In the 237 days since last season ended, the Commanders have overhauled their systems, replaced their play callers, and changed some of their coaching staff and much of their roster in hopes of rediscovering a winning formula.
The team that made it to the NFC Championship Game two years ago is once again in rebuild mode — but with higher stakes. Coach Dan Quinn’s future in Washington may depend on a winning season, and the window to build around quarterback Jayden Daniels while he’s on his rookie contract will soon close.
The Commanders’ revamped roster showed promise early in training camp, especially on defense, where the team made its biggest offseason investments. But a slew of injuries to starters and some key reserves limited their on-field work together and created uncertainty about who will be available when the season opens Sept. 13 in Philadelphia.
That also made the team’s initial 53-man roster, due by 6 p.m. Sunday, vulnerable to significant change before that first game. Washington is seventh in the NFL’s waiver list priority order, which means it’ll have a fairly early crack at claiming, say, an interior offensive lineman (or two) or landing other quality players waived by other teams.
My initial roster projection for Washington is just that — an early iteration but not the final roster for Week 1.
(Note: NFL teams can designate for return up to two players who are placed on injured reserve on roster cutdown day. Those count toward teams’ maximum of eight IR players designated for return, but do not count against the team’s roster cap. They are eligible to return after four games. Anyone else placed on injured reserve before the 6 p.m. deadline on Sunday is done for the season.)
Top Plays from Commanders @ Ravens
Offense (26)
Quarterback (3): Jayden Daniels, Marcus Mariota, Athan Kaliakmanis
Hey, shocker, Daniels is still the starter! In all seriousness, Daniels had an exceptional camp. He’s shown more and more every offseason, but this one was especially notable because of the new scheme and all that he was asked to change or do more of in offensive coordinator David Blough’s system. His transition to playing more under center appeared seamless, and his command of the offense was what you’d expect from a veteran with multiple years in a scheme.
Mariota returned on a one-year deal, ensuring continuity in the quarterback room amid all the other offensive changes.
The notable name here, though, is Kaliakmanis, a seventh-round rookie from Rutgers whose play in the first two preseason games earned him a spot here. Washington kept three quarterbacks on its initial roster the last two seasons, and with Mariota recovering from an MCL sprain, doing so again may be wise. Quinn has said he’s optimistic the veteran will be available for Week 1, but it’s not yet a certainty.
Whether Kaliakmanis sticks at the No. 3 for the season may depend on who comes available after roster cuts.
Running back (3): Jacory “Bill” Croskey-Merritt, Rachaad White, Kaytron Allen
Washington released veteran Jerome Ford with an injury settlement and Jeremy McNichols suffered a “pretty good quad injury” in camp, according to Quinn. I didn’t include him on the belief he would clear waivers and be available to re-sign to the practice squad.
Allen had an up-and-down preseason — he had 85 rushing yards and a touchdown against Miami but fumbled on Washington’s opening snap in Baltimore — but his potential and draft status (sixth-round pick) ensure he stays. Undrafted rookie Robert Henry impressed in the opener against Miami, but he may not have shown enough to put Washington at risk of losing him on waivers.
Wide receiver (7): Terry McLaurin, Stefon Diggs, Antonio Williams, Treylon Burks, Dyami Brown, Jaylin Lane, Luke McCaffrey
Receiver was one of Washington’s most questionable positions before training camp, but the arrival of Diggs turned it into one of the most competitive.
McLaurin, Diggs and third-round rookie Williams were locks for the roster, leaving eight wideouts vying for three or four spots. Brown got the nod because of his speed and rapport with Daniels. Burks’ big-play ability won him a spot, and Lane made it because of his punt returns. I admittedly waffled about keeping McCaffrey. He had a very good camp and doubles as the team’s leading kick returner, but I wondered if he showed enough to hold his spot. I kept him because of his draft status (third round in 2024), his consistency compared to others and the value he provides over, say, a fifth linebacker or 10th offensive lineman.
Tight end (4): Chig Okonkwo, John Bates, Ben Sinnott, Colson Yankoff
It was always going to be these four. Yankoff had a good camp, showing his pass-catching ability on offense while remaining a special teams staple, and the others were locks before camp opened.
