Loser No. 2
Kain Medrano - Commanders LB
The Washington Commanders needed one of their young linebackers to step up and make a difference. Three or four spots are all but confirmed, but what comes after that remains to be seen.
Kain Medrano is among those fighting to stick around. There is an opening to potentially carve out a bigger role for himself with Nick Bellore opting for retirement, but the inconsistencies were glaring against the Baltimore Ravens.
Medrano's positional sense is a work in progress. There is obvious hesitancy, and his awareness in coverage got exposed way too often. The 2025 sixth-round selection just hasn't shown enough yet, but his athleticism could see him retained as a special-teams presence and not much else.
Playing in the preseason finale tends to suggest a player's fortunes could go either way. After a lackluster performance, Medrano faces an anxious wait before his fate is determined.
And it's hard to predict how things will go.
Winner No. 1
Tyler Owens - Commanders DB
There were very few bright spots to take from this one. The Commanders were second best from start to finish, and very few players did their chances any good. However, defensive back Tyler Owens was among them.
Owens was on the field, but this may have had more to do with needing in-game reps than with his precarious roster spot. The 2024 undrafted free agent is being utilized all over the field by defensive coordinator Daronte Jones, and it's bringing a positive response. And for all Washington's failures, the former Texas Tech Red Raider was a real bright spot.
Everything seems to be coming together for Owens at the best possible time. Joe Whitt Jr. had no idea how to use his exceptional athletic attributes effectively, but Jones has the right formula. This put an exclamation point on his impressive summer, so a bigger role could be on the way when competitive action begins.
Loser No. 3
Trent Scott - Commanders OL
As previously mentioned, the Commanders have some problems on their offensive line. Missing left tackle Laremy Tunsil and projected starting center Nick Allegretti all summer has exposed their lack of quality depth. And this should not be going unnoticed by general manager Adam Peters.
Trent Scott is among those who have underperformed. The veteran is among the rare leftovers from previous head coach Ron Rivera's tenure, and he was expected to fill a roster spot once again. However, an abysmal showing against the Ravens throws that into jeopardy.
Scott crumbled. There's no other way to put it, and the upper and lower body were not aligned effectively in pass protection. He's a yard off the pace, especially when it comes to his recovery technique, and the Ravens exposed him as a weak link with minimal fuss.
This was a big wake-up call. For Scott, it could be the difference between making the squad and being sent packing.
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