Cut day didn’t bring any major surprises for the Washington Commanders, but it did leave general manager Adam Peters with a familiar kind of decision: scan the waiver wire and see whether a castoff from elsewhere can help patch a problem area.
That problem is the offensive line, where Washington is already dealing with a messy situation at center and the absence of star left tackle Laremy Tunsil for the majority of the season, if not all of it. The Commanders need help wherever they can find it.
One possible answer just became available when the New York Giants released Evan Neal.
Neal, the No. 7 overall pick in 2022, never established himself in New York. The Giants shifted him from tackle to guard in 2025 in an effort to get him on track, but a season-ending hamstring injury cut that plan short. After that, he had been given a one-year veteran minimum contract extension, only to be left off the roster in East Rutherford.
Washington has already seen a version of this story play out with another Giants line disappointment. Ereck Flowers, who was widely mocked during his time as a draft bust in New York, spent two separate stints with the Commanders in 2019 and 2021 and managed something of a career rebound after moving to guard.
Neal would not solve the Commanders’ center issue, but he could give them something they need right now: a lineman who can play either guard or tackle and provide real backup depth. In a situation like Washington’s, that matters.
The Commanders kept 10 offensive linemen, with Brandon Coleman, Chris Paul, Allegretti, Sam Cosmi, and Josh Conerly Jr. lined up as starters and D.J. Humphries, Andrew Wylie, Matt Gulbin, and Tanoa Togiai among the reserves. Tunsil is still on the active roster for now, though he is expected to move to injured reserve, which would open another spot.
That makes Neal a plausible fit. He brings draft-night upside, positional flexibility, and a low-risk price tag. If it doesn’t work out, the Commanders can simply move on.
For a team searching for answers up front, taking a shot on a former division rival’s discarded first-round talent makes plenty of sense.
In Other News...
Commanders Face An Urgent Center Decision Before Week 1
The Commanders have already gotten their roster down to 53 players, but the work in the middle of the offensive line is far from settled. Center has become a spot worth watching as injuries and recent releases have left Washington looking for stability before Week 1, and that uncertainty has pushed the team to keep scanning the waiver wire for help.
Kingsley Eguakun is one name worth tracking after his release from the Cleveland Browns, especially with his past connection to Washington offensive line coach Darnell Stapleton. For a team trying to steady the front before the season opens, adding a center with some familiarity in the building would make sense, but the next move still has to be made. [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 🡒]