With the Preseason set to begin, the Commanders are looking to see who they want on the 53-man roster when they take the field in Tampa on September 8th. A lot will be decided over the next couple of weeks, but let's look at an early prediction of what the roster may look like.
Commanders Offense
Quarterbacks (3) - Jayden Daniels, Marcus Mariota, Sam Hartman
Outside Looking In - Jeff Driskel
Jayden Daniels should be the starter once camp breaks, with Mariota as one of the best backups in the league this year. Daniels was named the starter for the team's first preseason game and should get plenty of time to settle in.
Sam Hartman, the undrafted Notre Dame product, is perfect to have on the practice squad and be a project for the Commanders to develop into Daniels’ backup, leaving Jeff Driskel as the odd man out.
Running Backs (3) - Austin Ekeler, Brian Robinson, Austin Jones
Outside Looking In - Chris Rodriguez Jr, Michael Wiley, Jeremy McNichols
Eckler and Robinson will be a dangerous 1-2 punch out of the backfield and can easily be leaders on the Washington offense. With a rookie quarterback in Daniels, OC Kliff Kingsbury may dial up plenty of screens to get the ball out of his hands quickly, given that both bring that receiving back aspect and are great downhill runners. Austin Jones also makes the cut for the 53-man over the others due to his history with Kingsbury at USC.
Wide Receivers (7) - Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, Luke McCaffrey, Jamison Crowder, Dyami Brown, Byron Pringle, Olamide Zaccheaus
Outside Looking In - Mitchell Tinsley, Byrcen Tremayne, Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, Davion Davis
McLaurin and Dotson are the locks to be the top targets for Daniels, with rookie 3rd Round Pick Luke McCaffrey having a solid start to camp. Dyami Brown has made a name for himself in camp, becoming a reliable deep threat as well, which should give him an inside track.
Crowder and Zaccheaus are veterans who can return kicks and could beat out Rosemy-Jacksaint and Zaccheaus for the final roster spot. Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint could be the swing here. As an undrafted free agent, he has made a name for himself in camp so far and could benefit from the team's youth movement.
Tight Ends (3) - Zach Ertz, Ben Sinnott, John Bates
Outside Looking In - Armani Rogers
Washington drafted Kansas State tight end Ben Sinnott in the second round, gifting Jayden Daniels with a weapon. The rookie will not only be a target for Daniels but also become a key blocker and versatile player on offense.
Zach Ertz will provide a veteran presence in the tight end room and become a red zone threat for Kliff Kingsbury's offense. Ertz played for Kingsberry when he was head coach of the Cardinals. John Bates is coming off a solid rookie season and could be on the bubble to make the final 53 due to the youth that the Commanders have brought in to compete with him.
While a young talent, Armani Rogers misses the cut here, with the other three having more experience and success.
Offensive Line (9) - Tyler Biadasz, Sam Cosmi, Nick Allegretti, Andrew Wylie, Cornelius Lucas, Brandon Coleman, Michael Deiter, Ricky Stromberg, Trent Scott
Outside Looking In - Chris Paul, Brooks Mason, Julian Good-Jones, David Nwaogwugwu
The O-line may have some new faces this season, but they are still getting a major upgrade. The question marks are good ones, and one comes in the form of rookie Brandon Coleman. Taken in the third round as an offensive tackle, he could overtake Cornelius Lucas at some point during the year; however, he has struggled during camp.
Allergretti should take over as the starting center, with Cosmi and Wylie remaining as the starters on the right side of the line.
Commanders Special Teams
Specialist (3) - Tress Way, Tyler Ott, Andre Szmyt
Outside Looking in - Riley Patterson, Ramiz Ahmed
Tress Way returns as the team's punter, but the big question of the off-season is who will replace Brandon McManus. After signing both Ramiz Ahmed and Riley Patterson, I still think a former UFL kicker can sneak in and snag the job.
Andre Szmyt was lights out for the St. Louis Battlehawks this year, only missing two of his 21 field goal attempts, with his long being 61 yards. If not Szmyt, then Patterson will be a lock to get the job if they don't go out and get someone like Mason Crosby.
Commanders Defense
Interior Defensive Line (4) - Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, Johnny Newton, Phidarian Mathis
Outside Looking In - John Ridgeway III, Norell Pollard, Jalen Harris, Tyler Stallworth
With Allen and Payne etched in as the starters, Johnny Newton will see time to spell them or slide in if any get injured. Mathis will claim that last spot as an additional backup, with Ridgeway getting the short end of the stick.
Edge Rushers (6) - Dorance Armstrong, Clelin Ferrell, Dante Fowler Jr., K.J. Henry, Efe Obada, Javontae Jean-Baptiste
Outside Looking In - Andre Jones Jr., Jalen Harris
After signing Clelin Ferrell and Dante Fowler Jr., there should be a lot of potential to line up alongside Dorance Armstrong. KJ Henry will be relied on on third downs to get after the quarterback, being right up there as the team's best pass rusher. In the early going, it looks like all signs point to Obada and Jean-Baptiste being the other two edge rushers to make the cut.
Linebackers (4) - Bobby Wagner, Frankie Luvu, Jamin Davis, Jordan Magee
Outside Looking In - Anthony Pittman, Bo Bauer
Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu are veteran signings who can bring a lot of experience to this unit. They join Jamin Davis (the team's only returning linebacker from 2023) to revamp a major weakness that last year's defense had.
Jordan Magee was drafted in the 5th round and will be more of a developmental piece for the defense.
Cornerbacks (6) - Benjamin St-Juste, Emmanuel Forbes, Michael Davis, Noah Igbinoghene, James Pierre, Chigozie Anusiem
Outside Looking In - Tariq Castro-Fields, Nick Whiteside, AJ Woods
Corner will be one of the weaker units this year on defense as they have signed mid-level free agents to try and fill the void. Benjamin St-Juste, Quan Martin, and Mike Sainristil are all in line to start, with Martin possibly sliding into the safety spot. Mike Davis, Noah Igbinoghene, James Pierre, and Emmauel Forbes will all be fighting for spots, but they still look to have a solid chance of making the team.
Safties (5) - Jeremy Chinn, Darrick Forrest, Quan Martin, Percy Butler, Jeremy Reeves
Outside Looking In - Kyu Blu Kelly, Ben Nikkel, Dominique Hampton, Tyler Owens
If not lined up at the corner, Quan Martin will be a lock to play deep safety in certain situations. Jeremy Chinn and Darrick Forrest will be the go-to starters, with Percy Butler and Jeremy Reeves serving as quality backups.
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