The Washington Commanders ended the Baltimore Ravens’ 24-game preseason winning streak with Monday night’s surprisingly thrilling 29-28 win. The Commanders finish up the preseason on Saturday against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Washington has made it through the preseason relatively unscathed. The Commanders did suffer a scare on Monday night when wide receiver Terry McLaurin left the game with a toe injury. Fortunately, the injury isn’t serious, and McLaurin should be ready for Week 1. Outside of McLaurin, the Commanders are dealing with some “nicks,” as head coach Ron Rivera described last week.
Now, Washington’s attention turns to finalizing the 53-man roster. Unlike in previous years, all roster cuts are done at once, which will be next week, only days after the final preseason game.
Here’s our latest 53-man roster projection after Monday’s preseason game.
Quarterback: 2
Quarterbacks: Sam Howell and Jacoby Brissett
Howell and Brissett make a solid duo under center for the Commanders. Jake Fromm played well in the preseason game against the Ravens. Did he do enough to earn a roster spot? I just don’t see it. Washington likes Fromm; we shall see how much next week.
Running back: 4
Running back: Brian Robinson Jr., Antonio Gibson, Chris Rodriguez Jr., Alex Armah
We have our first change from one week ago. We’ve added Armah, a fullback who can also help out at tight end. Armah is a solid weapon that can give offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy some offensive flexibility.
Wide receiver: 7
Wide receiver: Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, Curtis Samuel, Dyami Brown, Byron Pringle, Mitchell Tinsley and Kazmeir Allen
A slight change here. Last week, we included Dax Milne. This time, we remove Milne and add Tinsley. Look, the Commanders keeping six wide receivers are more likely, but there are some tough cuts this time around. Allen makes it for his return ability, and Tinsley is a promising prospect that Washington doesn’t want to lose.
Tight end: 3
Tight end: Logan Thomas, Cole Turner, John Bates
When do we officially start worrying about Thomas? Even if he’s ready for Week 1, his injury history recently is concerning. Bates and Turner have had excellent training camps. Turner has shown flashes of being a starting tight end in the preseason. We ultimately believe the Commanders keep four tight ends, but Curtis Hodges hasn’t shown he belongs. This is where Armah factors into the equation. Washington could cut Brandon Dillon and Kaden Smith and likely be able to bring one of them back if there is an injury during the season.
Offensive line: 10
Offensive line: Charles Leno Jr., Saahdiq Charles, Nick Gates, Sam Cosmi, Andrew Wylie, Cornelius Lucas, Tyler Larsen, Ricky Stromberg, Chris Paul and Braeden Daniels
Nothing changes from last week. I still see the Commanders keeping 10 offensive linemen. Undrafted rookie Mason Brooks deserves a spot over fourth-round pick Braeden Daniels. But will Washington cut a fourth-round rookie? I don’t see it. Keep an eye on veteran Trent Scott here, as he could fill one of the reserve tackle spots, but Washington has flexibility with Cosmi, Charles and Wylie all having the ability to play guard and tackle.
Defensive line: 10
Defensive line: Montez Sweat, Chase Young, Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, John Ridgeway, Efe Obada, Phidarian Mathis, Casey Toohill, James Smith-Williams and Andre Jones Jr.
Another competitive battle here. I can see the Commanders keeping 11 here, including both rookies, K.J. Henry and Andre Jones Jr. One thing is certain, Jones is making the roster. The Commanders like Henry, too, but in this case, he hasn’t done enough to beat out Jones and could be ticketed for the practice squad with an in-season callup. The Commanders love the versatility of this group.
Linebacker: 4
Linebacker: Jamin Davis, Cody Barton, Khaleke Hudson and David Mayo
No changes here. These four are solidly on the roster. The only question is, has another linebacker done enough to force the Commanders to keep five linebackers? We know Washington often employs only two linebackers and will use safeties Kamren Curl and Darrick Forrest in a hybrid role.
Cornerback: 6
Cornerback: Kendall Fuller, Benjamin St-Juste, Emmanuel Forbes, Quan Martin, Danny Johnson and Christian Holmes
This is another situation where the Commanders could keep five or six in this position. Martin can play inside or outside and also safety. Johnson is injured at the moment, but it isn’t believed to be serious. Holmes earns the spot for his work on special teams.
Safety: 4
Safety: Kamren Curl, Darrick Forrest, Percy Butler and Jeremy Reaves
This is an outstanding group of young, versatile and physical players. All will play. No changes here.
Specialists: 3
Specialists: K Joey Slye, P Tress Way and LS Camaron Cheeseman
Slye officially won the kicking job over the weekend. He earned it. He followed it up with a strong game against the Ravens. Way has battled a back injury, but it shouldn’t impact his availability for the season opener. Cheeseman is having some issues with his snaps. That’s concerning this close to the season.
