The Washington Commanders are moving into the part of camp where the roster math gets real, and the first joint practice with the Miami Dolphins was the latest reminder that the final 53 is going to take some sorting out.
With the preseason opener set for Friday, Washington’s staff is getting a close look at which fringe players can keep climbing before cuts arrive in a little over two weeks. A few backups have a path to stick if they keep showing up in the next round of practices and scrimmages.
One of the more interesting names is tight end Zach Yankoff. The 6-foot-4 UCLA product went undrafted two years ago, but he’s been around Washington long enough to make himself familiar.
He has only three targets and 18 receiving yards in 20 career games, yet he’s started turning heads in camp with some eye-catching moments. Yankoff seems to haul in just about anything thrown his way, and he does it with a little extra flair that could matter to Jayden Daniels, even after the team brought in Stefon Diggs.
The problem is the room he’s trying to crack. Chig Okonkwo gives Washington an agile pass-catching option, John Bates is the blocking presence, and Ben Sinnott remains the team’s own upside swing. If Yankoff wants to become a regular part of the offense or carve out red-zone snaps, he’ll need to keep convincing the staff that the tight end group should grow into a four-man rotation.
Dyami Brown is in a different kind of fight, but the pressure is just as clear. Before Diggs signed, Washington spent much of the offseason hunting for usable receiver help, and Brown was one of the early additions in free agency. He has more to prove than simply earning a bench spot.
Brown, a 2021 third-round pick, spent four seasons in Washington as a backup receiver before posting a career-best 30 catches during the Commanders’ 2024 run to the NFC Championship Game. He then bet on himself by leaving for the Jacksonville Jaguars, but a poor catch rate eventually knocked him out of that starting job before Jacksonville’s late-season surge.
If Brown is going to get back on a 53-man roster, Washington may be his best shot. It’s the only place where he has ever reached 300 receiving yards in a season.
Even then, the competition is crowded behind Diggs and Terry McLaurin, with Antonio Williams, Luke McCaffrey, and Jaylin Lane all in the mix. Treylon Burks also sits in the picture as a reclamation project, while Van Jefferson looks only slightly safer than that.
If the numbers and the camp battles break the right way, Brown could work his way back into the role he once held in-house.
Safety is another spot where the Commanders still have some sorting to do. Nick Cross is set for a key starting role, and Jeremy Reaves, Quan Martin, and Will Harris are all expected to handle regular rotational work. That quartet should take up most of the snaps, but there’s still room for someone else to force the issue.
Percy Butler is trying to be that guy. He’s been getting meaningful reps with the first unit, with one note pointing to him replacing Reaves in that role.
Washington has given Butler chances against real competition in scrimmages, but he still has work to do to lock himself in. Across four seasons, he has just 14 tackles in 16 appearances and one start in 2025.
The safety group around him hasn’t exactly been airtight in coverage, whether in camp or in previous seasons, and that makes Butler’s uphill climb even steeper. Still, with a few spots left to sort out, he remains in the mix to beat out Malik Spencer for a place on the final 53.
In Other News...
Commanders Have 5 Players Under Pressure In Dolphins Practice
Wednesdays joint practice with the Dolphins offers the Commanders a useful mid-August measuring stick, and for a handful of players it is a chance to make the next few days matter. Ahead of Fridays preseason game, Antonio Williams, Julian Good-Jones, Brandon Coleman, Sonny Styles and Mike Sainristil are all set to be watched closely as Washington sorts through roles, reps and roster value.
For players trying to carve out a place on the team, this is the kind of setting that can move the needle. The pace is sharper than a normal camp session and the evaluation is more direct, which is why this workout could be especially important for those five as they try to turn a practice opportunity into real playing time. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Left Joint Practice With One Early Problem They Cant Ignore
The Commanders got an early look at where they still need work in their joint practice with the Dolphins, and special teams stood out quickly as a problem area. Miami found room on kick returns, exposing Washingtons coverage unit and reminding everyone that the third phase of the game can swing momentum long before the offense or defense settle in.
Special teams coordinator Larry Izzo and the staff have time to clean it up, and they will need to, because the Commanders have several young, athletic players who could help stabilize that unit if they take to the job. Joint practices are built to surface issues like this before the games matter, and Washington came away with one of the less flattering reminders a coach can get. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Suddenly Have A New Edge Rusher Worth Watching Closely
The Commanders defense turned in a strong showing during its joint practice against the Dolphins, and one of the more intriguing developments came from a player still trying to establish himself in the rotation. Javontae Jean-Baptiste, a 2024 seventh-round pick, flashed the kind of pass-rushing ability that can quickly get a coachs attention, especially for a young edge defender trying to carve out a role on a crowded roster.
Jean-Baptistes path has already included a long recovery from a season-ending injury, which makes any encouraging practice rep feel a little more meaningful for Washington. With competition at edge rusher still very much alive, his performance against Miami gave him a chance to separate himself, and it added another name to watch as the Commanders continue sorting out the back end of the roster. [Read more 🡒]