, and it's a song that I really love and we actually teased it as country; it’s a pop song, but it's kind of genre blending in a way, and that's why I love so much about it. It's very catchy and it describes the paradox of choice and the conflicts within that, so I really hope the listeners or anybody who listens to it really enjoy it.”
As it turns out, Chris was one of the few Commanders JP found could identify a Dolly Parton song when she performed at halftime on Thanksgiving, so he’s avid in all genres.
“I'm inspired by so many different artists, and like you mentioned, definitely a lot under this specific helmet,” Paul said. “That's what I always try to like showcase: just be multi-dimensional and be able to share those different aspects of yourself with people.”
When it comes to the football aspect of his days, Paul is ‘so, so excited’ for 2024 under the new regime.
“The energy is just extremely refreshing and everybody in the building is hyped, so I'm super ready,” Paul said. “Everybody is on the same page in just anticipation of this upcoming season, and there's just a positive vibe throughout the building, so I'm really excited to get to work. It's definitely a different feeling, and that is particularly because everything is new, and you're working with new guys, different people, different minds that are gonna bring different aspects to the table. I would say like literally textbook definition of the word refreshing. It's a restart and everybody's excited.”
It's his third restart in three years really, as Kliff Kingsbury is his third OC since 2022, but he's used to, and actually enjoys, the changes.
“It’s obviously a difference, so you're learning something each year, but I would say I'm actually appreciative for it,” Paul said. “A lot of people say that many different offenses are kind of similar in the league, just maybe different terminology, but either way, whether it's similar or it's completely different, being able to have that knowledge of each of these offenses that I get to learn is very helpful in terms of just being in this league in general. It all started rookie year; we've been talking about different offenses but also different positions on the line. I remember coming in as a rookie, one of the first things they told me was you're gonna know how to line up at every position besides center, and to have that kind of versatility I would say is super important in the league as well. So being able to have experience in each of those situations is definitely something that I'm proud of.”
He’s also excited for another new process: helping his brother, former Houston lineman Patrick Paul, navigate the pre-draft process.
“I was at the Senior Bowl, and it's been so much fun to just be there for him. He was training here in Dallas where I'm training currently, so we lived together,” Paul said. “Every day just being able to answer questions, tell him about how my experience was going through it, let him know what to look out for and what to prepare for, it's just been a lot of fun to be along the ride with him. It's just been a full-circle moment, and a privilege that I'm able to walk him through this process, and that he's well on his way to be in this league.”