3 most shocking omissions from the Commanders’ 53-man roster

After 48 hours of absolute mayhem, the Washington Commander’s 53-man roster has been submitted. The team started practice at 12:30 p.m. EST and reporters revealed the list of 25 cuts minutes before the session got underway.

It’s a tad surprising five TEs were kept, but that’s subject to change once Washington gets more clarity on Logan Thomas, Cole Turner and John Bates’ status for the season-opener. For now, UDFAs Armani Rogers and Curtis Hodges stick.

While it’s surprising the Commanders currently have five TEs, let’s highlight some players who were shockingly omitted from the 53-man.

3 most shocking omissions from Commander’s 53-man roster

3. Khaleke Hudson, LB

Hudson was seemingly the Commanders’ experiment project at buffalo nickel without Landon Collins. The early signs at camp were positive, but it ultimately didn’t come to fruition. Still, his release stunned fans given how much more thin the linebacker room became after Nathan Gerry landed on IR.

Even before Washington signed Gerry, Hudson was expected to have some semblance of an important role on the defense this year.

And while Hudson lacked a consistent on defense over his first two years (just 74 total snaps), he’s been a vital player for the special teams unit, logging an 82 percent snap share in 2020 and ’21. Typically, roster bubble players get over the hump if they have value on special teams, so Hudson’s release is even more of a surprise when you consider that variable.

A fifth-round draft pick in Ron Rivera’s first year, Hudson had appeal as a hybrid defender. His athletic profile will likely see him latch on with another team on waivers, though he might have to wait until the second wave for his chance.

With Hudson and undrafted free agent Tre Walker out of the picture, expect Washington to browse the waiver wire for LB reinforcements.