Training camp is almost here for the Commanders, and the pressure points are easy to spot. Rookies report on July 24, veterans follow on July 28, and practice gets rolling on July 29. After an offseason built around getting younger and faster, Washington has plenty of new faces trying to win jobs - but a handful of holdovers are walking into camp with just as much on the line.
Some of the biggest questions sit at receiver, where Luke McCaffrey and Treylon Burks both have a real path to major roles. McCaffrey was on the rise before a broken collarbone cut his season short midway through last year.
In the first half, he emerged as one of the NFL’s top kickoff returners, averaging almost 30 yards per return. As a receiver, he had only 15 targets in nine games, but he turned that into 11 catches for 203 yards and three touchdowns.
He also averaged 18.5 yards per reception. The catch against the Chargers in Week 5 stood out as one of Washington’s best offensive plays of the season.
McCaffrey is not fighting to keep his roster spot, but a strong camp could put him in line for a starting job.
Burks is in a similar spot, with a little more intrigue attached. Washington likes the former Tennessee first-round pick, and that was clear when he arrived last October and drew praise from teammates and coaches.
His catch against Denver on Sunday Night Football was arguably the best in the NFL. At 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds, he brings size and real juice after the catch.
Health has been the issue, but the talent has never been the question. The Commanders do not need him to pile up 80 catches to make this a success in 2026.
What they need is a meaningful role and trust from Daniels. That started last season and carried into the offseason.
Like McCaffrey, Burks is safe for 2026, but a strong year could put him in position for a multi-year deal.
On the defensive side, Jer’Zhan Newton has to make his presence felt. The 2024 second-round pick has yet to separate himself as a franchise cornerstone over two NFL seasons, even though the flashes have been real.
His Christmas Day performance against the Cowboys last season was the kind of outing Washington has been waiting for: nine tackles, three sacks, two tackles for loss and five quarterback hits. Dominant.
The problem is that games like that have been the exception, not the rule. With a deeper and better front seven in 2026, Newton needs a fast start in camp and a clear case to start for defensive coordinator Daronte Jones.
Then there’s the center situation, which might be the most unsettled spot on the roster. That’s why rookie sixth-round pick Matt Gulbin belongs on this list.
Washington released starter Tyler Biadasz this offseason and made a run at Tyler Linderbaum before the Raiders reset the market for centers with his new deal. That left Nick Allegretti back in the starting role, and the Commanders appear comfortable with that.
Still, the questions are obvious. Adding a veteran center behind Allegretti would make sense, but that doesn’t look likely.
Gulbin, meanwhile, has a chance to matter sooner than a sixth-rounder usually does. He has to show offensive coordinator David Blough that he can handle the snap cleanly and make protection calls.
If he does that, his roster spot should be secure. Washington likes backups who can move around, and Gulbin played both center and guard in college.
In other words, he could be one snap away from becoming Washington’s center in 2026.
Kicker is the other battle worth watching, and Jake Moody has the heavier burden there. He’s competing with undrafted rookie Drew Stevens for the starting job, and both have shown they can drive the ball.
The battle is expected to run through the preseason unless one of them gets off to a rough start. Moody, a former third-round pick and now on his third NFL team, has more pressure on him than Stevens.
He kicked well after arriving last season, but he can’t afford many off days if he wants to hold the job.
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Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported there is no clear sign of outside interest right now, which only adds to the uncertainty around Samuels next move. The expectation is that his next contract will come in well below the kind of money he has commanded before, leaving open the possibility that his eventual destination could depend less on leverage and more on which team decides it still needs a proven playmaker. [Read more 🡒]
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Commanders Camp Could Push A Familiar Name Off The 53
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Antonio Hamilton Sr. is among the players now sitting closest to the cut line at cornerback, which shows how quickly one move can ripple through a roster battle. The same kind of squeeze is playing out at other positions too, with Jeremy McNichols holding an edge in the backfield and the offensive line competition still unresolved, but the most interesting part is how many familiar names are still vulnerable if camp performances do not match their experience. [Read more 🡒]