The Commanders’ safety room is packed, and that makes Malik Spencer’s path a steep one.
The undrafted rookie out of Michigan State is trying to turn a strong first impression into something bigger during training camp. On Day 2, Spencer reportedly grabbed two takeaways, a nice early flash for a player who needs every rep he can get. New defensive coordinator Daronte Jones is clearly hunting for defenders who can fit his explosive approach, one built around forcing hurried throws and cashing in on turnovers.
Spencer comes to Washington after going undrafted in 2026. He spent all four of his college seasons at Michigan State and shared the 2025 roster with rookie center Matt Gulbin, who transferred in for his final year.
The Commanders list Spencer at 6-foot-1 and 191 pounds, and the 22-year-old safety played 12 games as a sophomore and again as a senior. He appeared in five games as a freshman and nine as a junior.
There’s work to do if he wants any real shot at the practice squad or the active roster. His missed games in college and a Relative Athletic Score that didn’t pop worked against him, even though he showed adequate straight-line speed. The bigger concern was in the agility work, where his change-of-direction testing came back poorly enough to raise eyebrows for NFL scouts.
And that’s the challenge in Washington: there’s already a crowd. Quan Martin and Percy Butler are heading into important seasons, while Will Harris, Tyler Owens and Jeremy Reaves are back from the 2025 team.
The Commanders also added Nick Cross from the Indianapolis Colts in the offseason, and Robert McDaniel plus Qwuantrezz Knight are in the mix too. For Spencer, the margin for error is thin.
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Diggs, who turns 33 in November, is reportedly looking for a one-year deal and has made it known he would like to land in Washington. For now, though, the interest appears to be more exploratory than urgent, with no sign of intensified negotiations yet, leaving the Commanders with a potentially enticing option still hanging in the balance. [Read more 🡒]