![FOXBOROUGH, MA – AUGUST 9 : Head coach Jay Gruden of the Washington Redskins looks on during the preseason game between the New England Patriots and the Washington Redskins at Gillette Stadium on August 9, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) FOXBOROUGH, MA – AUGUST 9 : Head coach Jay Gruden of the Washington Redskins looks on during the preseason game between the New England Patriots and the Washington Redskins at Gillette Stadium on August 9, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_16,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/6490fddf8966116b0e496b9a4741ffc873be9310eedb1d6f8e8cca067d96f4e1.jpg)
The trek from 90 to 53 is a long one. It’s a journey the Redskins, along with 31 other NFL teams, make every year.
The trek is defined by the length of the preseason, where bubble players and undrafted free agents alike make their case to stay in the only professional football league that truly matters. It represents not only a commitment to hard work on the players’ part, but a plethora of tough decisions for the Washington Redskins as well.
Of course, the purpose of preseason aligns with the team’s goal: To make those tough decisions easier ones instead.
This week, in a matchup with the Jets, the Redskins will be watching these five position battles, among others, very closely. By the end of the month, it could mean keeping one player and sending another onto the waiver wire. Take a look at the battles you need to watch on Thursday.