The Washington Commanders are limping into today’s matchup, both literally and figuratively, after a flurry of roster moves and injury updates that underscore just how banged up this team is heading into the final stretch of the season.
Let’s start with the latest shakeup: the Commanders elevated defensive tackle Ricky Barber and wide receiver River Cracraft to the active roster. It’s the first NFL call-up for both players this season. Barber, an undrafted rookie signed after this year’s draft, gets his shot in the trenches, while Cracraft, a familiar face from last season, returns to the lineup as Washington looks to patch holes across the depth chart.
But just hours before kickoff, the team added running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. to the injury report with an illness and downgraded him to inactive. That’s a tough blow, especially considering Rodriguez had been named a captain for this game.
Washington will lean on the trio of Bill Croskey-Merritt, Jeremy McNichols, and Chase Edmonds to carry the load in the backfield. It’s a next-man-up situation, and this group will need to step up quickly.
Quarterback is another position in flux. With both Jayden Daniels (elbow) and Marcus Mariota (hand/quad) ruled out, Washington had to get creative.
Daniels has already been shut down for the season, and Mariota’s availability evaporated after he needed stitches in his throwing hand-courtesy of a cleat during Saturday’s game against the Eagles. That left the Commanders scrambling.
They signed Jeff Driskel to back up veteran Josh Johnson and promoted rookie Sam Hartman from the practice squad as the emergency third quarterback. Hartman won’t see the field unless disaster strikes, but his presence underscores just how thin this QB room has become.
Injuries continue to pile up elsewhere, too. This week, Washington placed three more players on injured reserve: right guard Sam Cosmi and defensive tackle Eddie Goldman, both dealing with concussions, and wide receiver/return specialist Jaylin Lane, who’s out with an ankle injury. All three are now done for the year, adding to a growing list of sidelined contributors.
To help fill the void, the Commanders claimed defensive tackle Shy Tuttle off waivers from the Titans and wide receiver/returner Jamal Agnew from the Falcons. However, Agnew failed his physical, so that move didn’t stick. Tuttle, on the other hand, could be a key addition to a defensive front that’s been hit hard by injuries.
And the hits keep coming. Washington ruled out five players yesterday, including left tackle Laremy Tunsil, who’s still dealing with an oblique injury.
Brandon Coleman will start in his place again. Defensive tackle Daron Payne is also out after missing the entire week of practice with a back issue-it’s his second missed game of the season.
On special teams, linebacker Nick Bellore remains in concussion protocol and won’t suit up, leaving a leadership void in that unit as well.
Here’s the full list of Commanders inactives for today’s game:
- QB Jayden Daniels
- QB Marcus Mariota
- QB Sam Hartman (Emergency 3rd QB)
- RB Chris Rodriguez Jr.
- LB Nick Bellore
- LT Laremy Tunsil
- DT Daron Payne
It’s been a rough week in Ashburn, and the Commanders are heading into today’s game with a roster that’s been reshuffled from top to bottom. Whether it’s rookies getting their first taste of NFL action or veterans stepping into unfamiliar roles, this team is in full-on survival mode.
The question now is simple: can they find a way to compete with a patchwork lineup and a whole lot of grit? We’re about to find out.