Ranking the Commanders’ top preseason performers
By Jerry Trotta
The Washington Commanders finished 0-3 this preseason, but they could’ve just as easily finished 2-1 if things broke differently.
In Week 1, they lost on a Panthers last-minute field goal after Sam Howell staged an epic comeback and in Week 3 they had the ball on the final possession needing a field goal to end the Ravens’ 22-game preseason streak.
While those silver linings are legit, you are what your record says you are and Washington finished winless. At the end of the day, there were plenty of positives and negative over the three-game slate, but let’s keep things positive and highlight the Commanders’ top three performers from the preseason, shall we?
Who were the Commanders’ best preseason performers?
3. William Bradley-King
Bradley-King was unlucky not to make the 53-man roster. A candidate to end up on the practice squad, Bradley-King was the Commanders’ highest-graded defender this preseason. He played the eighth-most snaps of any player (59) in the three games and finished with a 81.7 player grade from Pro Football Focus
The 2021 seventh-rounder tallied five tackles, four pressures, three hurries and five defensive (run) stops. As his five stops indicate, Bradley-King was especially effective against the run and notched a 88.1 run-defense grade from PFF. Only Jeremy Reaves was more prolific defending the run.
The NFL is just a harsh business and roster cut time is wildly draconian. Oftentimes, preseason standouts get left off 53-man rosters and that’s exactly what happened with Bradley-King, who should hold his head high despite getting cut.