Offensive line (9): LT Brandon Coleman, LG Chris Paul, C Nick Allegretti, RG Sam Cosmi, RT Josh Conerly Jr., OT Andrew Wylie, OL Trent Scott, D.J. Humphries, C Matt Gulbin
*Laremy Tunsil placed on injured reserve with a designation to return
This is the group that figures to change before the opener. It needs to change. Washington cut center Tyler Biadasz in February and didn’t sign another veteran in the offseason, essentially leaving the job to Allegretti, a versatile vet who has played primarily guard. But a calf injury sidelined Allegretti for almost all of camp and his status for the opener is still not clear. Also unclear: His ability as a full-time starter at center.
Julian Good-Jones and Gulbin, a sixth-round rookie, struggled mightily in place of Allegretti, hindering the run game and leaving Daniels exposed for much of the Commanders’ joint practice with the Ravens.
Gulbin stays on the roster largely because the team invested a draft pick in him, but it wasn’t a high enough one to keep him here long-term. Washington should add another center and more help at guard since Coleman shifted back outside to left tackle after Tunsil’s injury.
Tunsil is an obvious candidate for IR with a designation for return on cutdown day. He underwent surgery to repair a torn triceps on Aug. 8, but the team left open the possibility of him returning this season. That injury typically has a 3 to 4-month recovery, depending on the severity and type of repair.
Defense (24)
Defensive line (6): Daron Payne, Javon Kinlaw, Tim Settle, Charles Omenihu, Shy Tuttle, Byron Cowart
*Johnny Newton is placed on IR with a designation to return.
Newton’s pectoral muscle injury will land him on IR, but, like Tunsil, there’s still a chance he could be available later this season, so designating him for return on cutdown day keeps the door open for Washington.
The Commanders brought back Settle and signed Omenihu to add needed depth at the position. Newton’s injury pushes Tuttle up as the top reserve.
Cowart gets the last spot because of his experience, but like others near the bottom of the depth chart, his spot could change depending on roster needs and who becomes available.
Linebacker (4): Frankie Luvu, Sonny Styles, Leo Chenal, Jordan Magee
There are no real surprises here. Kain Medrano and Ale Kaho were possibilities for a fifth linebacker spot, but both seem likely to clear waivers, meaning Washington could sign them back to the practice squad and continue to develop them and have them ready for a few game-day call-ups.
Outside linebacker (4): Odafe Oweh, K’Lavon Chaisson, Joshua Josephs, Javontae Jean-Baptiste
*Dorance Armstrong is placed on the reserve/suspended list
The NFL suspended Armstrong for the season opener for violating the personal conduct policy, which temporarily clears a roster spot. Jean-Baptiste missed much of last season due to a pectoral injury and didn’t show much in the early going of camp. If Washington’s outside linebackers finished camp healthy and available, Jean-Baptiste may have been hard-pressed to get a spot, but Armstrong’s suspension and injuries to Oweh (calf) and Chaisson (knee) — Quinn has not provided a timetable for their return — make it worth keeping him.
Cornerback (5): Mike Sainristil, Amik Robertson, Trey Amos, Rasul Douglas, Fabian Moreau
There are a number of outstanding questions about this group, none bigger than the availability of Amos. The 2025 second-round pick was Washington’s most consistent corner last year, but a fractured fibula cut his season short and cost him the entire offseason. He returned two weeks into camp but suffered an ankle sprain in his second practice. It’s unclear if he will be available for Week 1.
Washington added Douglas and Moreau to give the team more veteran experience and depth, and both proved their worth.
Whenever Amos returns, it’ll be interesting to see whether Robertson or Sainristil shifts inside to the slot.
Safety (5): Nick Cross, Jeremy Reaves, Quan Martin, Percy Butler, Tyler Owens
Washington’s most notable roster cut happened Tuesday. Will Harris was the team’s top safety during his limited time last season (he missed eight games because of a fractured fibula), but the addition of Cross in free agency pushed him down the depth chart. Butler and Owens have been staples on special teams and became even more important when special teams ace Nick Bellore retired.
Martin struggled last season, but his two preseason interceptions made the decision to move on from Harris an obvious one.
Special teams (3)
P/H Tress Way, K Drew Stevens, LS Tyler Ott
One of the true competitions going into camp was at kicker, where incumbent Jake Moody faced the undrafted rookie Stevens. The latter won out with his consistency and leg strength. The question is whether he’ll be a long-term solution to Washington’s kicking carousel.
