Commanders News: Quan Martin, Kendall Fuller, UDFAs and Day 3

Could the Commanders cut Kendall Fuller?

With the Washington Commanders spending their opening two draft picks on defensive backs, it leaves plenty of uncertainty for those already on the books. Ron Rivera has preached the need for increased competition, but with further financial sacrifices set to be made in the coming weeks, some will be nervously looking over their shoulders.

One name, in particular, is Kendall Fuller. The veteran played pretty well overall in 2022, but the Commanders’ preference to go younger might see him on the outside looking in considering the cap savings involved with a post-June 1 release.

This was a topic discussed in more detail by Michael Fish of Sports Illustrated, who indicated Fuller could be involved in a training camp battle for his spot thanks to the arrivals of Emmanuel Forbes and Quan Martin.

"“It appears now the veteran may be getting phased out of the defense he was just a leader of last season, and it may actually come faster than many expect. With a potential cap savings of $8.5 million available if Washington chooses to trade or release Fuller, the team could complete the communication by making him a free agent.  At best – or worst depending on how you view things – the Commanders veteran is squarely placed into a camp battle that could see him relegated to backup duties.”"

It’ll be interesting to see how Rivera approaches this one. Relying on youth comes with its own set of complications, but money needs to be made available somehow, and cutting Fuller is almost enough to sign Washington’s entire 2023 draft class.