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.
2. Danny Johnson, CB
Johnson’s omission isn’t shocking based on his preseason performance, but it is shocking based on the coaching staff’s familiarity with him and the status of the cornerback room. At the end of the day, Johnson appeared in 42 games in four years, including 26 of 33 games since Ron Rivera took over in 2020.
With Corn Elder, another surprise, also getting the axe, the team’s cornerback room shrunk to Kendall Fuller, William Jackson, Benjamin St-Juste and Christian Holmes.
We expect Washington to claim a player or two on waivers, but it’s clear the staff wasn’t fond of how its depth CBs performed at camp and in the preseason.
Johnson was at the center of that in regard to the preseason. While the fifth-year cornerback showed well against the run (76.6 run-defense grade, per PFF), he was victimized early and often in coverage (40.6 coverage grade).
In three games, Johnson allowed eight catches on 10 targets for 169 yards, which averages out to a whopping 21.1 yards per reception. Despite his awful showing, the general consensus was he’d have a spot on the 53-man roster.
1. Jaret Patterson, RB
Fans were stunned when Patterson’s fate was revealed on Tuesday. With projected starter Brian Robinson out of commission as he recovers from his gunshot wounds, there was some speculation Patterson would make the squad.
When push came to shove, though, Jonathan Williams got in over last year’s training camp and preseason success story. Of course, Patterson made the team as an undrafted free agent out of Buffalo and proceeded to log 68 carries for 266 yards and two scores.
Patterson impressed again this offseason and saved his best for last in Saturday’s preseason finale when he rushed 11 times for 47 yards and led the team in receiving with 45 yards on four receptions. He finished the three games with a 77.3 rushing grade from Pro Football Focus and averaged 2.81 yards after contact.
The Maryland native is a candidate to re-sign to the practice squad if he clears waivers, but fans are rightly shocked he missed the final cut.