Trey Amos is on the verge of getting back in the mix for the Washington Commanders, but there’s nothing soft about the road that waits for him.
After finally getting the promising young cornerback back into a practice setting for the first time in almost a year last week, head coach Dan Quinn wants to see one more step before the 2025 second-round pick is cleared for game action. If Amos handles this week’s work the way the Commanders expect, the plan is for him to be activated to the 53-man roster in Week 6 against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football.
That’s a brutal stage for a return, but Washington could use the help. Quinn said Amos, safety Nick Cross and running back Jeremy McNichols will all be full go in practice this week, a welcome sign for a team that has been dealing with injuries and is slowly getting healthier. The timing matters even more with the 5-0 Niners coming in looking every bit like a legitimate Super Bowl favorite.
Amos has already shown why Washington was excited about him. As a rookie, his size, length and physical style stood out right away before a fractured fibula ended his run.
Then, after months of rehab, the Ole Miss product suffered an ankle sprain in his first practice back and wound up back on injured reserve. The details around that injury were unclear at the time, but the setback was real enough to delay his return again.
Now the signs are pointing the right way. That said, it would still be a stretch to expect Amos to jump straight into starter-level reps.
He hasn’t played much football, and there’s a difference between being in shape and being in football shape. Even so, he gives Washington a clear boost, whether he’s working in rotation or handling a limited role.
The Commanders will have to manage his workload carefully, especially with a prime-time opponent that can punish any mistake. Even with Amik Robertson off to an exceptional start, Amos remains Washington’s best blend of physicality and athletic traits for the challenge posed by Mike Evans. How much of that assignment he takes on is still up in the air, but the fact that it’s even a possibility says plenty about what Washington thinks of him.
The organization has believed Amos can grow into a lockdown cornerback. He’s still young enough to make that happen, though injuries have introduced a layer of uncertainty about how much of that upside remains intact. For now, the message from the team has been upbeat, and the work ahead is straightforward: get through practice, get through the game and keep building.
It’s been a long, frustrating path to this point, and Amos should be eager to step back out with his teammates on game day. The opening matchup may be a tough one, but it might also be the fastest way to get him back up to speed. At minimum, Washington stands to benefit just by having him back.
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