Grading the latest six Commanders moves in 2023 free agency

Commanders released J.D. McKissic (RB)

The NFL is a cruel business sometimes. Well, most of the time if we’re being honest.

Another fine example of this comes with J.D. McKissic, who spurned the Buffalo Bills to stay with the Washington Commanders only to be cut the following year.

This is down to bad luck and not much else. McKissic was a valuable contributor when healthy, but a serious neck complication forced him to miss considerable time and his failed physical designation indicates that it’s not going to get better anytime soon.

Washington already has two staring-caliber running backs in Brian Robinson Jr. and Antonio Gibson. However, Eric Bieniemy might want another pass-catching weapon out of the backfield in the immediate aftermath of McKissic’s release.

Perhaps a gifted recruit from the college ranks would suffice once other key needs have been met. There are also plenty of intriguing options on the free-agent market, although this route is going to cost more.

Grade: B

It’s hard to look at this in any other way than with disappointment. There’s no doubt McKissic would have thrived in Bieniemy’s system, but it just wasn’t to be.