The Washington Commanders had one backfield plan undone and quickly turned to another.
Kaytron Allen was supposed to slip through the cracks and land on the practice squad after what the team viewed as a strategic late-week release, but the Miami Dolphins stepped in and claimed the sixth-round pick. That left Washington needing a replacement, and according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Commanders have signed Devin Neal to the practice squad.
Neal’s path to this point has already been bumpy. The dual-threat runner entered the league as a sixth-round pick of the New Orleans Saints last year, a selection Washington had sent to the NFC South team as part of the trade package for Pro Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore. Neal did make the roster and produced 310 yards from scrimmage with two touchdowns before a hamstring injury cut his season short.
The Saints moved on by signing Travis Etienne Jr. from the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency to pair with Alvin Kamara, which left Neal fighting for a spot again. More injury issues followed, and he was eventually waived. A short stint on the Minnesota Vikings’ practice squad didn’t lead anywhere, either.
Now he gets another shot in Washington, though an immediate move to the active roster does not appear to be in the cards. The Commanders have been leaning on Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Rachaad White as their top two backs, while Austin Ekeler saw limited action against the New York Giants. Jeremy McNichols’ 21-day return window opened last week, meaning Washington currently has just four healthy backs in the mix.
That context makes Neal an obvious insurance play. If McNichols needs more time, Neal could be the next man up. But the injury history is impossible to ignore, and soft tissue problems have already slowed him more than once in his pro career.
Still, the Commanders clearly like the upside. Neal was a standout at Kansas, piling up 4,343 rushing yards and 49 touchdowns across four seasons.
When he’s been on the field, he has shown enough to keep getting looks. The issue has always been staying there.
At 23, there’s still room for his career to settle in, and Washington is giving him the chance to do it without pressure. If he can get healthy and build some momentum, the Commanders may eventually have a useful piece on their hands. If not, it remains another stop in a career that is still being written.
In Other News...
Commanders Have Another Officiating Controversy Fans Wont Let Go
The Commanders left Week 5 with more than just a loss to the Giants, because the officiating became part of the conversation again. A key call wiped out an interception by cornerback Amik Robertson, turning what looked like a swing play into another sore point for a team that feels like it has seen too many of these moments already this season.
Robertson did not let the frustration sit for long, taking to social media to vent about the quality of the officiating and pointing to multiple instances this year he believes have hurt Washington. The broader backdrop only adds to the irritation, with recent NFL officiating disputes and player confrontations making every questionable flag feel bigger, and this one is sure to linger with Commanders fans for a while. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Let A Winnable Game Slip Away With Brutal Late Mistake
For much of Sunday, Washington looked like it had done enough to leave with a much-needed road win, building a two-touchdown cushion before the game turned into a fourth-quarter scramble. The Giants, powered by Jameis Winstons 326-yard, three-touchdown outing, stormed back to force overtime, turning what had been a comfortable afternoon for the Commanders into a tense finish.
Even after the lead evaporated, Washington still had a clear path to escape with a victory, only to let the moment slip away in the final seconds. The late clock management left the Commanders settling for a tie instead of a win, an outcome that will linger because it was there to be taken. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Fans Have One More Reason To Revisit That Giants Tie
The Giants 27-27 tie with Washington is getting another look, and not just because divisional games tend to linger. Cam Skattebo, who was at the center of the overtime turnover sequence, acknowledged that the ball security lapse was his mistake and said he has to do better moving forward. For Commanders fans, it is one more reminder that the game was there to be claimed late, even if it ended up as a split.
Skattebo framed the finish as a lesson for the Giants, stressing the need to protect the football as they move on to face the Saints. New York still sits atop the NFC East, which only adds to the sense that Washington left something behind in a game where the margin was razor thin and the ending never quite felt settled. [Read more 🡒]