Jacory Croskey-Merritt’s hold on the Washington Commanders’ backfield is already under pressure, and it all comes back to one issue: the football has to stay put.
That was the message after Week 1, when head coach Dan Quinn pulled Croskey-Merritt after a fumble against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Washington recovered the ball, but the mistake still mattered. It was enough to get sixth-round rookie Kaytron Allen into the game in his place, and it sent a clear signal about how little margin for error exists right now.
Quinn acknowledged the issue, and he believes it can be corrected. Still, the early warning was obvious. Croskey-Merritt has to sharpen up in the one area that can undo everything else he brings to the table.
And there’s plenty that has brought him this far.
Drafted No. 245 overall in 2025, Croskey-Merritt had to fight back from an abrupt setback when his college eligibility was revoked just one game into his time at Arizona. That left him off the radar during the pre-draft process, but Washington gave him a chance and he made the most of it. He rushed for 805 yards and scored eight touchdowns, turning himself into a real steal.
The problem is that the ball security concerns never really went away. Croskey-Merritt fumbled four times last season, and two of those giveaways turned into turnovers. Now the same issue has surfaced again, only this time the Commanders have other bodies in the room and other answers on the table.
Allen is one of them. The Day 3 rookie didn’t light up the preseason, but his brief work against Philadelphia’s front seven was more encouraging, and that gives offensive coordinator David Blough another option to lean on. That matters, because it changes the temperature for Croskey-Merritt immediately.
This is where the Commanders are operating now: fine margins, little patience, and a lot of expectation after a five-win season. Sloppy mistakes are going to be noticed, and a promising young runner won’t get a free pass if the standard slips.
Croskey-Merritt has worked to add bulk this offseason, and the power is there. The burst is still there too. But all of that only goes so far if he isn’t securing the ball when contact gets violent.
Washington also has Rachaad White and Allen available, while Jeremy McNichols will give them another option when he returns from injured reserve. Croskey-Merritt is in front for now, and he has earned that spot. The question is how long it lasts if the fumbling issue keeps showing up.
The warning was loud, even if it wasn’t dressed up that way. Croskey-Merritt is clearly part of the plan, but the Commanders have made it plain: protect the football, or the carries will start going elsewhere. If the same problem keeps popping up, Allen could start cutting into his workload before long.
In Other News...
Commanders Suddenly Have A Linebacker Concern Heading Into Dallas
Washington added veteran offensive lineman Lucas Patrick to bolster depth at guard and center, a practical move for a team still sorting out its interior line options early in the season. To create the roster space, the Commanders placed linebacker Jordan Magee on injured reserve after he suffered a hamstring injury in Week 1, a hit to a position group that already tends to matter more when the schedule turns physical.
Magees absence leaves Washington thinner on the second level heading into Dallas, especially with the club also managing other injury statuses and shuffling bodies around the practice squad. The team responded by signing two linebackers to the practice squad, but the bigger question is how much of the defensive workload can be covered in the short term if the injury situation keeps moving in the wrong direction. [Read more 🡒]
Tyler Owens Breakout Just Gave Commanders Fans One Immediate Concern
Tyler Owens turned a quiet role into one of the Commanders early talking points in the season opener against the Eagles, when the safety and special teams gunner made a notable play that quickly spread online and even earned him the Angry Runs award. For a Washington team that values energy and edge on special teams, it was the kind of moment that can help a depth player stand out fast.
Owens afternoon also ended with the kind of update fans did not want to hear, as he left the game with an ankle injury that Dan Quinn confirmed afterward. Owens later said he was feeling good despite the issue, but Washingtons training staff will be watching his recovery closely, because a breakout play only matters if the player who made it can stay on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Secondary May Be Without Trey Amos Longer Than Expected
Trey Amos has already landed on injured reserve, and the early read on his recovery suggests Washington may have to wait longer than it first hoped. The rookie corner is not expected back before Week 5 at the earliest, and Dan Quinn said it is still too early to know whether Amos will be ready the moment he becomes eligible to return.
The bigger issue for the Commanders is the time he will need once he is cleared to practice again. Quinn pointed to the limited practice work Amos has been able to get and the ramp-up period that would follow, leaving Washington to lean on its other cornerbacks in the meantime while the secondary tries to hold up without him. [Read more 🡒]