With training camp about to open in Ashburn, the Commanders are already facing the kind of roster questions that usually linger deep into August. The big one remains at wide receiver: will Washington add a veteran before Week 1, or trust the group it has?
Brandon Aiyuk has made it clear he wants to land in Washington once he’s released by the 49ers, but that move still hasn’t happened, and the Commanders appear to have cooled on him because of his social media activity. Stefon Diggs is another name in the mix. For now, though, general manager Adam Peters may be prepared to ride with what’s already on the roster.
Washington also addressed another shaky spot by signing veteran cornerback Rasul Douglas, and that move makes cornerback look like a finished product for now.
So with the 90-man roster in place, here’s an early crack at what the Commanders’ first 53-man group could look like when the league’s August 30 deadline arrives.
At quarterback, the projection keeps three: Jayden Daniels, Marcus Mariota and Athan Kaliakmanis. The argument here is simple enough - Daniels’ health makes a third passer feel necessary.
If Washington does carry three, Kaliakmanis gets the nod over Sam Hartman. The team was very high on Kaliakmanis during the pre-draft process, and he looks like a David Blough pick.
Running back could go either way, but this version keeps four: Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Rachaad White, Kaytron Allen and Jeremy McNichols. There isn’t an obvious lead back, so the safer bet is that Washington keeps four players with distinct roles. Croskey-Merritt and White are the top two, while Allen should get work too.
Receiver is where the real uncertainty lives. This projection leaves out Van Jefferson and includes Terry McLaurin, Dyami Brown, Treylon Burks, Luke McCaffrey, Jaylin Lane and Antonio Williams.
McCaffrey and Lane both offer value in the return game, and both are former draft picks Washington likes. McCaffrey made progress last season before a broken collarbone ended his year.
Brown’s return has the team energized, the Commanders believe in Burks, and Williams could make a major rookie impact.
Tight end stays close to last year’s setup, with one change: Okonkwo replaces Zach Ertz. Sinnott is expected to move around more in David Blough’s offense, and he’s a name to keep an eye on in 2026. Bates is still one of the league’s best blockers.
Up front, the offensive line projection includes Laremy Tunsil, Josh Conerly Jr., Sam Cosmi, Nick Allegretti, Chris Paul, Brandon Coleman, Matt Gulbin, Andrew Wylie and Trent Scott. The top seven are essentially locked in.
Paul or Coleman could start at left guard, and both matter to this group. Coleman and Wylie can each play tackle or guard, which gives Washington real flexibility.
Gulbin looks like the backup center as a rookie, and Scott is back for another season.
On the defensive line, the four projected names are Daron Payne, Tim Settle, Javon Kinlaw and Johnny Newton. Payne is the big question in a contract year, especially after what he did in 2022.
Settle is back and expected to start. Kinlaw was better last season than he got credit for, and the hope is that Newton takes a real step forward.
Edge rusher looks deeper and faster than before, with Odafe Oweh, K’Lavon Chaisson, Dorance Armstrong, Charles Omenihu and Joshua Josephs making the cut. Armstrong is coming off knee surgery, but the additions around him put him in a better role.
Washington is excited about this group, and Josephs is a rookie worth watching. Javontae Jean-Baptiste is the odd man out here.
At linebacker, the five are Frankie Luvu, Sonny Styles, Leo Chenal, Jordan Magee and Nick Bellore. Bellore is a special teams-only player, even if he’s listed here as a linebacker. Washington still believes in Magee, while Kain Medrano just misses in this first pass even though he probably has a strong case.
Cornerback is straightforward after the Douglas signing: Mike Sainristil, Trey Amos, Amik Robertson, Rasul Douglas and Ahkello Witherspoon. Douglas could change the starting picture because of his experience and the way he’s played over the last two seasons. Washington wants a bounce-back year from Sainristil, Amos is returning from the leg injury that ended his rookie season, and Robertson can line up inside or outside.
Safety is the one spot where the projection leaves out Percy Butler, and that’s not an easy call. Still, there’s no room for six safeties.
The five here are Quan Martin, Nick Cross, Will Harris, Jeremy Reaves and Tyler Owens. Martin remains a key piece, Cross was one of the offseason additions, Harris is healthy again after showing what he can do last season, Reaves is a steady special teams force, and Owens brings the most upside.
Special teams rounds out the roster with kicker Drew Stevens, punter Tress Way and long snapper Tyler Ott. Stevens gets the edge over Jake Moody in this projection, though that battle is expected to go all the way to the final preseason game. Way and Ott remain among the best at what they do, and Bellore’s value is still tied entirely to special teams.
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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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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 🡒]