The Washington Commanders are done with their initial 53-man roster, but that number is never really final. More moves are coming, and with a couple of players expected to land on injured reserve, general manager Adam Peters still has room to shore things up.
If Washington is going to make one priority addition, it should be at center.
That spot is thin enough to be a real concern. Nick Allegretti is projected to start after Peters released Tyler Biadasz, but Allegretti has practiced only once this summer after suffering a calf strain on the first day of training camp. Behind him, sixth-round rookie Matt Gulbin is next in line, and the Commanders also moved on from Julian Good-Jones after he didn’t hit the desired targets.
Peters passed on a handful of low-profile interior offensive line trades before the deadline, choosing to hold onto draft picks instead of patching the problem with a quick fix. Now the waiver wire offers another chance to address it, and one name stands out: Kingsley Eguakun.
The Cleveland Browns surprisingly waived Eguakun during cut-downs, and he may not stay available for long. Washington could be one of the teams making a claim, especially because there’s a built-in connection on the staff. Offensive line coach Darnell Stapleton worked with Eguakun at Florida, giving the Commanders some real familiarity with what he can do.
Eguakun also has traits that could make him a fit. He brings the size and athleticism to potentially settle into a role, and he picked up some starting experience with the Browns last season. That doesn’t mean he fixes everything, but it does give Washington a chance to add a player who knows Stapleton’s demands and could develop with more refinement.
The Commanders’ plan at center has already drawn criticism, and Week 1 hasn’t even arrived yet. Releasing Biadasz, missing on Tyler Linderbaum, and waiting until the sixth round to draft a center was a controversial approach from the start, and the concerns are only louder now.
Eguakun would be a bandage, not a cure. Still, with the state of the offensive line anchor and roster spots available to fill, Washington needs to act. Standing still isn’t really an option, and Eguakun might be the best chance to get a little closer to stability.
In Other News...
Commanders Suddenly Have A Familiar Offensive Line Gamble To Consider
Injuries and thin depth are already forcing the Commanders to keep a close eye on their offensive line, and a familiar name just hit the market at exactly the wrong time for the rest of the NFC East. The Giants released Evan Neal, the former top-10 pick whose career has been slowed by injuries and position changes, and that kind of move always gets attention in Washington when the trenches start looking shaky.
Evan Neal is hardly a clean solution, but the Commanders have taken this sort of swing before, and there is at least a recent template for why they might do it again. A low-cost depth add with starting experience can look a lot more appealing when the alternatives are moving pieces around and hoping the line holds together, which is what makes this possibility worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Suddenly Have A Cornerback Problem They Cant Ignore
Washington finalized its initial 53-man roster, but the numbers at cornerback already look a little thin. After a series of cuts and the move of Trey Amos to injured reserve, the Commanders are sitting with only three cornerbacks on the roster, a shape that does not leave much margin for a position that can get stressed quickly over the course of a season.
There is some roster maneuvering still to come, with veteran defensive tackle Shy Tuttle cut in a move that is expected to be temporary once Washington creates more space by placing Laremy Tunsil and Jer'Zhan Newton on injured reserve. Even with those transactions in motion, the cornerback room remains a spot to watch, and the Commanders may need to add help there before the opener if they want to feel comfortable about their depth. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Suddenly Have A Quarterback Decision During Final Cuts
With roster cuts due by the NFL deadline, the Commanders are sorting through more than the usual end-of-summer churn. The bigger question hanging over the process is quarterback depth, with Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota both dealing with injuries and rookie Athan Kaliakmanis also in the mix as the team tries to settle on its 53-man roster.
Josh Johnson is suddenly part of that conversation again after being released by the Cincinnati Bengals, giving Washington a familiar veteran fallback if it wants another backup option. For a team already juggling final cuts, the quarterback room could become one of the most important decisions of the week, and it is still unclear how the Commanders will line things up before the deadline passes. [Read more 🡒]