The Washington Commanders have trimmed a familiar name from their roster as training camp injuries continue to pile up.
Drake Jackson, the linebacker/defensive end Washington placed on the reserve/injured list on Aug. 25, was released with an injury settlement, according to the NFL’s transaction wire. That move came a little more than a week after the initial IR designation.
Jackson’s path to this point has been bumpy. The former 49ers second-round pick entered the league in 2022 with real upside, played in 15 games as a rookie, and finished with three sacks in a limited role.
Things started to unravel in 2023, when he landed on injured reserve in November after eight games. He tried to get back in 2024, but a torn patellar tendon in training camp wiped out his season.
San Francisco waived him in May 2025.
Washington gave him another shot. The fit made sense: the Commanders needed help off the edge, and general manager Adam Peters already knew Jackson from his time as the 49ers’ assistant GM when Jackson was drafted.
Washington signed him on Oct. 15, then immediately placed him on IR with a return designation. He was activated on Dec. 4 and appeared in three games last season, making three tackles.
The Commanders spent the offseason addressing the edge-rusher spot, bringing in Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson and adding Joshua Josephs in the fifth round. Even so, Peters brought Jackson back on a one-year deal to give him a chance to stick.
That chance never really got rolling. Jackson had a quiet summer while others at the position made noise, and now he’s back on the market. He’s free to sign with another team.
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